Headwaters Entrepreneurs offer consulting, mentoring and training to empower rural entrepreneurs across East Asia.
We encourage businesses to grow in the following attributes:
sustainability: balancing profit with staff development, community well-being and respect for the environment
flourishing: seeking positive development in the lives of employees, customers and the community
meaningful work: viewing employees to sources of creativity and not just cogs in a machine
Food and Beverage: Food stalls, cafes and restaurants are a time-honored way to provide for one’s family through an industry with low barriers to entry. Rural areas are also often tourist areas, so food becomes a powerful tool to preserve local culture and share it with visitors.
Sustainable Agriculture: The true wealth of rural areas is the agricultural products they can produce. We encourage a long-term balance between the resources of the land, the available labor and the agricultural techniques employed.
Appropriate Technology: New tools and techniques can improve the productivity of rural businesses, but expensive machines can also become a financial drain on already thin margins. We help clients understand when technology is truly an advantage and when it is just another expense.
Check out our latest thoughts on rural entrepreneurship in our blog.