Mark Baker is a passionate man who loves life. He's also one of those souls who is aware of how a positive mindset affects not only his personal life but also his business success. His The Beach Garden and In The Raw restaurant, juice bar and super cool hangout in Canggu's Batu Bolong enclave is well and truly on the map and he's not stopping there; his latest venture, The Sacred River Village Retreat in Keramas is scheduled to open in 6 weeks.

Mark found time in his busy schedule to sit down and tell us more about his past, present and future.

You're a skateboarding and NYC nightclub legend. How and why did you find yourself in Bali?

I've been reinventing myself since childhood. It's a long story but the condensed version is I'm from Brighton in England, joined Chippenfield Circus when I was 8 years old, found skateboarding in 1976 (and got really good at it by the way) and hooked up with the Dog Town Boys from Venice, California. That took me on world tours, which brought quite a lot of fame and notoriety but by the early 1980's things began to wind down and that left me with some decisions to make. Like what the hell to do next! I couldn't see any prospects in going back to Brighton so stayed with some friends in New York City for a while, got into the NYC nightclub scene and didn't leave for quite some time. The rest is history for that part of my life; supermodels, movie stars, fast cars, jets and drugs were par for the course. But I've also been coming to Bali for over 25 years. It's always been my sanctuary. It was magical, beautiful and very spiritual back in the day. And it's still a really special place for me now. It's one of those rare places that will love you if you love it and it will teach you if you're ready and willing to learn.

You were co-owner of the Townhouse in Seminyak; a juice bar, bar, restaurant and nightclub all rolled into one! What lessons did you learn from that experience?

(laughing) Well, quite a few! I wanted to bring some of the elements I'd learned from NYC to Bali. In those days, I thought I understood how Bali worked, but the truth is I didn't and Bali taught me something else entirely. Being given your ass on a plate is a polite way to put it! It was great for 18-months or so but complications crept in and I ended up limping away to reinvent myself once again. But without those not so positive experiences I wouldn't have been drawn to where I am now, and that's focusing on organic farming, juices and health and I've never been happier! 

What inspired you to create In The Raw?

Running nightclubs in NYC isn’t a very healthy life choice really! Believe me! (laughing) And I wanted to try and get healthy. It was either that or dig a too early grave for myself. The opportunity came along and I opened a juice bar with a friend in New York and that taught me being healthy was more than just having a good juice, it was actually a lifestyle choice. That juice bar, by the way, is called The Juice Press and now has hundreds of outlets around the world.

I never lost that sense of wanting to be healthy and I really started watching what I was putting into my body. I became more aware of my health and wanted to get my body to be more alkaline. I actually tried doing something with juices in The Townhouse, and like I said, things didn't work out how I planned but without that experience, I wouldn't be sitting here doing this right now. The bottom line is the passion for health has grown and manifested into The Beach Garden and In The Raw and more!

Mark Baker and his favourite Wolf, Merlin Wolfie, at In The Raw in Batu Bolong, Canggu.

What's In The Raw's value proposition?

Easy! Make being healthy fun! We believe it's important to have balance so we're not one of those fanatical vegan joints. If someone fancies something non-vegetarian we'll serve them a dish of awesomeness. We take pride in our ability to do that. Being plant-based and healthy doesn't need to be a mystery and I think we're spreading the word about that. We make a good product, we make it with love and it's all done with great passion. We grow a lot of what we use, so you can rest assured there are no preservatives and nothing is processed. I really love what I do and I really want you to love yourself!

Why did you choose Batu Bolong?

I do a lot of cycling. I love that you can see and smell and taste everything when you're on a bike. I saw close up what was happening in Batu Bolong and other parts of Canggu and I knew it was the right place to be for this concept. I have a lot of good friends from around the world and I know that Canggu is on everyone's 'must visit places list' because it puts the emphasis on the quality of life. It just made sense to be here at this time.

How important is location when you're starting a new business in Bali?

It's very important whichever country or tropical island paradise you choose. Defining the right place to start a business is all about due diligence. You need to think strategically. You need to know who your market is, what they're looking for and where they are.

How has your nightclub background helped in the meteoric success of Omnia Dayclub in Uluwatu?

I think Dayclubs is a great way to go, especially in a place like Bali because they're not drug-driven and Bali's not like Ibiza. I have a few long-term relationships with the guys behind Omnia and it made all the sense in the world to be giving them some advice from my own experiences about doing business here, particularly the need to support the local community, embrace the culture, respect the Banjars and religious beliefs, get into the surf scene and the local expat crowds. Being successful in business in Bali is simple really; you need to look, listen, learn and engage. That way you can spread the love and the wealth. All credit to the Omnia team, because they listened!

Tell us about Sacred River Valley Retreat in Keramas. How does this fit into your master plan?

Sacred River Valley Retreat is an extension of the healthy lifestyle choice. The tourism industry is changing and it's becoming much more about the experience. We saw great opportunities to cater to this growing market. Life needs to be balanced and we're offering an awesome, real Bali experience. We want you to go home feeling better, full of positive energy and more refreshed than you did before you came to see us. There are too many places you can go for a holiday that wipe you out so much you need another holiday to recover from the holiday you just had. We're the opposite of that.

Are you seeing more eco-friendly, green development trends in Bali?

Yes! Absolutely! I think there's still a long way to go especially as we still have quite a few negative images about Bali out there; viral videos of plastic polluted oceans does nothing to bring people here. I'm all for supporting initiatives that move us away from our addiction to plastic. Bye-Bye plastic bags is one. The whole world realizes the planet is in a bad state of affairs and Bali is no exception, but at least here there's a growing awareness and people are genuinely trying to make a difference. I support that. When you see kids cleaning the beach you know there's hope for the rest of us.

What pointers can you give people who want to start a business in Bali? Is now a good time to invest?

Yes, it's a good time to invest. And here's how I'd do it: come here for a year and live humbly. Look, listen, learn and engage - especially from people in the same business as you. Offer support where you can. Give back when you can. Definitely don't come here to invest and set up a business without doing your research and due diligence. And definitely do come here with love and a good heart!

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