Our business | BNB Made Easy started in Tim Mortimer's garage and is continuing to expand with new Orange premises

BNB Made Easy founder and CEO Tim Mortimer started the business to help Airbnb property owners manage their houses in Orange four years ago.

Now the business is in the process of relocating to 86 Bathurst Road and once the existing premises in March Street is vacated it will be available for lease.

"Over the years we've been building the business and we've got so many great ideas for the town and the region but we're limited by space to make those ideas work and to grow," Mr Mortimer said.

"We are at a size now where we host thousands of guests a month.

"The impact that can be had if we develop further is going to be felt greatly across the region."

He said leasing a larger space will allow BNB Made Easy to explore other ways it can enhance the guest experience and connect its guests to local businesses and enhance their stay in Orange and the Central West.

"We are looking at education in hosting, we're looking at upsells to guests, so booking a cheese platter upon arrival and a photographer, a chef to cook in house," Mr Mortimer said.

Mr Mortimer said B&B Made Easy has now been operating for four years in Orange.

"I was a school teacher at James Sheahan [Catholic High School] when we had the idea and we just started in our garage in 2018 and 2019 and then slowly the workload became enough for me to step off teaching and give it a go.

"Within the first year we finished with four properties, in the second year we finished with 20 properties and there are currently over 120 homes in the Central West, so Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo.

The growth period for the business came despite the COVID pandemic putting a halt on regional travel for months at a time.

"We were definitely a highly-impacted industry but in a way the little COVID breaks we utilised them correctly and developed the business in those low times. In a way it kind of helped us manage the workload and set up some really good foundations to group stronger."

Mr Mortimer said more than 2000 guests are staying each month at the BNB Made Easy-managed properties across the three Central West cities.

"It's quite a big operation; most of our properties are in Orange and we are developing a bit of a head office here in Orange, which is that new space we are moving into."

In addition to having more space to fulfill some of the ideas for the business, the new premises will also have a drive through for the small army of cleaners and landscapers who take care of the properties.

"We've developed a cleaning business within and we've had to ensure the quality of our cleans are really high, which ensures the guest experience is good and at the end of the day the business reputation and branding is strong and good."

He said for the drive-through, BNB Made Easy staff will prepare all linen, amenities and cleaning products and the cleaners will then drive through and pick up their tub for their tasks for the day.

Mr Mortimer said there are about 12-full time staff, a team of five Filipinos who support reservations and enable guests to be able to contacts the business 24/hours a day, as well as 40 sub-contracted cleaners on the books.

"We are providing a lot of work in this region especially at this time of inflation and pressure, our cleaners, the majority of who are women who are working between school hours, can be contributing to their families financially and to the region as well."

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