When Salesforce CEO, Marc Benioff was VP at Oracle, he took off to Hawaii for a month just to relax, and when he did it opened up his career to new ideas, perspectives and directions.
“In that open space, Benioff realised the potential uses for cloud computing that led him to quit Oracle, start Salesforce in a rented apartment, and evangelise for what was then a radical concept. Salesforce was a pioneer in what is now a multi-billion-dollar industry,” writes Daniel Coleman in his book Focus.
When we give ourselves the time to get away and to think deeply about the future direction of our business, we can make big, bold moves towards how we want to make a dent in the world.
We get our mojo back!
Not sure how a retreat could help your business?
Here are five reasons a retreat is not just GOOD, but GREAT for YOUR business.
- Get your mojo back and to feel excited and enthusiastic about your business
Like most women, you likely had your Mojo — it’s what got you started in business.It was the courage boost that built the momentum you used to create what you’ve done – to get you started.It’s quite a feat to create a business.And you began.But right now you might not be feeling your mojo.Perhaps the great idea you had isn’t panning out the way you expected.Maybe the business model isn’t delivering what you thought it would deliver.
Perhaps you don’t know how to get to turning over a greater profit.
Or, you just don’t have enough potential customers, or the strategic partners, to move your business back into momentum.
You may just have too many things going on: you’re juggling family you’re juggling work, you haven’t got enough support at work, there’s new technology you don’t know how to get your head across, the market’s changed.
You’re working really hard, but you’re not seeing the reward for all your effort.
And that can be demoralising.
It can leave you frustrated.
A retreat allows you to pause, and re-engineer the business and to reclaim your mojo.
- Gain a new perspective and get some honest feedback
Being a business owner can be a lonely experience, even when you’ve got a great team.When we operate within our own paradigm, or we are surrounded by people who will only agree with us, we can be susceptible of groupthink – the assumption that we know what there is to know.For new ideas to emerge, for us to solve a problem that we might see as impossible to solve, we need input and feedback of people who care enough to support us but who are not attached to the outcome.A retreat gives us the opportunity to get new perspectives and to have a sounding board for our ideas. - Have time to really think deeply and to fall back in love
Deep thinking demands a sustained focus. And, when you’re balancing deadlines and priorities it can be hard to find the time to focus.Sitting and thinking are work, even if it seems an indulgence.It’s in the moments and hours of intentional and deliberate focus that we can really move things forward and to make big shifts in our results.When you allow yourself to focus deliberately, to think, ponder and then circle back and evaluate – without distractions, you can really connect with your “why”.You can pave a clear way forward, and create your business intentionally.A retreat helps you fall back in love with your business. - Connect with women that ‘get you’
One of the best ways to expand your thinking is to be around other business owners, people from a wide range of industries and experiences.When you come together with a small group of women with broad expertise you get help and support that comes from a high-performing, diverse group.Because we often don’t feel like we can take risks when we are out there on our own.The right group allows you to take risks. It’s a safety net.The right retreat connects you with people that are like you. We won’t judge you for your big ideas, or the fact that you haven’t quite figured out how to make that big dent in the world that you want to.A retreat empowers you to play a bigger game and to be BOLD. - It’s an investment in your business.
The right retreat facilitates experience-sharing, resulting in new thinking and breakthroughs in clarity and direction.So, what’s the investment?What’s the cost?The real cost is not the cost of the retreat.The real cost is NOT doing it. Not giving yourself the time and spaceNot giving your business the chance it deserves.Not backing yourself and your dreams.
Not putting yourself first.
The other cost is knowing that a week, month and year from now, if you don’t do something different, you just might be right where you are today.
I know for me, business retreats have been one of the key ways that I’ve accessed the:
- accountability
- mentors
- knowledge
and found the space and time to really think and to re-create and re-engineer.
And that’s why I’m so excited to be taking a small group of women to Hawaii for the REACH Retreat in late October.
Introducing: The REACH Retreat — Hawaii — 30 October to 3 November
Join this small group of like-minded businesswomen sharing a 5-day all-inclusive experience to REACH new goals and BREAKTHROUGH to even more success… all in a stunning luxury resort in Hawaii!
