Five Mistakes First Time Retreat Hosts Make
Anyone who is building community and trying to serve that community has probably thought of hosting a retreat. Creating sacred and empowering spaces as a retreat host is incredibly rewarding, but it is not without its challenges. It’s easy to make mistakes when planning your first retreat.
Often when the idea of hosting a retreat comes to mind, the highlight reel of deep connection and meaningful experiences comes to mind--which are certainly part of the experience. But there are countless details and intentions behind the experience that first time retreat hosts often overlook.
There are five mistakes that first time retreat hosts make which can often leave them feeling a little disillusioned and discouraged with the whole process of planning and hosting a retreat.
Not Enough Lead Time
Planning a retreat requires coordinating countless details including lodging, food, activities and more. It is important to provide ample time to line up all the details and still pull-off a successful launch. Creating a timeline can help retreat hosts stay organized. Start with the retreat date and work backwards from there, determining your cancellation date, registration time frame and launch window. Once you have your important dates outlined, fill in the details in regards to lodging, food, activities, guest speakers and more.
Getting clear on the timeline can help save major headaches down the line and give you a clear structure and system, which can then be duplicated easily in subsequent years.
Underestimate Their Costs
Putting on a thoughtful and detailed retreat comes at a cost. Between lodging, food, insurance, guest speakers or presenters, volunteer stipends and details like journals and swag bags hosting a retreat can carry a hefty price tag. It’s important to think of any detail and overestimate costs or build in a buffer for miscellaneous expenses.
This list will get you started:
Organizer/Host time
Liability Insurance
Website
Registration Platform
Credit Card Fees
Lodging
Linens
Guest Speaker/Presenter Fee
Guest Speaker/Presenter Travel
Volunteer Stipend/Gift
Groceries
Beverages
Catering
Journals/Printed Materials
Photographer
Rental Van
Gas
Misc. Supplies
Accurately estimating your expense will help you accurately price your registration so that you don’t find yourself going into the red to host your retreat. Take into account every potential expense and remember to factor in what happens if you don’t sell out you retreat
Do Not Pay Themselves
A major cost that gets underestimated or completely omitted when planning a retreat is the retreat host’s time. Planning a retreat is time intensive, even more so if you are figuring it out for the first time.
A big mistake retreat hosts make is to not factor their time as a budget line item. The organizers time should be the first line item in the budget, hosting is a generous act, but should not be free. It’s unwise to wait until the end to take “what is left” after your expenses, if you do that you’ll find yourself constantly coming up short. Hosting is time and energy intensive and if you’re not properly compensating yourself for your time, you might eventually resent what you do. Generously compensating yourself allows you to be generous with your time and emotional energy, which will ultimately make you a better host.
No Clear Systems or Policies
If you’re a first time retreat host it is easy to get lost in the details, they can be overwhelming. Which is why creating systems and policies is incredibly important. When systems aren’t in place more responsibility is placed on the retreat host. Volunteers and staff should feel informed and empowered to make decisions without having to constantly consult the host.
Along with a clear infrastructure for staff and volunteers, you should have clear outward facing policies regarding cancellation, illness, no-shows and more. You will also need to develop a risk management plan to account for possible emergency situations.
Be firm with your policies, but remember that how people feel when they interact with you is important. Sometimes the best thing to do is be generous, even if it negatively affects your bottom line (which is all the more reason to build these things into your budget!).
No Structure or Intention Around Connection
While many connections and friendships that result from a retreat will happen organically, it is possible that they won’t. Every gathering is different and while connection is likely, being intentional with the structure and facilitation can result in a deeper and more meaningful experience.
The biggest mistake a new host often makes is not guiding their participants clearly through the retreat experience. Providing structure is in fact a gift, without structure your guests can languish in uncertainty--which can be awkward and uncomfortable.
Establish a clear opening ceremony where you’ll set the tone and intention for the experience. Also provide moments throughout each day to bring the group together to connect and reflect. Guided discussions or journal prompts are a great way to facilitate this.
Finally, provide your participants with a meaningful ending. A closing experience is key to solidifying the takeaways from the retreat and transitioning back into ‘real life.’
While there are many challenges to hosting a retreat it can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Watching your participants experience life transformations, and see them walk away feeling empowered and inspired can make the hard work worthwhile.
Are you looking to start your own retreat? Now is the time to begin planning your event. We will emerge from the pandemic starving for real and authentic connection and if your retreat is in place you’ll have the ability to serve your community in a way that they are desperately wanting.
I’m hosting a workshop on April 29th, 2021 at 7pm EST (cost $57) as I teach you How to Create a Transformative and Profitable Retreat. In the workshop you’ll learn all about the annual workflow of planning your retreat, how to avoid common mistakes, what you need to do to create a tribe of loyal followers who will flock to your events, plus I’ll share my formula for pricing your retreats so that you’ll always be profitable.
