Jon has been the Managing Director at Tavarua and Namotu Island Resorts
in the Fiji Islands for over two decades. He has been active in promoting
sustainable tourism in the South Pacific region, including practices such as
the implementation of Marine Protected Areas. Together with the Fiji
Government and local villages, he has helped designate no-fish zones around
reef perimeters to promote the propagation of coral and sea life. More
recently, he helped initiate giant clam seeding projects with the Fiji Ministry
of Fisheries for the development of sustainable food sources for local villages
in lieu of over-fishing and exportation of endangered species. He is currently
involved with the construction of sustainable village communities in Fiji,
utilizing the latest solar technology, as well as village relocation projects
resulting from the effects of climate change.
Apart from the resort/hospitality business, his professional life has
included starting two life-style clothing brands, a sustainable hardwood
business, a shrimp fishing business, appearing in several motion pictures
both as an actor and stuntman, and he continues to surf and compete
professionally as surfing has been a life-long passion. He currently serves
either on the board or as board advisor of several non-profits, including the
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, where
he served as event chair.
Jon’s education includes a BA Economics from University of California,
Santa Barbara and Pennsylvania State University. He started his graduate
work at University of California, Davis and has now moved to the Yale School
of Management, where he is in the second year of the EMBA program in the
Sustainability Focus Area and a Buckley Fellow.
He currently splits his time between Yale, Fiji, and San Diego, where he
originally hails from.
Walk us through your morning routine.
I usually wake up at dawn, throw on trunks and check the surf at Cloudbreak from my house. I walk through the coconut tree jungle to the other side of the island and grab coffee (the stronger the better). If the waves are good, I grab water, electrolytes and a couple boards and jump on my wave runner and head straight out. If the waves are not good- I jump right into work so that I can be ready for when they are!
Do you have an exercise routine?
When I’m in Fiji, I’m mostly doing my workout in the water- surfing, foiling, kiting and free diving. Back in California, I train extensively with my trainer, Jay Hoehn, whom has trained NFL and UFC athletes. Because he’s a surfer, he knows where to focus as far as strength and endurance.
Do you follow a specific diet?
I try to adhere to the 90/10 rule. My 90% is minimal carbs and sugar, lots of proteins, greens and antioxidants. I try to eat fish as a preferred meat as much as I can. The 10% is pastas, big steaks, whatever else tastes good at the time!
How many hours do you sleep each night?
I’ve always been an 8-hour a night person. If I don’t get that, I usually have to make up for it the next night or two. Without the proper amount of sleep, none of the above works.
What are some hobbies you enjoy?
I love to snowboard, play tennis and golf when I’m not in the ocean. The mountains are amazing. I just got back from a heliboarding trip to Canada and parts of it were every bit as extreme as surfing big waves; you’re one-on-one with nature. Besides physical hobbies, I really enjoy learning about new things- academic work provides a really cool, different kind of adrenalin for me.
Do you have any life mottos or principles you follow?
There are several quotes that I really like. One is by John C. Maxwell: “There are two kinds of people in this world; those who want to get things done, and those who don’t want to make mistakes.” You never progress or move forward without making mistakes in life, and I’ve definitely experienced this both in business and riding waves.
The other anonymous quote I love is: “It Doesn’t matter how educated, talented, rich, or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all. Integrity is everything.” I’ve been fortunate and humbled spending so many years in Fiji, and this latter quote to me really sums up that we are all equals on this planet, across cultures, races, backgrounds, etc.
How do you approach setting goals?
I try and look at different time horizons and think to myself, where do I want to be at each of these different points. I also try to break my goals into business, personal and other. Then I’m pretty methodical about my calendars, reminders and notes to help me stay on track.
What is your favorite way to learn new things?
Reflecting on the quote I mentioned earlier, the best way to truly learn is to start going down a road without failure paralysis, and as soon as you realize it isn’t the correct road, you come that much closer to finding the right one. It can also be a humbling experience that enables you to better receive advice and input from people who actually might know more than you do.
If you could leave one piece of advice for someone younger, what would you share?
Life goes by really quickly, and there is never a “perfect” time to pursue one’s dreams and goals. If you wait, it will eventually be too late.
Give us a brief taste of what someone can expect if they are coming to Tavarua on a surf trip.
Tavarua Island is truly a special place. The Fijian people and the raw South Pacific environment are really what makes it, and the waves are a bonus. It can be life changing for a lot of people. Of course when the surf is pumping, there are no better waves on the planet than Restaurants and Cloudbreak!
Is there anything that you haven’t done that you still want to do?
The thing with life is that the more you live it, the more you want to live it, but you are on a time fuse. There are still so many places I want to go and experiences I want to have, both personally and in business. I’m currently working on some fun projects in the world of artificial waves; I definitely think this is going to be an exciting space. I also want to continue academic work as a way to positively influence policies and make a real impact. During Covid I got bored with my time and went back to school for a Masters degree at Yale; it has been an amazing experience and I’d like to continue in that direction with some doctoral work if possible.