The Importance of Purpose, Paradise and Passion - What I Learnt From Spending a Week with 40 Business Chicks and 1 Richard Branson

A little over a month ago I returned from a magical, almost surreal experience that is the Business Chicks Leadership Retreat on Necker Island.

?Our hosts for the retreat where Business Chicks CEO Emma Isaacs and Necker Island owner Sir Richard Branson. I am very aware of how incredibly lucky I was to be part of this gathering of 40 dynamic and motivated women who came together from the UK, USA and all parts of Australia.

Here are 9 things that have stayed with me after the suntan has faded

?1.??????We Are All Global Citizens

A conversation between Richard Branson, Nelson Mandela and Peter Gabriel on how communities look to their elders for guidance led to the idea that this could this be scaled up for a true global village. In 2007 The Elders was founded with a community of global leaders backed by an Advisory Council and team who are focused on peace and human rights. Branson himself did not speak on this topic, he is humble in his contribution and credits the work of the Elders themselves for their achievements.

Instead, we heard from the gorgeous Suzy Gigante from https://unite.virgin.com/unite/ who apologised for Richard’s delay in getting to Necker due to meetings with the Elders on how they could support the Ukraine. When asked about the work of the Elders later in the week, Richard spoke of his feeling that we are all global citizens and his commitment to using any good fortune or influence he may have to support global communities.

?2.?????With Love You Can Do Anything

Kim Phuc became famous during a horrific moment when her school temple was mistakenly bombed during the Vietnam war. This Pulitzer Prize winning photograph shows her running down the street as the napalm dissolved her clothes. Kim was one of our speakers and spoke of finding faith, forgiveness and love in the 50 years since this photo was taken

The love she found was with her beautiful husband Bui Huy Toan (now an honorary Business Chick) and after spending the week with us, we are all a little bit in love with this beautiful man.

He was so in love with his new bride that, on their honeymoon, agreed to flee whilst their plan was refueling and sought asylum in “the beautiful democracy of Canada” as she describes it.

You could forgive Kim for concentrating inwardly on her recovery and ongoing treatment for her burns, but this woman is a giver of light. She has started her own foundation The Kim Foundation and became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Side note – she can also loves a boogie on the dance floor!

3.??????You Think You Know, But You Don’t

I was not prepared for Azure Antoinette . This incredible 6 foot powerhouse who Forbes declared as “the Maya Angelou of the millennial generation”.

I am a news and current affairs junkie and I thought I understood the Black Lives Matter movement. Nope, I did not.

Azure gently and eloquently educated us on the reality of living as a black person in America. It’s more than Lebron James being scared for his son’s safety because he walks down the street wearing a hoodie. It’s more than the shootings that make the news. It’s more than George Floyd, Brianna Taylor and Trayvon Martin. It is an ongoing feeling that you are constantly under threat and those that are powered with protecting you may be the ones who could do you harm. For no reason than the colour of your skin.

But as Azure knows and emphasised for us, it is not just the USA where a person’s race will be the determining factor in how society and law enforcement treats humans. She gave us this “Maybe don’t take on the whole world, maybe just take on your own and ask yourself – Am I permitting this or am I speaking up?”

Here is an example of Azure’s work Chasing Cars - Azure Antoinette and Kevin McKidd

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4.??????Inspiration Can Come From Anywhere

It is not an unusual for business talk to be part of a family dinner in the Branson household. This often includes Richard’s grandchildren hearing about their Papa’s latest project, be it venturing into space or building a cruise line.

Imagine their horror when they learnt this very cruise liner was to be adults only! It was with much pride and laughter than Papa recounted to us how his granddaughter Etta had arranged for their cousins and school friends to sign a petition to try and get him to change his mind. Richard shared this with the marketing team at Virgin Voyages and a marketing campaign was born.

Virgin Voyages Says No Kids On The Ocean

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5.??????The Universe Has Your Back

Gabby Bernstein is a lot of things, #1 New York Times Best Selling Author, Spirit Junkie and a pocket rocket. But I had never heard of her… until Necker.

She spoke rawly of times when she felt the universe did not have her back and how this led to her spiritual surrender. She challenged us to identify our own need for resilience, how we are triggered and what our protecting mechanisms were.

Gabby asked for us to share our stories and when it was time to share mine, she looked me straight in the eye with her kindness and strength and told me that the universe has my back. That I had the power to still live a big life with grace through my grief. She asked us all to stop resisting and lean into the signs to let go of what we think we need and remember the truth of who we are and listen to the signs the universe is sending us.

She took me aside that night after dinner and through our now combined tears, told me that I have everything around me I need to thrive and stepped me through what I need to focus on to realign and face the path to justice for my husband. “Listen to the signs. The universe is telling you that you do not have to do this alone Shannon. Here’s the deal, you have a really good tribe, don’t you? Why are you trying to do so much by yourself?” Of course, she was right.

Gabby also told me some things I won’t share here but there is no way she could have known them if she wasn’t spiritually connected. I am truly grateful for her generosity and kick ass attitude.

During my journey through many airports to get home, I kept seeing Gabby’s gorgeous face on her book cover in airport shops while the voice in my head saying “Yep that’s my girl Gabby – spiritual guru”

6.??????Watching People Talk About Their Passion Is Exciting.

Richard Branson is a self-confessed space geek. He dreamt of going into space as a boy. The joy on his face and tears in his eyes as he talked about his experience filmed in this video was infectious. To The Next Generation of Dreamers .

His goal is to make space travel affordable in his lifetime. I don't doubt he will.

6.??????Mediation Actually Doesn’t Suck

I’ve never been good at meditation. It would feel like time wasted and I wouldn’t concentrate on the mediation instead making To Do Lists in my head. Maybe that’s because I had never heard them from Sarah Blondin’s beautiful voice.

Sarah not only taught me patience through meditation but also shared the craziest journey through Beef Island airport and laughter whilst she ‘co-piloted’ the very, very small plane that took us to Puerto Rico. What a ride – literally!

7.??????When You Treat Your Staff Well, They Return

Necker is situated in the middle of the Caribbean. For the beautiful staff that work there it is a long way from family and friends. So It’s not surprising that staff feel homesick and leave.

What’s impressive is that in the last year 50% of these staff have returned to Necker having missed it so much and some even bringing family with them.

The staff spoke glowingly of their life on Necker and their affection for Richard. His interactions with them were genuine and fun, as you would expect.

This guy, @caspermix was one of my favourites... because of his health shots! Internationally award winning mixologist who casually whipped up some Mango Coladas (with fresh mangoes grown on the island)

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8.??????The Sisterhood Is Real

So many brilliant guest speakers but it was the time that the guests and speakers spent together chatting, planning, reflecting, and supporting each other that was, literally for me, life changing. I decided I wasn’t happy living in my current house and am now surrounded by boxes ready to be packed for a move to the beach.

The women on this trip are as diverse as they come and yet we all spoke about the same challenges – ageing parents, business resilience through Covid, supporting our children and finding our value in our professional lives.

Friendships were made, cocktails were drunk, Necker’s wildlife happily wandered around us and we laughed till the wee hours.

9.??????Prepare for Re-Entry

You can imagine, after 6 days we were buzzing with energy and also mentally exhausted. Thankfully with had Cathy Burke as our MC who led us through a workshop of reflection and preparing for re-entry. She knew what we would need to “gather the jewels” and ask ourselves what has been opening up since we landed on Necker’s red jetty.

Sometimes you need to stop smell the sea breeze and look at how lucky you are. And then sell your house and move to the beach!

Thankyou to Lucy, Maggie, Lisa and Emma for just being the coolest and making this another predictably brilliant Business Chicks experience.