Welcome to Pura Vida House

Speaker 1 0:00

Hi , I'm Shelly Maurer and I'm Cher Emrick .

Speaker 2 0:03

Welcome to Life Lessons from Pickleball , where we engage with pickleball players from around the world about life on and off the court .

Speaker 1 0:12

Thanks for joining us . Welcome everyone to Life Lessons from Pickleball . We are so excited to have as our guest Mani Barajas Alexander from Pura Vida House in Costa Rica . Mani , we know the Pura Vida House is an award-winning luxury villa known not just for breathtaking views but for world-class pickleball vacations that feed the body , mind and soul .

Speaker 2 0:41

Mani , you have created more than a getaway At Pura Vida House . It's about connection with nature , with each other and with the Pura Vida lifestyle .

Speaker 1 0:52

And we can't wait to learn how you built this dream retreat that we're very eager to hear more about . But first , what was going on in your life before Pura Vida ?

Speaker 3 1:03

So , first off , thank you both for you know having me on . I love everything that you guys are doing with . You know your various topics and so it caught my attention . I appreciate you guys reaching out and , you know , sharing your podcast and time with me , so very grateful for that . Yeah , so what was going on ?

Speaker 3 1:20

Basically , it was COVID , almost COVID times , basically , where I picked up Pickleball and we had just back in September 2019 , we had just bought the business and the real estate . It was one transaction in Costa Rica , operating business plus real estate , and it was a dream come true . One of my best friends kind of started it with more tennis vacations and then we just kind of ran with it , started doing pickleball and then COVID hits Right . So it was a pretty scary time because basically overnight there was no one allowed to even come to Costa Rica . So we had all these bookings , we were feeling good about the business and then , once COVID hit , it was like my dream just you know , was over , like what's going to happen ? There was so much uncertainty . Thankfully , we weathered the storm , work things out and now you know we're very blessed to have you know more than one property .

Speaker 3 2:14

We've got three properties now within our Pura Vida House brand and we utilize all three properties for our Pura Vida House vacations .

Speaker 1 2:22

How cool . So what were you even doing in life ? And you're saying we tell us who we is , but also , what were you even doing in life that you even thought , oh , let's buy this property ? I mean , was that a part of what your life was before ?

Speaker 3 2:35

So before I actually have a tennis background , I played Division I collegiate tennis and then I had a tennis company called Top Notch Tennis where we were focused on program management . So we got contracted at various clubs to come in and provide turnkey tennis programming for clubs and school programs . So , long story short , I was burning out of that after 30 locations later , expanding a team of 40 coaches . It was an amazing experience for me and taught me a lot about entrepreneurship and business right out of college , Basically .

Speaker 3 3:08

I did that for 10 years , right out of college . And then I was just ready for the next chapter and one of my good friends was burning out of the Pura Vida house business that he had started with like the tennis component , and I just kind of said I'm going to go all in and just make this dream a reality . I found some investors to make this dream come to life and basically no failure was not even an option . So when I was raising the money , I was like I'm going to have the funds , I'm not even worried about it , let's just go and make this a reality . So it's just a huge blessing to be able to do what we do , and what I truly love the most is well , I guess , going back to your question , that we as my wife and have a three and a half year old daughter .

Speaker 3 3:55

So yeah , so we're business partners in the Pura Vida house , and so it's just such a blessing because we get to what I always like to think about . Every week or opportunity to share Pura Vida House with our guests is an opportunity for us to facilitate happiness for people , and I think , at the end of the day , you know when people think about purpose and meaning in life to me , that's , that's my why , and same for my wife , like we just love to be able to see people come to Costa Rica . Share our passion of Costa Rica and our passion with pickleball , merge those two and just see people , you know , enjoy their time with us and then at the end of the week , you know , they say , hey , this was one of the best experiences and vacations that we've ever had . To me , that's what it's all about .

Speaker 3 4:40

So I'm very grateful to be able to do that .

Speaker 2 4:43

So just back up a bit . How did you get from Division One tennis to playing pickleball ?

Speaker 3 4:49

Yeah , it's a good question . So you know , during COVID , basically , I think , and I always kind of wonder like I've had multiple conversations with other friends that are in the industry and you know , we always wonder like you know , where would pickleball be without COVID ? Right , because so many people picked up pickleball during COVID . So , and I'm a prime example of that , and so you know , we were bored in the backyard and we were just hitting balls against the wall and then I met a couple other people and we started playing and I got connected with other people and then I realized shortly , you know , after a few weeks , I was like man , this is a really cool fun game . So I was hooked and you know , I have a ping pong background as well .

Speaker 3 5:27

Not very competitive , high level but , you know , decent , and so it's kind of the combination of tennis and ping pong allowed me to transition kind of quicker than maybe most people that you know don't have a racket , paddle sports background . So it's just , it's just been fun , and what I always love about , what I've loved about pickleball from the beginning , is really the social community aspect . I think there's so much to be said about the sport and the game bringing people together . I think it's truly a , you know , a great game just to meet people , and I think you end up meeting a lot of people from all walks of life that maybe you would have never , you know , run into and then on the pickleball court , next thing you know , you're having a happy hour with them after a few games and you're like man , you're an awesome person .

Speaker 2 6:14

I'm just in awe that you have taken the sport that , like you said , I just love pickleball . It brings so much joy and so much happiness . And Costa Rica I've been a few few times . It's such a beautiful place with beautiful people and it is a very joyful place , and you've combined the two of them , which is so incredible . And could you , for people that haven't been to Costa Rica , um , explain what Pura Vida is ? What ? What does that mean ?

Speaker 3 6:43

like yeah , so the direct translation is pure life , and in Costa Rica it means a lot of different things , but I think at the core of it , you know , a lot of people believe that it's a way of living , and Pura Vida is like a sense of gratitude , appreciation for life and actually living your life consciously and enjoying your life on a day to day basis , as opposed to just this rat race , go , go , go head down . You're so focused on growing and what's next and more , and I think so many people get caught up in this and and I just I personally I was also caught up in that and I realized how unhealthy that was . And so now being able to do what we're doing and sharing that with people and doing something I'm really passionate and love about , I just think Pura Vida is a way of life and truly means like , hey , enjoy your life one day at a time and be thankful for it .

Speaker 1 7:41

So it sounds like you are putting into practice what you are offering to other people as well .

Speaker 3 7:46

Yes , I try , I try .

Speaker 3 7:49

Although with a three-year-old , three-and-a-half-year-old and three different businesses under Pura Vida , I imagine there's a little bit of stress and strain there too , yeah parenting business partners with my wife , and then having you know multiple properties and a travel company that facilitates these experiences . We do property management as well with our you know properties , so it's like it's it could be a lot , but what I've learned over the years in entrepreneurship is really you know it's , it's about your people and your team and the systems you put in place , and it's just getting everybody on the bus first , which is the whole vision , and then in the right seats Right and so , depending on the person's personalities and skill sets , their strengths , their weaknesses , you know , we try to identify that , what motivates them , and then put them in the right place to hopefully excel , and then that makes our job and work a lot easier , because we've you know , things are a little bit now more on cruise control .

Speaker 3 8:56

Now we have systems and great people in place .

Speaker 1 8:59

And these properties , are they all in Costa Rica ?

Speaker 3 9:02

Yeah , and they're all actually inside a gated beach resort community . It's called the Hacienda Pena Beach and Golf Resort . So our three properties we have two six bed , six bath , and then one four bed , three bath , and they all happen to be right next to each other . So we strategically did that and acquire the properties and now managing another one because we wanted to start facilitating bigger groups , because we started getting demand for 16 , 20 , even 24 . Even though our sweet spot is , you know , 8 to 12 , that's the most common . But we are starting to see a lot more groups that want 16 to 20 people .

Speaker 3 9:41

And it's great because you know you have your own private villa with a group of friends and so you're getting this all inclusive experience with a private chef for breakfast and dinner and golf carts to cruise around the resort and see the wildlife . You've got beautiful courts , nature , beach club , airport transfers , drivers , experiences . So it's it's . It's really it's . It's . It's a whole experience , I guess is the best way to put it . It's not just a camp . It's not just a camp , it's not just a vacation , it's literally an experience . And it's something that

From Tennis Coach to Costa Rica

Speaker 3 10:16

it's not all about pickleball . Sure , you're going to get your pickleball fix in two to three hours a day , but it's really about enjoying Costa Rica while you're there , with the bonus of pickleball , so it's a nicely balanced experience .

Speaker 2 10:30

So what does a typical day look like ? Kind of pickleball guest .

Speaker 3 10:35

Good question . So basically the typical day would be like a 7 am breakfast with our in-house chef who cooks very healthy , fresh , locally sourced ingredients lots of fruits , vegetables , a lot of freshness and then from 8 to 11 is typically the pickleball window , and we like to do that earlier in the day . Some groups like to start even earlier because it can get hot here in Costa Rica . So usually we're done by 11 on the pickleball side , and then from 11 to 7 pm it's just free time , basically . So sometimes the guests will book a private sunset sail snorkeling cruise , or maybe they'll do an adventure day , or maybe they'll do horseback riding within the resort , or ATVs or zip lines or surfing or a relaxed massage . So really it's like combining all these different things , and then at 7 o'clock is dinner .

Speaker 3 11:31

So yeah , so 7 am 7am , 7pm , breakfast , dinner , eight to 11 pickleball , and then everything in between is just is free time and just enjoying .

Speaker 2 11:40

Wow , what is the eight to 11 look like ? Tell me what the pickleball time looks like .

Speaker 3 11:50

Yeah , so usually it we're very flexible . It really depends on the groups what their desires are . So some groups really like to do a lot of drills and then minimal play and take advantage of the great instruction and pros that we have here in Costa Rica . Others like less instruction , more open play with a little bit of feedback . So we really just try to fine tune it . You know we're not ego driven . You got to do this and it has to be our way or the highway . That's not really our style and at the end of the day everyone's on vacation so we want them to have a great experience . So if they say , hey , we only want an hour of open play and two hours of drilling , sure We'll do that . But most groups like about an hour and a half to two hours of a combination of primarily live ball drills with mixing in some games . Maybe after a couple of drills you play a game , then another couple of drills and the application of it , and then the last hour is usually just open play .

Speaker 1 12:45

OK wonderful .

Speaker 3 12:46

And do you have ?

Speaker 1 12:47

resident pros or do they come in for events ?

Speaker 3 12:51

So we do both . We do have an amazing pro that's part of our team . His name is Silvan . He's the top pro in Costa Rica . He's going to be leading the you know , the Pickleball World Cup . I'm not sure if you guys are familiar .

Speaker 3 13:05

So he's , he's organized the team and made it very official . So we've got a great squad going to represent Costa Rica in the pickleball world cup . It's actually going to be held over at the Fort in Fort Lauderdale this year . And if you read our reviews on Google and whatnot , like , people always mention Sylvana , the instruction , and then sometimes I'll teach as well . I have , you know , coach tennis for many years and I got certified in pickleball , so I also instruct as well . And Sylvana and I , from a level standpoint , are both five , five plus level players . So we have the experience on the playing side but then also on the teaching side . And we've actually noticed that sometimes the higher level pros that will come and visit are not always the best instructors . So it's been kind of interesting to see the dynamic when we do have guest pros , depending on their levels , you know , sometimes they're a better instructor because sometimes the higher level pros don't know how to maybe explain to the level of they're working To lower themselves .

Speaker 2 14:05

yeah .

Speaker 3 14:06

Yeah , exactly , just watch me . Can't you do that ?

Speaker 1 14:09

I know Just spin it . Just watch me , can't you do that I know , just spin it , that's a good point . That's a good point .

Speaker 3 14:19

Being a good player doesn't necessarily mean being a good coach , being able to teach it . I think being a good coach and teacher is somebody that really can explain one message in multiple different ways , because you never know how you're going to connect with that you know phrase or that explanation , and so if it's not , if I'm giving you instruction and it's not , you know , registering , I've got to figure out plan B . And then , if that doesn't work , what's plan C ? Until I get to the point where Cher is like oh , I get it , light bulb goes off , like I understand that , yeah , yeah , and it probably would take three tries with me .

Speaker 1 14:52

So , thank you . So you must've , I mean over these years , and I'm I'm so impressed that you all held on during COVID . Bless your hearts for that . I'm sure that was a real learning experience for you . Uh , both and uh and hanging on with your fingernails , and now you have the . You're reaping all the benefits of having gone through all that and you're seeing , I imagine , some pretty interesting experiences that your guests have had . Do you have some stories at all of surprising experiences or touching experiences or life changing experiences that your guests have had ?

Speaker 3 15:35

Yeah , you know , I think the ones that are very , very meaningful to me , I mean they're all very like nice weeks when guests say , hey , this is one of the best you know vacations of my life and I've traveled the world extensively , and so when I hear that consistent feedback , it makes us feel good about what we're doing and what we're providing value to somebody's life . Right , and that's the happiness component , or bucket . The ones that are really touching to me are when we've got guests that are in their mid to late seventies , early to mid 80s coming and still just living it up . Like it's very inspiring for me to see that we had a guy I'll never forget his name His name is Ken and I forget what state he was from , but he was 87 years old on the trip and , I kid you not , he was out there playing two hours of pickleball every morning , zip lines , he did a boat trip and I'm just like man .

Speaker 3 16:35

This guy is such an inspiration , like you know you talk about , you know living to 100 or you know being healthy to enjoy your life , and it's really inspiring to see when people are still traveling in their 70s and 80s and living it up , you know , so , so . So that would be , I guess , an example of you know groups that will come that are , you know , 70s , 80s age wise , and they're still just young at heart , playful , enjoying , and I love to see that . And also when people share , like their milestone birthdays with us . That's really nice when people turn 60 or

Inside the Pickleball Vacation Experience

Speaker 3 17:08

70 . And it's a big deal . The fact that they want to share it and we can help facilitate that experience is really nice .

Speaker 1 17:15

How long is a typical stay for people ?

Speaker 3 17:19

Usually about seven nights oh really . Yeah , usually Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday , just because you basically will lose your first and last day due to travel .

Speaker 3 17:30

You basically will lose your first and last day due to travel . So , yeah , so we always recommend , because there's so much to see and do in Costa Rica On top of three hours a day of pickleball . You've already got half day kind of gone with that , and so I just think that to get the most out of Costa Rica and the experience , we always recommend seven nights , and that seems to work the best . And we do have two separate groups going at times , so it just depends . So sometimes it'll be one big group of 18 to 20 , or it might be two groups of eight and two separate houses . So , and every now and then , depending on the skill levels and the personalities , will mix and match the groups , but most of the time you know I might take , you know , one group and then Sylvain takes another group and then we have one other pro also . That helps us out sometimes as well .

Speaker 1 18:19

And do any people come who have no interest in pickleball ?

Speaker 3 18:23

Yes . So some of the spouses will come and we'll typically you know we don't necessarily discount the package what we'll do is replace the pickleball with something of interest to that spouse . So if they love let's say they're not even athletic , they could care less about that , but they're more give me , give me a few massages , I'll be happy with that . We'll give them some massages at the house , right , I'll be happy with that . We'll give them some massages at the house right , or at the villa , or if they want to put it towards a boat cruise or whatever it is , maybe it's tennis or golf , it just depends . And so we're . We're very flexible . At the end of the day , people are on vacation and what we care most about is seeing them enjoy their time with us and being happy .

Speaker 2 19:03

So how do you , how do you incorporate the Costa Rican culture in the retreats or , like , help people see that if I'm there , join my pickleball in wondering what to do in the afternoons .

Speaker 3 19:15

Yeah , so I always like to join the guests the first night just to get a feel for the group and make local recommendations , give them ideas . Okay , you know , the nature component is going to be found naturally within the resort , so half of it is a nature preserve . It's a huge resort . It's 45 acres and so half of it will never be developed for developmental restrictions in Costa Rica , which is wonderful there's lots of green , lots of different wildlife , and so there you're going to get the authentic nature component and the beautiful beaches .

Speaker 3 19:50

And then we do usually incorporate , like a local cultural experience into town where they can catch , you know , live music , go shopping , do see a fire show , catch sunset , and so you know , you put all that together . That's the local town experience . And so you know , you put all that together . That's the local town experience , and then all the different experiences . So you know , maybe we'll recommend , you know , a boat experience or maybe we'll do an adventure tour where they can do mud baths , hot springs , waterfalls , zip lines , when you your skin comes back with something on it , either mosquito bites or some kind of bruise , through adventure , like maybe you got bruised on your deadline tour or your hike or whatever .

Speaker 3 20:36

So it's it's . Yeah , it's not a perfect place , let's just say and so it's it's . You know , if you're a little bit more rugged , adventurous , um , you're're going to fit in great here , yeah it's kind of funny to see At the end of the week . People got little scratches and bruises or something . Maybe it's body surfing or boogie boarding or whatever .

Speaker 1 21:01

It sounds so idyllic . And in pickleball , if you get hit by the ball , it's called a pickleball tattoo . Well , you're giving Costa Rican tattoos . That's right . Yeah , exactly so in all of your experience . Wow , really inspiring , monty , to hear how your journey , you and your wife and your little punkin' Duncan , three-and-a-half-year-old .

Speaker 3 21:26

Yeah , her name is Mila M-I-L-A Mila . Oh , her name is Mila M-I-L-A Mila . Oh , how beautiful .

Speaker 1 21:32

Oh , how sweet . So , in all of this experience that you've had , have you learned life lessons while you were on the court and you thought , whoa , that's something I need to do in my life , or lessons that you learned in life that you find yourself using on the court and or running this business ?

Speaker 3 21:52

Yeah , that's a really good question . So I think there's definitely similarities of tennis and pickleball . There's , for sure , some crossover One in particular that I think that I think sometimes people forget this in both sports . But since we're talking , pickleball is really , the game is similar to the game of life in the sense of

Balancing Pickleball with Costa Rican Adventure

Speaker 3 22:15

one aspect is learning to understand you're going to make mistakes . It's a game of errors , it's a game of mistakes . Thank you , thank you .

Speaker 2 22:25

I love that .

Speaker 3 22:27

Yeah , and so learning how to you know , learning , you know the awareness of the mistake , learning from the mistake and then moving on Right . And I think that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned through tennis and also through pickleball is just hey , this is a game of mistakes , you're going to make more mistakes than winning shots , right ? Whether they're forced errors or unforced errors , it's a game of errors and who can have the minimal amount of errors ultimately is going to probably win most of the time . So I think emotional management is also something in pickleball where I think it's harder in pickleball than tennis because there's a lot more momentum shifts , because the game can quickly just run away from you . You could be up 7-0 and then the next thing you know it's 7-7 and now you feel like you're down .

Speaker 3 23:22

I think learning to manage your emotions is also something that you can take into business , into life , into your relationships with people . I think even partnership and communication is something you know being clear in your strategy and your tactics and making sure your partner , you know , knows what's going on and what you need from them . So I think that's also something that Pickleball really teaches . And then I think that's also something that that pickleball really teaches . And then I think the other thing that I think pickleball really has taught me is is the value of opening any potential door in a relationship , because you know , maybe you know let's just say you know a lot of higher level players are very reluctant to play with quote unquote lower level players . Right , right .

Speaker 3 24:08

Best and players are very reluctant to play with quote unquote lower level players , right , the best and the best , which I totally understand . But at the same time , you never know like there's so much more to pickleball than just playing pickleball , I believe . And so I utilize pickleball from a very much a fun , social and wellness aspect , right , I get exercise , I have fun , I smile , I laugh and I socialize , and so I think that you know I'm open to playing games , which I hope more people would do . Or maybe , if you're a 5-0 , maybe you play 3-5 , 4-0 , even 4-5 , right , just to meet more people , because you never know who that person on the other court or they may become a very good friend of yours . And I think that it's just so cool to see this game and sport be multi-generational , which I think is really , really cool and a unique component to the game .

Speaker 1 25:00

Very unique . That's a really good . That's a really good point . And we all started as beginners and there were people who were better than us always , who were playing with us . So if we keep that going in life and on the court , Totally Pay it forward , pay it forward Pay it forward . So how can people find you and Pura Vida House ?

Speaker 3 25:22

So our website is puravidahousecom .

Speaker 3 25:25

And that's P-U-R-A-V-I-D-A is puravidahousecom and that's P-U-R-A-V-I-D-A right , puravidacom . You can find us on social media as well Facebook , instagram . If you search Google and if you want to , you know , learn what past guests have said or experienced , highly encouraged to just search us on Google . You'll see that we'll have a bunch of five-star reviews and you can just see firsthand . You know , I mentioned my wife's , mentioned her name is Cindy and then so bond and then meet the is an amazing in-house chef . People always mention her , so , um , so yeah , we just we really care about the guest experience and I think that you know our philosophy is if you do it right one time , then chances are people will , you know , spread the word naturally and also will want to come back . And so we're at the point now , after doing this for five , six years now , that majority of our bookings are either repeat guests or referrals , which we're super grateful for oh nice .

Speaker 1 26:22

It speaks volumes .

Speaker 3 26:24

Yeah .

Speaker 1 26:24

So here's one final question that just came . What have you learned about yourself in this whole ?

Speaker 3 26:33

journey . That's a good in the journey of pickleball or running the business , yes yes , yes .

Speaker 1 26:41

Anything at all Pickleball , or running this business or the combo .

Speaker 3 26:49

Yeah , gosh , that's a good .

Speaker 3 26:51

That's a good question , I think , for I guess , just going back to relationships , I think , at the end of the day , what matters , one of the things that I believe that matters most , is the quality of your relationships over the years with family , friends and just people that that you know have good meaning in your , in value , in your life , and hopefully you can reciprocate that same value and make them feel good or give them something in return as well .

Speaker 3 27:22

So I believe it's a , you know , it's a two

The Game as a Metaphor for Life

Speaker 3 27:24

way , two way street , and so I think that if you can have the mindset to help people and and just try to give right , I think that can go a long way for people . So I guess , yeah , just doing this as you know , previously coaching in tennis and having that kind of business , and now hospitality and service , experiential based travel it's it's really about people , relationships and connecting right . Yes , of course we're a business and sure we have to be profitable to support our family and whatnot and our lifestyle , but it's the why component and I think that , at the end of the day , I would like to think that , you know , it's very helpful for everybody to have a sense of purpose and meaning in their life . And yeah , thankfully we feel like my wife and I have found that through this business and everything we've got going on here .

Speaker 1 28:16

It's so lovely and your focus on relationships . That means so much . Obviously , you've just carried what you live in your own personal life and you've carried it into your business because you're so focused on the relationship you have with your guests . It sounds the same with your staff . It just sounds like you just make everybody family as soon as you're connecting with them . So we can't wait .

Speaker 3 28:43

We'll have to do one of your podcasts live here in Costa Rica .

Speaker 1 28:47

I think we need to bring a big group of people and we'll do the podcast right there on the court .

Speaker 2 28:53

I think that's a great idea . That would be great .

Speaker 1 28:59

It would be great , and we know how busy you are , manny , and we're so grateful that you took this time , and we're thrilled to learn about Pura Vida Houseousecom everybody . So check it out and we look forward to seeing you in Costa Rica sooner than later .

Speaker 3 29:16

I'd love to host you guys . It would be an honor . One day , hopefully , we can meet in person . I hope so too .

Speaker 1 29:24

Thank you so much .

Speaker 3 29:27

And thank you all .

Speaker 1 29:27

Wow , thank you for tuning in . Thank you for all the likes and shares and the subscriptions . And yeah , puravidahousecom , let's all meet in Costa Rica , okay ? In the meantime , we look forward to a new conversation next week . Bye-bye everyone .

Speaker 2 29:43

Bye-bye , Take care . If you love our podcast . We'd be so grateful if you'd take a few seconds to follow or subscribe to Life Lessons from Pickleball .

Speaker 1 29:53

This ensures you'll never miss an episode and helps us continue these wonderful conversations On Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen , go to the show page and tap the follow button in the top right corner , and on YouTube , click the subscribe button under any of the episodes . Thanks so much . Hope to see you on the court .