Get support sifting through ideas to craft your vision.
The biggest risk a person can take is to do nothing - Robert Kiyosaki
Birthing Your Business retreats are suitable for:
People wanting to get clarity as to whether self-employment would suit their lifestyle and personality
People looking to create a business, test ideas & obtain fresh perspective
Those wanting practical help with branding & marketing their business venture
Kinaesthetic learners
Business Course
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The Surrounds
Work inside or take time outside in the elements to soak in birdsong and nature
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The Space
A tranquil, restful space with bushland views and access to starry skies
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Local Walks
Chase waterfalls after dark on a local spectacular floodlit night walk in Katoomba
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Local Waterfalls
Our retreat centre is within walking distance of healing Mini Ha Ha waterfall
Marketing Course
Testimonial
“After taking part in the Writes of passage 'Birth your Business' retreat in the lovely setting of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, I can't speak highly enough of Marcus and his program. I was so impressed and grateful to Marcus for his thorough mentorship as he offers a fountain of experience and information about getting your business off the ground and into the digital world. If you have a business idea that you would like to share with the world but are confused about how to get started than this is the program you need to take.”
~ Anthony Maraca
Business Retreat
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Program Outline
Day One
Morning Sessions 9:30am - 12:30pm
We begin by having you get clear on why you’re going into business and how your talents, passion and sense of mission might find alignment. When you are starting a new venture it can be hard to convey what it is you are setting out to do. Defining the niche you’re going to service and distinguishing yourself from the crowd is the practical foundation necessary to launch a brand and effectively market your offering.
The second session involves tackling the legal and financial aspects of setting up a business. You will explore which structure will suit you best and look at a range of practical considerations such as choosing a business name, learning about avenues of business support and much more.
Lunch 12:30pm
Afternoon Sessions 1:00pm - 4:00pm
You might have a brilliant concept behind your business but it is hard to flourish if no one knows about it. To market yourself effectively you need to gain some understanding of marketing, especially digital marketing being such a powerhouse in this era. All things marketing will be covered here.
So many of our purchasing decisions are now made online through the searches we do. You’ll learn how search engines direct customers and determine what terms to use in your marketing in order to capture your ideal target markets.
Waterfall Walk (Optional) 4:00 - 6:00pm
There is an optional waterfall walk for you to do at the end of the day. Exercise and time in nature allows you time to contemplate the days’ learnings.
Another option is to take part in a stand up paddleboarding session or mountain bike ride (weather permitting).
Dinner 6:30 - 7:30pm
Enjoy a home cooked, organic meal or travel out to try one of Katoomba’s local dining facilities.
Evening (Optional) 7:30pm onwards
There are a range of optional evening activities for you to enjoy, such as listening to or reading poetry, life stories, or enjoying a thought-provoking film or inspiring documentary. Other options include self-guided meditation and yoga.
Day Two
Breakfast 8:30am
Enjoy a homemade breakfast, tea or coffee on the verandah whilst the kookaburras and other local birds sing.
Morning Session 9:30am - 12:30pm
Your marketing focus might be on a website, social media platform, blog, another avenue or most likely a combination of all of these. In order to present yourself as professional, capable and having something compelling to offer, your branding and all the content you share needs to express these things. We will work on crafting your content and branding to ensure you stand out from the crowd.
In this session we will utilise a digital tool that is free to use. Using all of the branding and other foundational elements from previous sessions, we will optimise this tool for your business to help you become noticed.
Lunch 12:30pm
Afternoon Session 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Realising that digital marketing is the main channel through which businesses obtain customers, everyone is creating an online presence. To rise above the pack there are a number of things you can do to see your business appear in the coveted first page of Google. Both online and offline techniques to spread the word about your business initiative will be covered in this module.
Many moons ago Benjamin Franklin said that ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!’ We conclude our two day intensive by helping you design a plan that will break down the steps you need to take into easy to manage chunks. It is easy to do a course and feel motivated during it but leaving with something practical to work through ensures your business idea is cultivated from a seedling through to germination and seeing it bear fruit.
Cost: $590 for a 2 day small business course *$50 discount on a weekday retreat.
Inclusions: Our art and wellness retreats include accommodation, meals, workbooks, counselling and activities.
Optional session of bibliotherapy. Learn more about our bibliotherapy service.
Location: Katoomba, Blue Mountains NSW.
A Different Kind of Life
Richard Buckminster Fuller held several conventional jobs before settling into the role of president of a company.
At 32, he lost his job when the company began to sink. Depression led him to contemplate suicide before his trajectory changed when he had a Non-Ordinary Transcendent Experience (NOTE).
He heard a voice which challenged him to live an extraordinary life and so he chose to embark on "an experiment, to find what a single individual could contribute to changing the world and benefiting all humanity.”
He went from a standard management role as an employee to a freewheeling architect, systems theorist, author, designer, inventor and futurist. Contrasting the difference between employment and self-employment he said:
“The minute you begin to do what you really want to do, it's really a different kind of life.”
Self-Employment over Employment
While spending a number of years in my career working in recruitment I noticed how rare it was for people to find job roles that expressed their talents and passions, let alone find employers and work environments that cultivated these aspects.
Outside of work, I met individuals who were able to get the best of everything through designing a different kind of life offered through self-employment.
Alignment between suitability to standard employment and working for an enlightened employer do marry up at times but for most people, this is hardly the case.
The consultancy firm Deloitte report that 1 in 5 people are engaged in their work, the activity we spend most of our lives doing. Taking into account that half of those who report being engaged are self-employed, only 10% of employed people are engaged in their jobs.
Imagine the creative potential and social change that could occur if the genius of that other 90% was unlocked?
After leaving employment to work as a freelance careers advisor I had to learn a range of new competencies including marketing skills and in particular, digital marketing.
I’ve distilled these learning experiences into this Birth Your Business program to help people get the best possible chance of succeeding when it comes to doing what they love while earning a livelihood.
Blue Mountains Retreats
“Great things are done when people and mountains meet;
this is not done by jostling in the street.”
- William Blake
Take in a local stargazing tour at night
Rejuvenate in the Blue Mountains natural wonders
Retreats NSW
Art Retreat
Discover your creative potential and explore a variety of artistic mediums. Art Retreat
Astrology Retreat
An introduction to astrology where you learn about the zodiacs planets, signs, houses and how they impact one another. Astrology Retreat
Birth Your Business Retreat
A new small business is started every 100 seconds. Learn how to take your passions and make your livelihood doing what you love. Small Business Course
Boost Your Business
Learn how to make your business thrive & contribute to positive social change. Business Course
Breath Work Retreat
Intensive 2 and 3 day breathwork programs to help you release trauma and energy blockages. Breathwork Retreat
Career Retreat
Take a mini sabbatical to determine your ideal career & how to actualise it. Career Retreat
Couples Therapy Retreat
A program to enrich or revive one's relationship. Couples Counselling Retreat
Family Constellations
Explore your Internal Family Systems to liberate yourself from inherited beliefs and intergenerational trauma. Family Constellations Retreat
Family Healing Retreat
A program that explores the mother/father wounding and overcoming our imprints. Family Healing Retreat
Healing Retreat
Our healing retreat takes you through a range of modalities such as energetic healing, breathwork, transpersonal counselling & more. Healing Retreat
Health Retreat
Our health retreat takes a holistic approach to optimise your body, mind and emotional health. Health Retreat Blue Mountains
Life Purpose Retreat
Finding your life purpose is like the hub of a wheel, everything radiates out from it. Life Purpose Retreat
Love Retreat
Instead of gaming love, master the game of love by understanding your core needs and the blocks between you & a lasting connection. Singles Retreat
Maiden to Mother Retreat
An initiation to heal and move beyond the maiden phase of development & into the strength & centredness of the mother. Women’s Retreat
Men's Retreat / Women's Retreat
Integrate your divine feminine & divine masculine to find inner wholeness, sustain fulfilling relationships and obtain greater life direction. Sacred Union More
Mental Health Retreat
A program which focuses on working through mental health issues in a more holistic way that mainstream methodogies. Mental Health Retreat
Midlife Crisis Retreat
Midlife crisis presents us with a great opportunity to transition from the morning of life into the afternoon of life. Midlife Retreat
Mystical Retreat
A week long intensive where you learn the art of astrology, numerology, tarot & sacred geometry. Mystical Retreat
Rewilding Retreat
Recalibrate with nature, technology, yourself & your place in the world. Reconfigure your life in a radically simple and integrated way. Rewilding Retreat
Sacred Geometry Course
Create sacred geometry, learn the 9 numerology archetypes and explore your soul blueprint. Sacred Geometry Retreat
Self Discovery Retreat
A retreat centred around understanding yourself at the deepest level to integrate who you are with the life you live. Self Discovery Retreat
Self Love Retreat
Ideal for singles working on relationship patterns & those who could use some self care & greater appreciation for who they are. Self Love Retreat
Silent Retreat
Our silent retreats help you attain greater clarity through a calmer mind and clearer perspective. Silent Retreat Blue Mountains
Spiritual Awakening Retreat
A program to explore spiritual awakening and the process of understanding & expressing your soul aspect. Spiritual Retreat
Tarot Retreat
A Jungian retreat exploring the major arcana #0-3.Depth psychology & archetypal integration through a tarot course. Tarot Retreat
Wealth Retreat
There is an energetic aspect to money often overlooked. Explore the psychology of money & take a holistic approach to managing it . Wealth Retreat
Wellbeing Retreat
A retreat involving creative expression, life guidance, relationship exploration & activities - tarot, breathwork, counselling & more. Wellbeing Retreat
Writing Retreat
Each of us has a unique and interesting story to share. This program looks at writing your life story beginning with childhood. Writing Retreat
Writing Retreat (Program #2)
This program looks at writing your life story with a specific focus on the exploration of your adolescence. Writing Retreat NSW
Yoga Retreat
Discover a range of eastern wisdoms such as yoga, mediation, chakras, ayurvedic health and more. Yoga Retreat Blue Mountains