How Niching Down Filled This Retreat with Matthew Brandt
How To Run Profitable Retreats
Release Date: 02/12/2026
Authorship in the Age of AI: How to Write a Book That Positions You as the Authority in 2026. with Tina Kapp-Kailea
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What does it really take to write a book that positions you as the authority, not just another story on a shelf? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, Leni Cavazos sits down with Tina Kapp-Kailea, international best-selling author, publisher, embodiment coach, and TEDx speaker, to unpack the truth about authorship in today’s AI-driven world. This conversation goes far beyond “write your book in 90 days.” Instead, it explores what most people don’t talk about: the emotional weight of writing your story, the responsibility you hold as a leader, and the difference between...
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Why Every Coach, Speaker, and Leader Should Host a Retreat with Amanda Hietter
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What if hosting a retreat wasn’t just about the experience, but about expanding your impact, deepening client relationships, and building a more profitable business model? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with Amanda Hietter, CEO of Across the Horizon Travel and creator of Heat Up Your Retreats. Amanda supports coaches, pastors, and business leaders in designing transformational travel experiences, and in this conversation, we break down what most people get wrong when planning their first retreat. We talk about why retreats are such a powerful tool for growth,...
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Why “Giving Back” Is Hurting Your Retreat Business with Lori McDowell
How To Run Profitable Retreats
Most retreat leaders say they want to “give back.” But what if the way you’re doing it… is actually hurting your business? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I’m joined by Lori McDowell, transformational strategist, retreat curator, and author of The Re-Invention Mindset, to break down a powerful (and often misunderstood) concept in the retreat space: You cannot give from a business that isn’t profitable. Together, we unpack: ▪️ Why discounting your retreat is NOT the same as giving back ▪️ The hidden cost of underpricing (for both you and your clients)...
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From Self-Doubt to Leading Retreats: Helping Women Step Into Their Voice with Amy Leffler
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What does it really take to lead a retreat, especially when you’re still questioning your own voice? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, Leni Cavazos sits down with Amy Leffler, life and business coach, retreat facilitator, and co-founder of Be Well Ladies Retreats, to explore the internal shift that every retreat leader must make before anything else works. With over 20 years of experience in human resources and organizational leadership, Amy shares what it looked like to be successful on paper… while still feeling like she didn’t belong in the room. From corporate...
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From Inspiration to Implementation: The Missing Piece in Retreats Bridget James Ling
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What if the reason your retreat, or event, isn’t creating real transformation… is the way you’re framing it? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Bridget James Ling, founder of Freedom Queen and creator of one of the fastest-growing global movements for women building high-impact, high-profit businesses. We go beyond the surface of “retreats” and unpack what actually creates momentum, identity shifts, and real results inside in-person experiences. Bridget shares why she once said “I hate retreats”… and how that perspective led her to design events that generate...
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The Awakening of the Dimensional Leader with Dr. Aimee Harris
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What if wellness wasn’t just about one area of life, but about the full picture of how we live, lead, work, and connect? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I’m joined by Dr. Aimee Harris, founder of Dimensional Wellness and creator of the Dimensional Wellness Matrix. With a PhD in corporate wellness and a deep background in leadership development, employee well-being, and transformational programs, Dr. Aimee brings a perspective that is both highly strategic and deeply human. We talk about why true wellness cannot be separated into neat little boxes, and how emotional,...
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Why Most Retreats Fail (And How to Design Profitable, Sold-Out Experiences) with Sheri A. Rosenthal
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What actually makes a retreat successful… and why do so many fail? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I’m joined by Sheri A. Rosenthal, a leader in the retreat industry who has designed and led over 1,000 retreats worldwide. Together, we break down what it really takes to create retreats that are not only transformational, but also profitable and sustainable. We talk about: ▪️ Why retreats are inherently transformational (even when you don’t expect them to be) ▪️ The biggest mistake retreat leaders make when choosing their ideal client ▪️ How pricing impacts...
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What Broadway Can Teach You About Irresistible Offers
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What if your retreats sold the way Broadway shows do, months in advance, at multiple price points, with built-in demand? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I’m breaking down the exact mechanics behind how theater producers consistently sell out shows… and how you can apply the same strategy to your offers. Because Broadway isn’t lucky. It’s engineered. Inside this episode, you’ll learn how to design an offer that feels clear, compelling, and impossible to ignore, without adding more bonuses, more complexity, or more noise. ⬛️ We dive into: ▪️ The “Power of...
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The International Retreats Association with Holly Porter
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What if the retreat industry had global standards, real support, and a space where leaders didn’t have to figure everything out alone? In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with Holly Porter, retreat industry visionary and founder of the International Retreats Association, to talk about the future of this rapidly growing space and what it actually takes to build retreats that are both transformational and sustainable. Holly shares how a deeply personal, spiritual calling led her to create an organization designed to unify, elevate, and bring integrity to the global...
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The Hidden Harmony Behind Transformational Retreats with Agathe Lazaro
How To Run Profitable Retreats
What makes a retreat truly transformational? In this episode, Leni Cavazos sits down with Agathe Lazaro, designer, retreat space curator, and founder of sacred retreat properties in Provence, France and Pondicherry, India, to explore the deeper layers of retreat creation. This conversation bridges the worlds of hospitality, neuroscience, sensory intelligence, and retreat leadership, revealing why the most powerful retreats are designed with far more than schedules and workshops. ⬛️ In this episode, you’ll discover: ▪️ Why the retreat experience begins long before participants arrive...
info_outlineWhat happens when passion meets structure, and the right niche changes everything?
In this episode of How to Run Profitable Retreats, I sit down with Matthew Brandt, founder of Tactical Retreats, retired law enforcement officer, Navy veteran, and retreat leader creating life-changing experiences for veterans and first responders.
Matthew shares his real, behind-the-scenes journey of launching retreats with heart, and learning (sometimes the hard way) how clarity, positioning, and niching down create momentum.
You’ll hear how:
▪️ His first retreat barely filled, then a single shift led to 75 women on a waitlist in one week
▪️ Niching within a niche unlocked demand, confidence, and sustainability
▪️ Trauma-informed retreat design is not optional, it’s essential
▪️ Listening to your audience can radically transform your business
▪️ A small, boutique retreat model can scale into international retreats and property ownership
Matthew also shares deeply human stories from the retreat space, from women arriving terrified and ready to leave… to sitting around the fire hours later saying, “I don’t want to go home.”
We talk about leadership, safety, trust, resilience, and why passion alone is not enough, systems are what allow your mission to grow.
This episode is a must-listen for retreat leaders who:
▪️ Feel called to do meaningful work
▪️ Want proof that strategy and heart can coexist
▪️ Are ready to refine their niche and scale responsibly
▪️ Believe retreats should heal, not create more trauma
👀 How to Connect With Today’s Guest
▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacticalretreatunplugged/
▪️ Website: http://www.tacticalretreat.org
⬛️ Book: Footsteps of the Soul: A Veteran’s Quest for Healing and Purpose Along the Camino de Santiago https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/footsteps-of-the-soul-matthew-g-brandt/1147720207
🎧 If you loved this episode, share it & leave a rating, it helps more retreat leaders find this work. 🖤
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