Building a Retreat Style Conference with Natalie Stones

In this episode, we chat with our guest Natalie Stones Co-Founder of Talent Collective and creator of the Talent Sphere event about how to design a conference that people actually want to attend. We break down what makes a retreat-style conference different from traditional large industry events, how to build practitioner-led sessions that deliver real takeaways, and how to create an environment where talent acquisition leaders can learn, connect, and leave refreshed instead of burned out. Key TakeawaysThe concept was built around creating an event the founder wished already existed.A retreat-style conference can still deliver serious business value.Practitioner-led sessions create more relevant and current insights.Speakers are selected based on real, current experience in the role.First-time speakers can add fresh perspectives when given a safe space.Smaller, curated groups create deeper connections than large expos.Wellness elements can enhance learning without sacrificing business outcomes.Sponsors can lead solution-focused sessions without doing product demos.Bundling hotel and ticket pricing simplifies the business case for employers.Providing structured session notebooks increases practical implementation after the event. Follow Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliestones/ Check out Talent Collective: https://www.talentcollectiveco.com/ Timestamps00:00 Why create a retreat style conference02:11 How venue and environment shape the experience03:00 Why practitioner led sessions matter03:51 What makes a strong conference speaker05:31 Adding wellness without losing business value07:28 Why smaller conferences create stronger connections08:08 Key differences from the first year09:39 How to justify attendance to your employer11:19 Building real training and team learning12:02 Intentional swag and thoughtful attendee experience Keywordsretreat style conferencetalent acquisition conferencepractitioner led sessionsconference planning strategytalent collective communityconference business casesmall curated eventswellness at conferencessponsor integration strategyTA leader networking