Entrepreneurship in the Wild
I recently spoke to Tamara Jacobi. Known as “The Jungle Girl,” Tamara is the founder of the Tailwind Jungle Lodge and author of Wildpreneurs, a guidebook for turning passion into business. Tamara’s jungle lodge on the Mexican Pacific attracts international guests seeking inspiration, adventure and a fresh perspective.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Tamara: My journey as a Wildpreneur began with a very free-spirited upbringing. My parents’ idea of a family vacation was to climb the Mexican volcanos or mountain bike 2000 miles of the USA’s continental divide trail. These trips were a bit…wild (thus, I eventually became a Wildpreneur!). My journey continued when I arrived at a fork in the road of my life. On the day of my college graduation (2007) I held a plan for my dream business in one hand and a Wall Street job opportunity in the other. I paused, tuned into what makes me come alive and headed to the jungle to build a business with my family. Though I’m originally from the border of Quebec/Vermont, I’ve pretty much been in the jungle ever since.
Challenge? Oh yeah. It’s been over a decade since we opened for our first guests and my business—the Tailwind Jungle Lodge on the Mexican Pacific—is thriving, BUT it’s been a journey of blood, sweet, tears…followed by rainbows and butterflies! My family and I had no experience in hospitality and made every mistake possible. Luckily, we considered these setbacks to be learning experiences—stepping stones on our journey. We became masters of artful mistake making. We built the lodge slowly, steadily and mindfully. Challenges came in many forms—cultural, environmental and personal. Each obstacle taught us powerful lessons and ultimately made us stronger as a business and a family.
More specifically, the jungle has been a tremendous teacher. The wildlife knocked me down repeatedly; storms, creatures, plants...though I initially resisted, I gradually discovered Mother Nature’s wisdom and began incorporating the principles of biomimicry into my business. For example, I learned that the oak tree sleeps in the acorn—the most magnificent creations in the natural world start out tiny and grow slowly and steadily, adapting and working in harmony with the surrounding environment. There is much value to this approach in business as well.
Cultural challenges transformed my perspective both personally and professionally. In college, I earned the nickname “Turbo Tam.” I did everything efficiently and quickly, with focus and determination. I arrived in the jungle with a specific vision and timeline for how my business would unfold. In Mexico, the land of the “mañana culture,” things happen at a very different pace. At first, I was over-whelmed with frustration and disappointment that things weren’t going as planned. But eventually, I surrendered to the laidback/siesta mentality—if you can’t beat em, join em, right? Surprisingly, this shift actually prompted a revision of my values and sparked the Wildpreneur concept. Though I am still highly motivated and driven to meet my business goals, I have redefined “success.” I now prioritize lifestyle and quality of life—Wildpreneurs value richness beyond dollars and cents. Work and play are fundamental parts of a balanced life.
Personally, I made the thoughtless error of neglecting self-care in my first years as an entrepreneur. I put 100% into creating my business and forgot to take care of me. My health deteriorated and I crashed hard about 3 years in. Hitting that low point forced me to seek help and I ended up discovering the power of holistic nutrition. This not only got me back on track personally, it also prompted me to embrace a more holistic approach to my business as well.
Adam: What inspired you to write Wildpreneurs? What is Wildpreneurs all about?
Tamara: About 10 years into the creation of the Tailwind Jungle Lodge I noticed a trend. Many adventurous guests staying at the lodge were approaching me with their own wild ideas. They would share their idea and ask what advice I would give, what I wish I had known, etc. I quickly realized that there was no way I could tell them everything in a sentence or two. It was time to write a book!
I began writing Wildpreneurs as a reflection on my experience creating the Tailwind Jungle Lodge. As I wrote, it morphed in a guidebook for free-spirits who are turning passion into business. As I continued to write, I also discovered that I wasn’t the only one who was blazing my own trail through business, there are so many other inspiring Wildpreneurs out there! I began interviewing these free-spirits and incorporated their wisdom into my book as well (there are nearly 50 interviews woven into the chapters). Wildpreneurs is designed to entertain, inspire, empower and teach through stories. I didn’t want it to be a boring business books, it’s a fusion of adventure and how-to.
Adam: What do you hope readers of Wildpreneurs take away from the book?
Tamara: I hope that readers will tune into what makes them come alive and be empowered to take the leap (or even a baby step!) towards turning their wild business ideas into reality. I wish for my book be a catalyst for readers who are seeking to step outside the box, follow their inspiration and intentionally design their lives—personally and professionally.
Adam: What tips do you have on how to turn your passion into a business?
Tamara: My tips are best offered as the 3Ws (Wish, Wildpreneur Approach & Wisdom):
Wish. The journey of a Wildpreneur begins with daydreams, visualizations and making a wish for how you want your wild business and lifestyle to take shape. Essentially, this step requires setting an intention for how you want to live your life.
Wildpreneur Approach. I wrote a whole book about the Wildpreneur approach, but a cornerstone is the philosophy of “No mud, no lotus (thank you philosopher Thich Nhat Hanh). This means getting gritty, persevering and committing to work through the inevitable challenges that come. If you can get through the brutal days, you’ll find your bliss. In fact, the lotus can only grow from the mud. I’ve also found that the challenge is actually part of the richness of the experience!
Wisdom. As I’ve interviewed Wildpreneurs around the globe, it seems that the common thread of their wisdom is: if you’re doing what you love, it will be much easier to stick with it and thrive. Wildpreneurs embrace a holistic approach that applies love to all aspects of their business.
Adam: More broadly, what advice do you have on unlocking and tapping into your passion?
Tamara: Make time and space for the daydreaming stage. Chapter one of Wildpreneurs is devoted to daydreams and I write, “if you were told as a kid to get your head out of the clouds it’s time to rewire that thinking.” In this modern world, we often get caught up in the culture of speed, productivity and wearing busyness as a badge of honor. Slowing down gives inspiration an opportunity to catch up! It’s crucial to create space for passion and creativity to reveal itself. If you’re moving too quickly, you might drown it out. Personally, I’ve found that the best way to slow down and reconnect with your passion is in the natural world—I feel most inspired when I’m out surfing or trail running. When you do you feel most alive and inspired? Spend more time doing that and your passion will shine through.
Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?
Tamara: Find your guinea pigs! Before you officially open the doors to your business I highly recommend finding some friends or acquaintances who are willing to test out your product/service and give you some honest feedback. Early on at the Tailwind Jungle Lodge I sent out a “wanted” ad to everyone on my contact list. This email was a call for adventurers who were interested in visiting the jungle. I only got a handful of responses, but that was all I needed. I called them my guinea pigs and I learned a TON from hosting them. I also gained some insight into how the work suited me personally.
I would also suggest finding your devil’s advocate. For me, my brother assumed this role. He poked holes in my business plan and challenged me with a plethora of tricky questions that I hadn’t considered. A family member maybe not be your ideal devil’s advocate (criticism from family can be tough to swallow) but the idea here is to find someone you respect, show them your business plan/idea, invite honest feedback and be sure to wear your thickest skin!
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Tamara: I started my family business right out of college, at age 22. Over the last decade I’ve certainly learned a few things about leadership. There’s actually a chapter of my book called: Family Business: Mission Impossible Possible. Given that I’m the boss and my parents work for me, our dynamic has been somewhat unusual and definitely a learning curve. It took a lot of time and effort to figure out how we could work together with me at the helm. As the leader of our jungle family, I would say these are the most important qualities:
Commitment and Unity. A true leader must be whole-heartedly committed to their vision and to their team. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a family team with a unified vision. My unwavering commitment to our shared journey has been a large factor in our success. A committed leader has the grit and persistence to get through any challenge.
Humility. An effective leader realizes when they’ve made a mistake (put aside the ego, we all make mistakes!). Leaders recognize and acknowledge their own weaknesses and strengths, are open minded and continually learning. Humility ultimately makes a leader much stronger.
Respect and understanding. Though a leader is at the helm, the other members of the team are of equal importance and deserve equal respect. In fact, a leaders’ empathy, respect and understanding can make a real difference regarding how team members perceive, believe and trust in their leader.
As far as leaders taking skills to the next level—I believe that a holistic approach will bring any leader to the next level. For me, a holistic approach to business means embracing a triple bottom line philosophy (people, planet and profit) and focusing on community, synergies, love and support.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?
Tamara: In my experience managing a small family team, I’ve found that clear/mindful communication, listening and open-mindedness make all the difference. Add a large helping of patience to that and you’ve got an equation for strong for leaders and team members.
P.S. This advice is simple to share but can be a challenge to implement!
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?
Believe whole-heartedly in what you’re doing. (Bonus: If you’re doing what makes you come alive, believing in yourself should come naturally)
Be ready to adapt – change is the only permanent thing.
Be mindful of the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Tamara: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Tamara: Entrepreneurs tend to have a mentality of productivity and fast paced growth. On my journey, I’ve actually found that slowing down, prioritizing and being more balanced and mindful has been a much more rewarding, healthy and sustainable approach in the long run.