I want to tell you about everything that goes unseen, everything hidden behind the curtain. Organizing experiences is similar to staging a play. We're unaware of all the preparation work that goes into it: hours of rehearsal, costume fittings, negotiations with suppliers, and so on. We only see the two hours of the show, but getting to that point requires a lot of effort and dedication. 

If you follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter, you'll know that we've just finished implementing the Pop-up Coliving experience in Almagro (Ciudad Real) (March 8-15) and that we're currently promoting Pueblos Remotos Carnota ( Galicia ) , a 21-day event taking place from May 4-25. Using these two examples, along with past editions, I'd like to explain everything that happens before, during, and after these experiences.

In September 2022, I wrote this article: Is co-creating experiences true development? In it, I explained the five phases for carrying out each of our experiences (analysis, design, implementation, closure, and follow-up). Today, I want to go further and give you even more details. I want to highlight all the work behind it and bring it to light.

Carlos also made an effort to explain in this blog post, "How much does it cost to participate in a Remote Villages experience?" , but it's something we still struggle to convey. We don't want you to focus solely on the price; we want you to fully understand everything that goes into the work we do.

Okay, I'll give it a try... Let's go! 🙂

The lead-up: 5 months before the experience

At least five months before launching an experience, the research begins. We divide it into three phases: analysis, design, and recruitment. These three phases must be completed before the experience can be implemented. They are undoubtedly the phases we dedicate the most time to, but also the ones I personally enjoy the most.  

1) ANALYSIS PHASE: The first step for us is to fully understand the context in which we will be working. To do this, we need to prepare an analysis report that includes economic and social data, available funds, existing infrastructure, etc. In addition, we have specific criteria that help us select the village, the accommodation, and the rural entrepreneurs with whom we will work.

• Village Selection: We have several filters for choosing a particular village, such as having fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, being well-connected by public transport, having one or more accommodations with sufficient capacity, and entrepreneurs with interesting projects. In the case of the recent Pop-up Coliving experience, we began this phase in October 2023. After a few weeks of online research and several phone calls, three villages in the province of Ciudad Real were shortlisted: Villanueva de los Infantes, Almagro, and Campo de Criptana. We ultimately decided to do it in Almagro because it best met the criteria.

Almagro's Plaza Mayor during the weekend of our Pop-up Coliving Almagro 2024 experience

• Accommodation Selection: First, it must have a capacity for at least 10 people. We measure capacity by the number of beds (not including sofas); it doesn't matter to us whether they are double beds or not, as most of our participants travel alone. It needs to have common areas (kitchen, living room, etc.) and one of these should be suitable as a coworking space. In addition, it must have a good internet connection (preferably fiber optic), and this is something we always test in person. We value a good location, within walking distance of local shops and other necessary services. It's also a plus if the owners are involved in the community.

Views from Aldea Soma, the accommodation for our next Remote Villages Carnota 2024 experience ( Galicia )

• Selection of rural entrepreneurs: They are the cornerstone of our projects; we create our experiences for them and because of them. We focus more on people and their stories than on the entrepreneurial projects themselves. Some of the criteria they must meet are:
  • Being aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • Having potential for improvement and growth
  • To be representative of the rural area
  • Be committed and available to get involved
  • Collaborate with other entrepreneurs

This was our first meeting with Nacho Porto, an artist who has been creating original ceramics and developing his own techniques for over 40 years. We will be collaborating with him on the Pueblos Remotos Carnota 2024 .

• In-person site visit: Once we've completed all the research, we always arrange a site visit to see everything in person and make the necessary contacts. Sometimes, just looking at photos of the accommodation doesn't give a clear picture of the room layout, so we always want to see it firsthand. We also love spending time with the entrepreneurs at their workplace to better understand the challenges they face and what kinds of activities we can do with them.

María Jesús and Elsa during their first in-person visit to Almagro in February 2024.

• Identifying sponsors and collaborators: this part is also key to the project's success. Unfortunately, we can't do it all ourselves, so we always try to involve different people, associations, or collaborating projects, as well as potential sponsors and public administrations, such as the City Council or local action groups, who don't always support us financially, but do provide in-kind support or increase our visibility.
• In the case of Almagro (7 days): from the beginning, we had María Jesús, a native of the neighboring town of Membrilla and a participant in the Fuencaliente Pueblos Remotos project in 2022, on board. As a local leader, she helped us with all the identification and experience design aspects. We tried contacting the Town Hall in countless ways, but it wasn't until we went there in person and had the opportunity to meet the local entrepreneurs that we were able to connect directly with some of the council members. We finally managed to get them to sponsor some of the activities, such as the visit to the Corral de Comedias (open-air theater), guided tours of the historic center, and tourist vouchers. Normally, we do this process the other way around; the Town Hall helps us identify local entrepreneurs, but when that doesn't work, we have to adapt and look for any other possible avenue. In Almagro, we also managed to get the local action group to provide us with a space to work remotely. 

Our first in-person visit to Carnota was in August 2022 together with Javier Boquete, our local leader, and Alba Fernández, one of the local entrepreneurs with whom we will be collaborating.

• In the case of Carnota (21 days): to develop three-week experiences, we need financial support because without this monetary assistance, we cannot launch them. Our local leader, Javier Boquete, has been trying since the end of 2022 to convince the Carnota authorities (Deputación da Coruña and Concello de Carnota) to support us, and almost two years later, we have succeeded. Thanks to this financial contribution, we can offer tickets at competitive prices such as €975, a price that covers accommodation, activities, transportation, the Pueblos 24/7 team, the local challenge, and more. We will also be collaborating with local associations, the Carnota high school, and other relevant stakeholders who make this experience possible. 

2) DESIGN PHASE: Often, the analysis, design, and recruitment phases overlap, and we have to carry them out in parallel to deliver the experience on time and effectively. We organize brainstorming sessions with local entrepreneurs. We decide on the activities to be carried out and identify the challenges each one faces. At the end of this phase, we launch the call for remote workers and proceed with the final selection.

• Co-creating the experience: Once we've selected the main entrepreneurs (usually two for 7-day experiences and a maximum of four for 21-day experiences) with whom we'll be doing the activities or visits, the first thing we do is plan with them what kind of activity we'll do and how we'll make it special for our group. At the same time, we identify secondary or optional activities (hiking, yoga, beach cleanups, cultural visits, etc.) that we'll also offer to the participants. We also find out if there are any festivals or cultural events happening during those days and negotiate special menus for the group with local restaurants.

Co-creation session and calendar development for the Fuencaliente Pueblos Remotos 2022 experience

• Calendar creation: With all this information, we get to work with the local leader and rural entrepreneurs to create the calendar based on their availability, while also balancing it as much as possible to avoid overloading the schedule. We don't want to create FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), but rather the most complete and balanced experience possible. We assign days and times to the main activities and create a Welcome Guide that includes: logistics for getting there, recommendations on what to bring, the schedule and times, local shops, restaurants, coworking space, Wi-Fi access, relevant contacts, and other useful links.

3) RECRUITMENT PHASE : Once we have all the information about the experience, we create a website explaining exactly what it will be like, which rural entrepreneurs we will be collaborating with, and what challenge we will be involved in. We also create a document with frequently asked questions to answer the most common doubts and a registration form that helps us filter applicants before conducting the final interviews. Through the form, we can gauge people's genuine interest in participating in this type of experience. When we finally launch the experience, the recruitment phase begins, which is probably the most difficult and challenging for us because we are not an advertising agency, but a social enterprise with a small team.

Social media launch post for the Carnota Remote Villages 2024

How do we reach our target audience? How do we convince remote workers to come and experience our program? Through direct advertising in specific communities, our professional network, articles in the media (aiming for national coverage), and our social media channels. The conversion process is long and laborious, but also crucial for delivering the quality we strive for in our experiences.

1. Fill out the registration form
2. Conduct a personal interview
3. Make the full payment for the reservation

It's not enough for leads enter the funnel ; they need to reach the end, and believe me, finding our target market is really complicated.

During this phase we have to spend a lot of time developing digital resources (publication calendar, newsletter, blog articles, press releases for media), conducting interviews and convincing those people who fit with our values ​​to come with the energy we need for the group to function and connect. 

• Kick-off video call: one of the happiest moments is when we close the group and have the video call so that people can start putting faces to names, explain in more detail what the experience will be like, and ask us any questions.

The duration: between 7 and 21 days

After five months of preparation, the moment finally arrives for the doors to open, the curtain to rise, and the show to begin. The team usually arrives a couple of days early to prepare the house, finalize confirmations, and welcome the participants. The preparation process involves almost the same amount of work for a one-week experience as for a three-week one. The main difference lies in the implementation. 

4) IMPLEMENTATION PHASE : These are intense experiences. The 7-day phase flies by, and we tend to focus more on the connection between remote workers, including sessions for knowledge sharing ( skill shares ) and team building . In the 21-day phases, you have to manage your energy to maintain it until the end; it's a marathon for those of us organizing them, as unexpected issues always arise, and you have to know how to manage them in the best possible way.

It involves many hours of work; often we become part of the experience, and it's difficult to draw the line between participant and organizer. Living with clients isn't always easy, especially for me, as I'm attentive to every detail and want everyone to feel comfortable and at ease. 

• Main activities: These typically last 2-3 hours and are conducted with each of the rural entrepreneurs we've selected. Organizing them requires significant coordination, from logistics for getting to the location to ensuring the activity runs smoothly and that participants feel comfortable, have the opportunity to ask questions, and learn. These activities are offered as add -ons programs and are included in the price for the 21-day programs. We always, always, always pay the entrepreneurs the price they quote per person for these activities. We pay them and provide them with visibility; that's what they gain from participating in our programs, in addition to lifelong friends and people who will always be willing to help them.

Ceramics workshop with Verónica de Caliza where we learned to make different pieces.

• Unexpected events: it's always essential to have a Plan B, both for activities and for any changes or incidents that might arise. We've had personal problems, last-minute cancellations, and illnesses. In our recent experience in Almagro, we had planned an activity with Petri from Aceites Almagre, outdoors in their olive groves, and we wanted to do the tasting there as well. Well, that weekend it rained heavily, and we had to change everything, from the location to the type of experience. We've experienced all sorts of things, and we'll continue to do so. The important thing is to manage participants' expectations and be willing to adapt to changes with a smile. As Darwin said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

Olive oil tasting workshop and tasting with Petri from Almagre Oils during the Almagro 2024 Pop-up Coliving

• Challenge resolution: We typically only address challenges during 21-day experiences (except for those with students, which are 100% focused on this) because it takes time to understand the context and contribute solutions. In some experiences, we focus on solving challenges for rural entrepreneurs, always on a voluntary basis. Each remote worker chooses which entrepreneurs they want to collaborate with based on their experience and personal interests. In other experiences, we focus on solving challenges at a regional level.

For example, the challenge in Carnota will be to convey to local young people the benefits of entrepreneurship and remote work. This challenge has already begun; we are training 10th-grade students at the Carnota Institute in entrepreneurship, working on a sustainable, dynamic, and deseasonal tourism project they themselves conceived. The idea is to inspire them, help them prepare an elevator pitch , and support them in their final presentation.

Talk by European women entrepreneurs from The Break program to students of the Mesa y López high school in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

• Feedback session: we always leave it for last, holding it on the penultimate day. This is perhaps the most special moment of the experience, where we realize once again that the magic of Connected Rurality has truly come to life. We create an environment where participants can comfortably share how they felt, what they took away from the experience, and where they can thank others for everything they experienced. For me personally, it's a reminder of why we do what we do. Just for that moment, I would do it again and again. It reflects the legacy we leave with this project. People share that they felt understood, like family, that they found their "tribe." Others have finally had moments to connect with themselves and with the rural environment. Everyone leaves with new friendships and moments they will remember for the rest of their lives. And for us, the reward for so much effort is seeing their faces light up with happiness and gratitude.

One of the most beautiful feedback sessions we have experienced next to this sacred mountain in Fuencaliente (La Palma)

• Final event: The 3-week experiences always conclude with a final event where we bring together local authorities, all the rural entrepreneurs who have been part of the experience, and the participants. At this final gathering, a presentation is given explaining the work done during the experience, along with recommendations for the region. We also have a short break for refreshments and networking, where farewell hugs are the order of the day.

Many hugs during the closing event of Pueblos Remotos Fuencaliente 2022

The aftermath: 3 weeks post-experience

Our work doesn't end when the experience is over; we still have the final stretch, about 3 or 4 weeks in which we have to do the entire results evaluation and the final closing. 

5) EVALUATION PHASE:

• Feedback form : At the end of each experience, we send participants a questionnaire asking for their feedback on their overall experience. The feedback form is divided into several sections: activities, accommodation, networking, involvement in challenges, professional impact, personal impact, and socioeconomic impact. We always ask for their help in improving. Additionally, for the 3-week experiences, we also ask rural entrepreneurs to complete a feedback .

Alongside the submission of the feedback , those who have participated in any of our experiences automatically become REMOTENSES (members of our Community), and are therefore added to the WhatsApp group where all participants from all editions are located. Once they are part of our Community, they gain access to online sessions, special discounts, and can participate in our annual in-person meetup.

Annual Gathering of the Community of Pueblos Remotos in Almagro from May 15th to 17th, 2024

• Evaluation report: When we have sponsors (especially in 3-week experiences), we prepare a final evaluation report where we compile all the feedback received and record the results and the impact we have generated in the territory.
• Budget closing: We need to ensure all payments have been made correctly and that there are no outstanding invoices to be paid or issued. We can usually only issue invoices to sponsors once the experience is complete (along with the evaluation report), and the average payment period is 2-3 months, so this presents another challenge to our cash flow.

6) FOLLOW-UP PHASE : We misled you beforehand; it doesn't all end 3-4 weeks after the experience, but rather we go further. In the 3-week experiences, we follow up every 6 months with the rural entrepreneurs. We want to know how they are doing, if they have implemented more recommendations, if they have generated new collaborations, etc.

Thanks to this evaluation and monitoring exercise that we have carried out since we had our first experience in May 2021, we have recently been able to release our first Impact Report 2021-2023 , which visually captures the positive impact we have generated in the 6 rural environments in which we have carried out experiences.

Well, I think I've told you everything. If you want to start a project like ours, here's our methodology. I'm sharing it because I hope more people, local stakeholders, and new initiatives will focus on generating a positive impact, revitalizing rural areas, and creating new opportunities. The more of us there are, the better!

It takes us at least six months to launch an experience… Did you imagine that? Pricing our services and selling tickets to the right audience remains a significant challenge. If you have any suggestions, we're all ears, because we're constantly learning and growing through trial and error. 

And now that you know everything that goes on behind the scenes, what's hidden behind the curtain… will you help us communicate it? We need people to understand what the price of our experiences truly includes and all the effort and care we put into each of the phases I just described. Meanwhile, we'll continue doing the best we can because…

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“The best thing we can experience is not the path already traveled, but the one that still lies ahead.”

— Elsa Rodríguez & Carlos Jonay Suárez

Taking a stroll at sunset during the Pop-up Coliving Villarejo de Salvanés 2023 experience

Authorship

Elsa Rodríguez Felipe