Hundred friends of mine even family always drop me a whatsapp chat or email and asking how to make money with airbnb, I know that this platform is getting bigger right now but I start my hosting experience and know as well about airbnb since 2013. Here in this story I wanna share to all my photographer’s friends in this planet or anyone who want to know how to make money with airbnb and start the joyful experience of hosting.
I know that Airbnb founded by group of friends in United States who get lack of money situation, the great thing is they live together in an apartment which still have 1 free room that they can rent till they promote that rooms for any traveler or person who need a cheap and reliable accommodation, so that’s how airbnb just begin!
I’m shooting wedding since 2008 and I got some deals from friends, family member or even nearest neighbour so what I’m going to say is I started this business from scratch. Lately my photography expertise getting better and I got a deal from cross country couple who ask me to fly far away from home. During past 5 years I fly so often to Bali, Singapore, Maldives, Hong Kong, and Malaysia to shoot wedding, engagement, and even portrait some friends or family for worldwide couple.
As I said before that today I’m focusing my story about investing my time and money on hospitality business so once again I’m not going to share about my photography journey but just in case you feel curious about how I work as a wedding photographer as the main job than you could consider to read my previous article below:
- How I Start My Photography Business from Home
- How to Promote Your Wedding Photography Business with Blog
- How to Earn Money by Selling Travel and Food Photos
Why I Love Hospitality Business
No matter you work as a photographer or hotel owner than you will deliver services to your client. In my opinion deliver services will got more challenge comparing than you just selling physical products because here your client need to see you smile, sometimes you need to help your client beyond their expectation and do some more further things.
When I was in a high school I ever told to my mom, “I think it will be cool if we have a hotel someday Mom” and she said,
“It’s impossible Son, only rich people could have a hotel”
Day by day I still thinking about that dream and become a wedding photographer allow me to travel around the world and stay to various hotel, guest house, villa, even a budget hostel that come with tiny room. I still curious about how to own a hotel till one day, my good friend told me about Airbnb and he told me that I can renting my free room to any traveler around the world as a hotel no matter how simple it is.
In fact there are 3 things that make me fall in love in hospitality business:
- It gives me huge network
- I can see so many people from around the world and learn something new from them, and
- It comes with good money
I know business is not that simple and what I have now is only my saving from my own photographer’s fee. So what I’m going to do is start this hotel business from scratch even just renting my free room for worldwide traveler. By my first room in 2013 which I rent for $12/night than time goes by till I open my second home with 2 rooms in 2014, and the third house that come with 7 rooms and a small home coffee shop in 2018.
How to Make Money with Airbnb by Saving My Photographer’s Fee
Become a wedding photographer is my primary job right now but since 2013 I also think about my future investment till I got a nice friend who tell me about how to make money with Airbnb. You should now that running a property or hospitality business really need money but I only want to open my 2nd business with spending less or small money from my primary business.
Since in the beginning of my photographer career I always push my self to make around 20 to 30 percent of saving that I could use for my future business and investment. I was remember that when I got my first $160 fee for 6 hours pre wedding session than I keep $35 on my bank. It’s not easy because sometimes I still pick that saving account for workshop, online class, or any self improvement but I still push my self for doing this habit till now.
And this is some short explanation about my guest house here in Yogyakarta Indonesia.
1st Property – The Boma House (2013)
During that time I only got 2 free rooms in my house, which is better than the Airbnb founder at the first time journey. So on 2013 I open my 1st Airbnb property right here in my own house called Boma House with 2 rooms, 1 room with Air Conditioner for $12 and 1 another room with Standing FAN for $10.
I run this Boma House guest house till now I wrote a story to you and over than 6 years I already accepting over than 600 guests from all around the world. Together with my wife, Nina, we say greetings to our guests during my off photography season and cook for their breakfast right on my hand. Here in my house I start earning for $150 to $250 per month even I just spend couple of bucks before I start Boma House and buy privacy glass sticker to cover my window
Go look at what I’m doing here in Boma House and start everything from zero,
2nd Property – Regol Ijo (2014)
One day I met my aunty who already retire from her job in Jakarta and I know that she start to having a post power syndrome condition. Actually she owned a house in Yogyakarta which located only 300 meter from the city centre which mean this gonna be more potential for tourism than my own house.
So I ask my aunty if I can use her house for my second property and I offering a profit sharing system every month till I finally open my 2nd Airbnb Property called Regol Ijo by using my aunty’s house and get 20% of profit sharing from it. In this house I operate 2 rooms all with Air Conditioning System which costs $17 and $23/night which mean I got more income on this property.
In this 2nd house I also provide my guest with a city bike where they can move around my city in a budget way like go to the temple or nearest market to buy some fruits.
So true that I also earn more income through this house and it brings $200 to $300 per month for my self.
3rd Property – The Chendela & Sapulu Coffee (2018)
This hosting experience is now getting bigger till I got fresh investment from my uncle to built brand new property with great facilities located in the city centre called The Chendela.
In this house I owned 7 awesome and cozy rooms with beautiful garden and small coffee shops right in my terrace and here I earn over than $7,000 cash for each month by renting 7 rooms and selling fresh coffee to all my guests and people who visit my cafe.
My Magazine Report
Few weeks ago I got a local magazine called Rumah Jogja who asking me for an interview an here on August 2019 I got few magz from them and I wanna show it to you.
Airbnb Be A Host
From the past few years running hospitality business with Airbnb, I have an ebook that become a true story how I start everything from scratch. This ebook will consist of my ideas, bad and good experience while become a host and also one great story about how I help my aunty to live well on her old age by giving an Airbnb fee every single month till she passed away few years ago., and this ebook called Airbnb Be A Host.
You could buy this humble ebook on Google Book Store.
If you want to start your airbnb hosting experience than I hope this story will inspire you and telling you how to make money with airbnb. I’m not going to tell you that Airbnb is the best platform to earn more money while you are in a off photography season, but if you love hosting experience and meet new friends every single day than Airbnb will be your best platform at this time.
Thank you for stumble upon my blog and lets keep in touch, if you have any questions related to Airbnb hosting experience than you could leave me a comment at the form below.