From Hollywood to Honduras: My Journey to a New Way of Governing

A Turning Point

In September 2019, I found myself at a crossroads. After leaving Hollywood and retiring from a career in feature film editing, I faced an uncertain future. I knew I wanted to contribute something meaningful to the world, but I hadn’t yet identified my purpose. Despite the ups and downs of my entrepreneurial journey, one conviction remained steadfast: the power of enterprise to create change.

For forward-thinking entrepreneurs, the question “Where can I find my market?” is a constant. For me, the search took time, but it ultimately led to opportunities I couldn’t have imagined. A pivotal moment came during a workshop, when a question from Peter Thiel’s Zero to One sparked something inside me: “What important truth do very few people agree with you on?” That question set me on a path toward a radical answer—and an even more radical opportunity.

An Untapped Opportunity in Governance

Most people take for granted that representative democracy is the best form of government, despite its coercive, bureaucratic nature. My “important truth” was the profound potential of voluntary contractual governance. What if a free city could be owned and operated like a business, offering governance as a service to willing participants?

Inspired by Spencer MacCallum’s ideas on “entrepreneurial communities,” or “entrecomms,” I envisioned a new kind of society: one where governance was voluntary, consent-based, and free from coercion. This became my calling—to explore and champion a radical shift in how we organize society.

What began as an abstract idea soon became a tangible reality. Within two years, I was living in Ciudad Morazán, the world’s first entrecomm, located in Honduras. What once seemed theoretical now stands as proof that alternative governance models can work—and thrive.

The Challenge for Entrepreneurs and Investors

In today’s world, entrepreneurs and investors face enormous challenges from outdated governance systems. Bureaucratic red tape, inefficient regulations, and political mismanagement hinder innovation, delay projects, and drive up costs. Inflation, caused by reckless monetary policies, is blamed on “greedy capitalists” rather than the systems that create it.

Governments around the world—including the United States, which I know best—act as barriers to progress. Entrepreneurs struggle with zoning laws, tax complexities, and legal disputes that drain time and resources. Meanwhile, they grapple with the difficulties of identifying and providing the services that their customers truly desire, such as security and legal certainty.

Yet just as entrepreneurs are reimagining money and finance with cryptocurrencies, they are also rethinking governance itself. What if governance could be as innovative and adaptable as a startup? What if it operated not on control, but on consent?

The Rise of Alternative Governance Models

Alternative governance models are emerging as solutions to these problems. These models prioritize individual empowerment, nonviolence, and consensual systems of organization. They take many forms—free cities, special administrative zones, intentional communities, and network states—but share common principles: voluntary participation, innovative governance, and freedom from coercion.

Unlike traditional free trade zones, these communities don’t just serve businesses; they include residents. They experiment with governance systems that are more flexible, efficient, and conducive to entrepreneurship. For entrepreneurs and investors, these jurisdictions offer lower taxes, streamlined regulations, and an environment where innovation can flourish.

Morazán, where I live, exemplifies this approach. As a ZEDE (Zone for Employment and Economic Development), it operates with semi-autonomous governance. Morazán’s core value proposition is safety—a critical need in a region plagued by violence. By prioritizing safety, freedom, and opportunity, the community has attracted residents regardless of their politics or ideology.

How Incentives Shape Governance

Successful entrepreneurial communities are built on understanding incentives. Every entrepreneurial and investment decision is driven by incentives. The mechanics and benefits of voluntary contractual governance present an alternative to the restrictions of traditional systems. With the rapid pace of technological change, understanding how technology interacts with governance and can be harnessed for better governance models is crucial.

When governance aligns with incentives, it creates systems that are not only efficient but also just. Entrepreneurs and investors benefit from lower costs, streamlined dispute resolution, and greater productivity. Meanwhile, residents experience a higher quality of life in communities designed to meet their needs.

A Vision for the Future

Morazán is proof that voluntary governance is not just theoretical—it’s practical and transformative. Entrepreneurs and investors who engage with these models gain a competitive edge, escaping the inefficiencies of traditional systems while creating places where businesses and people thrive.

For forward-thinking individuals, these models represent more than an opportunity to innovate—they are a chance to pioneer a better way of living. They show how incentives, land use, and technology can combine to create societies based on consent instead of control.

Can we achieve security without monopolistic government violence? Can entrepreneurship and technology build fairer, more prosperous communities? These are the questions that new governance models seek to answer. The early successes of Morazán and similar projects suggest that the answers may already be within reach.

The opportunity is vast. For those willing to embrace this new frontier, it’s a chance to turn radical ideas into practical solutions—and to shape the future of governance for generations to come.