11 Create a support team

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.‘Pooh!’ he whispered. ‘Yes, Piglet?’

‘Nothing,’ said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw.‘I just wanted to be sure of you.’”

AA Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

The handwritten sign read: “Retreat for sale on the shore of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala – three houses and three cabins for $80,000. Fabulous views of the lake and volcanoes. Accommodates 12–20 people; very peaceful.”

Deedle Ratcliffe and her boyfriend Mike were travelling through Central America on a year out from their jobs in London when they spotted the sign. They immediately went to see the retreat and realized it would be the perfect place to turn into a backpackers’ hostel and diving school.

They had only planned to be in Guatemala for ...

Get Ambition: Why It's Good to Want More and How to Get It now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.