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Retreats & Offsites Unpacked

Retreats & Offsites Unpacked

By: Assemble Hospitality Group
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 Retreats & Offsites Unpacked by Assemble Hospitality is about what happens when people step away together and find a deeper sense of belonging. We share stories and best practices from retreats and offsites to explore how intentional gatherings create change.© 2025 Assemble Hospitality Group Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • How to Organize a Yoga Retreat

    How to Organize a Yoga Retreat
    Feb 25 2026

    When COVID shut down her brick-and-mortar yoga studio, Bethany Forest was forced to rethink everything. What began as a crisis became the catalyst for a retreat business rooted in healing, nature, and deep human connection.

    In this episode, Dan Berger talks with Bethany—founder of Heal Yoga—about the leap from studio classes to immersive retreats, the hard lessons learned from her first retreat, and how thoughtful design, systems, and pricing make long-term sustainability possible.

    Bethany shares how yoga retreats go far beyond poses on a mat, why discomfort can be a powerful teacher, and how intentional outdoor experiences help people regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their bodies, and form lasting bonds.

    Episode Themes

    • Pivoting from a brick-and-mortar studio to retreats after COVID
    • Why retreats create deeper transformation than weekly classes
    • Designing yoga retreats that balance movement, reflection, and adventure
    • Learning pricing, margins, and systems the hard way
    • Creating psychological safety for first-time retreat guests
    • Using nature and outdoor challenge to foster growth
    • Building connection and belonging among strangers
    • What makes people return to retreats again and again

    Chapters
    00:00 – Welcome and introduction
    01:33 – COVID, studio closure, and the pivot to retreats
    03:36 – Why retreats felt more aligned than a yoga studio
    04:40 – Lessons learned from the first retreat
    06:42 – Building systems and pricing retreats sustainably
    08:46 – What a yoga retreat really looks like
    10:40 – Healing, the nervous system, and connection
    12:46 – Structuring retreat days and setting expectations
    16:02 – Adventure days and the role of discomfort
    17:51 – Retreat size, frequency, and growth
    18:27 – Marketing retreats and filling spots
    20:31 – Final reflections on facilitation and belonging

    About the Guest – Bethany Forest

    Bethany Forest is the founder of Heal Yoga and a retreat facilitator who designs immersive experiences focused on healing, resilience, and connection. A multi-business entrepreneur, she brings a grounded, real-world perspective to wellness shaped by her background in product development, real estate photography, and business ownership.

    After a personal health journey and the challenges of the pandemic, Bethany shifted her work from studio classes to retreats that combine yoga, nature, outdoor challenge, and deep self-inquiry. Her retreats help participants reconnect with their bodies, build meaningful relationships, and explore growth at the edge of discomfort.

    Learn more: www.healyogastudio.com

    Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

    About the Assemble Podcast
    Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.

    We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.

    This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.

    Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.

    Learn more: assemblehospitality.com

    Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

    Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.
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    22 mins
  • Learnings From a Retreat Planning Agency

    Learnings From a Retreat Planning Agency
    Feb 18 2026

    In this episode of the Assemble Podcast, Dan Berger sits down with Anna VanAgtmael, founder of Wandering Roots, to talk about what actually goes into designing retreats that are meaningful, sustainable, and worth running.

    The conversation explores Anna’s path from hosting her own retreats to planning retreats for entrepreneurs and leaders around the world. Along the way, they unpack common mistakes retreat hosts make, how to think more clearly about pricing and group size, and why leaving space for downtime and integration often matters more than a packed itinerary. The episode also looks at current retreat trends and how thoughtful planning can extend the impact of a retreat well beyond the final day.

    Episode Themes

    • Designing retreats that balance intention, logistics, and guest experience
    • Why overpacked itineraries often undermine retreat outcomes
    • The role of downtime in creating meaningful connection and clarity
    • How retreat pricing impacts sustainability and perceived value
    • Ideal group size and host-to-guest ratios for deeper engagement
    • The shift toward more content-driven, less excursion-heavy retreats
    • Helping guests integrate retreat insights back into everyday life

    Chapters

    00:00 – Welcome to the Assemble Podcast
    01:00 – Anna’s path from biotech to retreat hosting
    03:30 – Creating approachable, accessible wellness retreats
    04:30 – How she first found retreat clients
    06:00 – Moving into retreat planning for others
    07:30 – Where most retreat hosts get stuck
    10:40 – Over-scheduling, travel fatigue, and downtime
    12:30 – Current retreat trends
    13:30 – Integration and re-entry after retreats
    15:00 – When to say no to a client
    15:40 – Pricing advice for retreat hosts
    17:00 – Realistic retreat pricing benchmarks
    18:00 – Ideal retreat size and group dynamics
    18:50 – How Anna prices her planning services
    19:30 – Final advice for retreat planners


    About the Guest – Anna VanAgtmael

    Anna VanAgtmael is the founder of Wandering Roots, where she helps retreat leaders and entrepreneurs design thoughtful, well-run retreats rooted in connection, clarity, and sustainability. Her work blends travel planning, logistics, and intentional experience design to support hosts and guests alike.

    Website: www.yourwanderingroots.com

    Social Media: Facebook | LinkedIn

    About the Assemble Podcast

    Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.

    We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.

    This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.

    Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.

    Learn more: assemblehospitality.com

    Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

    Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.
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    21 mins
  • Learnings from a Master Facilitator

    Learnings from a Master Facilitator
    Feb 11 2026
    How do you create peer groups and retreats that actually feel safe—while still driving growth, accountability, and real change?In this episode, Mo Fathelbab, founder and president of the International Facilitators Organization, joins host Dan Berger to unpack what makes peer groups, forums, and retreats truly work.Drawing on decades of experience facilitating thousands of retreats across the globe, Mo shares why vulnerability is the foundation of trust, how facilitators create real belonging, and what leaders often misunderstand about moderation versus facilitation.Whether you’re a facilitator, retreat leader, coach, or operator designing peer experiences—this episode offers a masterclass in connection, structure, and presence.Episode ThemesWhat peer groups and forums really are—and why they matterCreating psychological safety and confidentiality that actually holdsMatching peers for trust, belonging, and relevanceThe role of vulnerability in facilitation and leadershipWhy facilitators matter (and when moderators fall short)Designing exercises that lead to transformation, not performanceBuilding facilitator communities and scaling peer learningThe future of forums in an AI-driven, disconnected worldChapters00:00 — Welcome + what this show is about00:00 — Welcome to The Assemble Podcast00:41 — Introducing Mo Fathelbab and his work in facilitation01:39 — Why Mo founded the International Facilitators Organization02:38 — What facilitators really do—and why the work matters03:14 — Peer groups vs. forums: what’s the difference?04:27 — Why chemistry, matching, and belonging make or break groups06:48 — Setting the room: intentions, safety, and confidentiality08:01 — Levels of confidentiality and how to make them explicit08:41 — Mo’s most powerful facilitation exercises09:35 — Exploring mortality as a catalyst for transformation10:34 — Do groups really need facilitators—or just moderators?11:46 — Why facilitating and participating is so demanding11:54 — How Mo has led thousands of retreats over decades12:49 — The value and vision of the International Facilitators Organization14:37 — Membership tiers, pricing, and benefits15:25 — Mo’s three-year vision for the facilitator ecosystem16:39 — The size of the peer group and facilitation market19:44 — How facilitators should think about pricing20:53 — What Mo actually charges—and why it depends21:19 — Breaking into facilitation and building demand22:13 — Vulnerability as the currency of relationships23:56 — Seeing others as human to deepen connection24:47 — Setting intention so exercises land with meaning25:12 — Where to find Mo and closing thoughtsAbout the Guest – Mo FathelbabMo Fathelbab is the founder and president of the International Facilitators Organization and a global authority on peer learning, facilitation, and leadership development. He has worked with over 30,000 CEOs and entrepreneurs across 30+ countries and has led more than 2,500 retreats and programs worldwide.Mo is the author of The Friendship Advantage and Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders, a Harvard Business School Alumni Forums co-founder, and a longtime facilitator within YPO, EO, and executive peer networks.Company website: internationalfacilitatorsorganization.comSocial Media: LinkedInAbout the Assemble PodcastWelcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.Learn more: assemblehospitality.comSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTubeCredits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
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