Why should founders invest in retreats?
The question one might ask is, why?
Why should a founder invest in a well being focused retreat? Why should they spend money to fund a retreat for themselves when instead they could invest those funds in their company? Why should they take time off work in order to “treat themselves” when there are numerous deadlines still to be met?
The noun “retreat” translates to “to move back or withdraw”, and this is precisely the purpose of well being retreats offered by Founders Taboo; they are orchestrated escapes specifically designed for founders whereby visitors withdraw from the “real” world for the course of a few days and are submerged into an environment close to nature where they can self-reflect, rest, and find a balm for their psychic ache.
Being a founder, one constantly needs to be “on”; they are the ones making the day-to-day decisions, planning everything, and essentially dipping their toes in every corner of their company. This is at the end of the day what makes them a great founder, the omniscient presence they have in their company, knowing the ins and outs before they even happen.?
Therefore, when a founder does finally decide to take a step back and take a break, that is what they should aim for: a break. Hence why retreats are beneficial for founders; they allow founders to take the backseat for once while someone else is at the wheel.?
Everything, from the location, to the activities, to the workshops offered, are no longer in the hands of the founder, thus allowing them to focus on what really needs attention: themselves.?
In an ideal world, by going to a retreat one unplugs from their everyday responsibilities and worries. But while that may be true for some, when it comes to founders it is unrealistic to expect that they leave their troubles at home.?
If you are a founder, here is a hard truth: those troubles will follow you and there will be moments when they will cloud your mind and weigh down your shoulders.
But the aim of going on a retreat is not to leave those worries behind and then find them piling up, waiting to consume you once you return home.?
While it might seem like an unorthodox approach, the aim of founder specialised retreats is to bring those worries with you, unpack and monitor them, so that when you do return home, they are a lighter burden to carry.?
The retreat will not take them off your shoulders, but instead will provide you with an outlet to address those worries as well as give you necessary tools with which to tackle on-going struggles relating to your mental health and business. It is a safe space to express curiosity about different aspects of mental health, and learn new practices.??
We have already hosted our first Founders retreat this past August in Schruns, Austria. The founders who joined us expressed high levels of gratitude for taking a step back and reflecting on their inner world through the exercises offered during the retreat.?
One of the founders who joined us in August stated the following about his overall experience: “Stepping out of the daily routine and sharing experiences and emotions with other top entrepreneurs of Founders Taboo is a great and cost effective way to reboot.”
The retreat consisted of mental health workshops led by Gillian Cribbs, an organisational psychologist and leadership coach, who then guided the founders on how to give each other advice on matters relating to their businesses and mental wellbeing.?
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This is the beauty of founder wellbeing retreats, a community is formed where founders draw strength from one another by being in an environment where they feel understood and seen, while they themselves are able to observe and realise that they are not alone, acting as each other’s mentor.?
A month after our retreat took place, the community – or may I say family – built during the days of the retreat is still very active, with founders sharing their worries, words of comfort, and milestones regularly.
Founder well-being retreats, such as the ones offered by Founders Taboo, adjust elements to the needs of founders by encouraging them to look inwards in order to then better reflect outwards on the needs of both themselves and their company. Indeed, the specificity and attention to detail when creating a founders retreat is not limited to the content provided, but is also layered in the retreat’s structure.?
At Founders Taboo we specifically design retreats to take place during the week in order to prompt founders to take a break during a working week – that in itself being the first challenge a founder must face when committing to joining the retreat. We are also very passionate about you not taking time away from your family and friends, which normally happens over the weekend.?
Retreats are an investment for a founder as by contributing in one’s self and mental well being, the founder is subsequently investing in their company. By taking a step back and removing themselves from their everyday environment, it is easier for founders to have a clearer perspective, providing the space for new and fresh ideas to flourish.
I am sure some of you can relate to the feeling of having a breakthrough idea when out for a walk or when you remove yourself from your business environment for a while.This is normal. It is because you have taken a step back.?
While we offer group retreats, we appreciate the limited time or funds of founders (especially in the beginning cycles of their company), or even their preference for some solo time. Thus, we encourage founders to spend some necessary quality time with themselves, even if it is in their neighbouring city. As founder and CEO of Hydros, Winston Ibrahim, writes in his article on the importance of solo retreats for founders: “The extravagance of the destination isn’t what matters. What matters is that when you look outside your window, you aren’t looking at the same way of life that you see every other day”; the importance lies in changing one’s perspective by taking a step back.?
Taking the importance of solo time into consideration, during our retreats we strive to implement time for self-reflection exercises and establish a balanced blend between solitary and group activities. That is because, while solo time is definitely necessary and beneficial, as Maren Thomas Bannon states: group retreats allow for the creation of a support system consisting of fellow founders with whom one can honestly share their mental health experiences as a founder.?
If the excuse is that you are busy, this is exactly what it is. An excuse. You will always be busy. This is about investing in yourself so that you can then bring the best results for your company.
Having now experienced the effects of our first founders’ mental health retreat, our team is busy planning our upcoming retreat in December. It will once again be held in Schruns, Austria, and will encompass a mixture of counselling sessions and meditation practices, having as a backdrop the snowy mountains of Montafon.?
We implore you to take a step back and join us in paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable mental health world for founders.