Wildpreneurs: Turning your passion into a business

We’ve all had those moments where we wonder: What am I doing with my life?  It might be after a hard day at work, when we’re feeling overwhelmed, or whilst staring out of the window wondering if there’s something more. For some, it’s just a temporary feeling. But for others, it’s accompanied by a deep desire to live something entirely different. 

Maybe you know what this alternative life could look like, or this feeling has simply planted a seed that there’s something else out there for you. Perhaps you’ve got a business idea that in an alternative reality would enable your dreams to come true. 

I found myself reflecting on this recently after staying at Tamara Jacobi’s Tailwind Jungle Lodge in San Pacho, Mexico. At just 21, Tamara turned down a promising Wall Street career to bring her vision of a nature-filled paradise to life. She didn’t go it alone, she’s harnessed the skills and passion from within her family and the result is a beautiful eco-retreat that embodies adventure, sustainability, and a more mindful way of living.

In this blog, I’ll share a glimpse into Tamara’s world – from the lodge she built to her ‘Wildpreneur’ philosophy – and how this links to our work at Another World Adventures. 

Tailwind Jungle Lodge

Set on Mexico’s Pacific coastline, Tailwind Jungle Lodge was built by Tamara, her parents – who we enjoyed a delicious sundowner with during our stay – and her husband in 2007. Surrounded by lush tropical foliage and with views over the ocean, there’s easy access to jungle walks and untouched beaches.

The ethos: blend of adventure, nature-immersion, wellness (yoga/retreats) and sustainability. The setting is tree-house style, “jungle meets coast” vibe.

Appealing to adventurers, nature lovers, and those looking to unwind, Tamara has cultivated a space where you can combine relaxation and exploration. Think beautiful bungalows constructed from natural materials, palapas perched within the palm trees and a fantastic offering of activities including hiking, sailing, kayaking, surfing, yoga, massage and simply relaxing. Interiors reflect low-impact/ecological design: natural materials, palapa roof, open feel to let the jungle in, hammock zones, you get my drift.

The lodge is accessed via jungle trails, perched hillside, among palms and jungle canopy; many of the units are elevated (palapas, casitas) to minimise environmental impact and to give you that “tree-house” feel.

While the lodge itself is jungle-set, the Pacific coast and beach access are very close—so you get both jungle-immersion and beach/ocean possibilities which was popular with my tribe albeit the current at the walking access beach wasn’t to be messed with!

We did have a hilarious time on the local a secluded beach a short walk from the Tailwind Jungle Lodge that features a natural bank of therapeutic bentonite mud that we tried out for their reported natural spa properties…

Come as a couple, group, on your own – or opt to join one of the lodge’s eco-retreats.  When I stayed at the lodge, I visited with my husband and two children and we were blown away by what Tamara and her family had created. 

Tamara’s Wildpreneur philosophy 

Tamara’s jungle lodge was made possible, by what she coins ‘wildpreneurship’ – the concept of turning your wildest passions into a business. 

For those of you drawn to Another World Adventures, the Wildpreneur spirit might feel instantly familiar – that urge to step off the beaten path, take a leap, and experience something extraordinary.

According to Tamara, wildpreneurship is “not just work. It’s passion, purpose and lifestyle.” It’s about discovering a richness in life which transcends monetary value and turns dreams into a reality. It could apply to digital creators, creative pursuits, adventure travel businesses, farmers and others with a wild spirit.

If you’d like to know more about this I’d recommend reading Tamara’s Wildpreneurs book which you can use as a step-by-step guide to achieving your dreams.

It’s also interspersed with anecdotes from Tamara’s own experience alongside case studies from others who have created their dream wild-minded businesses. 

In essence, Tamara breaks it down into several key steps: 

• Embracing the daydreaming stage and realising that your dreams are possible; 
• Developing an actionable plan which can help you get started;
• Taking action which moves you in the right direction; 
• Gaining momentum as your dreams take form and you discover the joy and fulfilment of building something with true purpose;
• Connecting with other wild-minded individuals and entrepreneurs with a similarly wild spirit. 

The book includes plenty of information on how to execute each of these steps along with a useful series of tasks and actionable guidance. 

Another World Adventures: A passion project 

I’ve been fortunate to turn my passion into a business and meeting Tamara and her ideas really resonated with me. As such I’d like to share a little about the Another World Adventures journey:

Another World Adventures was born out of a passion, to help others to experience extraordinary things in an ethical and eco-conscious way. After sailing across the Atlantic on a tall ship in 2011, I fell in love with travelling under sail – the connectedness it provides with yourself, your crew and the world around you – and wanted to share the magic of it with others. 

The mass market nature of the travel industry so often means that boutique passion-driven businesses get lost in the noise of the industrial-scale holiday-making. What I wanted to do was to give them a platform, a place to be discovered among a community of like-minded operators and adventure seekers and curate their brilliant offering in one happy place.

My passion is to play a small part in helping others experience the world and to open their minds to new ideas and ways of living, often through slow travel and adventure. It’s also to encourage greater harmony with our natural environment, and especially the world’s oceans. This has developed into our offering of incredible adventures through Another World Adventures. 

More recently it has expanded into conducting citizen science projects as part of Free Range Ocean a non-profit I run from our family sailboat which I am currently circumnavigating on with my husband and kids.

Indeed, Another World Adventures is such a passion project that I’ve always kept a ‘second’ job for financial security (and because I love the diversity of doing a lot of different things at once!!) and that’s in the world of environmental communications and PR, particularly collaborating in recent years with cutting edge conservation expeditions and mission-driven initiatives alongside other ocean-minded and adventure organisations.

Meet some of our favourite wildpreneurs

Another World Adventures works with a whole host of wildpreneurs which have curated experiences that make a difference. Working with them has confirmed my belief that with a vision, creativity and passion almost any dream is possible. 

Discover your wild side!

Whether you’re looking to start your own wild-minded business, or simply to discover your wilder side, I hope this blog has encouraged you to consider that your dream may be more possible than you think. 

And if you’re looking to explore this more fully, why not take a look at our range of adventures to see what you learn about yourself and your passions.