What if the retreat industry had global standards, real support, and a space where leaders didn't have to figure everything out alone?

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with Holly Porter, retreat industry visionary and founder of the International Retreats Association, to talk about the future of this rapidly growing space and what it actually takes to build retreats that are both transformational and sustainable.

Holly shares how a deeply personal, spiritual calling led her to create an organization designed to unify, elevate, and bring integrity to the global retreat industry, something that has never existed at this level before.

But we don't stop there.

We also go into the real conversations most retreat leaders avoid:
▪️ The truth about the booming wellness travel industry, and why it's full of ready-to-buy clients
▪️ Why attending other retreats is one of the smartest growth strategies you can make
▪️ The shift from online burnout to in-person experiences, and what that means for your business

This episode is a powerful reminder that you are not just hosting retreats, you are building a business, leading transformation, and shaping an entire industry.

And if you're doing that… you deserve to be supported, connected, and profitable.

https://HollyPorter.com
https://linktr.ee/hollyporter

Join the International Retreats Association waitlist:
https://internationalretreatsassociation.org

Join my next masterclass:
https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge-418498

If you loved this episode, share it with another retreat leader and leave us a rating 🖤🎧

Plan a Profitable Retreat

Start here to get the tools, support, and strategy you need:

Book a free consult → https://theretreatplanner.com/go

Download the Profit E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/profitebook

Download the Loyalty Marketing E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/loyaltyebook

Join the Sold Out & Profitable Intensive → https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

Attend the Live Workshop → https://theretreatplanner.com/live

Follow on Instagram → https://instagram.com/theretreatplanner

What makes a retreat truly transformational?

In this episode, Leni Cavazos sits down with Agathe Lazaro, designer, retreat space curator, and founder of sacred retreat properties in Provence, France and Pondicherry, India, to explore the deeper layers of retreat creation.

This conversation bridges the worlds of hospitality, neuroscience, sensory intelligence, and retreat leadership, revealing why the most powerful retreats are designed with far more than schedules and workshops.

⬛️ In this episode, you'll discover:

▪️ Why the retreat experience begins long before participants arrive
▪️ How sensory intelligence impacts transformation during retreats
▪️ The connection between beauty, safety, and the nervous system
▪️ Why retreat leaders must act as the "weavers" of the experience
▪️ How subtle details in space, scent, sound, and environment influence the entire journey

As Leni often says, a profitable retreat isn't just about filling the room, it's about creating an experience that people remember, recommend, and return to.

This episode reveals the deeper layer of how that happens.

💬 Connect with today's guest

Agathe Lazaro
🌐 http://www.agathelazaro.com
📱 https://www.instagram.com/agathe.lazaro.harmonies/

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If this episode resonated with you:

⬜️ Share it with a retreat leader
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Your support helps more leaders learn how to build retreats that are both meaningful and profitable.

Plan a Profitable Retreat

Start here to get the tools, support, and strategy you need:

Book a free consult → https://theretreatplanner.com/go

Download the Profit E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/profitebook

Download the Loyalty Marketing E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/loyaltyebook

Join the Sold Out & Profitable Intensive → https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

Attend the Live Workshop → https://theretreatplanner.com/live

Follow on Instagram → https://instagram.com/theretreatplanner

What happens when passion meets structure, and the right niche changes everything?

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with Matthew Brandt, founder of Tactical Retreats, retired law enforcement officer, Navy veteran, and retreat leader creating life-changing experiences for veterans and first responders.

Matthew shares his real, behind-the-scenes journey of launching retreats with heart, and learning (sometimes the hard way) how clarity, positioning, and niching down create momentum.

You'll hear how:
▪️ His first retreat barely filled, then a single shift led to 75 women on a waitlist in one week
▪️ Niching within a niche unlocked demand, confidence, and sustainability
▪️ Trauma-informed retreat design is not optional, it's essential
▪️ Listening to your audience can radically transform your business
▪️ A small, boutique retreat model can scale into international retreats and property ownership

Matthew also shares deeply human stories from the retreat space, from women arriving terrified and ready to leave… to sitting around the fire hours later saying, "I don't want to go home."

We talk about leadership, safety, trust, resilience, and why passion alone is not enough, systems are what allow your mission to grow.

This episode is a must-listen for retreat leaders who:
▪️ Feel called to do meaningful work
▪️ Want proof that strategy and heart can coexist
▪️ Are ready to refine their niche and scale responsibly
▪️ Believe retreats should heal, not create more trauma

👀 How to Connect With Today's Guest
▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacticalretreatunplugged/
▪️ Website: http://www.tacticalretreat.org

⬛️ Book: Footsteps of the Soul: A Veteran's Quest for Healing and Purpose Along the Camino de Santiago https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/footsteps-of-the-soul-matthew-g-brandt/1147720207

🎧 If you loved this episode, share it & leave a rating, it helps more retreat leaders find this work. 🖤

Plan a Profitable Retreat

Start here to get the tools, support, and strategy you need:

Book a free consult → https://theretreatplanner.com/go

Download the Profit E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/profitebook

Download the Loyalty Marketing E-book → https://theretreatplanner.com/loyaltyebook

Join the Sold Out & Profitable Intensive → https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

Attend the Live Workshop → https://theretreatplanner.com/live

Follow on Instagram → https://instagram.com/theretreatplanner