In today’s episode, I interviewed Marlena Jarjoura, a self-made entrepreneur and founder of Hill Country Nature Retreat Center. Marlena shares her journey from teaching children to co-creating an off-grid oasis with her husband in the Texas Hill Country. They have built rental properties and a retreat center using reclaimed and recycled materials. You will gain insights into their financials and the work they have done to create their sustainable retreat center. If you have ever dreamt of having your own retreat center, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Highlights

[00:01:01] Shifting from teaching to off-grid living.
[00:04:18] Quitting teaching, starting WOOFing.
[00:08:01] Learning curve in solar power.
[00:11:53] Embracing imperfections in design.
[00:18:19] Rental income and property appeal.
[00:19:20] Building a brand beyond Airbnb.
[00:24:43] Sustainability and off-grid living.
[00:27:51] Changing climate and challenges.
[00:31:13] Setting boundaries and work-life balance.

Notable Quotes

"Just take one step at a time and don't look too far ahead."
"The goal of our lives is to be content and happy, and not stressed."
"It's like the pieces started getting put into place and it just started unfolding and blossoming."
"We try to find things for free if possible, and we end up finding a lot of really good free stuff."
"It's a puzzle. We like the challenge of it most of the time."
"Just start little by little and always remember what your goal is."

Resources

Listen on Apple Podcast
Start your “No Budget” Money Plan
Learn more about our signature Program: Holistic Money Program
Connect with Whitney:
LinkedIn: LinkedIn 
Instagram: @holisticmoney  
Email: [email protected]

Apply here to be featured on the "Behind Closed Wallets" Series of the Holistic Money Podcast

Listen on Apple Podcast

Start your “No Budget” Money Plan

Learn more about our signature Program: Holistic Money Program

Connect with Whitney:

LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Instagram: @holisticmoney

Email: [email protected]