As you read this I am in Europe for a creative retreat. I’ll be in France and Italy for the first time. Pinch me now.

I’m traveling with my husband, who works with me in the business and is a photographer, and with Marian (Miss Mustard Seed), my friend and mentor, and several paint retailers and other creatives.  I’m super excited about this creative retreat. For the travel AND for the creative inspiration.

A year ago a fellow retailer asked if I thought there would be any interest by paint and creative store owners to attend a retreat, and boy was there.

I truly believe getting out of our everyday routine is good for our bottom line.

6 Reasons YOU should attend a creative retreat

1. The most important reason is you get away from your business. You need a break away from your store.  As a creative, you will get stifled!! Your creativity starts to take second fiddle to the books, the schedules, serving customers and all the million things that come with running your store and studio.

2. Travel reawakens your creativity. Seeing new things, new places, beautiful things.

3. Meet new people and grow your network. There is nothing like meeting face to face with people who “get” what you do. (And I’ve made lifelong friends from meeting up with fellow retailers.) It’s impossible to quantify how friendships “in the biz” can help you.

 Being around fellow creatives – just watching and listening to other like-minded people is inspiring and energizing.

4. See new trends and get inspired for your store. There is a whole shiny beautiful world outside of Pinterest and outside of your own town.

5. Attending a creative retreat reminds you of why you started your creative business and allows you dedicated time breath in creative air and spirit.

6. You will come back refreshed and happy. Your customers will be excited for you and you will be happily chatting and sharing for months after

These things all affect your bottom line. If you stay happy, healthy and creative, you bring that energy and creativity back to your retail store and studio. It’s invaluable. It’s priceless.

Remember to go with an open mind, and try experimenting with a retreat that may be outside your “creative specialty”. The creative retreat I’m on now is not just paint retailers, there are photography, water colour or sketch classes, things I am completely inept at, but I’m going to try and be open.

Personally, I’ve been so knee-deep in the business side of my business that I have lost a bit of my creativity. I’m excited to see new things, meet new people, try my hand at new creative endeavors and let my business brain rest a little. A little “white space” if you will.

I’m grateful to Dana from Inspired In Tuscany for inviting me to this retreat, follow her FB  page and sign up for her email list so you can be advised of the next one!

Have you ever felt like your creativity is taking a back seat? Have you ever attended a creative retreat? I’d love to know how it benefited your business. And if you have any to recommend!

Our Next Creative Retailer Retreat is March 24-26, 2020

That’s right! Back by popular demand, we are meeting again this year in Orlando in the early spring. This is where the magic and business-building happens. Click here to read more about this rate opportunity to meet with other creative retailers IN PERSON.

 

If you can’t go on a creative retreat any time soon, I have created an online community of like-minded creative business owners who running a business and trying to share their creative side of life. Join us here: Rockstar Creative Retailers and Shop Owners Group. It’ll be the next best thing to hobnobbing in Italy.

Thanks for dropping in,

Xo

Wendy

Love the thought of working with Miss Mustard Seed? Get her paint sales advice in my free guide here!!!

 

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