Dino had a dream.
I want to run my own hotel.
He could see it...in his mind. A lovely boutique hotel. Not too big. Intimate. Space for ten or maybe twenty guests. Thoughtful touches. Affordable luxury.
He was completely qualified to start a hotel and manage it well. He already had a thriving espresso business, a background in design, and a flair for customer service and hospitality. The perfect combination of skills for any aspiring hotelier.
He told his wife, Maria, about his grand vision.
She told him:
“A hotel? That sounds wonderful, honey.”
And, she added, “Why don’t you start with one room?”
So that’s exactly what he did.
First, Dino transformed one room of their Portland home into a vacation rental unit.
He poured his whole heart into that one room—making sure it was immaculate, peaceful and furnished with everything a weary guest might need. Fluffy towels, a white terrycloth bathrobe—even a canister of his signature espresso beans.
Before long, that one room turned into two rooms.
Then three rooms—a whole basement conversion.
He added a digital entry system, a map of the city with iconic local spots to visit, and a few extra bicycles for visitors to cruise around town. The backyard patio? Landscaped to perfection.
Soon, Dino and Maria decided to turn their entire home into a rental property—moving across town, so their daughter could be in the school district they wanted.
Room by room, the boutique hotel of Dino’s dreams had come to life—with plans for a second location in the works.
When Dino told me this story, he was beaming with pride. And a little bit sweaty. Because he was rushing around his backyard, trimming and sprucing the flowers, in preparation for a very special guest: a rep from one of the biggest lifestyle and home decor magazines in the world...coming to do a story about his family and their vacation property.
Big wins happen...one room at a time.
I had the pleasure of staying at Dino and Maria’s place for two weeks, and I could feel how much passion and care had been poured into the space.
The whole place rang with a simple reminder:
Hold the big vision, but start small.
Don’t start with a skyscraper. Start with one room.
Make that one room the best it can be, then, build from there.
What is a big, ambitious idea that keeps tugging at your heart?
What is the first room?
Start with one room.
-Alex
PS. Choose a big idea that feels exciting. Then, strip it down. What’s the very first “room” you could focus on?
If you want to write a book, start with an essay.
If you want to open a bakery, start with a fundraiser and sell baked goods to your neighbors. Or, start by mastering one recipe.
Choose a small step. Pour your whole heart into completing that step as best you can. Keep marching from there. One room. Then another.
PPS. I had the pleasure of staying at Dino and Maria's place 8 years ago, and have always remembered it. After Googling, I was delighted to see that they're now hosting private cooking lessons and supper clubs, too. It's wonderful to see people do what they love...and thrive.
PPPPS. Today's newsletter includes a true story I wrote several years ago. Vintage vibes. If you want to go deep into the archives and find pieces I wrote five or even ten years ago, you'll find those here. Enjoy.
PPPPPS. To quote my very smart mom, "When you think you can't possibly afford to take a ten-minute break, that's exactly when you need a break most of all." Give yourself a break today. Rest. Catch your breath. Play hooky. Let things slow down. Why? Because mom said so.