I feel like we all have a moral obligation in life to give back or be of service, whether it be socially, economically, culturally, environmentally, spiritually, or some other effort.
These can be our passions, and ultimately are self-fulfilling because they somehow give us purpose and add joy to our lives.
Up to now, it’s been 30 years of learning and trying to understand how the world works, and getting to know myself. I’ve spent the 13 years dedicating my career-life to help reverse climate change, and the last 10 years of my ‘free time’ creating amazing experiences for people. From the get-go I’ve been designing and building things of all shapes and sizes, with efficiency and bringing people together top of mind. Simon Senek introduced me to the magic in finding your ‘Why’ years ago. Mine is simple: To create amazing experiences and promote sustainability to make our world a cleaner, safer and more fun place to be.
When we moved to Asheville, I knew I would someday create a sustainable community, just wasn’t sure how or when. Before and even more so during Covid, I knew there was something bigger for me. I researched nearly 100 sustainable-related businesses, running the gamut from Black Soldier Fly Larva, septic/waste composting, conscious land development, regenerative agriculture, syntropic food forestry, to Energy Efficiency-as-a-Service, AI-based industrial energy data solutions, hydrogen battery solutions, commercial heat recapture systems, and the list goes on and on. While looking carefully for the right one to plug into that fit my lifestyle, experience and interest, I built energy efficient houses and learned a good bit about the short-term rental market. All the while I continued learning and teaching and promoting the awareness of corporate sustainability.
When we sit and think about all of our beliefs, knowledge, talents and what type of day-to-day life we desire, we can start to whittle away and develop a picture of our ideal journey in life. For me, my talents and interest center around building & design, sustainability & healthy living, and immersive experiences. These parts of my life had long been siloed, for no particular reason. Then a couple years ago I decided it was time to unite them.
At the age of 46, I felt overly compelled to start a new ‘afternoon’ chapter of my life. Confident in my timing, resources and experience – my devotion to build an eco-adventure resort was born. The idea for this project stems from several drivers:
1. Growing up my family were avid RVers and spent a good bit of time at two campgrounds – Fort Trodd in MI which was owned by great people that quickly became close friends. Then Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach turn out to be our summer getaway; they each provided amazing memories year after year. Both of these parks inspired me because of the fun and community they inherently created, and I always loved the people we met along the way… everyone is always happy to be on vacation!
2. I’ve long had a desire to integrate all-around sustainability into the unfolding outdoor hospitality industry, the way Chipotle has with their restaurants – basically doing all the right things whether people see or know about it at all. I imagined developing a whimsical getaway for guests that works with nature and its environment to provide a rich and fulfilling ‘feel-good’ experience, and unnoticeably inspires them to be more conscious in their daily lives back home.
3. Lastly, what if I could marry immersive experiences and adventure together to create deeper connections – with nature, family, friends old and new, and most importantly – within ourselves. Creating unique games, shared adventures and quests, bespoke design, and joyful art render us feeling truly alive and refresh our gratitude for life.
In summary, I could think of no better way to melt these passions and drivers into something that gives back in a major way. I can see clearly now that designing and building structures and spaces that lend to connection and experiences are a perfect dovetail for the creation of Wunderland. The fact that I get to utilize my love and understanding of sustainable building, experiential design, outdoor adventure, and preserving nature and its resources is an honor; and is shaping this project into something truly unique. Wunderland Eco-Adventure Resort will be a community style outdoor resort that focuses on wellness for people and planet.
My goal is to set an example of practical and purposeful sustainability within the resort industry and help pave the way for a new era of forward-thinking hospitality.
Wunderland is a place to connect, relax, create, laugh, and feel all the feels.
Nature’s playground for your soul.