In September 2024, I hosted my very first yoga retreat—a dream I had been nurturing for years. This year, I decided to stop talking about it and actually make it happen.
I learned so much throughout the process, and I felt compelled to share my insights with you. If you're wondering why I flew all the way back to Mexico from Australia (where I'm currently on a Working Holiday Visa) to host this retreat, here's the reason: this was the first year in nearly a decade that I had the time and space in my schedule to fully commit to planning a retreat. Plus, I was already heading back to the U.S. for a wedding in mid-September, so I figured, why not combine the two and host my first retreat while I was there?
To keep this post organized, I’ve divided my key takeaways into four sections: Do’s, Don’ts, Getting Sponsors, and Selling Your Retreat.
Do's
Hosting a yoga retreat requires a lot of planning. You need to consider the location, accommodations, meals, the daily schedule, excursions, marketing, and payment systems, to name just a few. With all of this in mind, here are some key things I learned you should *definitely* do.
1. Do things by the books.
This cannot be emphasized enough. Not only for legal and liability reasons, but also to give yourself credibility—especially if you're hosting your first retreat. If you don’t have past retreats to showcase, setting up an LLC adds legitimacy to your business. Since I don’t reside in the U.S., I filed for my LLC in Pennsylvania (shout out to my parents for letting me use their address). The filing fees were just over $600, and it was worth every penny. If something had gone wrong and someone wanted to sue me, they could only go after the business, not my personal assets. Thankfully, nothing like that happened!
2. Do negotiate.
I wish I’d known this earlier! When sourcing venues, chefs, drivers, etc., don’t be afraid to negotiate the initial quotes you’re given. Many businesses are willing to work with you on price, and often the first number they give isn’t set in stone. The worst that can happen is they say no.
3. Do give yourself enough time to market the retreat.
I announced my retreat in March for a September event, which felt like a tight turnaround—especially since it was international. Most people need more than six months to plan big trips like this. I recommend giving yourself a full year to market, especially for your first retreat. Even if it doesn’t sell out right away, you'll give people enough time to consider and plan.
4. Do know the area.
I had never been to Tulum before hosting my retreat there, and I can tell you from experience that knowing the area would have made things so much smoother. Understanding the local airport, transportation options, and even where to buy supplies or have free time is invaluable. I’m excited to host in Tulum again in 2025 because I’ll feel far more confident and prepared.
Don’ts
While it’s important to know what to do, there are also some key *don’ts* that will help ensure your retreat goes smoothly.
1. Don’t be stingy.
I get it—retreats are expensive to host, and you might be tempted to cut corners. But if it’s your first time, don’t expect people to pay thousands of dollars for an experience you’re still figuring out. Consider the value of what you’re offering and price it accordingly. I didn’t make a huge profit on this retreat (in fact, the profit barely covered an airport coffee), but that wasn’t my goal. My goal was to gain experience. Hosting a retreat at a luxury venue, offering three meals a day for ten people, and including excursions was a massive success in my eyes, even without a huge financial gain.
2. Don’t over-schedule.
While the itinerary for my Tulum retreat was full, I made sure there was still ample free time for guests. In hindsight, I could’ve scheduled even more downtime. A laid-back group is an asset, but I’d suggest leaving plenty of space for spontaneous relaxation or exploration in the future.
3. Don’t try to do it all yourself.
Planning and running a retreat is no small task. While I handled much of the early planning (venue, website, business setup, etc.), I couldn’t have done it without my friend Chloe, who jumped in early on. We taught an equal amount of yoga classes, each hosted a workshop, and shared the workload of meal-prep and cleaning. I also enlisted content creators (shout out to RELISE) to capture moments from the retreat, which allowed me to focus on facilitating. If you're not sure how to handle the technical side of things (like setting up a business or payment system), don’t be afraid to hire help. I learned a lot through resources like YouTube and ChatGPT, but expert support can make a huge difference.
Getting Sponsors
I'm so grateful for the support of brands like Bondi Blyss, LSKD, Juniper Organic Skincare, and Enagic. Their contributions added value to my retreat and gave it more credibility. If you’re hosting a retreat, I highly encourage you to seek sponsorships. You might be surprised at how much companies are willing to contribute in exchange for brand exposure.
Tip: Don’t aim too high at first. Established companies don’t always need exposure, but smaller, up-and-coming brands are often more willing to partner. I sent hundreds of emails to various companies, and while not all responded, many were eager to help. In your pitch, be sure to highlight how your retreat will benefit their brand and how it aligns with their target audience.
Bonus Tip: Use your personal network. I posted on Instagram about seeking sponsors, and that led to some valuable connections. You’d be amazed at how many people can connect you to potential partners.
Selling Your Retreat
So you’ve planned the perfect retreat—now you need to sell it. For me, this was the hardest part.
1. Offer an early bird discount.
Offering a discount to early sign-ups can help ease the financial burden of deposits and give potential guests an incentive to commit early. I had three early bird sign-ups, which helped cover some of the upfront costs.
2. Utilize social media to the max.
I posted about my retreat daily across all platforms—Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. My followers knew all about it! Even though I didn’t get tons of likes or engagement, I believe consistency was key to generating interest.
3. Use Instagram ads wisely.
I spent about $100 on ads, which brought interest, but I didn’t close any sales directly from those ads. The lesson? Social proof is key—people want to see content that shows you’ve hosted successful retreats before, including testimonials and photos. I’ll be prioritizing this kind of content in future marketing efforts.
4. Network, network, network!
Tell everyone about your retreat. Even though I’m currently living in Australia, I met many people who were interested in coming. The key takeaway: every person you meet is a potential participant or at least a future referral.
5. Follow up.
This was crucial for me. When someone shows interest, follow up relentlessly. Collect their contact details and keep the conversation going. Two of my participants signed up after I persisted with follow-up messages, and they later told me how glad they were that I kept in touch.
In Conclusion
If you’ve been thinking about hosting a retreat, I encourage you to take the leap. There’s a huge demand for retreats because many people want to travel but don’t have the time or energy to plan. If you feel called to host a retreat, it’s because you’re meant to do it. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that many others are also hosting retreats—your unique offering will resonate with the right people.
If you have any questions or need advice about planning your retreat, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned!
