by Jeff Glass – Copywriter, Author, Social Entrepeneur
This is the story of two of the most beautiful people I have had the privilege to get to know over the years, Bob and Kathleen Ash, The Ashes. Kathleen, a mother, wife, and visionary with the help of her husband Bob built one of the greatest Inns in Northern, CA, Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast.
The Ashes have been self-starters, entrepreneurs in the making since they were young. After college, Bob served in law enforcement and has worked most of his career as a contractor. Kathleen has worked numerous jobs in her life, from flight attendant to manicurist. Along the way, she discovered her passion for serving others. Hospitality was her career and the people she got to serve became her education.
If she has learned one thing about being a wife, a mom, and working several service jobs, it is that she has a passion to take care of others.
It was not clear until many years later that nothing was wasted; every life experience for The Ashes was adding up to something great. Bob’s path of working as a contractor was aligning with a joint purpose. Destiny had brought together “the beauty and the builder” to create something wonderful.
In 2005, The Ashes decided to purchase a beautiful place in Gold Country, CA. They knew this was the beginning of an elegant home, a place of beauty, to be shared with others. The backside of the home overlooks one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in El Dorado County, the American River winding through the hills of Coloma and the original gold discovery site of 1848 that set California on its path to become a state in 1850. In 2007, in the gold country of California, Bella Vista B & B was born.
Today, Bella Vista has hosted visitors from all of over the United States and across the world. Its charm, construction, and beauty reflect years of hard work and dedication by a couple who had a dream which became an experience for all of us to enjoy.
In all my years as a contractor, the greatest thing I ever built was a loving family.
~Bob Ash, Co-Founder of Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast
We all have one or two things we do well. We need to recognize areas we are not as qualified in and surround ourselves with great people who have complementary talents. It’s okay to delegate, and often necessary, to take businesses to the next level. Also, create a company people love and view as their own. Treat teams like family. Serve guests like extended family that come to visit, wanting to return again. At Bella Vista B & B, hospitality is at the core of our values. It is not just an extension of our business, it’s the purpose and heartbeat that makes our place what it is today.
~Kathleen Ash, Co-Founder of Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast