Purpose-Driven Retreat Planning

All episodes

Episode 24

66 seconds

When planning your first company retreat, it is tempting to focus on venues and activities right away.

With Rafaelle Stavisky

swapcard.com

May 29, 2025

Retreat location: Albufeira, Portugal

When planning your first company retreat, it is tempting to focus on venues and activities right away. In this episode, Rafa Stavinsky, Workplace Experience Manager at Swapcard, shares why starting with purpose leads to more meaningful outcomes. Their annual retreats at the VidaMar Hotel Resorts and Spa in South Portugal are designed around clarity of intent, whether the goal is team connection, business alignment, or inspiration. Rafa also explains why the most powerful moments often happen outside the formal agenda. Informal conversations over coffee or during downtime can leave a deeper impact than any keynote. For people leaders planning their first offsite, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder that purpose and unstructured time are just as important as logistics when creating retreats that truly resonate.

Bringing Balance to Retreats

With Jordan CarrollJun 9th, 2025Retreat location:

Retreats are often packed with strategy sessions and team-building activities, but what about supporting the physical and mental well-being of attendees? In this episode, Jordan Carroll, founder of Unlocked Authority, shares why wellness elements like saunas, ice baths, and nutritious food can transform a company retreat. Jordan explains how maintaining healthy routines during travel leads to better focus, energy, and connection among team members. He also introduces creative ways to use wellness spaces—like facilitating “hot topics” discussions in the sauna and icebreaker questions in cold plunges—to spark deeper conversations and build stronger relationships. For leaders planning offsites or team retreats, this episode highlights how wellness isn’t just a perk; it’s a catalyst for higher engagement and better outcomes.

Episode 26

Team Building That Works

With Meaghan WilliamsJun 6th, 2025Retreat location:

Company retreats should energize everyone—not just the extroverts. In this episode, Meaghan Williams from HubSpot shares her approach to planning team-building activities that account for different personality types and preferences. Meaghan emphasizes the importance of starting with input from employees themselves. By sending out pre-retreat surveys to understand food preferences, activity comfort levels, and even timing preferences, her team ensures that retreats are inclusive and accessible. This approach allows employees to show up as their best selves, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and engagement during the event. For people leaders planning retreats for diverse teams, Meaghan’s insight provides a practical model for balancing fun with inclusivity so everyone leaves feeling connected and valued.

Episode 25

Retreats That Drive Strategy

With Gershwin ExeterThrasioJun 3rd, 2025Retreat location: Toronto, Canada

Hosting a partner summit for a global team requires more than presentations—it calls for clarity, emotional connection, and follow-through. In this episode, Gershwin Exeter, Chief Experience Officer at Thrasio, shares how their annual gathering at the Marriott Toronto City Centre achieves all three. The retreat is structured around three key stages: preparation, emotional engagement, and practical takeaways. From equipping partners with pre-read strategy materials to immersing them in Toronto’s multicultural energy, Gershwin’s approach ensures attendees arrive informed, leave inspired, and continue collaborating long after the summit ends. This conversation offers a blueprint for leaders planning retreats or summits that aim to align diverse teams, strengthen partnerships, and translate inspiration into action.