Welcome event pros to our exciting retreats, where we come together in cool locations for unique experiences that value collaboration, learning, and having fun!
Event Pros On The Go
Event Pros On The Go
Dear Event Pro,
You know that in person experiences create deeper connections and foster ideas. You know it is where change happens. And you may have already built a successful events business, started freelancing for some really amazing projects, or landed new clients.
But nothing is without roadblocks. Maybe you’re stuck, burnt out or out of ideas on your next big dream. Maybe you feel isolated and want to be around like minded people. Or maybe you need to take some time to yourself, but a busy event season doesn’t allow you to.
That’s why we have created retreats for professionals in the events, hospitality, and tourism industry. And they are designed to have time to work on yourself, work on your career, and work on your relationships in the industry.
Imagine having a few days to tap into the collective genius of a group of event pros to help you solve a problem, conceive and plan your next big idea, learn how to do something a different way and make friends with industry peers instead.
It’s the kind of retreat that will make you sign out of your email and surround yourself in nature or cozy up while your brain bursts with all your new ideas. The kind that makes you want to post on social media not because you have to but because you want to.
And when you leave, you’ll be a better version of the event pro than when you came, with new dreams and ideas to match.
YAY!
In 2025, we have not one but two retreats!
🥁Drumroll please🥁
Cozy castles &
Collaborations
When: January 4-10, 2025
Where: Edinurgh & East Lothian, Scotland
Investment: $3,498 USD
Who is it for? Event planners, coordinators, managers, producers (we all refer to them a little differently) of all experience levels
What is the focus? Collaboration, growing a career/business, increasing your industry opportunities
Camp CEO: Event Pros
Go To CAMP
When: June 8-14, 2025
Where: Quebec City & Charlevoix, Canada
Investment: $3,498 USD
Who is it for? CEOs/Business Owners or Senior Leaders of event agencies, venues, suppliers and creative services
What is the focus? Collaboration, working on your strategic and leadership skills, getting into a CEO mindset
can i go To both?
*Discount of $500 USD if you do!
Yes! You will find that each retreat has a different outcome and the audience will be slightly different. Many people in the industry will fall under both audiences - event planner (or coordinator, manager, producer depending how you refer to yourself) and senior leader (which may or may not be CEO/business owner/founder).
Here are some examples of someone who would want to attend both:
You are a senior level freelancer who regularly leads a part of an event, you lead teams onsite, and you want to expand your skillset by learning from others (Event Pros On The Go) and work on your CEO mindset to set boundaries with clients (Camp CEO).
You are a director of a department of a vendor/supplier/venue/agency and you want to meet others in the industry for your company’s growth (Event Pros On The Go) and learn how to manage and motivate your team (Camp CEO).
You started your own event agency, you have a small team, and you want to brainstorm how to strategize your company’s re-brand (Event Pros On The Go) and grow your confidece to make tough decisions (Camp CEO).
Still not sure which one you should attend?
the retreats are the place to:
✅ Create new relationships with like minded individuals
✅ Learn how to identify problems and coach yourself through them
✅ Bring some obstacles you’re facing and ask for advice from the group hive mind
✅ Help other professionals on the problems they are facing
✅ Get rid of your habits and embrace new methods, techniques and processes
✅ Dare to dream and act on it and lean into a growth mindset
✅ Be seen and have your voice heard
✅ Listen to everyone in the group with an open mind
the retreats are not the place to:
🚫 Create excuses why you can’t do something, can’t act on a dream, or can’t implement something new
🚫 Complain and vent about clients, team members and others in the industry
🚫 Work in your business on nitty gritty actions or client work
🚫 Pretend you know everything and are the best and don’t face any obstacles or hurdles
🚫 Compare yourself to others experience levels, skills, age and perceived success
🚫 Reject new concepts, methods, ideas and techniques
🚫 Receive advice and feedback but never give in return
Meet the co-hosts
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Mary Davidson, MBA, owner of EP Events LLC, has over 11 years of fundraising experience which has led to deep diving into the event world and helping nonprofits raise funds for their cause. Purposeful events are her jam and she is known for event planning on a budget and working efficiently and effectively. It's a top priority for Mary to help organizations stay true to their mission, purpose, and budget while planning an event. Mary leads the EP Events team in non-profit, community, and corporate events, whether virtual, hybrid, or in-person. Mary enjoys giving back to the event industry and spreading community over competition through her involvement as co-host of the Better Events Podcast.
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Laura Yarbrough-Lloyd, PMP, is a VIP Event Freelancer & Coach for event pros. She is American but lives in the UK and has lived and worked around the world for the past 13 years. She has experience within the VIP, sports, and corporate industries. Often you will find her in a VIP or Player Services role and/or managing VIP hospitality suites. She also coaches and mentors event pros so they can work at their dream VIP events. Laura is passionate about education through creative ways which lends itself to her podcast and program, A Flair for VIP Events. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her family (dog included obviously), run, play golf, paint or do a craft, garden, read, explore English villages, shop, catch up on Royal activities, and drink coffee.
the power of your environment
the power of your environment
Have you ever noticed that your best ideas and new dreams come when you're on vacation, with a group of friends, or coworking?
It’s the power of your environment and giving your brain the space for new ideas!
Our retreats always feature a form of hot seat coaching and/or problem solving sessions so that you walk away with at least one HUGE tangible result to make your professional and personal lives better.
On past retreats, we have had…
…an event pro who conceived the idea for and planned the launch of an event platform and community thanks to the collective genius and motivation from the group of like minded professionals.
…an event CEO who worked through the process of hiring an additional team member and narrowed down systems to allow her event agency to expand. Within two months she had a new team member and a new corporate client.
…an event pro who learned how to navigate money mindset, set rates and manage cash flow as an event freelancer, thanks to tips from others, to ensure she never feels stressed during down periods and is still enjoying life to the fullest.
…an event pro who conceived the idea for an event industry podcast, grew the confidence to take the leap into podcasting, and planned, created and launched within three weeks.
…two event pros who came and formed a partnership that sees one of them as the global venue finder for the other’s company events portfolio, and since then they have met in exotic locations.
…four event pros came together with a desire to book travel for their clients and are now combined under one IATA, giving commission them commission opportunities, widening their individual credibility with their clients, and streamlining the process of obtaining an IATA individually.
…an event pro who felt isolated in their organization as the one person event department, made friends and was inspired to start a side hustle planning events for a different audience.
you don’t need to drown in the overwhelm. you need to take breaks and give your brain the space for new ideas, new perspectives, and new relationships.
Stepping away from client work or the possibility that you will book an event is hard. But the retreat provides opportunities you’re going to wish you were a part of.
We have scheduled the 2025 retreats with you in mind during two months when event activity is low and the need to get away is great. And we have listened to what you all want - new ideas and new relationships.
But achieving those things might be hard if you’re always in the same place doing the same things with the same people. So let’s shake things up and go somewhere inspiring with like minded people and zoom out on our careers.
It’s almost like the concept of paying to be in the room but in this case the rooms are in cozy and historic castles in Scotland and a mountain resort in Quebec.
FAQs
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The Event Pros On The Go Retreats and the new Camp CEO Retreats are designed as a boutique experience for professionals in the events, tourism and hospitality industries. Each year the format and focus changes. For example, 2023 was a Town & Country retreat focusing on education and historical venues. 2024 Event Pros Go Cruisin' focused on work and wellness. This is more than a fam, more than a holiday with friends, and more than a conference, but it has elements of all those things.
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Our retreats change focus and audience each time. We are hosting two in 2025 and the nature of each means that the types of people will be different for each with some overlap.
Castles and Collaboration will focus on career and business growth, collaboration, and having the chance to create a special project that will enhance your career or business. We want you to come with one thing to create. The people that will come to Castles and Collaboration will be event planners (managers, coordinators, producers) from agencies, venues, hotels, organizations and self-employed planners.
Camp CEO will focus on leadership skill building, confidence, and CEO mindset within the event industry. It will center around things that people at the top face in the event industry. Some will be CEOs (business owners, solopreneurs, etc.) and others will be senior leaders like directors, managers, and C-suite roles who lead people.
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For Event Pros On The Go, we are looking for 11 people to sign up to join hosts Laura and Mary for an intimate group of 13 people.
For Camp CEO, we are looking for 16 people to sign up to join hosts Laura and Mary for an intimate group of 18 people.
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There is a shared and private room option on Castles & Collaboration. Camp CEO is all private rooms. We will pair you with an event pro based on your intake form where we ask about your usual bedtime, drinking habits, level of neat freak, and more. You can indicate which option you prefer in our registration form. If you have a friend you would like to share a room with, let us know!
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Registration is open until August 15, 2024. Your spot is secured with a deposit and is only refundable if the trip does not proceed. We realize this is soon, but you get it - we need to book things!
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We are unable to refund any ticket purchases for any reason. That said, you can absolutely transfer your ticket to someone else! Just them the details and email us at eventprosonthegoretreat@gmail.com to let us know who is coming :)
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Yes! You can find them here.
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Once you register, we will send you an intake form where there is a place to put your dietary restrictions and other information.
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We will send a packing list via email before the retreat. That said, think "cozy winter vibes" for Castles and Collaboration (and one outfit fit for a Queen or King!) and "cute mountainwear" for Camp CEO. Remember, this retreat is all about stepping into a new event pro energy so we want you to feel comfortable AND fabulous!
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The retreat changes location and focus every year! Our suggestion? Come this time!
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Yes! We require a $700 deposit by August 15, 2024 to secure your spot followed by the final balance for the Event Pros On the Go retreat by November 1, 2024 for the Camp CEO retreat by February 2025 (non-refundable)
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Sign up with a friend and get $100 discount each! Just let us know in the registration form.
Sign up for BOTH retreats and get $500 off total!
If you are a student or graduate in the last two years, sign up and get $250 off one retreat!
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Yes! We know that having a packed schedule with a group of people can be overwhelming for some, and there may be times that you want to see something on your list or do some shopping or simply rest. We will have space in the schedule for this. That said, if you don't want any alone time, there will always be someone down to hang out. We have always had a diverse group of people.
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Visit each retreat's page, and there is a list of what is included and what is not included. We try to make our retreats as all-inclusive as possible.
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