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

🖤 How to Run Profitable Retreats with Leni Cavazos

In this solo episode, retreat strategist Leni Cavazos breaks down the first and most foundational pillar of building a six-figure retreat business: Design for Profit.

If you've ever walked away from a retreat burnt out, underpaid, or even in the red, this episode is your wake-up call (and your roadmap).

You'll learn:
▪️ Why passion isn't enough (and how to treat your retreat like a real business)
▪️ The difference between planning a single retreat and designing a scalable business
▪️ How to align your retreats with your capacity, lifestyle, and long-term vision
▪️ The truth about profit margins—and why 5% is not the vibe
▪️ How Leni builds different models for different energy levels (monthly vs once a year)
▪️ How to stop copying cookie-cutter strategies and create a retreat model that's yours

💭 You don't need to run retreats like everyone else.
You need a model that works for you.

🖤 Ready to start designing for profit?
Listen now and come back next week for Pillar 2: Price for Profit.

🎧 Subscribe & leave a review if this episode spoke to your future.

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

If you've ever struggled to price your retreat, worried no one would pay, or felt guilty charging for transformation… this episode is for you.

I sat down with Shannon Ryan, money mindset mentor and former financial planner, to talk about the emotional, energetic, and practical blocks that hold retreat leaders back from real profit.

Inside this episode:
💸 Why most retreat leaders undercharge—and how to stop
🔁 How your money story is creating your business ceiling
👁️ Pricing beyond spreadsheets (this is about self-worth)
👛 The invisible ways you're sabotaging retreat revenue
🖤 What it really means to have a conscious, profitable retreat brand

📘 Bonus: Book a Discovery Call to find out if you are ready to run a profitable retreat business https://theretreatplanner.com/go

You can be intuitive and profitable.
Spiritual and strategic.
Transformational and well-paid.

Let's change the narrative.

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

Over 80% of retreat leaders walk away from their events exhausted… and broke. But it doesn't have to be that way.

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, host Leni Cavazos shares the unfiltered truth about what it actually takes to build a six-figure retreat business, without sacrificing your integrity, values, or impact.

You'll learn:

• Why running retreats from only passion is the fastest way to burnout

• The mindset shift that separates thriving retreat leaders from struggling ones

• The 3+1 pillar model of profitable retreats

• Real industry stats on transformation, wellness, and retreat buying behavior in 2025

• How to design a retreat business that fits your lifestyle and makes you money
  
  

This episode is equal parts strategy and soul, here to remind you that profit is not the enemy of purpose.

🖤 If you're ready to create retreats that are truly sustainable (emotionally, energetically, and financially), hit play.

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

Your retreat venue can make or break your entire event—so how do you choose the right one, avoid costly mistakes, and ensure a five-star experience for your guests?

In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I'm joined by Shannon Jamail, founder of Retreat Ranch, therapist, retreat mentor, and host of The Retreat Leader's Podcast. Shannon owns a 46-acre retreat property in Texas and has hosted transformational retreats for over a decade. She shares her insider knowledge—both as a venue owner and as a retreat leader—on exactly what to consider before signing that venue contract.

This is a must-listen for first-time and seasoned retreat hosts alike.

🖤 Inside this episode, we cover:

• The #1 mindset shift before you choose a venue: you're not just booking a place—you're choosing a retreat partner

• 10 must-know tips to avoid venue regret (from layout red flags to cancellation clauses)

• The problem with Airbnb & VRBO for retreats 🐈‍⬛

• Hidden fees that crush your profit margin

• Matching your venue to your brand, business model, and ideal client

⚠️ If you've ever had a retreat venue cancel last minute, fail to meet expectations, or turn your dream event into a logistical nightmare—this episode is your survival guide.

👀 Bonus:
We also talk about what venue owners wish retreat leaders knew, and what it really takes to make the relationship work long-term.

🪽 Connect with Shannon Jamail
Website: theretreatranch.com https://theretreatranch.com
Instagram: @retreat_ranch https://www.instagram.com/retreat_ranch/

Facebook: Retreat Ranch https://www.facebook.com/retreatranch

Share this episode with your retreat bestie. Someone's about to book the wrong venue. Let's save them.

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 if the key to building lifelong clients—and a thriving retreat business—wasn't just the offer... but the energy and intention behind it?

In this transformational episode, I sit down with TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and reinvention expert Dr. Lori McDowell, founder of ReimagineU Strategies, to unpack the real power of retreats—not just as events, but as sacred containers for deep personal and business transformation.

Lori shares how she went from corporate engineering to curating transformational experiences, and how she now helps visionary leaders design done-for-you, soul-aligned retreats that generate impact and income—without the burnout.

We go deep on:
🖤 Why mindset is the true foundation of retreat success
🖤 How to lead with vision and inspired action (not fear)
🖤 Creating lifetime clients through transformational retreat journeys
🖤 Why treating your retreat like a business is the difference between burnout and profit

Whether you're hosting your first retreat or building a high-level retreat brand, this episode is your reminder that success starts in the mind—and shows up in the systems.

🪽 Freebie from Lori:
📘 The Breakthrough Blueprint: 7 Powerful Reasons Your Vision Deserves a Transformational Retreat
👉 Grab it here

👤 Connect with Lori:
🌐 https://yourextraordinarylife.net
📘 https://www.facebook.com/lori.mcdowell.5/

If this episode gave you clarity or inspiration, share it & give us a rating on Apple Podcasts. 💬🕑⬛️

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 to turn your retreat dream into a six-figure revenue stream—without a huge audience? In this masterclass from the Wild Woman with Impact Summit, retreat strategist Leni Cavazos (The Retreat Planner) reveals the exact system she's used to help coaches, healers, and entrepreneurs sell out retreats, build waitlists, and keep 30–50%+ profit margins.

👉 Join the next Sold Out & Profitable Retreats Challenge (live, 4 hours): https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge
Build your profitable retreat plan in one session: pricing for profit, magnetic messaging, and a rinse-and-repeat sales strategy.

What you'll learn

• Why 80% of retreat leaders lose money (and how to avoid it)

• Pricing for profit before you ever book a venue

• Crafting results-oriented, magnetic messaging (no more "Relax & Reset in Bali")

• How to pre-sell and build a waitlist so retreats stop being risky

• Real examples: 76-person waitlist, 21 guests to Spain, quarterly sell-outs

Who this is for
Coaches, experts, consultants, speakers, and creators who want profitable, repeatable retreats that elevate their brand and feed their offers, all with clear systems and loyalty marketing baked in.

Join the challenge: https://theretreatplanner.com/challenge
(Spots limited. Designed to get your pricing, plan, and sales map done.)

About Leni
Leni has 18+ years in hospitality and global events (The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott Bonvoy) and builds loyalty-driven retreat businesses for clients worldwide.

00:00 Intro & poll: Dreamers, hosts, and goals for today
02:15 The opportunity: retreats as a six-figure revenue stream
05:02 Why most leaders lose money (the 80% problem)
08:20 Leni's background (Ritz-Carlton, Marriott Bonvoy, global events)
12:55 The mindset shift: retreats are a business model, not a hobby
16:18 Mistake #1: Booking venues before you can sell
18:40 Mistake #2: Pricing by gut vs. pricing for profit
22:05 Mistake #3: Selling a vacation, not a transformation
25:10 The system overview: pricing → messaging → 22-way sales plan → waitlist
28:45 You don't need a huge audience (you need clarity & systems)
32:04 BHAG moment & creating flexibility inside a proven framework
38:44 Case Study #1 (Christi): covering profit before the event
41:25 Q&A: upsells, waitlists, and loyalty marketing
45:21 Advanced: building waitlists & pre-sale momentum
49:00 Case Study #2 (Matthew): 21 to Spain + 76-person waitlist
52:20 Case Study #3 (Tiffany): quarterly sell-outs + one luxury retreat
55:10 Your next step: the Sold Out & Profitable Retreats Challenge
59:30 Logistics & live Q&A wrap

If this sparked your retreat dream, make it real. Join the Sold Out & Profitable Retreats Challenge (live, 4 hours) and leave with your pricing, messaging, and sales plan done: theretreatplanner.com/challenge
Questions about pricing, venues, or waitlists? Drop them below and I'll reply.

What really makes a retreat sell out? Is it your intuition? Your brand? Your pricing? Or your ability to hold the vision even when sales feel slow?

In this special panel episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sat down with an extraordinary circle of retreat leaders and industry experts—including Abby Gooch, Liesel Albrecht, Kellie Sabas, Victoria Shaw, Sil Eiler, and Malvina Messler—for an unfiltered conversation on what it takes to run a retreat that not only transforms lives… but also generates real profit.

🖤 We go beyond the fluff and dive into the strategic AND soulful pieces of the puzzle:

• Why 90% of first-time retreat leaders never host a second retreat (and how to avoid being one of them)

• The biggest pricing mistake that keeps soulful women stuck and broke

• The #1 marketing myth retreat leaders fall for—and what actually drives conversions

• Intuition vs. data: when to follow your gut and when to let your KPIs lead

• The sacred power of loyalty marketing and building repeat retreat clients

• Why retreat selling is not just about having a pretty location (hint: it's about YOU)
  
  

Whether you're a retreat dreamer or a seasoned facilitator looking to scale, this conversation is your compass.

👀 Bonus:
We also reveal the details (and deep discounts!) for the upcoming Sell Out Retreats Summit in San Diego, happening October 4–5, 2025. You'll want to be in the room.

🎟️ Join us in San Diego:
https://womensretreatsworldwide.com/registration?am_id=lenicavazos1842
✨ Use Coupon Code RETREATLEADER for $200 OFF!

💭 If this episode inspired you, share it, rate it, or send it to a retreat leader who needs it.

🖤 Let's build transformational businesses that last.

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