By GAIL FOWLER

One of the downsides of owning and operating a small bed and breakfast is you are the cliché “chief cook and bottle washer.” It’s hard to break away, even when you plan on it, even when you want to, even when it’s good for the business. Today was shaping up to be one of those days.

I had just learned that Visit North Carolina’s Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC) was coming to Swan Quarter, about a 30-minute drive from my home, to help tourism-related businesses learn more about state programs that support the sector. It was free, come-when-you-can between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., no reservations required. Perfectly accommodating for a new innkeeper.

I almost didn’t make it. A simple home renovation project sent me 45 minutes in the opposite direction to the Lowe’s custom-order department. By the time I was finished, I had about an hour to spare. So be it.

When I arrived at the Hyde County Government Center, I was one of the last business owners to arrive. There were about 10 program managers, representing Visit NC as well as other tourist-related state agencies and private enterprises, sitting behind tables with tent cards advertising their area of expertise. You could move around, speed-dating style, or pick-and-choose a subject: public relations, marketing, social media, state parks, film (yes, your business could be in pictures if your business has the right look), advertising and more.

Although I was the last of about 30 participants, the only one standing between the program managers and their long ride back to Raleigh, I was greeted with energy and enthusiasm.

According to the website, the Division of Tourism and the North Carolina Department of Commerce sponsor a few TRAC programs in select communities across the state every year. They understand that it’s difficult for small business owners to “come to the mountain,” so they spread out like disciples, connecting the most remote nooks and crannies of the state to the core. To some degree, I’m sure the benefits work both ways. The TRAC program managers learn more about the communities they serve, communities like Belhaven — undiscovered gems in the state’s necklace.

In retrospect, I should have skipped Lowe’s and spent more time at the TRAC event, filling my backpack with ideas, contacts and inspiration. I still don’t have a solution for my bi-fold privacy doors, but I do have hope — the best antidote for a fledgling, coastal tourism business about to enter the winter season. Bring it on!