Seven years ago, my wife and I were at a crossroads, contemplating how best to approach retirement. As an independent management consultant and her holding a significant position in a nonprofit, we both feared losing our sense of purpose if we stopped working entirely. Instead of traditional retirement, we chose an unconventional path that married our skills with new adventures: purchasing a charming bed and breakfast in Virginia. This venture provided us with a new sense of purpose, allowing us to stay active in business and be part of the vibrant local community.
Transitioning from structured careers to innkeepers was far from easy. The steep learning curve included mastering social media intricacies, like timely responses to reviews on platforms such as TripAdvisor, which was a daunting task initially. My wife also took on the challenge of catering to a variety of dietary needs, although I humorously stumbled over some of the terminology, mistaking 'pescatarian' for a religious denomination. Despite these bumps, the experience has been profoundly enriching.
Operating a bed and breakfast opened the door to fascinating interactions with our guests, many of whom were either on the brink of retirement or exploring what it meant for them. Exposure to their diverse retirement narratives—from dabbling in hobbies like beekeeping to diving into sustainable gardening—reshaped our understanding of retirement as more than an end to work. It's a new phase of exploration and engagement, driven by the desire to remain relevant and contribute to the community. Living longer, healthier lives encourages many not to stop working altogether, but rather to redefine how they spend their time post-career.
This shift is strikingly evident among our guests, who often fall into two distinct categories. Those with secure financial planning, often benefiting from pensions or well-executed business sales, dream of spending retirement nestled near family, assisting in raising their grandchildren. Others, like us, who relied on saving without substantial pensions, see retirement as an ongoing journey of partial employment or reinvention, within or outside their original career paths.
For us, buying and running a bed and breakfast offered the perfect balance. It enabled us to sustain our lifestyle while enjoying our local community's social and charitable activities. We even embraced volunteering and church involvement, maintaining a fulfilled life. The pandemic pushed us towards unforeseen challenges, including temporary closures in 2020 which led me to an unexpected seasonal job at a local zoo, further broadening my horizons. Now, as we edge closer to the next chapter, we are prepping the Inn for sale and looking forward to what's ahead. Slowing down doesn't mean stopping; we'll continue to seek engagement and community involvement wherever life takes us next.
