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In this episode, we spoke with Yeshi Phuntso, CEO of Àni Private Resorts about how his strategic focus on community engagement and employee empowerment has created a thriving brand.

Àni is the world’s first private resort collection offering exclusive retreats in the most beautiful and far-flung corners of the earth, ÀNI Private Resorts draws its name from the Swahili word 'andjani', which aptly means the ‘journey ahead’. This refers not only to the time shared by ÀNI guests at each resort as part of life’s journey, but also to the future offered to students of the non-profit ÀNI Art Academies organization. Inspired by the idea that an arts education could bring opportunities to those without in beautiful, developing nations worldwide, the ÀNI story began in 2010, when both organizations were founded by philanthropist and arts patron, Tim Reynolds.

ÀNI’s destinations currently include Thailand’s Koh Yao Noi Island, Sri Lanka’s south coast, a private peninsula on the Dominican Republic’s north coast, and the northern cliffs of Anguilla Island, with each resort claiming a spectacular natural setting close to its local ÀNI Art Academy. Exclusively designed for a single group of guests, each accommodates up to 20 or 30 individuals across just 10 to 15 suites. All operate on an all-inclusive basis except ÀNI Anguilla, which is available for half-board stays. The resorts offer every space and service a group of guests could possibly desire, and a full complement of staff (between 20 and 30 per resort) tailors every detail – from dining and spa treatments to children’s activities and cultural interactions