Crafted Investing

If there are tailored suits and custom built homes, why do all investments look roughly the same? This is the finance of volume that helps drive transaction fees, overlooks risks and creates economic bubbles that lead to dire consequences. Kalu Yala is working to see how we can tailor our finance to first fit Kalu Yala’s characteristics, including its risks and opportunities, and then how we can further fine tune it to fit our current and future investors. In the process, we have discovered many of the inherent flaws and weaknesses of the current finance industry, the products it offers to investors and the risks it creates that the world is forced to share, along with the possibilities of doing things differently.

This is Panama
After spending 2 months working in Panama, I can say joining Kalu Yala’s business program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. If you are a current business student, this internship program provides an unique and distinctive professional experience in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Panama has a lot to [...]  Read More
Spring 2012 business program
The Business Program had a semester pre wrap-up week last week. One month to go for this semester and now it’s important to sum up what has been achieved and re-examine the direction to be taken. Since working from Panama City, the Business Program folks (Victor, Sebastian and Aki) might be seen almost as a [...]  Read More
panama-skyline
Sustainability economist and author of the book Prosperity without Growth, Tim Jackson thoroughly addressed the problem of the ecological limits of a finite planet in one of his recorded conference speeches that I happened to find a couple of days ago online. I was fascinated by this public speech and will definitely put his book [...]  Read More
jungle
It’s the end of January and a new set of interns have arrived from different parts of the world to contribute to  Kalu Yala’s mission in developing a more sustainable future. When you enter a room full of young, enthusiastic interns, all eager to listen and learn, do research and implement their ideas, you will [...]  Read More
View of hiking out of the valley
These last few years, the Panamanian tourism market has been growing quickly, and by following the steps of neighboring Costa Rica, the country has started to make a name for itself in the global community. Due to its tropical climate, attractive geographic location and use of the American dollar, Panama has become a top tourist [...]  Read More
Overall Business Vision
Spring Semester has started at Kalu Yala and our interns have arrived ready to be immersed in study and practice of sustainable development. This semester we are pleased to introduce two new faces to the KY Business Program: Aki Saunamaki: Hailing from the nation of Finland, Aki studied at Helsinki Metropolitan University of Applied Sciences. [...]  Read More
Chicken Coop Front view
The purchase of three chickens this semester and their transformation from chicks to chickens in such a short period of time has resulted in the need for a coop. Fast. It won’t be much longer until our egg-pawning hen starts to lay eggs, and supplying all of them with a shelter where they can eat [...]  Read More
Norman Rockwell: Freedom of Speech
I see a movement happening among our generation. It’s not based on any sort of innovation or new ideals cooked up in a remote lab. In fact, this movement has been the most consistent, practical and often seen in world history. I see a large amount of my generation begining to grasp the principles of [...]  Read More
Industrial Revolution labor sign
Growth is a completely unique process of life. It is an interesting process to understand because it does not fit any mold. One can tell when something has grown, but cannot so easily quantify the process of growth. Growth is highly variable, many things can derail it, and many things can accelerate it.  We all [...]  Read More
America: land of great thinkers and innovators
I’m writing from Los Angeles where Ryan Brown and Kate Croft have met me to begin a 30-day journey of outreach to find Kalu Yala’s first citizens.  We have a Nissan Altima Hybrid, laptops, smart phones, a box full of vision brochures and investment documents, and a rolodex full of great people: both thought leaders [...]  Read More