Darren Lee Cane

In 2025 we temporarily relocated to Des Moines, IA to be with the family and close to Neely's tribe. To participate in seasonal powwow celebrations.

In addition, we very recently created a container company, Wellbeing Group for potential future offerings. Including offering of consultancy and personal sessions on a conscious business and health/ healing level.

Note:

If it so happens we are invited to work within your company, given the initial position within your company is listed on a "contractor' level, we would be happy to utilize this company for receipt of payment for services rendered. Until the time of formal employment when the time is right. This is simply a suggestion for discussion.

President Director and co-founder of a Health, Wellness, Wisdom based Lifestyle holding company with its head office in Singapore.

2013 to 2022 - RESORT BUSINESS

A beautiful Luxury Boutique Health & Wellness Retreat Estate on Royalty Land located in the jungles of the Central Highlands of Bali.

This stunning Resort property, spread over a number of acres expanding within the jungle, from the bluff down to the river and incorporating Natural Water Springs, ancient petroglyphs and incredible Natural Beauty, was co-created and built from the ground up by myself and my amazing wife of 13 years, Neely Shasheen Cane (Baby Eagle), an Indigenous Native American woman from the Ho-Chunk Nation, also known as the Winnebago Tribe. Being born into her tribal lineage and coming from the oldest Medicine Family Clan of her tribal Nation, she was taught, mentored, and practiced a traditional medicine path teaching since a very young age and throughout her life thus far. Her family is traditionally Tribal Chiefs/Leaders, and Medicine Men/Medicine Women.

From the Group’s inception in 2013, we offered luxury accommodation for maximum of 40, events/ programs, festivals, classes, Wellness SPA, retail and a Tea House Restaurant.

Our customers included Leaders of Industry, Luminaries, highly influential Health & Wellness practitioners/ teachers, and the community at large. We also Incorporated collaborations with innovative communities such as Auroville, India (the Oldest and largest Sustainable Community in the World), Damanhur In Italy and Findhorn in Scotland.

With over 60 staff across all divisions, the Group was growing financially year on year at a rate of 40%. Unfortunately, due to the Global Pandemic, we eventually closed in 2022/23.

Being very hands on individuals, whose level of experience and mastery in business is vast, on all levels, we were personally responsible for all aspects of the creation. From an Operational Lead standpoint this includes Pre-Opening Systems Development, Stewardship and Operations, Community and Guest Experience, Financial & Operational Management, Regenerative Practices.

With over 30 years creating, owning and managing businesses, Taking self responsibility to deeply understand all aspects, from the Creation, Curation and Cultivation levels of business, working directly as an Operations lead, has been key to my business success.

2022 to 2024

* Boutique Luxury Villa POP UPS - Bali

* Resort POP UP Retreats - Peru

* Art House Project POP UP - Kaua'i. Hawaii. A physical location in the vibrant charming town on the island of Kaua'i. This POP UP store incorporated luxury artisanal based products, Indigenous art and rare teas.

* Consultancy & Personal Sessions on a conscious business and health/ healing level

I have traveled, taught and trained students as a Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Teacher Trainer and counsellor in Europe, USA and Asia. This included leading group trainings of up to 300 students and teaching at Yoga Festivals to several thousand individuals.

This position also allowed me the opportunity to be consultant/mentor/ guide for both For Profit and Non Profit based businesses within the wellness industry.

During the years of 2011 and 2012, I took time to travel Worldwide. An extensive study with Worldwide Leading Spiritual Teachers/ Teachings. Also time in communities such as Auroville, India. The oldest, largest sustainable community in the World.

In addition, I was married in 2012 to my beautiful wife Neely Shasheen Cane (Baby Eagle). We traveled extensively during our first year together, enjoying sacred time and envisioning our next step together on a creational and business level. Which happened to be the launch of our Bali businesses in 2013.

In 2008 I founded a successful Yoga, Meditation & Wellness Center in Northern California, USA, where wisdom holders of many sacred traditions visited to share their teachings.

As part of the opening of my Center, I collaborated with a noted Non Profit, “The Maitreya Project”, to launch the “Heart Shrine Sacred Buddha Relics” exhibition. The Project, which loaned the actual physical Relics of Siddhartha Gautama (the Historical Buddha) and 40 other Buddhist masters, directly from the Dalai Lama; traveled Worldwide raising funds to be utilised to build a school and hospital in Bodh Gaya, India, a sacred location where the Historical Buddha gained enlightenment. The exhibit, which ran for 3 days at my new Center, brought several thousand visitors from Northern California and beyond. It created a tremendous energy, supporting the community, and ensuring a beautiful foundation for the business. Immediately becoming a hub for a 40+ weekly class schedule, many events, a boutique and eatery.

It became a key spot for conscious events in Northern California, noted for its community spirit.

Following 3 years of development and growth, the Center was sold to members of the Community.

I envisioned, and founded Van Mildert in 1995, as a luxury men's, women's fashion and lifestyle boutique in the historic and picturesque City of Durham, UK. Retailing over an expansive several thousand square feet location, an old 17th century Gaol (jail), the Grade 1 listed building lead to the Historic 12th Century Cathedral and Castle in the heart of the city. Where we would eventually host Fashion Shows. A World's First in a Cathedral.

The vision for the business was borne out of the year long dissertation for my Business (honors) degree. It became an instant success. Within the first year, and having reached an annual turnover of over UK 1 million pounds, we won the first of four UK National Level awards, (fashion “Oscars”) for best business/ businessman at the prestigious UK National Fashion & Lifestyle Awards in the Natural History Museum held in London. As well as being runner-up on several other occasions.

The store grew in stature over the next years building upon its reputation as one of the finest in the country. Working with some of the leading brands in the fashion world including Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Dries Van Noten, Helmut Lang, Comme Des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Martin Margiela, Paul Smith, Jil Sander, Raf Simons, all taking pride of place alongside high level street brands, as well as design classic and contemporary Furniture, a Bang & Olufsen Dept, Restaurant, Art Gallery, selected books, Flower Bar and other lifestyle products. It was the ultimate lifestyle store, with the store being positioned alongside the iconic Colette in Paris, and 10,Corso Como in Milan. A spokesman for the Judges of one of my UK National Awards noted: “For sheer professionalism, innovation and class, its approach to marketing leaves many of the UK’s top retailers including the multiples in its wake. It manages to touch the right buttons with its target audience and stay perfectly in tune with the image of this store itself innovative, directional and totally aspirational.”

With the same conceptual product mix and ideas that made our name in the City of Durham, we opened in additional locations in Durham, as well as the Cities of York and Sunderland. Eventually, I built this business up (as visionary, Founder, Managing Director and co-owner) from a standing start to an annual sales turnover of USD 10 million dollars with more than 100 staff over seven stores.

When I chose to step down from the company to pursue other personal passion projects and relocate to the USA, the company was sold to the largest Luxury Fashion Group in the UK. Where it continued to be successful, win additional awards and grew even further. Including new stores in other cities. In 2025, 30 years since its inception, the Fashion Group merged Van Mildert with one of its other owned Luxury brands and was renamed.

Its success allowed me the opportunity to speak at several Universities, business conferences and at leading Fashion, Lifestyle Exhibitions in the UK and Europe. I was featured, and was a writer for such prestigious magazines/ newspapers as Vogue, Arena, Wallpaper* and The Sunday Times.

I worked on every aspect of the business, from the ground up. Bringing in additional directors and growing a wonderful team and community over the 11 years of my time with the company. It was a tremendous incubator and learning space for me.

At 17 years of age, I was invited by the owner of this company to became the youngest International Fashion Buyer in the Industry. Traveling the World, bringing in some of the World's leading brands. Over the next 8 years, until I created my own group of stores, I was the Head Buyer, Branding Lead and major influence in the development of this particular company. Pushing the boundaries, I was pivitol in its growth. From it being a small boutique store to its move to a much larger store and wider offering. Adding luxury brands, a more focused direction, and guiding it to become a National Award winner. I learned a great deal about business at this time. Allowing me a strong foundation for the preparation and eventual opening of my own businesses.

At the same time, I was also studying for my business degree.