Welcome back to How to Run Profitable Retreats. I'm your host, Leni Cavazos, and today we're diving into something no one's talking about in the retreat world—what kind of retreat are you actually running?

Most people assume retreats have to be yoga, detox, or wellness. But that's just one tiny slice of what's possible. In this episode, we're unpacking:

◾️ The wide variety of retreat types—from finance, trauma, and divorce to transformation, healing, and beyond
◼️ Why being more specific makes your retreat easier to sell
⬛️ The harsh truth: if your offer could be written by ChatGPT, it's too generic
🖤 How to stop being a "retreat dreamer" and become a retreat CEO
💭 Why niching doesn't exclude people—it magnetizes the right ones

Plus, I'll walk you through how I personally stand out from other retreat coaches (hint: I'm not one)—and how you can, too. Because when only 30% of people care what you do, you better be unforgettable to them.

⚪️ Your retreat is a business.
◻️ Your uniqueness is the asset.
⬜️ And your success depends on your willingness to own both.

Ready to stop leaving money on the table?

🕑 Book a call with me: theretreatplanner.com/call
✒️ If you liked this episode, share it & give us a rating to help more leaders run profitable, purposeful retreats.

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

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, host Leni Cavazos sits down with publishing expert and Kingdom Launchpad founder Timothy Flemming Jr. for a powerful conversation that every author, coach, and retreat leader needs to hear.

Timothy has spent over a decade helping hundreds of authors publish their books — but what he discovered is the truth most writers never hear:

The book is not the business.
It's the doorway into the business.

In this eye‑opening episode, Timothy and Leni break down:
▪️ Why most authors don't struggle with writing — they struggle with what comes next
◼️ How your book becomes a gateway into coaching programs, retreats, events, and long‑term client relationships
◾️ The ONE THING every profitable entrepreneur does (and why trying to help everyone keeps you broke and burned out)
✒️ How Timothy and his wife turned one book into a coaching program, a signature event, and a retreat that attracts attendees from all over the world
⬛️ The mindset shift every expert must make to turn their message into a scalable business
▫️ The #1 mistake that keeps authors overwhelmed, underpaid, and hidden

Leni and Timothy also dive into niching, messaging, transformation‑based offers, and the real reason "casting a wide net" kills your momentum.

If you've ever wondered how to turn your book or expertise into a profitable retreat, coaching program, or transformational ecosystem — this episode is your blueprint.

How to Reach Today's Guest:
Facebook: The Official Timothy
YouTube: TheOfficialTimothyFlemmingJr
Website: timothyflemmingjr.com/

Join Timothy

Free Masterclass → Package. Position. Promote: How To Turn Your Expertise Into A Profitable Coaching Business

Kingdom Launchpad System (90‑Day Business Buildout) →

Join Leni:
Join my upcoming masterclass

If you love this episode, please share it & leave 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

Ready for a reset? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with the powerhouse behind over 250 global transformational retreats and experiences — Marisa Wong, CEO & Founder of MW Experiences.

Marisa has designed experiences for Fortune 100 brands, elite executives, global leaders, and high‑performing teams… but what makes her work extraordinary is her philosophy: people don't need to retreat from their lives — they need experiences that help them return to life more aligned, energized, and alive.

In this conversation, we dive into:

▪️ Why "experiences" outperform traditional retreats — and how language shapes transformation
▪️ The real difference between B2C and B2B retreat models (and why you must choose one)
▪️ What it actually means to refill your own cup as a retreat leader or experience creator
▪️ Her Reset Formula for avoiding burnout and reconnecting with your purpose, vision, and joy

This episode will challenge you to rethink how you create, deliver, and sell transformational containers — and inspire you to build experiences your audience will remember for a lifetime.

Connect with Marisa:

🐦‍⬛ Instagram: @experiencewithmarisa
⬛ Website: MWExperiences.com
◼️ Upcoming Experiences: Join her next transformative experiences starting January 2026.

If you enjoyed this episode share it with a friend, post it on social media, and leave us a rating ❕ It helps more retreat leaders discover conversations that transform how they do business.

💭 Want to design retreats that are profitable, transformational, and sold out?
Join my upcoming masterclass:
http://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

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

In this bonus expert episode, host Leni Cavazos breaks down Pillar 4 of the Six-Figure Retreat Business—Scale for Profit.

You'll learn:
▪️ The difference between a retreat leader, business, and company
▪️ How to build loyalty that fuels repeat bookings
▪️ Behind-the-scenes lessons from launching Marriott Bonvoy in the Middle East
▪️ What it really means to scale your retreat business without burnout

This is for those ready to move beyond one-off retreats and build something sustainable, sellable, and soul-aligned.

🖤 Book a call → theretreatplanner.com/call
🖤 Get the book → 6fig.theretreatplanner.com

👉 If you enjoy the episode, follow + leave a review. Your support helps more leaders discover 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

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, host Leni Cavazos welcomes Christopher Hill, founder of the luxury philanthropic travel brands Hands Up Holidays and Impact Destinations. Together, they explore what it means to combine meaningful service with high-end travel—and how retreat leaders can take notes from this innovative model.

We talk about:

◽️ How luxury travel can integrate real, hands-on volunteering
⬛️ The difference between giving your time, skills, or wealth
⚪️ Tailored impact trips for families, solo travelers, and small groups
▪️ How intentional design, sustainability, and local employment redefine the luxury experience
◼️ Ideas to bring community contribution into your own retreats

Christopher shares how one trip to South Africa changed his life—and inspired him to launch a business that helps travelers give back while relaxing in eco-luxury accommodations. If you've been craving a model that blends impact and indulgence, this conversation will spark new ideas for your next retreat or VIP travel experience.

🕑 Listen now and rethink what "transformation" can really look like.

🔗 Guest Links:
handsupholidays.com
instagram.com/handsupholidays

🎧 Join Leni's next masterclass to build your own retreat business: theretreatplanner.com/challenge

🖤 If you loved this episode, share it with a fellow changemaker and leave us a review!

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

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, host Leni Cavazos takes you into Pillar 3 of building a Six‑Figure Retreat Business: Sell for Profit.

If you've ever wondered why your retreats aren't bringing in the income, stability, or sustainability you expected — this episode is your wake‑up call. Selling for profit isn't about being pushy or salesy. It's about treating your retreat like a real business… not a passion project, not a hobby, and definitely not a "hope the universe provides" operation.

Leni breaks down:
◾️ Why transformative retreats STILL need profit to survive
◾️ The difference between marketing and sales (and why both matter)
◾️ The story of a retreat leader who accidentally priced away her entire profit margin
◾️ How boundaries, pricing integrity, and sales systems protect your business
◽️ Why 98% of your sales happen in the FOLLOW‑UP — not the sales call
⬛️ How to think like an investor when designing your retreat business
◻️ The crucial question every host must ask: Am I running a business or a hobby?

Leni also shares her behind‑the‑scenes experience running revenue strategies for global brands — including how a single report helped increase outside‑guest restaurant revenue by 36% at the Ritz‑Carlton Dubai — and why these same principles apply to your retreat business today.

If you're ready to stop "winging it" and start building a profitable, scalable sales ecosystem for your retreats, this pillar is essential.

💭 Want to go deeper?
Join Leni's upcoming masterclass to learn how to move from retreat dreaming into retreat profitability. https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

➤ Book a call if you're ready to scale: theretreatplanner.com/call
➤ Get the book: The Six-Figure Retreat Business

If you like this episode, share it & give 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

When was the last time someone told you your retreat felt like magic?

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, Leni Cavazos sits down with experience designer and educator Julie Comfort to explore how comfort, emotional journey, and intentional design directly impact your referrals, rebookings, and reputation.

Julie shares the overlooked secrets of transformational retreat design, from crafting welcome rituals and quiet moments of reflection to building anticipation and delivering micro-moments of awe.

You'll learn:

• Why "over-scheduling" kills the magic (and what to do instead)

• How neurodivergence, introversion, and autonomy should shape your event

• Simple rituals that deepen connection without forced icebreakers

• What positive psychology and "designing for emotion" have to do with word-of-mouth marketing

• How to turn your retreat into a once-in-a-lifetime experience that sells itself
  
  

If you've ever worried about your guests "checking out" mid-retreat, or worse, sharing negative feedback after, this episode will change how you design from the inside out.

🖤 Download Julie's free guide: Make It Epic: 16 Pillars of Transformative Experience Design
👉 https://www.juliecomfort.com/get-the-guide

📅 Ready to build a retreat that profits AND transforms?
Join Leni's Free Masterclass:
http://theretreatplanner.com/challenge

🎧 Don't forget to follow + review the show to help more retreat leaders grow.

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

Welcome back to How to Run Profitable Retreats, the podcast for coaches, entrepreneurs, and transformational leaders ready to turn soulful experiences into sustainable, six-figure businesses. I'm your host, Leni Cavazos.

If you've ever poured your heart (and savings) into a retreat only to wonder where the profits went, this episode is for you.

In this second installment of our Six-Figure Retreat Business series, we dive deep into Pillar 2: Pricing for Profit. Most retreat leaders forget the most important person in the budget: themselves. We'll unravel why pricing is not just about covering costs but ensuring you, as the facilitator and CEO, get paid and build a thriving business.

🖤 You'll learn:

• Why pricing for "just enough" leads to burnout

• The biggest cost categories most retreat hosts ignore

• How to pay yourself separately from your profit

• What to include in your budget to actually scale

• The hidden math behind client acquisition and upsells

• And why treating your retreat like a business (not a hobby) changes everything
  
  

If you're ready to stop crossing your fingers and hoping your retreat makes money, and instead design a business model that works for YOU, hit play now.

⬛️ Leave us a review if this episode helped shift your mindset. Share it with a fellow retreat leader who's ready to stop losing money and start building legacy-level impact.

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