The benefits of attending live retreats

The sales pages sure talk up a good show, with all the pretty pictures and testimonials and glowing paragraphs about what you’ll take away from the experience—but are the benefits of attending a live, in-person retreat actually worth spending the money and taking time away from your business?

Actually, I think the question is can you afford not to go. 

Oh I know, that’s sort of a cliché thing to say, but the truth is that while you may not see an immediate measurable outcome from attending a business retreat, the intangible benefits are undeniably there. 

Every event I’ve ever been to has always paid for itself from the connections I’ve made! They’ve turned into clients or collaborations.

Unfortunately a lot of creative entrepreneurs don’t jump at the chance to attend a live business retreat because they are scared, plain and simple. 

#SpoilerAlert This was totally me before I attended my first retreat. I ended up hiding out in my room for most of the event, so if this is you, I totally get how you feel!

… Maybe you’re afraid that you’ll be way under prepared or way “behind” all the other attendees business-wise, so the retreat wouldn’t benefit you anyway.

… Maybe you have a bad case of imposter syndrome and interacting with other, “more qualified” entrepreneurs feels terrifying.

… Maybe you just feel really awkward in new social situations, and the idea of attending a business retreat is waaaaayyyy out of your comfort zone.

Like I said, once I finally screwed up the courage to attend my first business retreat, I ended up isolating myself for most of the event—terrified that the other business owners would think my silly little business was totally ridiculous.

But by the end of the weekend, I realized that everyone else there was actually really nice, super encouraging, and most of them were working to overcome the same fears and anxieties that I had!

So if fear is the main thing holding you back from attending a live business retreat, I’d say take a moment to evaluate why you’re afraid and whether it’s holding you back from something great.

And what exactly are those great things? Let’s chat about that for a sec… 

Building social connections and networking

Being a solo entrepreneur can be really lonely, especially if you’re not working in an industry that encourages collaborations or that regularly forces you to be in contact with other people. 

Yes, there’s gobs of online business groups you can join, but social media is just no substitute for real, warm human interaction!

At a live business retreat, you’ll have the rare opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs just like you face-to-face and get to know them in a much more holistic, intimate way than you would if you were simply reading their posts in a Facebook group.

If you’re lucky, you and your fellow retreat attendees might end up becoming business buds, swapping advice and lending an ear during brainstorming sessions.

But even if you don’t end up being close friends, you will still have made a valuable, in-person connection with someone else that could lead to referrals or collaborations down the road.

Active brainstorming and training

Most retreats are focused on some educational aspect of business… learning how to become a better marketer, insider industry secrets, or just getting better at business in general, for example. 

And let me tell you, there’s something pretty special about getting together with a bunch of people who—even if they don’t work in exactly the same industry as you—are intimately familiar with the challenges facing you as a solo entrepreneur. 

Their perspective and advice can be invaluable as you work to solve your personal challenges because it’s going to be more suited for you and the space you work in.

Reassurance that you’re not alone and not failing

There’s a lot of anxiety inherent to the business building process. 

First of all, you’re launching a business by yourself (wut?!) and taking on a bajillion roles all at the same time… everything from CEO to Head of Marketing to Bookkeeper Extraordinaire and, let’s not forget, you have work to do for clients too, whether that’s web designing, copywriting, photography, or something else.

You have a lot on your plate! So it’s normal to feel like you’re not where you should be, business-wise, and for things to fall through the cracks. 

Unfortunately, when we operate in a bubble and only have other people’s highlight reels for comparison, it can feel like we’re way behind. 

So pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and meeting other creative and solo entrepreneurs can be just what you need for a confidence-building boost. 

Ready to take the leap, connect with other business entrepreneurs, and overcome your in-person business retreat fears? 

I’m hosting a low-key, value-packed two day workshop all about building a sustainable, attainable marketing plan for growing your business in Los Angeles on October 20-21st—but sign ups end on October 6th, when we’ll switch over to our January event!

By Sunday evening, you’ll have an enticing, engaging, signature piece of client-capturing content you can use over and over again to sell your services or products. Click here to learn more or sign up for $97.