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Information for Potential Retreat Leaders and Teachers

Do you want to host your students on a memorable, life-changing retreat the easy way? Read on…

WHAT?

What does Retreat Savvy do?

Retreat Savvy provides full-service retreat management for yoga and other teachers who want to host memorable retreats for their students in exquisite locations, without the responsibility for logistics. “Treat” is a perfect solution for teachers who either don’t know how or don’t have the time or patience to do all the nitty-gritty that is required to organize an extraordinary retreat. With the help of Treat, teachers can focus on what they love doing most – teaching! Treat will create the tools you need to promote your retreat, including a brochure and your own retreat page on the Treat website. All you need to do is promote the retreat by telling all of your students about it, distributing the brochures in your classes and targeted locations around town, and sharing the webpage link via your newsletters, your own website, Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. Treat is an excellent fit for teachers who want only the best for their students, and who have a strong enough following to attract 10 or 20 students who could commit to a unique, intimate retreat.

What is “full-service retreat management”?

Hosting a high-quality, memorable retreat takes a lot of time-consuming work behind-the-scenes. Relying on its extensive retreat-hosting experience and excellent organizational skills, Treat handles every detail for you, so you can show up and lead. Full-service retreat management includes:

Complete research on the venue and all of its specifics, the weather patterns for specific times of year and travel details.
Booking the venue.
Retreat-specific website landing page on www.retreatsavvy.com with all the details that your students will need to register, including photos, testimonials, etc.
Production of a brochure for your retreat.
Correspondence with prospective participants about retreat details and logistics, including questions about travel matters, forwarding on to teachers any questions that arise regarding the content of the classes.
Registration processing, including answering all of your students’ questions as above, and accounting for all payments.
Collecting a waiver from each participant.
Regular communication with you, the retreat-leader, keeping you up-to-date on registration numbers.
Arranging ground transportation.
Providing detailed packing lists and responding to What To Bring questions.
Arranging roommates, etc.
Processing cancellations, assisting in refilling empty space when possible, and processing refunds when applicable.
Coordinating meals and guest food restrictions and requirements.
Coordinating logistics and details with the venue, including working with the daily schedule and needs.
Handling international payments to venue.
Paying retreat-leader in just one check at the end (no accounting necessary!!).
Collecting testimonials after the retreat is over.

Treat handles all the behind-the-scenes planning, tracking, coordinating, so you can have the best time possible leading your group.

WHO?

Who is Retreat Savvy?

Retreat Savvy believes that yoga retreats are the perfect way to revive one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, while having fun and building new bonds of friendship at the same time. Retreats are our favorite way to teach and practice because everyday distractions are removed and the focus is on the health, comfort and happiness of the students. Daily classes with a progressive curriculum allow for a deep immersion into the practice, and facilitate great transformation and healing. Retreat Savvy provides full-service retreat management for teachers and students who want the best of these experiences in the most exquisite and inspiring locations.

Who is Laura Christensen?

Retreat Savvy was founded by Laura Christensen, a yoga teacher with over 20 years of retreat experience both as a participant and a teacher. Laura has led more than 20 successful international retreats and hundreds more domestic yoga events. Laura is, indeed, very savvy about retreat planning and execution, with a background in event planning for the senior executives at Charles Schwab and Robertson Stephens.

A dedicated yoga student for 24 years and a teacher for 15, Laura understands both the needs of the students and the teachers. Laura brings her absolute integrity and deep care for the well-being of her students to her retreats, and now to Retreat Savvy, ensuring a high-quality experience for all participants, teachers included. She is a retreat “pro” as evidenced by the countless inquiries she receives regularly from other teachers about how to lead a retreat, and the many students who put their trust in her and keep coming back for more.

WHERE?

Where does Retreat Savvy go?

Currently, Treat is offering retreat services to Elixir de Careyes, which is located in Costalegre (Happy Coast) on the Pacific, beach side of Jalisco, Mexico, approximately 180 km south of Puerto Vallarta, or 108 km north of Manzanillo. With time, retreat services will also be offered for select destinations in Northern California, Bali and more.

When it comes to Careyes, think an up-scale slice of paradise, where the brilliance of nature converges with barefoot elegance. Think chic luxury, minus the pretense.

In addition to participating in and leading more than 60 yoga retreats, Treat has also conducted extensive research on hundreds of retreat centers. In the end, Treat has discovered that there is simply no place on earth that is more ideally suited for a powerfully rich yoga retreat, than Careyes.

Careyes offers uniquely stunning private villas in the middle of a majestic natural reserve, some of the world’s most beautiful pools, an exclusive, pristine coastline with private beaches, unparalleled hospitality, luxurious lounges for intimate community time, breathtaking coastal views, fresh, healthy, delectable food, and an idyllic outdoor yoga pavilion surrounded by water. You’re sure to be just as inspired as your guests.

While retreating, you have exclusive use of the villas and the yoga studio, assuring a high-quality and intimate experience for all participants, yourself included. You set the desired mood, and the highly attentive on-site staff will support your vision.

Learn more about Careyes by clicking here and by scrolling down to the “Why Elixir de Careyes?” section. Enjoy viewing photos by clicking here.

WHEN?

When Can I Lead a Retreat?

Retreat Savvy offers access to Careyes from late October to May. Please note that bookings must be made 6 months in advance and that longer lead times are preferred. Shorter lead times are accepted if there is availability AND you have a confirmed group of 10 participants.

WHY?

Why Lead a Retreat?

As a retreat leader you can facilitate healing and transformation for your dear students. Having the luxury of one group of students for a given amount of time allows for a deeper dive into the practice, for classes to be taught in a progressive manner, each building on the last. A retreat is an inviting setting for community connection and the development of new and lasting friendships with like-minded people. Retreats are FUN! Have a fabulous time with your students while earning money at the same time.

Why Retreat Savvy?

Laura Christensen, the founder of Retreat Savvy, has extensive experience in retreat organization, having led and managed over 20 successful international yoga retreats and hundreds more national yoga events. Laura has excellent organizational skills and a background in corporate event planning for senior executives at Charles Schwab and Robertson Stephens.

You can trust Treat for seamless coordination of retreat details. (Please see above for "WHAT" is included in our full-service retreat management.)

Laura has made an excellent, memorable experience her top priority. Check out what other participants have had to say on our Testimonials page. Treat’s aim for every retreat is to create a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience for both the retreat-leader and participants. Because Treat handles all the logistics, you can focus on interweaving your magic with the magic of Careyes for an extraordinary spiritual experience.

With Treat, you can indulge yourself and your students while simultaneously earning money through our tiered-incentive program. For more information on retreat opportunities, email Laura@retreatsavvy.com.

Why Elixir de Careyes?

Careyes truly is magical. Simply put, it’s the best place in the world for a retreat, especially yoga! One question that gets asked more than once at every single retreat in Careyes is, “How did you find this place?!”

In addition to what is listed above in the “Where” section, here are some other reasons to retreat to Careyes:

The tranquil, yet potent ambience is the perfect environment in which to retreat, rejuvenate, meditate and/or play, laugh, dance and bond with your group.
Sole occupancy of the venue by your retreat group means you can create the desired energy.
It may end up being one of the most amazing places you’ve ever experienced.
It’s completely safe and stress-free.
All of the past guests agree that no matter how gorgeous the photos are, they do not do Careyes justice.
The exquisite private pools and villas are world-famous and have been featured in movies, many location fashion shoots, and reality TV shows.
The beaches are exclusive and within walking distance. No beach vendors and no beach crowds.
A beautiful, warm, clean ocean that allows for great swimming and stand up paddling. There is surfing nearby also.
Comfortably-appointed rooms with real walls and doors, not just tents and mosquito netting, and shared open-air lounging and dining areas with magnificent views.
The designated care of a professional, attentive on-site butler, chef and staff.
A beautiful, covered, outdoor yoga space surrounded by a lush jungle and complete with a lounging area, fresh flowers, stereo, showers, steam room, purified water, towels and enough yoga props for even the best restorative yoga classes – yes, including sandbags!
Delicious, plentiful and healthy food (yes, we do mean lots of guacamole!).
An expansive property, which provides ample space for group gatherings while simultaneously allowing individuals to carve out private time and space.
A naturally prana-rich, therapeutic environment so ideal for healing, rejuvenating, meditating, sun-bathing, reading and relaxing that guests may not want to ever leave the property, yet a host of activities await off-site.
Set in the middle of a natural reserve but you will enjoy the comforts of home – i.e., electricity, hot water, air-conditioning and wifi – without the responsibilities!
Lots of surprises, including special excursions that may include a castle visit!

After 12 incredible and memorable retreats in Elixir de Careyes, Retreat Savvy has developed a close and exclusive relationship with the management. You and your group will benefit greatly from a relationship that has taken years to build.

As you can see in the photo s, Elixir de Careyes is elegant and comfortable, with every amenity. Its size, lounging and poolside areas, and dining rooms promote an intimate feeling, while the lay-out and vistas simultaneously make you feel like you are living large.

Its comforts make it a perfect, safe venue for diving into self-exploration and deep personal work. To read more about Careyes, please click here.

HOW?

How Do I Get Started On Scheduling My Own Retreat?

To schedule your very own once-in-a-lifetime retreat to Elixir de Careyes:

Please contact Laura at laura@retreatsavvy.com or 415-310-9784 to begin the conversation.
Once agreed that we are a good fit, Treat will begin organizing your retreat, create a brochure and web page specific to your retreat.You spread the word!
You’ll distribute the brochure to your students and around town in targeted public places. You’ll also add your Retreat Savvy webpage link to your website and promote the retreat through your social media channels. Prospective participants will find all the information there that they need.
Treat will handle the behind-the-scenes coordination, registration, accounting, etc.
You get on a plane, fly to Mexico and lead a memorable retreat.
When you return, you receive a check! (Based on the agreed-upon tiered-incentive program.)
Treat collects testimonials and we start planning for your next retreat!