ABOUT US

The Grand Return, Inc. is a tech and multimedia company based in the United States with a global mission to facilitate a return to a more connected and sustainable way of living. 

Like you, we have strained to find tangible solutions for how we can help make the world a better place. That was our goal as we evolved our company over the years and so we researched and asked other “doers” how we could help them do it better.

We identified two key areas where we knew we could make a positive impact: food and thought.

Since the advent of industrialized food production, our civilization has made one step forward and two steps back. Consumers now demand cheaper food by the super-size; however, it’s come at the cost of soil and nutritional depletion, and animals being factory raised and processed inhumanely. Everyone agrees that the food system is broken. Even the food supply chain is more-and-more problematic: consider price skyrocketing when there is a weather event in a region where just a handful of mega-farms supply the world with strawberries or grain or eggs.

Most people strive to “be the change.” Yet to turn good intentions into action, better ways of consuming and living must be made convenient and clear. And so, we developed the solution: Eco Farm Finder, an e-commerce platform and App where consumers conveniently find all their food goods from sustainable farms, whether close to home or anywhere in the world. (Think Etsy for food and beverage. Now, think fresh and sustainable food and beverage from the farmer’s market… but from an online marketplace and delivered to you. Now, sprinkle that with access to vineyards, eateries, eco-tourism experiences, farm wedding venues and more, and you have Eco Farm Finder!) 

The second area where we identified an untapped opportunity to be the change is with television content, specifically the lack of entertainment that both encourages environmental stewardship and is binge-ably exciting. Until now, watching a series with an eco-repair backbone didn’t also give you goosebumps, or make you stand up and cheer, or even have you holding your breath while screening your view with your fingers. We knew we could produce that kind of content. And so, we created TGR TV, a production company developing and producing unscripted entertainment where intrigue meets get-off-the-couch adventures.

In addition to television media, The Grand Return, Inc. owns the aspirational magazine Face the Current, where many intrepid doers, experts, scientists, and projects are featured. Plus, visitors can explore articles on travel, culture, physics, nature, environment, health, food and more, right here on our main content hub.

In short, The Grand Return, Inc. is a global-interest solution-based tech company led by a world-class team of genuine mold-breakers who have created a multimedia line-up of products that cross-promote each other.

Our Team

Sasha Countryman

Sasha Countryman

Founder & CEO

As Founder & CEO of The Grand Return, Sasha brings more than a decade of experience working with influential figures, visionaries and changemakers around the world in areas of health, environment, science and more. She founded the award-winning media and publishing company, Face the Current to inspire and affect positive change in the world through purpose-driven storytelling. Now, with TGR and Eco Farm Finder’s focus on food, agriculture, and health systems, her vision is to cause a significant positive impact and shift on human and planetary health.

Saju Thomas Paul

Saju Thomas Paul

Chief Creative Officer

Currently based in Dubai, Saju has worked as an independent Senior Creative for several major creative agencies, leading large scale advertising and marketing campaigns for over 15 years.  From brand identity and strategic competitor analyses to creating advertisement and video campaigns, he has experience working with brands that range from Sheraton, Radisson, GMC, Chevrolet, Nestle, Unilever, ZADK, Aramco, Nesma, Bin Hamoodah, Coba, Lonix Finland, and more.  Saju now brings his extensive background and expertise to The Grand Return as Chief Creative Officer.

Penelope Jean Hayes

Penelope Jean Hayes

Head of TGR TV

As Head of TGR TV, Penelope brings her extensive background in television and creative development with years of on-camera television experience and having developed a number of TV series concepts. Penelope has also owned and operated a PR and talent agency, and is a No. 1 bestselling author in personal betterment and environmental responsibility.  Since 2010 she has been an on-camera television talent: five years as Host of a TV segment called Pop News with Penelope on an ABC News affiliate; Red Carpet coverage of the 88th Annual Academy Awards for ABC WCIV-TV; Host of the annual EyeOnLP national conference; appearances as an expert contributor for the Dr. Phil Show and more.

Tim Barnsley

Tim Barnsley

Partnerships, EFF & Director, TGR TV

As the productions Director of TGR TV, Tim is an accomplished, award-winning, and talented professional with a comprehensive background in photography, cinematography, video editing and compositing. He has crafted visuals from concept until execution on feature films, TV commercials, music videos and documentaries, leading teams and crews of 35+.  Tim is recognized as a leader in Cinematography, receiving 4 ACS Awards, and his internationally acclaimed work has been featured in over 50 international film festivals including Cannes & TIFF.  Tim’s extensive background carries over into his supporting role in the development of Eco Farm Finder. 

Adly Wagih Thoma

Adly Wagih Thoma

Partner, TGR TV + Sustainability & Social Impact

Adly is CEO of Gemini Africa, actively developing an international entrepreneurial ecosystem by bridging the gap between entrepreneurs and the business world through offering unique investment models, untapping business opportunities and creating innovative flagship programs with focus on sustainability and social impact solutions.  Adly is also the Founder and Owner of CinemaTech, an official partner of TGR TV.  CinemaTech is the first entrepreneurial track that is uplifting the entertainment industry by injecting technological solutions in the industry and its supporting functions to open a realm of opportunities and possibilities. Adly has been the recipient of numerous awards, including worldwide project management.

Eugene Cussons

Eugene Cussons

Producer, Director & Host, TGR TV

African conservationist Eugene Cussons is a seventh-generation land steward, and in 2006 he founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary on his family’s own property—1,000 hectares known as Umhloti Nature Reserve, 15 kilometers outside Nelspruit. (That’s 2,500 acres!) Eugene’s exploits have become multiple TV shows in which he has hosted for Discovery / Animal Planet, including the very popular long-running series Escape to Chimp Eden, for which Eugene won “Best TV Host of a Nature Program.” As Producer, Director and Host of TGR TV, he brings his extensive knowledge and background in biodiversity, wildlife conservation, and filmmaking.

Steve Coulombe

Steve Coulombe

Partner & Executive Producer of TGR TV

For the past 25 years Steve has been the owner and CEO of Agregrat RN Inc, a major mining company based in Canada. His extensive work in the mining industry led him to participate in research and technology to develop cleaner, more sustainable solutions for the contaminated water that results from mining practices.  Since 2021, Steve has been the President of Kairospace Technologies Canada, a company that optimizes industrial water processes by leveraging cutting edge technologies and advanced science. Kairospace provides integrated solutions that increase system efficiencies and decrease environmental impact in multiple industries, mainly in agriculture and mining.

Patrick Connolly

Patrick Connolly

Partner, Foley Hoag Legal Team

Pat works closely with innovators and their investors, from formation through exit. He has been Partner and Co-Chair of award-winning law firm Foley Hoag for over 13 years and has spent his entire career counseling on issues like company formation and inter-founder matters, venture capital financing, commercial transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In 2023, Foley Hoag made “Top Ranking in Public International Law” by Chambers Global, marking the 12th consecutive year the firm was ranked Band 1.  Foley Hoag was also recognized with 20 national rankings and 37 regional rankings in U.S. News and Best Lawyers’ 2023 edition of the “Best Law Firms.”

Ahmed Sami Badawi

Ahmed Sami Badawi

Executive Director, MENA-Europe

Eric Marley

Eric Marley

Relationship Manager, EFF

Gary Wilson

Gary Wilson

Director, TGR TV

cheryl rohit john

Cheryl Rohit John

Developer

Ainsley Schoppel

Ainsley Schoppel

Senior Editor

Sema Garay

Sema Garay

Senior Designer

Our Advisors

Our partners and team include world-renowned subject area experts and other influential thought leaders and change-makers in the fields of sustainable technologies, business, wellness, science, agriculture, history and more.

Gerald Pollack

Gerald Pollack, PhD

Water Solutions

Yoga Yogendran

Yoga Yogendran, PhD

Sustainable Tech & Energy Solutions

Marc Goyette

Marc Goyette

Business Development

Nassim Haramein

Nassim Haramein

Unified Physics & Innovative Tech

Madjid Abdellaziz

Madjid Abdellaziz

Desert Regreening & Landscape Regeneration

The Grand Return, Inc. was founded by Sasha Countryman and original co-founder, Ty Johnson. 

Get In Touch

Editorial

Do you have inspiring, entertaining, and/or educational content you would like to have published with The Grand Return?  We are currently accepting submissions to feature on thegrandreturn.com.  You may submit a variety and/or combination of written, photo, and video content.  Please review our media kit and more info on our “Pitch A Story” page to align with the topics we explore and share on our platform.  If you believe your content is a great fit for our audience, we would love to hear from you with your submission!

submissions@thegrandreturn.com

 

Advertising & Sponsorship

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