Hand-Digging a Swamp into an Island

Turning an international hospitality dream into reality sounds exciting, until you’re standing on a swampy patch of land in Belize, wondering how many years it will take to shape it into something guests will love.

That’s where today’s guest, Odis Martin, began. He and his wife spent nearly a decade transforming a remote island into Sindiri on the Reef, a private eco lodge built without outside investors and rebuilt multiple times after hurricanes. 

Odis and his wife went from small US multifamily to hand digging a swampy island, navigating Belize regulations, rebuilding after hurricanes, and creating a one of a kind off grid destination.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How a school project turned into a 10-year international hospitality roadmap
• The real cost and complexity of off-grid development on an island
• What actually makes buying in Belize approachable for US investors

This episode gives you a realistic look at what it really takes to turn an overseas hospitality dream into a real, functioning business.

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About Odis

Odis Martin is the owner and captain of Cindiri On The Reef, a Garifuna family-owned private island resort located off the coast of Dangriga, Belize. Alongside his wife, Odis transformed their graduate school thesis into a real-world venture, hand-building the resort from raw land with local Maya and Garifuna craftsmanship and a deep commitment to sustainability. Before launching Cindiri, the couple built a 20-door real estate portfolio in California, which helped self-fund the project without outside investors. Today, Cindiri On The Reef stands as a model for off-grid, eco-luxury hospitality offering reef-to-table dining, immersive ocean experiences, and a masterclass in independent, purpose-driven resort development.

Connect with Odis

Website: https://cindiri.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/54356667

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindirionthereef/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindirionthereef

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cindirionthereef

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