EP 272 Reinvention Isn’t Optional: The Inner Work Behind Building the Life (and Retreat Business) You Actually Want with Dr. Kim Dang
Release Date: 05/28/2026
EP 277 Why Being in the Room Changes Everything: Lessons from the Retreat Industry Forum
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
The Retreat Industry Forum is over... And I'm still getting messages. Every week, retreat leaders, venue owners, and wellness entrepreneurs are reaching out asking: "When is the next one?" "How do I get on the waitlist?" "I heard it was incredible. Are you doing it again?" But here's what's interesting: Most people aren't asking about the presentations. They're talking about the conversations. The connections. The collaborations. The feeling of being surrounded by people who understand this industry and are actively building something meaningful. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders...
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EP 276 The Secret Retreat Venue You've Been Sleeping On - Cinnamon Shore, Texas
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What if your next retreat venue was a walkable, luxury beach community on the Texas Coast — fully furnished, photographer-ready, and designed to make your attendees feel like they're living in a neighborhood instead of checking into a hotel? In this episode, Shannon sits down with Lee Ann Peters, the powerhouse behind Cinnamon Shore — a New Urbanist luxury beach community on the Texas Coast that has become one of Southern Living's Top 10 Beach Towns in the United States. Lee Ann left a successful Atlanta real estate career in the middle of the Great Recession to build something most people...
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EP 275 Retreat Leaders vs Venue Owners: The Disconnect Costing You Money
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
If you’re building a retreat business, this episode is required listening. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Catherine Kontos, founder of RetreatBoss, RetreatMatch, and RetreatBoss Magazine, to talk about what it actually takes to build a sustainable and profitable retreat business. With over 14 years in the industry-and a background acquiring and selling over 100 businesses and properties-Catherine brings a level of real business strategy that most of this industry is missing. This conversation about the realities of running retreats as a...
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EP 274 Why Your Retreat Isn’t Filling (Even Though You’re Posting Every Day)
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
If you’re posting every day and your retreat still isn’t filling…You’re not alone. But you are likely focusing on the wrong thing. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail breaks down the real reasons your retreat isn’t filling-even when you feel like you’re “doing all the things” on social media. Posting is not a strategy Visibility takes time to build And most retreat leaders don’t give it enough time Shannon walks through the biggest mistakes retreat leaders make when it comes to marketing and visibility-and what to do instead if you actually...
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EP 273 How Venue Networks & Influencers Are Changing the Industry with Anna VanAgtmael
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
If you’ve ever felt like hosting a retreat is way more complicated than it should be… You’re not wrong. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with returning guest Anna VanAgtmael to talk about what’s broken in the retreat industry-and what she’s building to fix it. Because right now: 👉 Retreat leaders have the audience but not the logistics 👉 Venues have the space but can’t fill it consistently 👉 And everyone is trying to figure it out on their own Anna shares her new venture-a curated retreat center directory and collaboration with Tiny...
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EP 272 Reinvention Isn’t Optional: The Inner Work Behind Building the Life (and Retreat Business) You Actually Want with Dr. Kim Dang
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
If you’ve ever felt like: your dreams are “too big” you’re “too much” or you know you’re capable of more… but you’re not living it yet This episode is for you. In this in-studio episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Dr. Kim Dang, a mathematician, reinvention strategist, and founder who has rebuilt her life and career multiple times-from Yale professor to entrepreneur in the retreat and knowledge space. Dr. Kim flew in from New York to record this conversation live in Austin-and it goes deep. This isn’t just about retreats. This is about the...
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EP 271 From Zero to 70 Leads in 24 Hours: Unlocking Meta Ads for Retreat Leaders with Jaymie Tarshis
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What if one focused day could completely change how you market your retreat business? In this episode, Shannon sits down with Jaymie Tarshis - aka The Ad Expert - a digital marketing strategist with over a decade of experience helping businesses scale using Facebook and Meta ads. Jaymie flew from San Diego to Retreat Ranch for a VIP day with Shannon's team, and the results were jaw-dropping: over 70 new leads in less than 24 hours. Shannon and Jaymie pull back the curtain on exactly what happened during that VIP day - from building a custom ad strategy from scratch, to crafting compelling...
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Special Release | From Dream to Dirt - How We Built Retreat Ranch From Scratch
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What does it actually take to build a retreat center from scratch? The land, the structures, the permits, the parking, the storage, the vision - and the marriage that has to survive all of it? In this episode, Shannon sits down with her husband Nathan Jamail - world-renowned leadership and sales keynote speaker, and co-owner of Retreat Ranch - to pull back the curtain on the real journey of building one of Texas Hill Country's most unique retreat destinations. This is not a highlight reel. This is the honest, practical, sometimes hard-won story of what it takes to go from a dream to a...
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EP 270 Retreat Insurance: What Every Retreat Leader Must Know with Event Helper
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
Let’s talk about something most retreat leaders avoid… until they absolutely can’t. Insurance. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Myles Anderson from Event Helper, an insurance provider specializing in events and retreats, to break down why insurance is not optional in the retreat industry - it’s essential. Because here’s the reality: You are responsible for people’s safety, experiences, and well-being during your retreat. And without the right coverage in place, one incident can put your entire business - and personal assets - at risk. In...
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EP 269 Why Glamping and Retreats Are the Perfect Pair (And What Retreat Leaders Need to Know) with Sarah Riley
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
The retreat industry is evolving - and one of the biggest opportunities right now sits at the intersection of glamping and retreats. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Sarah Riley, a UK-based glamping industry expert and co-organizer of The Glamping Show America, to explore how glamping and retreats are becoming one of the most powerful combinations in experiential hospitality. Sarah has been working in the glamping and retreat space since 2010, helping entrepreneurs launch lifestyle businesses and navigate the realities of building glamping sites -...
info_outlineIf you’ve ever felt like:
- your dreams are “too big”
- you’re “too much”
- or you know you’re capable of more… but you’re not living it yet
This episode is for you.
In this in-studio episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Dr. Kim Dang, a mathematician, reinvention strategist, and founder who has rebuilt her life and career multiple times-from Yale professor to entrepreneur in the retreat and knowledge space.
Dr. Kim flew in from New York to record this conversation live in Austin-and it goes deep.
This isn’t just about retreats.
This is about the inner work required to build the life and business you say you want.
They dive into:
- Why high-achievers get stuck despite their potential
- The identity shifts required for reinvention
- The “too much” narrative and how it holds people back
- The comparison trap and how to break it
- Dr. Kim’s 8-point framework used in her retreats and coaching
- Why clarity and belief systems are the foundation for everything
Dr. Kim’s work through The Deep Reset retreats is designed for leaders, creatives, and entrepreneurs who are ready to stop circling the same patterns and start building something bigger.
This episode is wide, deep, and real.
If you have a dream in your heart and you’re not living it yet—this is your conversation.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• Why high-performing entrepreneurs still feel stuck
• The role of identity in building a retreat business and life
• How belief systems shape your results
• How to break out of the comparison trap
• The foundation of Dr. Kim’s 8-point reinvention framework
• Why clarity is the first step to actualizing your goals
Key Takeaways
Reinvention Starts With Identity
Not strategy. Not tactics. Identity.
“Too Much” Is Often Untapped Potential
What you’ve been told to suppress… might be your edge.
Clarity Is Step One
You can’t build what you can’t clearly define.
Belief Systems Drive Everything
If you don’t change how you think, nothing else changes.
Comparison Kills Momentum
The more you compare, the less you create.
Structure Creates Transformation
Reinvention isn’t random—there is a process.
About Dr. Kim Dang
Dr. Kim Dang is a mathematician, reinvention strategist, and founder who has transitioned from academia at Yale to entrepreneurship in the retreat and knowledge industry.
Through her Deep Reset retreats and coaching, she helps high-performing creatives and entrepreneurs step into the next version of themselves using a structured, identity-based framework.
Learn more: https://drkimdang.com/retreats
The Retreat Leaders Podcast Resources and Links:
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Thanks for tuning into the Retreat Leaders Podcast. Remember to subscribe for more insightful episodes, and visit our website for additional resources. Let’s create a vibrant retreat community together!
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TIMESTAMPS
Introducing Dr. Kim Dang (00:01:04) Shannon introduces her guest, Dr. Kim Dang, a mathematician and reinvention strategist who transitioned from a Yale professorship.
Dr. Kim's Unique Retreats (00:03:50) Dr. Dang describes her intense, four-day retreats designed to help attendees become the "2.0 version" of themselves.
The Pain of Reinvention (00:05:43) Dr. Dang discusses the personal pain and external pushback she faced when shifting her identity and career multiple times.
The Feeling of Disconnect (00:08:11) The conversation explores how feeling disconnected from one's passion or career path is a primary driver for reinvention.
Embodying Your Future Self (00:09:11) Dr. Dang explains the importance of embodying the feeling of your future goal to ensure it's what you truly want.
Who Attends the Retreats (00:12:56) Dr. Dang clarifies her retreats are for ambitious people with big goals who have often been told they are "too much."
Creating a Retreat for Yourself (00:15:06) Shannon and Dr. Dang discuss the power of creating a retreat that you yourself would want and need to attend.
Motivation Fueled by Pain vs. Love (00:15:47) Dr. Dang shares how her math career was born from pain and the realization that true success comes from love.
External Validation vs. Internal Goals (00:19:05) The speakers discuss the pitfalls of pursuing goals for external validation versus finding fulfillment through internal desires and joy.
Truth as the Highest Frequency (00:20:28) Dr. Dang explains that authenticity and truth, even in difficult emotions, are the highest vibrational states for personal power.
Rupture and Repair (00:22:51) The concept of having the courage to rupture relationships or processes and then repair yourself is explored as essential work.
The 8-Step Reinvention Framework (00:25:56) Dr. Dang outlines her eight-step framework for reinvention, covering clarity, beliefs, fuel, action, surrender, and identity shift.
The Importance of Embodiment (00:30:54) The discussion highlights how physical practices like yoga and massage are crucial for integrating deep mindset and identity shifts.
The Paradox of Surrender (00:33:20) Dr. Dang explains that true success and manifestation often arrive in moments of relaxation and surrender, not forceful pushing.
Holding Steady in Your Vision (00:35:37) Mental strength is defined as the ability to hold onto your end goal, even when the path looks uncertain.
Is Ambition for Everyone? (00:38:16) Dr. Dang argues that everyone has an inner urge for more and that pursuing dreams reduces judgment and comparison.
The Necessity of Inner Work (00:40:05) The conversation concludes that doing the inner work is essential to overcome fear and self-sabotage on the path to success.
How to Connect with Dr. Kim Dang (00:42:35) Dr. Dang shares her website and social media handles for listeners who want to learn more about her work.