Sundari Gardens

Field: Retreat & Wellness

Title: General Manager

Role: Management & Business Development

Dates: April 2022 - August 2023

Project Description

FIRM DESCRIPTION:

Come live with us on the Big Island—among the flowers, trees, expansive skies, and the vast Pacific Ocean. We are a 10-acre farm and intentional community in Lower Puna, Hawaiʻi. Rooted in permaculture principles and shared values, we are committed to learning how to live in harmony with each other and the land.

We host concerts, classes, and events for the local community, offering a space for connection, creativity, and growth. Visitors are welcome to stay with us for a few weeks—and many find themselves inspired to make this lifestyle a more permanent part of their journey.

Position Summary:

I first connected with the ownership team of Sundari Gardens while attending a retreat. At the time, they were seeking a general manager to help guide the next phase of development for the center as a retreat and wellness destination on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. The team had already spent four years in land development and had begun offering early services on-site.

Upon joining, I dedicated the first six months to foundational business development. The initial priority was to right-size the operation—scaling staffing and expenses to align with actual revenue and reduce the budget by 50% in order to achieve financial sustainability. From there, I focused on developing income streams by curating specialized retreats and launching outbound marketing efforts targeted at retreat leaders and event organizers.

As the project evolved, so did the vision of the ownership team. Together, we transitioned the business model to prioritize Sundari Gardens as a residential intentional community, while continuing to host select retreats and events. We shifted our focus to short- and medium-term stays, investing in the creation of more livable and comfortable spaces. This allowed us to create a balanced, flexible business model that aligned with the owners’ long-term vision and maintained the financial health of the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

General Management: Oversaw the day-to-day operations of the organization, including administration, budgeting, program development, marketing, and team coordination. Acted as the central decision-maker and point of accountability for the business.

Strategic Transition: Directed the transition from a retreat center to an intentional community, developing new systems for residency, shared governance, land use, and community agreements while preserving core values and mission.

Team Leadership: Managed a dynamic team of 7 paid staff and 8 work traders. Recruited, trained, and supported team members across operations, hospitality, land stewardship, events, and kitchen. Fostered a culture of mutual respect, clarity, and growth.

Community Building: Facilitated the development of social systems and structures that supported healthy group living, including conflict resolution practices, weekly meetings, shared rituals, and community-wide decision-making processes.

Financial Oversight: Managed budgets, tracked cash flow, reduced unnecessary expenses, and created new revenue opportunities to move the business toward financial sustainability.

Program Development: Curated and oversaw concerts, classes, and local events that aligned with the community’s mission and values, expanding outreach and deepening connections with the wider Puna community.

Land Stewardship: Directed maintenance and development of the 10-acre property, integrating permaculture principles into infrastructure planning, gardening, and long-term land use.

ACCOMPLISHMENTs

Business Model Transition: Successfully led the transformation of Sundari Gardens from a retreat-focused center to a financially sustainable intentional residential community, while maintaining a curated offering of select retreats and events aligned with the land and community vision.

Financial Turnaround: Guided the organization from substantial monthly losses to a break-even financial position by strategically scaling operations, reducing overhead by 75%, and developing diversified revenue streams through short- and medium-term stays, event partnerships, and work-trade contributions.

Work-Trade Program Development: Designed and implemented a highly functional work-trade program that became essential to day-to-day operations. Created clear onboarding processes, role expectations, and community engagement practices that supported both personal growth and team cohesion.

Community Formation: Assisted in facilitating the emergence of a cohesive intentional community through the development of governance systems, shared values, and cultural practices. Encouraged mutual support, open communication, and collective stewardship of the land and mission.