This company is changing the lives of hundreds of people in Honduras for the better—and is under attack for doing it

The quest to unleash human potential in Honduras

Imagine you were born on a small island in Central America.

Most people live off of fishing and related activities. There is no specialized human capital, and the development of industrial complexes or the exploitation of natural resources is not an option. Infrastructure is almost nonexistent. There are no paved streets, no public transportation, and no electricity or hot running water in people’s homes.

There's not much prospect for you to prosper, right?

Wrong.

There is actually a lot of potential for human flourishing here: the land is located in the Caribbean Sea, in the middle of a giant continent full of people eager to find exciting destinations that aren't an ocean away from their home country. The island’s beautiful beaches and landscapes and the tropical weather make it a perfect fit for a tourist destination. People are hardworking and willing to thrive and to provide for their families.

Then how do you manage to develop this land and bring prosperity to its people?

There really is only one way you can flourish in this setting, and that is by attracting foreign capital so that it can be invested in the land to boost local business and create new jobs. 

And how do you do that?

You make sure to establish the best possible economic environment for businesses to come in and set up shop, creating jobs and opportunities for everyone. And that’s exactly what the Startup Cities are doing with their own laws and governance that are designed to provide a friendly and enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

But this is not a made-up story. This is the story of this week’s guest on my show, the Honduran Virginia Mann, and of hundreds of other residents of the startup city of Próspera in the special economic zone (Zonas de Empleo y Desarrollo Económico—ZEDEs) of Roatán, Honduras.

But there is a twist to it.

You would think that every country’s leaders would love it if investors and foreign capital came in and did the job they were unable to do, providing basic infrastructure such as running water and electricity for its people, leaving them happy for the next elections.

But you would be wrong.

You are going to learn Virginia’s life’s story as well as the history of her homeland and the arrival of Próspera. But what you are about to witness will take you from hope to outrage in a matter of minutes. And you will see that this is not a unique central american tale. It is also very similar to the stories of many African lands. That is why this episode is so personal to me.