It starts with a dream.
Lisa Shell Frost was born and raised in Elizabethton, Tennessee. While she enjoyed traveling, even working for the airlines for years, she was a mountain girl at heart. She had a keen intelligence, and a mind for business. Long before companies like AirBnB and VRBO were formed, Lisa recognized that she could combine her love of travel and the love of her home state into an opportunity.
In 2003, Lisa decided to take her skills in administrative tasks to research and develop a business plan to turn opportunity into a reality. She gave her 2 weeks notice at Florida International University, where she was an administrative assistant, and she began to make her dream happen.
The first piece of the puzzle fell into place with the purchase of a real log cabin in Pigeon Forge Tennessee, in the heart of the Smokey Mountains. She poured her resources, time, and energy into making it a unique rental experience that would reflect her love for her grandmothers indigenous roots. She named the little cabin in the woods the Mountain Rose, and then put every effort into making it bloom. She handled all aspects of the business from advertising, promotion, booking and scheduling to maintenance, and cleaning.
The next piece fell into place on a trip home to visit her brother. While driving in downtown Elizabethton, she noticed a woman placing a sign with her home for sale. She was the original owner and the property was directly on the Watauga River. Lisa went with her to view the property, and immediately recognizing its beauty and potentional, put down a small cash deposit and shook hands with the owner. The deal was struck and the new project was envisioned.
Once again, Lisa took the initiative, and with her perseverance, intelligence, and tenacity she turned the business idea into a reality from every aspect. She lovingly tended to the details with the goal of her dream being to one day call the Riverhouse her home. In the meantime, she would share that family environment and small town experience with guests from around the world.
It’s easy to write a paragraph about a person, but hard to convey the humanity, vitality, and love embodied in them. Lisa is no longer with us on this earth, but she still lives in the hearts and minds of those who knew her. The strongest connection being through her loving and devoted husband Fred. He diligently works to ensure the properties are cared for and maintained with a staff that he treats like family, and who think of him the same.
Now, he keeps both Lisa’s memory and her dreams of these homes alive.
