Q&A: B&B at the Redwoods

021013bf3 Vivien Cooper 2 October 2013 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser DPM 03Oct13 - SWEET LIFE: Vivien Cooper feels she has her cake and is eating it too by running her bed and break

Seven years ago, Vivien Cooper and her husband Peter opened their Rotorua home to visitors - now their B&B at the Redwoods is one of the city's top ranked B&Bs on TripAdvisor

In a nutshell, what does your business do?

We provide bed and breakfast accommodation for visitors, mostly from overseas.

What inspired you to set up your current business?

Prior to having children I enjoyed working in London and Auckland in hospitality management. While the kids were young I stayed at home full-time. As they grew older, I felt it was still important to be there when they got home from school but I now had more time during the day.
Enjoying hospitality, wanting to be my own boss, and being at home in the afternoons; running a B&B seemed perfect. So we extended our home to provide a couple of purpose-built B&B rooms.
We could accommodate guests but still maintain our own privacy. Yes, I wanted to have my cake and eat it too.

What was the best business decision you have made?

Building the business to meet the high-quality standards set by Qualmark, Tourism New Zealand, providing up-market accommodation to guests who wanted to have a bit of luxury but who didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

What was your worst business mistake (if any) and what did you learn from it?

Only building two rooms to accommodate guests. I don't like turning any potential guests away.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for your business in the year ahead?

There will always be tourists coming to Rotorua because we are Famously Rotorua and this is one of the places in New Zealand they must see.
With the council election coming up I am optimistic that there will be growth in Rotorua, especially in the health spa and cycleways.

If you could do any other job for a day, what would that be?

Be a town crier! I want to tell every visitor what's new in the city and to stay for a few more days because there is so much to see and do. I want to tell every potential investor to invest in Rotorua.
I want to remind people of Rotorua that they live in one of the best places in the world, to make the most out of it and be great ambassadors for Rotorua.

How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

I think being involved in community projects gives me that healthy balance.

When I am not hosting guests I am out helping with fundraising for school and clubs, organising community events and being involved with my children's activities. I also go out regularly with friends, have people over for dinners, as I like to cook, and of course, have time with my family.

What's the best thing about being in business in Rotorua?

People who come and stay with me are on holiday, so I always have happy people staying with me.
I have tried almost every activity there is to do in Rotorua (except skydiving, which isn't my thing) so I know just what to recommend. Having so many natural attractions around us is a huge bonus.
The best thing about being in the tourism business in Rotorua is that it is all here.

If you were mayor of Rotorua for one day, what one change would you make?

I would like to instigate a Rotorua "Pay It Forward Day", where all of us participate in doing a kind thing for someone while not expecting anything in return. This will certainly enrich the communities we live in and make a happy place for us to live.

New Zealand has a great international reputation as a friendly country but as local residents we want to embrace Rotorua as a great city to live because we are people who care.