EP 283 Retreat Audit: Why Your Retreat Isn't Filling (A Real-Life Case Study)
Release Date: 09/10/2026
EP 291 It Takes a Team: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes of a Retreat with Shannon’s Entire Team
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
You might be the face of your retreat. But you're probably not the person making every single thing happen behind the scenes. At least, you shouldn't be. In this special episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail brings together her retreat team for a candid conversation about what REALLY goes into creating an exceptional retreat experience. Joining Shannon are Lily Lorenz, Retreat Activities Coordinator; Kim DeMoss, Food & Beverage and Retreat Logistics Manager; and Cynthia Deaton, Retreat Assistant. Together, they're pulling back the...
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EP 290 Create the Retreat You Wish Existed: Finding Your Niche with Natalie Beer
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What if the retreat you've been searching for is actually the retreat you're supposed to create? In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Natalie Beer, UK-based retreat leader and founder of Wild at Heart Retreats, to talk about creating the retreat you wish existed and why finding your niche might be one of the most important decisions you make as a retreat leader. Too many retreat leaders start by looking at what everyone else is doing. Another yoga retreat. Another wellness weekend. Another beautiful destination with a...
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EP 289 Your Retreat Isn't the Problem. Your Messaging Might Be with Lucy Bedewi
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
You've created an incredible retreat. Beautiful venue. Thoughtful itinerary. Amazing activities. Great food. You post about it and people tell you: "OMG, this sounds AMAZING!" But they're not booking. The problem might not be your retreat. It might be your messaging. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with brand messaging strategist and copywriter Lucy Bedewi, founder of , to talk about the difference between words that sound pretty and words that actually make people take action. Lucy...
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EP 288 My Retreat Business Tech Stack: The Tools My Team and I Actually Use Every Day
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
I love a good tool. But I don't love paying for 37 different platforms that basically do the same thing. In this solo episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, I'm opening up my actual business toolbox and sharing the platforms, apps, and resources my team and I use to run my businesses and retreats every day. These aren't random tools I found online. These are the tools we actually use. From creating marketing content and scheduling social media to managing my team, booking clients, selling retreats, hosting courses, protecting the business legally, and...
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EP 287 Why You Need a Retreat Coordinator with Lily Lorenz
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
Who's answering the vendor's call while you're leading a workshop? Who's checking that lunch is arriving on time, making sure the next activity is ready, answering a guest's question, communicating a schedule change, and figuring out Plan B when something inevitably doesn't go according to plan? Hopefully, not you. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with someone who knows exactly what happens behind the scenes of a retreat: Lily Lorenz, Shannon's assistant, Operations Manager at Retreat Ranch, and Retreat Activities...
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EP 286 How to Get Started Hosting Retreats: The Beginners Guide
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
You want to host a retreat. Great. But please don't start by finding a gorgeous villa in Costa Rica and putting down a deposit. There is a lot that should happen first. In this solo episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail breaks down how to get started hosting retreats, based on what she has learned from leading and hosting more than 100 retreats and owning a retreat venue. And the first step isn't picking a location, creating an itinerary, or designing a logo. It's experiencing retreats yourself. Shannon walks through seven steps aspiring...
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EP 285 Astrocartography for Retreat Leaders: Could the Right Location Change Everything? with Krystal Thompson
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
Does where you live, work, or host retreats actually influence how you feel, create, and lead? In this fascinating episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with astrocartographer Krystal Thompson, founder of Aura Maps, to explore how location may impact everything from your creativity and confidence to your relationships and business success. After experiencing her own personal astrocartography reading with Krystal, Shannon wanted to dive deeper into how this powerful tool can help retreat leaders choose retreat destinations, understand why...
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EP 284 Energy Before Strategy: Why Your Retreat Business Can't Outperform You with Michelle Villalobos
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
Most retreat leaders believe the answer to growing their business is another strategy. Another funnel. Another marketing tactic. Another social media platform. But what if the greatest opportunity isn't changing what you do...it's changing the energy you bring to everything you do? In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Michelle Villalobos, business strategist, retreat leader, and creator of the Business Breakthrough Program, to discuss why energy precedes outcomes and how your internal alignment directly impacts...
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EP 283 Retreat Audit: Why Your Retreat Isn't Filling (A Real-Life Case Study)
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What if your retreat isn't struggling because of the economy, Facebook, or Instagram? What if it's something much simpler? In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail walks through a real retreat audit after a coaching call with one of the retreat leaders hosting at Retreat Ranch. Within minutes, Shannon uncovered multiple issues that were hurting registrations. None of them required a bigger advertising budget. None of them required starting over. They simply needed to be fixed. This episode is a practical checklist every retreat leader...
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EP 282 Why Live Music and Art Make Retreats More Powerful with Christine Baird
The Retreat Leaders Podcast
What makes a retreat unforgettable? It is rarely just the itinerary. It is the feeling. The energy in the room. The moments guests did not expect. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Austin-based singer, songwriter, and musician Christine Baird to talk about the role of live music, art, and real human connection in creating transformational retreat experiences. Christine has performed at multiple retreats hosted by Shannon, and together they explore why live music brings something to a retreat...
info_outline- Why every retreat host must market consistently
- How to audit your retreat landing page for higher conversions
- The biggest SEO mistakes retreat leaders make
- How AI and keyword strategy are changing retreat marketing
- Why visibility matters more than follower count
- How to improve your retreat website for Google and ChatGPT
- Why your retreat promise must match your marketing
- The importance of trust signals like reviews, testimonials, and videos
- Why most retreat leaders stop promoting far too early
- How one small change can dramatically increase retreat registrations
Retreat Audit Checklist
- Learn to Host Retreats
- Join our private Facebook Group
- Get your legal docs for retreats
- Join our LinkedIn Group
- Apply to be a guest on our show
- Grab the AI + SEO Mini Course
- Grab the Pitch to Profit Mini Course
- My two favorite social media tools: Metricool and ManyChat
Introduction to Retreat Audits (00:00:50) Shannon introduces the concept of a retreat audit, using a recent strategy call with a retreat leader as an example.
The Importance of Consistent Marketing (00:03:17) Shannon stresses the need for at least 30 minutes of daily marketing and consistent social media presence for your retreat.
Leveraging Free Visibility Opportunities (00:07:21) Discussion on using free promotional opportunities offered by venues, local chambers, and online platforms like Facebook Events to boost SEO.
Optimizing Your Landing Page (00:09:21) Tips for creating a clear, mobile-friendly landing page that quickly communicates who the retreat is for and what problem it solves.
Developing a Keyword Strategy (00:12:16) The importance of using a keyword strategy, not hashtags, to drive all content and improve visibility on search and social media.
Creating a Clear Call to Action (00:15:18) Advice on having a single, clear call to action on your landing page, preferably "book your spot," to avoid confusion.
Allowing Enough Lead Time (00:18:05) Shannon explains why a 6 to 12-month lead time is ideal for marketing and allowing potential guests to plan accordingly.
Building Trust and Credibility (00:19:44) How to build trust using authentic content, testimonials, and clear credentials, while avoiding overuse of AI-generated images and text.
Utilizing Your Email List (00:22:35) The power of email marketing is highlighted as a crucial tool for building trust and communicating directly with your audience.
Understanding Why People Don't Book (00:23:31) Focusing on selling the benefits and transformation of the retreat, not just the features like yoga classes or meals.
The Power of an FAQ Section (00:24:18) Shannon emphasizes adding a detailed FAQ section to your website to answer common questions and significantly boost your SEO.
Creating Evergreen Content (00:25:18) The value of creating long-form, evergreen content like blogs and YouTube videos that live forever and build long-term traction.
The Final Audit: Consistency and Follow-Up (00:28:03) A final encouragement to audit yourself on consistency, showing up, and the critical importance of quick follow-ups with potential guests.