For years I have experienced the law of proximity, as I lived between South Florida and Trinidad and Tobago. I often traveled to South America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and now South East Asia — each region shaping me in a different way. What most may view as “not settling down”, for me is the intentional curation of proximity that supports the evolution of my consciousness. I have experienced how every environment carries own energy, rhythm, and mindset — and how those invisible borders either expanded or restricted what was possible.
There is power in understanding the law of proximity.
Most people think proximity is about relationships or networking — about who you know or who knows you. But over time, I learned that proximity is far deeper than that. It’s not only about who you’re near, but what systems you’re near. It’s about access, exposure, collaboration, and even the level of awareness that surrounds you.
In Trinidad, I recognized how individualistic and self-preserving the systems had become. So many brilliant people, so much raw potential — but collaboration wasn’t the norm, and support structures were fragmented. Too often, relationships revolved around extraction rather than expansion. You give, you contribute, you serve — but the environment isn’t designed to multiply your effort.
For years, I believed that if I just worked harder, stayed loyal, and gave more, I could shift the environment from within. But what I learned — often through painful experiences — is that effort without alignment becomes exhaustion. Growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens through ecosystem synergy.
When I began spending more time in collectivist societies, something clicked almost instantly. Collaboration isn’t an exception — it’s an expectation. There’s an unspoken understanding that collective progress is the foundation of sustainability. Whether it’s in hospitality, manufacturing, or innovation, the mindset is interdependent: when one person grows, the ecosystem benefits.
That realization completely reframed how I view success.
Growth isn’t only about effort — it’s about environment.
Where you choose to position yourself determines what becomes available to you.
We often romanticize “making it” at home — especially those of us from the Caribbean or across the diaspora. There’s a quiet guilt that comes with leaving, with seeking opportunities beyond our borders, as if leaving means abandoning our roots. But what if expansion isn’t abandonment at all? What if the most powerful thing we can do for our home is to grow beyond it?
Because expansion creates access — and access creates impact.
The Law of Proximity reminds us that success isn’t just about talent or determination; it’s about proximity to systems that support your evolution. You can have the skill, the drive, the creativity — but if you’re in an environment that drains you, resists collaboration, or operates from scarcity, your growth will always hit a ceiling.
So, pause and ask yourself:
• Am I in an environment that expands my perspective or confines it?
• Are the people around me driven by creation or competition?
• Does this ecosystem encourage scale or sustain stagnation?
The truth is, your next level might not demand more discipline — it might demand a different environment.
That’s the awareness that has reshaped everything I do — how I build my companies, lead teams, and guide others through my Hospitality Across Borders community. We’re not just building real estate portfolios; we’re creating a global ecosystem rooted in collaboration, excellence, and shared prosperity. We’re proving that opportunities can transcend borders — when you place yourself in proximity to collaboration.
Because proximity determines possibility.
And as I prepare for my first visit to China, to continue the expansion of our operational infrastructure across regions — I’m reminded once again that the right environment doesn’t just change your business; it changes you.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, stagnant, or surrounded by systems that no longer reflect who you’re becoming — maybe it’s not that you need to do more. Maybe you just need to move differently.
Sometimes, your next level isn’t waiting for you to hustle harder.
It’s waiting for you to change your environment.
