Innkeepers Want to See Stars
By Tricia Nelson
Dennis and Nancy Freeze have an enviable lifestyle. As owners of the Agate Cove Inn Bed-and-Breakfast in Mendocino, Calif., the two live and work together in a quaint, picturesque town once described in The Los Angeles Times as what may be "the most beautiful community in all of America."
The couple's 1860 Victorian farmhouse sits on a bluff, allowing uninterrupted views of the Northern California coastline and breathtaking sunsets. As the inn gains a broad fan base and racks up accolades, the Freezes are a textbook example of how careful planning, patience and the right support can lead to the realization of even the loftiest goals.
Once upon a time, they led perfectly acceptable lives in Silicon Valley. They both worked at Hewlett-Packard — Dennis, 45, as a computer scientist; Nancy, 48, as an executive secretary. They enjoyed what they were doing. However, shortly after getting married in 1988, the two did some soul-searching and decided that they eventually wanted to work together and go into business for themselves. The Freezes set their sights on owning and operating a bed-and-breakfast, but gave themselves some lead time.
"We put a stake in the ground and said we'd do it in 10 years," said Dennis Freeze.
Setting a 10-year plan gave them ample time to do research, acquire skills and verbalize their goals to friends, co-workers and employers.
"There were no surprises, and that worked in our favor," said Nancy Freeze.
The couple spent the next decade familiarizing themselves with properties up and down the coast, attending innkeeping classes and conferences through the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII), taking cooking courses at the California Culinary Academy, working with a financial planner and making the requisite sacrifices. "When our friends were buying houses, we stayed where we were. Instead of taking a European vacation, we would go to a conference," said Dennis Freeze.
One year before purchasing the inn, the Freezes sold their house.
"It was uncomfortable to be a renter," Dennis Freeze said, "but it was absolutely the right thing to do."
Then, just as they were nearing the end of their self-imposed 10-year time frame, Hewlett-Packard began an employee buyout program in an effort to cut costs. They took the offer.
"That gave us the boost to be able to afford Agate Cove," Dennis Freeze said.
The end of the 10-year plan marked the beginning of the Freezes' foray into the busy, overwhelming world of the entrepreneur.
Still, Dennis and Nancy realized that even with their impeccable planning there was much to learn.
Luckily, they had the support of the inn's staff, their business-owning family members and other innkeepers in Mendocino — a supportive force in the town of 1,000.
In just three years, the Freezes established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the bed-and-breakfast community. In 2001, Agate Cove Inn was voted one of the top 10 most romantic inns in the United States by guidebook publisher American Historic Inns, Inc.
While the Freezes are living their dream, it does come with some sacrifice. In their words, the good and bad news is, "You're always here." They have learned to set boundaries, delegate responsibilities and surrender some privacy; and it's not always easy when home and work are one and the same.
Although Mendocino is scenic and idyllic, it's also a small town a world away from Silicon Valley. Dennis strikes a balance by volunteering in the community, maintaining the Agate Cove Web site (www.agatecove.com) and indulging his love of cooking and photography. Nancy thrives on getting out and meeting people — especially those who never have been, and never will be, innkeepers.
But life at Agate Cove is not just fun and sunsets. Not content to rest on their laurels, the Freezes have already set their sights on their next milestone. Their mantra is a phrase coined by Nancy: "5 stars in 5 years." If history is any indication, they'll be there in no time.
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