Kalu Yala

Summer 2013 Business Program Goals

Summer 2013 Business Program Goals

MISSION

To provide interns with an inspiring and hands-on environment for individuals to learn, grow, connect, and create value by pursuing opportunities within a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

WELCOME!

It is an exciting year for us at Kalu Yala and we are looking forward to you being a part of the team and the action!  The current priorities for the Business Program include planning for a 500 person summit event to be hosted at Kalu Yala and preparing for the first phase of construction towards a Co-Working Eco Resort. Interns aren’t required to participate in the above projects, and are welcome to propose their own project which I will help facilitate.

There are two directions an intern can pursue with their project.  One being an independent project with various opportunities to accelerate entrepreneurial skills, or working on director led projects with the Kalu Yala Land Development Co., which are focusing on the initial phases of the community’s development.  Interns are provided with resources and connections that may help advance a project or expand networks, but each intern is responsible for putting in the work to get what they want out of this experience.

DIRECTOR GOALS

  • Communication

  • Consistency

  • Leadership

  • Education & Inspiration

  • Expertise

  • Project Development

  • Sustainability

TECHNIQUES

  • Communication

    • Monday Group Meetings Discussing ‘Last Week’s Challenges & This Week’s Goals’

    • Individual Intern Meetings on Frequent Basis

    • Open Communication with Other Directors & Regular Meetings

    • Transparency

    • Provide Comfortable Feedback Loops for Interns

  • Lead By Example

    • Set Standards and Expectations

    • Be Patient & Encourage Ideas

    • Demonstrate Good Work Ethic

    • Professionalism

  • Guide the Interns

    • Inspire Interns to Develop Own Project & Proposal

    • Enhance and Improve Existing Project Design & Implementation

    • Assist Interns in Setting Project Goals & Timelines

    • Be a Resource for Interns and Provide Guidance to Their Projects

  • Education

    • Facilitating Weekly Conversations on Assigned Business Book

    • Relevant Articles, Blogs, & Videos to be Assigned Weekly

    • Improve Sustainability and Health & Wellness Efforts Within Kalu Yala

    • Provide Networking Opportunities Through Guest Speakers, Special Events, Etc.

    • Incorporate Program Involvement into Local Organizations

  • Be Resourceful

    • Read, Research, Study and Demonstrate Knowledge of Material

    • If I Don’t Know Something, I Will Figure it Out

    • Seek Knowledge & Advice from Professionals & Experts

    • Ask for Help When Needed–we are not experts and need to acknowledge our limitations

PROJECT IDEAS

  • Construction Management

    • Planning, organizing, and executing tasks necessary for construction of venue

    • Permitting Processes

  • 500 Person Summit Event Preparation

    • Event Plan & Execution

      • Recreation Mgmt & Activity Plan

      • Hospitality Services

      • Group Services Mgmt

      • Communications

      • Entertainment

      • Food & Beverage

      • Transportation

      • Security

    • Sponsorship Packages

      • Local & Regional

    • Permitting Processes

  • Business, Marketing, & Operation Plans for Co-Working Eco-Resort

    • To create a business model and plans for a Co-Working/Co-Housing Development in Kalu Yala

  • Agricultural-Business Ideas

    • Product Development:  Taking an item that Kalu Yala produces on the farm and turning it into a marketable product that we eventually distribute.  Ex: Jam/Marmalade, Composting Fertilizer

    • Communications, outreach, marketing, operations, design and distribution of this product

  • Community Organization Involvement

    • Establishing relationships and planning events/fundraisers with local non-profit organizations to further connect the community of those trying to make a difference, live healthily and sustainably

  • Eco-Tourism

    • Furthering development of existing tourism company, Jungle Adventures by Kalu Yala, by expanding products with new revenue stream ideas, marketing, etc.

Kalu Yala CEO, Jimmy Stice, also has several ideas for the Business Program this year for those who want to be more directly involved with the Kalu Yala land development company. I will put these in front of our interns as well:

Real Estate Related

  1. Kalu Yala’s Builders Program

    1. Define builders program structure, including conceptualizing the Builders Guild

    2. Profile potential builders

    3. Create promotion plan to find and attract appropriate builders

    4. Design screening process to vet builders

    5. Design Kalu Yala Builds incubator to aid local and international builders make a successful transition into the world of Kalu Yala

  2. Cottage Sales Program

    1. There are 20 special cottage lots in the Founders Village reserved as the only lots for non-investors in that village

    2. Create profiles of target audiences for this special offering (ie people under 35, entrepreneurs, farmers, etc)

    3. Design sales program to find and attract the best of this target audience

    4. Define the cottage product in a way that is of high value to the target audience

  3. Securities Sales Program

    1. Learn about Kalu Yala’s financial structure, target investor audience, business model, and current promotional plans/activities, as well as securities regulations in the US and Panama

    2. Create a separate promotional plan for finding and attracting investors to add another prong to the arsenal

  4. Investor Business Plans/Pitches

    1. Use the Kalu Yala master plan, share structure, and community model to pick a building type(s) to match a business plan to

    2. Perform a feasibility study and create a resulting business plan

    3. Potentially package that business plan into a pitch deck to solicit investors

Economics Related

  1. Define Kalu Yala’s business principles required of all businesses doing business in Kalu Yala or using the Kalu Yala brand (i.e. regional producers who are part of a Kalu Yala co-op).

  2. Plan The First Kalu Yala Co-Op

    1. Co-ops are a big part of how Kalu Yala will enable small businesses to compete in a big business world.

    2. Identify opportunities for creating early co-ops that can include already existing regional businesses/producers at Kalu Yala

    3. Define Kalu Yala co-op goals and principles

    4. Use local context and co-op goals to identify comparable examples and blueprint Kalu Yala co-op structure and business plan

  3. Local Resource Index

    1. Radiating from Kalu Yala to San Miguel to San Martin, identify and catalog locally available resources

    2. Either choose a particular resource and map its occurrence in the region or work from Kalu Yala outward cataloging all the resources that can be identified in a particular area further before expanding the study

    3. Resource examples include human resources (i.e. political leaders, craftsmen of different types, large local financial stakeholders), natural resources (i.e. extraction industries, aquifer and water resources, timber), and products (ie. locally produced food products, unique crafted goods, medical, educations, etc)

  4. Draft Economic Development Plan

    1. Use Michael Shuman’s books The Small Mart Revolution and Local Dollars, Local Sense to identify the required components (guiding principles, institutions, financial and human capital) of a successful local economy that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses at Kalu Yala

    2. Chronologically order the development of these components

    3. Propose development plans for each component, starting with the first

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