United Adventures ~ on the move

June 2nd, 2006

* United Adventures - company name, officially registered

* Hired an assistant / administrator / accountant who started helping me organize computer files straight away, and found us an indendent marketing agent with excellent connections several hours later.  Start of hiring process?  She goes to a restaurant and meets with a friend.  She complains that her work isn't going well, that she needs to find another job.  Several seconds later, and about 1km away, I call - with the intention of offering her a job.  She arrives in 20 minutes, and starts work the next day (today). 

* Solar panel installed and running - last week.  The first of several, but it's on a trial basis until we can pay for it, and until we finalize our cost / benefit analysis.  

* 4 massive bags of dirt brought down from nearby hills at an organic farm that belongs to one of my best friends here.  We're also building a resort on his property.  He also brought down tomato and chilli seeds.  

* One of the Nine Greatest Escapes in Indonesia. Got an article coming out in an upcoming magazine called KABAR magazine (Kabar is news in Malay / Indonesian), which is read by my target market.  They wrote the article, and it's called the 9 greatest escapes in indonesia.  And our island is one of them!   

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

June 16

* Identified a partner for architectual services & island renovations. hosted an 'uncle' (neighborhood and family friend) who happens to be a pretty ingenious architect and construction specialist to get some comprehensive planning done on island renovations, improvements, and eco-design systems.  Got an awesome sketching of ideas from him, and on Wednesday travelled up to the mountains to check out his project and some of the technologies he's implementing. Got a clear idea of what he can and can't provide, and am now working on a renovation plan with budgets and timelines with his input.  

* Got some great ideas for creating a music studio on the island while listening to my long-time friend / brother's music and hearing him and his incredibly talented hip hop / freestyle / raggamuffin group create awesome rhymes, beats and melodies :~) and become recognized musicians locally, regionally, and internationally. Sketched the layout and design, and got estimations and contact persons for construction, and ideas down for international marketing.  

* Found some excellent research including business plan guides for eco tourism enterprises, a thorough coverage of an eco adventure resort near Zanzibar including pictures and architectural drawings, (click here to go to their website, it's incredible!) I can send you some info if you like, just write n ask… 

* Created an organizational chart and began filling out position contracts according to best selling book on creating enterprises, E-myth, 2nd edition (great book).  One of the first position contracts I created was for our “dream vacation consultants and ambassadors” instead of  “marketing and sales staff” :~) thanks, zaadz

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Shucks, it happened again.. seems there's a bug with links sometimes, or is it Zaadz just saying that Friendster is no good :~)

www.unitedadventures.blogs.friendster.com.  

United Adventures ~ on the move

September 2006

* United Adventures is fully incorporated with all necessary licenses

* We take on Citibank Indonesia as a corporate client - take 65 of them to the nearby mountain ranges for an innovative corporate retreat with creative team building and leadership games, awesome outdoor decorations (think tikki torches all over the place, candles floating on the water, a stage on a big pool, a waterfall in the background, a DJ spinning eclectic tunes).  Since then, we've explored doing a seminar on health for Citibank employees and cardholders, and United Adventures has teamed up with Dr. Mark Robson of Canada to get this moving. 

* We bring 60 employees of Jones Lang LaSalle to the thousand islands (near our island) and also put on an integrated corporate retreat - with snorkeling, canoeing, sunset cocktails, musicians, innovative team building games, and all other arrangements. 

* We start our first series of courses - on ultimate self defense.  Not that Jakarta's a dangerous place, but rather because the exercises build self confidence, are practical in case one should find oneself in such a situation, and provide a great workout.  The class meets once per week in Jakarta.  Since then, Dr. Mark and I have

* The Paradise Island Contract takes shape - finally met with the parents of my friend who own the island to further negotiations on a longer term contract.  Drafted the 3-year contract and paved the way for an investor waiting in the wings to pour in some cash to fund desired renovations. 

* Web Presence - we're pouring our new products and services in terms of national adventures, corporate / group services, and paradise resorts into a new website that will be the first phase of our web-presence.  The website will be launched towards the end of October. 

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Sounds good. I'm glad to hear you're working on a contract for the island, and here's hoping that the contract goes thru and is signed, and that you can extend that three years into ten years pretty soon!

I'll be looking forward to seeing the website.

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

January 6, 2007

Been spending a lot of time refocusing the vision for the enterprise and building a clear plan.  The enterprise is now focused on three areas:

IDEAL Villages
This is the focus on creating and evolving resorts into eco villages.  The island contract has been thrown into question as the owner is out of a job and wants to take over management.  Actually, the size of the island (about 2 acres) is insufficient for the concept of starting an eco village.  Secondly, global warming might put it under water in the not-to-distant future.  So, this would not be a huge loss.  My life long friend and enterprise partner will be doing some site surveying this month to look for a Plan B on the group of islands in case the contract isn't renewed with Tiger Islands. Meanwhile, I'm drafting an MOU for another location that is on 18 acres in South West Java.  We've explored this region pretty thoroughly over the last year, and have discovered some ideal tracts of land with waterfalls, pristine beaches, and an elevated plateu within walking distance from the beaches that would protect it against tsunamis or water levels rising.  We are also working on a 25 acre piece of land that is an organic farm up in the foothills in West Java, and as I write the foundation is being put in for the living center - the kitchen, library, office, dining rooms, etc. 

Incredible Vacation Experiences / Individual Evolution Services
This unit focuses on supporting individuals to grow - empowering them to reach their potential through a series of courses surrounding harmony with their environments and the Earth (cooking, natural health, nature tours), realizing our human potential (vision building, personal mastery, communication, networking with others while on trips or at unique events in Jakarta, engaging with people from various backgrounds, contributing and giving to those in need, introducing our clients to locations where the principles of harmony with the land, each other, and the spiritual world are embraced and lived.

Innovative Group Services
This is where United Adventures works with organizations such as corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and governments (regional, mostly).  We are focused at supporting their evolution through training on subjects such as personal mastery, building shared visions, team-work, communication, and leadership.  I've hired a director of this unit recently, who has experience in this area.  We've got existing business with some industry leaders here, and plan to secure as clients some highly innovative and successful organizations that compliment what we are trying to do: eco contractors, magazines, food and beverage companies, etc.  We also arrange retreats and outbound training for these groups.  We're on the verge of beginning work with one of the largest companies in the world that is flying in a team from around the world to build a unique project here in Java.

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

March 18th, 2007

* Pre-launch web presence created with slide shows of some of our destinations, basic philosophy.  Still a long way to go, but we're keeping focused on building the website itself.  Check it out at here.

Slow but good progress in each area listed above.  Headed to mountain protoype tomorrow and just got done with meetings with our new architect for the 18 acre south west java beach project.  If you're interested, let me know and i'll point out to you the site location on Google Earth :~)

more updates to follow soon!  have run out of posting time…

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

June 12th, 2007

* Hired our first associate consultant

* signed partnership deal with amazing guy named Dr. Mark Robson from Canada, after several months of friendship and the co-creation of some amazing events

* secured the world's largest company as client for our innovative group services

* began operations in Bali, the world's favorite resort island

 * created an alliance with Indonesia's leading health & fitness club, LifeSpa Fitness

* took kids from British International School and Jakarta International Korean School on field trips to teach them the basics

* Began an aloe vera plantation on our islands

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

* concluded a successful engagement with McKinsey & Company, one of the world's top consulting firms, allowing them to de-stress, get some insight, relax, energize, and have lots of fun! 

* continuing to systematize the business, with a complete organizational chart, position contracts, checklists, and a very cool IT console to manage the whole business on one file.  Check out mindjet software - it's all about mind mapping :~)

* secured dates for our second engagement with ExxonMobil, slated for September and working with the core management team of Indonesia's biggest energy project in the last twenty years :~) nature of engagement is confidential, but it has a lot to do with inspiring change…

* we're finally making enough to pay back some of our debts and begin investing more in expansion, adding more people, and upgrading our equipment!!! yeah :~)

* pinching myself because I'm living my dream, and I'm facilitating others to live theirs

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Sounds busy and impressive, dude.

What's your staff like now?

And how's the web presence developing?

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Busy in a wonderful way, and there's still sooooooo far to go :~)

am building alliances now and focusing on revenue so we can hire more folks and invest in equipment ….

right now we have four full time employees, plus 5 on the island.  we've hired a web design company and are building all the content now…

it's going to have some very unique navigational features, membership access, dream vacation planners, downloadable software and documents, youtube videos, huge photo albums, and lots of international links …

how are you and what are you up to these days, bud?  still out in the beautiful countryside?

looking forward to more dialogues and discussions…

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Yeah, lush green summer here, the gardens are overflowing, it's beautiful, the northeast temperate woodland ecosystem.

The community building idea that keeps banging around in my head lately is the idea of a website that collects community building papers, links, and information, especially the kinds of pepers needed to incorporate and manage community expenses and risks.

And to collect stories of the problems and problem solving attempts of community builders.

What worked, what didn't, why they think things worked or didn't work, that kind of thing.

I'm still too burned out to actually try to create that website myself, at this time at least. Or maybe I am. Since I'm getting a bit older I've had occassion to think to myself, “Damn, where am I going to retire? An  eco-community might make for a pretty decent retirement option…”.

I'm hoping some young hotshot will create such a eco-community building website, then I can just add content to it. ;-} 

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Dang Rodrigo this is hot! I am very excited for you, you certainly are making things happen in record time! GOod for you for sticking with it. As for the idea of relocation, I think it is an excellent idea. I didn't want to rain on your parade, but the idea of being underwater due to global warming and water levels rising in the upcoming decades was something that came to mind when I thought about your island project. Def. go for something higher elevation, even away from the beaches if you think you'd want to. If you're going to invest so much energy and money into it, might as well make it something that people can still enjoy a couple hundred years down the road (if we aren't all extinct by then)

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

he he he,

you're so right.  the island project is going ahead with minimal investment.

our larger project is going ahead with significant investment and haven't talked much about it because my legal agreement with the owner hasn't been finalized.

Basically, we are solid friends and we worked on the idea and plans together for the last several months.  It's an eco-lodge up in the mountains about 1.5 hrs from Jakarta, and is on 14 hectares (about 35 acres) of land, complete with a large organic farm…

next spot is going to be in bali up in the cliffs on the southside - i'm planning to move there next year :~) bali is truly wonderful and still very much culturally intact.  It's spiritual buzz is amazing, her people very loving, the culture very much alive, and the natural environment breath taking.

where are you going to build your project? i'll have to read more…

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Wow I would love to visit your mountain spot some day.

By the way Bill - it sounds like that website you're talking about is something you are perfectly cut out for - I bet you could get it going - starting is the hard part, once you had the ball rolling a bit it'd probably be quite exciting and rewarding for you.

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

August 2007

* Shot our first reality show which aired on national tv, featuring Miss Indonesia 2005, on our little island resort.  The show received top ratings and we instantly got lots of inquiries and visits to our website :~)  Hired a new coordinator for our island, who is a diver and an amazing Indonesian lady.  In negotiations with a Yoga instructor and a UNICEF veteran for the creation of a Yoga Retreat and Aryuvedic training center on our little deserted island next to the one we currently operate. 

* Partnered with Vayatour, Indonesia's premier travel companies, for ticketing and to provide them with our outbound team-building training services

* Concluded templates for proposal writing, new position contracts (job descriptions), and other systematic foundations (accounting systems … what a challenge!)

* Selected an initial 30 'evolutionaries' to participate in our personalized evolution services program, which combines customized adventure travel, organic veggie delivery, cultural events customized notifications, privileged access to restaurants and entertainment establishments in the city, and a host of courses on everything from Jiu Jitsu to Bonzai Gardening.

* Partnered with one of Indonesia's best fitness and Spa chains, Life Spa Fitness, for cross marketing purposes and a long term alliance promoting health and well being. 

* We're still a small, not so organized enterprise… we're still working crazy hours.  Some months, we're still concerned about covering our overhead (like now), but we're still juiced by the vision.

* Established the first draft of our mantra… empowering conscious evolution!

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

February 13, 2008

* downsized the business to increase focus.  85% focus is now on the islands and creating a real first model of an eco resort village. 

* made my first youtube video :~) it's a slideshow with music, with some of the best pictures of the island.  Watch it here.  And leave a comment if you feel inspired to do so :~)

* sold 20% of the island business to a yoga entrepreneur.  Decided to convert our deserted island to a peaceful sanctuary for yoga retreats, silence retreats, and aryuvedic treatments.  Will be building our yoga shala in the next six weeks.

* got an agreement to convert all power systems to alternative sources, with a biodiesel generator for back up.  All solar panels and a wind turbine!  Wohoo! 

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

I enjoyed your You Tube video.  The island looks very beautiful.  I'm looking forward to learning more about your eco adventure and community projects.

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

Sounds like a series of good moves, Rodrigo. I left a comment on your vid.

I'd like to see an actual video, when you get the chance to make one, in your “copious free time”, ha ha ha. 

You've been in business long enough now that you should be able to do an analysis of past profit making contracts, and see where your best advertising and client-closing efforts are coming from. Do you have a sense of what has made you the most profit?

Re: United Adventures ~ on the move

May 1st, 2008

Featured on www.travelandleisure.com as one of 12 affordable island resorts around the world

launched www.pulaumacan.com

:~)