beyond the books – community matters

For at least 6 months, I’ve been trying to find someone to help clean, inspect, and prepare the cabins for guests. I wrote a fantastic job description with the help of AI and I posted it in several locations that seemed like a good fit.  But it’s not glamorous work, and finding someone reliable and thorough when you can’t guarantee consistent hours has been so difficult.

And while hiring seems like a simple task that most small businesses encounter at some point – it carries more weight than just a butt in a seat for me.  It’s a chance to share my success with someone else, it’s about being able to help lift someone else up, and most exciting for me, it’s about building a team. 

I know it’d be easier to pay someone under the table.  I’m pretty confident many short term rentals choose to go that route.  (Plus which, don’t even get me started on all of the state agencies you have to register with and the software and reporting involved in hiring a single employee!)

But it is wildly important to me that anyone I hire is on payroll.  Because that ensures the village of Benezette receives the local tax money it needs to support a small year round population and the needs of the influx of visitors to the area each fall. 

Most folks don’t realize how critical those seemingly small local taxes are to a tiny community like this one. As I work to grow In The Sticks Cabins, I’m constantly reminded that success here means more than just bookings.

It means being a good neighbor and a responsible steward of the community – something I take seriously and enjoy.  I love being a part of local events, volunteering, donating time, materials, and my knowledge. 

This commitment is part of every choice I make about the future of In The Sticks Cabins.  It’s the balance between business needs, community impact, and the personal sacrifices involved in building a dream in a place you love.

 And truthfully, finding the right candidate would mean spending more time at home in Carlisle, which used to be a major goal, but now is a constant push and pull of emotions and what life may look like.