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Inside Paradise
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Episode One
It’s December, the start of high season in on the Caribbean island of St. Martin. While the beaches and bars fill up with vacationers, local entrepreneurs Jeff Boyd and Jennifer DeGonzague prepare for a four-month marathon of grueling work that will make or break their yearly income. Jeff must find a dozen charters to pay the mortgage on his 115-foot, $5 million mega-yacht...or risk losing it. Jennifer needs to grow her business by closing a real estate deal on the most exclusive condo on the island. At stake is a $300,000 commission. Part the fronds of the palm trees and have a look behind the scenes at the business of creating paradise.
Episode Two
With the arrival of the cruise ships, tourist season in St. Martin shifts into high gear. Liquor distributor Roel Kolkemans makes a bold play to pump up beer sales by convincing the owner of St. Maarten’s most famous tourist bar to give his draft beer kegs a trial run. Jennifer DeGonzague tries to win over a potential client by testing out a risky new water sport: swimming with reef sharks! And Dino Jagtiani, one of the island’s top chefs, blows it with a VIP customer – a costly mistake that could have long-term consequences for his restaurant.
Episode Three
As tight economic times take a toll on the island paradise of St. Martin, even high-roller Jeff Boyd is forced to get his hands dirty to keep his marina in business. Event planner Danika Liburd is under pressure to put on “the wedding of the year” - not only is the bride from one of the richest families on the island, she also their boss’s sister! And water sports specialist Ottie McKitty tries to outsell the competition on the Caribbean’s original nude beach.
Episode 4
At Christmas time in St. Martin, fifty international flights packed with vacationers arrive every week. With all her villas fully booked, realtor Jennifer DeGonzague has to pull some strings to keep a high-end client happy. Jeff Boyd buys a country club and struggles to turn it around before he drowns in red ink. And, on the island’s famous Orient Beach, Ottie McKitty tries to rack up enough water sports equipment rentals to earn a big promotion.
Episode Five
It’s New Year’s Eve, the biggest night of the season in St. Martin’s bar and entertainment business. For liquor distributor Roel Kolkemans, it should be the most profitable night on his calendar. But this year, all bets are off as he takes a chance on a big liquor order with a new restaurant. Jennifer DeGonzague looks into expanding her business offshore with a 115-foot sailboat that rents for $25,000 a week.
Episode Six
With St. Martin’s high season nearly half over, local entrepreneurs race to build a bankroll to get them through the slow seasons that follow. Jennifer DeGonzague oversees a major overhaul of an expensive rental property and gets a nasty surprise. And Roel Kolkemans is asked to judge who is the best bartender on the island. As someone who sells his products to bartenders, Roel is torn over how to choose correctly.
Episode Seven
It’s the annual Regatta in St. Martin – the wildest week-end of the year – with huge crowds, live music and non-stop partying. In the thick of it, Roel Kokkelmans scrambles to set up two VIP lounges for guests to watch the big-name entertainment each night. If he gets it done right and on time, there’s a promise of a big promotion. And event planners Danika Liburd and Tasana Aventurin run into big problems as they race to dress the main concert stage just hours before the first act goes on.
Episode Eight
With high season on St. Martin more than half over, everyone’s starting to worry about socking away enough cash to survive till next year. Jennifer DeGonzague goes the extra mile to impress a new client by doing the fetch & carry on a thousand dollar grocery run. Top Chef Dino Jagtiani tries to make up for a lull in his restaurant business by moonlighting with a private dinner…and nearly blows it. And the weather turns nasty on event planner Danika Liburd as she tries to juggle back-to-back outdoor weddings.
Episode Nine
St. Martin is the smallest island divided into two countries: France and The Netherlands. The differences in those two countries become clear as liquor distributor Roel Kokkelmans, a Dutchman, tries a risky ploy to impress an exclusive gathering of French chefs in pursuit of a potential contract to supply their restaurants with a thousand bottles of wine a month. Jennifer DeGonzague loses her patience and nearly loses a friend over a $4 million dollar real estate deal. And Jeff Boyd has a melt-down when he discovers his newest investment may turn out to be a money pit.
Episode Ten
In the last push to the end of high season everyone is looking to make more money and spend less. Unfortunately, businessman Jeff Boyd is spending. At his shipyard, his million dollar boat-launcher has broken down at the worst possible time and the repair bill is going to be painful. Meanwhile, property manager Jennifer De Gonzague searches for a new villa to add to her rental portfolio and water sports specialists Dimitri Asselin an Ottie McKittey try to find lost treasure on the beach with a metal detector.
Episode Eleven
It’s not always sunny in Paradise. For realtor Jennifer De Gonzage, there is a cloud hanging over her head. She was set to collect her largest commission on a sale of a villa, only to have the deal go sour. Now she has to go to court. Businessman Jeff Boyd is not having an easy time of it, either. The restaurant he rented out at his country club has gone broke and he needs to find another restauranteur quickly. With the season running out waters sports specialist Dimitri Asselin tries to turn his two passions - sports-fishing and mixed martial arts - into a viable business.
Episode Twelve
It’s the Carnival Season on the island and the big parade is gearing up. But restauranteur Dino Jagtiani is more pre preoccupied trying to launch a cookbook than heading to the Parade. Realtor Jennifier De Gonzague has not missed a Parade in thirty years but she’s likely going to miss this year’s. She is trying desperately to email a contract out on a sale of a condo but her office has lost power and she may lose the sale. The only one person sure of attending the parade is event planner Danika Leburd whose boss has enlisted her to be a dancer in the parade. It’s supposed to be fun but it feels like work.
Episode Thirteen
Newly-appointed Dutch King Willem-Alexander is set to visit in the island later in the year. Local chef Dino Jagtiani has an audition to cook for the newest royalty and is pulling out all the stops for a job that can be a huge boost to his reputation and business. As high season winds down, realtor Jennifer De Gonzage turns her attention to the local market. She’s trying to sell a house to newlywed Roel Kokkelmans and his wife but they seem unable to make a decision. And businessman Jeff Boyd is pressed to get a quick repair job done so he can squeeze one last $45,000 weekly rental out of his mortgaged Mega Yacht.