Business Retreat in Madeira
The Nomad Escape: Level Up Club
Charlie had had her eyes on Madeira as a travel destination for quite some time and she had booked her ticket for Nomad Island Fest months in advance. As it happens in life; things don’t always go according to plan and the dates for the event were changed. It would take place a week later than originally planned and the organisers of The Nomad Escape decided to schedule an additional Level Up Club for attendees like Charlie who had already saved the dates for the week before.
After three weeks in the mountains at Homeoffice Madeira, Charlie spent another two weeks at the sunny coast of Ponta do Sol. She hadn’t booked the Level Up Club with The Nomad Escape intentionally and had no expectations. She knew that she would meet other digital nomads; everything else was entirely open. Little did she know that this would be one of the greatest experiences of her life.
The people
The business retreat started on a Thursday afternoon at the hotel Enotel in Ponta do Sol at the south coast of Madeira. All participants met at the roof terrace for a welcome drink and introductions. Through a fun game, they all learned each other’s names, professions, and goals for the week and made an initial connection. Amongst the 15 participants were some entrepreneurs who were at the point of expanding their business, others who were transitioning into a new profession, and some had just quit their jobs and were looking for a new direction in life. They came from different parts of the world from South and North America and different European countries to South-East Asia and were between the ages of 30 and 50.
Participants of the business retreat in Madeira in November 2022/image: Julie Attallah
What they all had in common was an open mind, entrepreneurial spirit, and a similar approach to life. Charlie felt an immediate connection and they all had a lot to talk and laugh about throughout the week. Depending on the package they booked, they either had single rooms or were sharing with another participant. Charlie shared a room with Rita and was greeted with an honest hug right after arrival. It was a warm welcome and Charlie immediately learned that hugs are a big part of a business retreat with The Nomad Escape.
Food brings people together
It was never quiet at the breakfast table at the hotel or the different restaurants they went to throughout the week. From business ideas to personal things, there was always a lot to chat about and by the end of the week, it felt as if they had known each other for a long time.
Their favourite restaurant was certainly Sol Poente with a balcony over the beach and an indoor space that had been carved into the rock. They served traditional Madeiran food and were always friendly and helpful. The group ate there multiple days that week.
They spent one evening by the beach in the nearby town of Calheta where they had Pizza and ate at Steak & Sun in Ponta do Sol another evening. The last night of the retreat was a special one.
Workshop at the beach in Calheta at sunset
They had been playing guitar and singing on the roof terrace of the hotel the day before and voiced the idea of a barbecue. The crew of The Nomad Escape was always open to feedback and ideas and took immediate action whenever possible. That’s how they turned the restaurant reservation for the last night into catering at the roof. In combination with wine and music, it turned into a night of singing and dancing with strangers who had become friends and there might have been some more hidden talents that surfaced that night.
The other nights, they either stayed longer at the restaurants, walked along the beach or watched the waves while having deep conversations, went for a swim in the sea and tried to identify the stars in the sky, or had a glass of red wine by the indoor pool. Their joy was so infectious that even the hotel staff bent the rules a little by letting them use the pool and spa until late into the night.
Group activities
The mornings usually started with a workout session outdoors. It was either a HIIT class with Madeira Friends where Luis got the group in shape and caused sore muscles for three days or a relaxing Yoga class with Atlanteia Yoga or Cristiano. The Yoga was beginner-friendly and the HIIT sessions were adjustable to any level. It was not only a great start to the day, but also a good start to forming some new habits and getting into mindfulness.
Morning workouts by the beach in Ponta do Sol/images 3 and 4: Julie Attallah
For the Sunday, the activities schedule had a bus trip to explore the island in stock. It was an open top bus, and they had a speaker and microphone with them. Once again, there was singing and dancing, and the bus driver also let them have their fun instead of warning about health and safety. Sometimes, you just gotta live a little!
Michelle Maree and Tiago Olim from The Nomad Escape during the island exploration trip
They had so much fun singing that they completely forgot to look around and see the nature on their way to Fanal and Seixal. The stop at a Poncha bar was another binding element that brought them closer together. Some might have enjoyed them a little too much and did not make it for dinner that day.
The method
Fun and socialising were a major part of the experience, but it wasn’t the only reason for them all to be at the business retreat Level Up Club in Madeira. The main purpose was professional and personal development, and the crew of The Nomad Escape had a well thought-through schedule to build and open doors to new opportunities and ideas. All workshops and sessions were held at outdoor terraces or semi-open spaces with a view along the coast.
The Nomad Escape at the Estalagem Hotel in Madeira
Masterminds
The Mastermind sessions are an enabler for solution finding. One person of the group presents a question, a problem or an idea and the audience can answer with ideas and share experiences. Things that were discussed in Ponta do Sol that week were app or business ideas, options to solve hiring issues or operational questions in business, healthier living or ideas for business growth. Notes were taken during each Mastermind and the person who had asked the question or presented the problem, got to pick one piece of advice they would put into action first.
Skill sharing
All participants came from different backgrounds and presented very different skillsets that they shared gladly with the others. On the first day, everybody wrote on a piece of paper which skills they could share and what they needed help with. The whole group then voted for the skills they were most interested in learning about and offered help for anything being asked. Everybody prepared a 15-minute skill sharing session for the last day of the retreat. The group saw an introduction to SEO, learned how to build a personal brand, experienced how coaching works and got insights into the most successful selling techniques.
The organisers of The Nomad Escape: Julie Attallah, Derek Smith, Michelle Maree, Tiago Olim, Maria Alejandra Londoño
Connection sessions
Every day in the late afternoon was a connection session in the schedule that was meant to build trust and connect with the others on an even deeper level and in a fun way.
They sat on the beach and shared a thought about the person sitting to their right. It was a beautiful moment that showed how much they all had paid attention to the things being said throughout the day and a unique moment to see how others see you. How many times in life did the people around you tell you positive things they associate with you?
The card connection game was a fun approach to sharing personal stories. They sat in a circle on the floor and pulled cards with personal questions. Nobody was forced to answer, but they all willingly did. They learned about each other how and when they experienced their first kiss, their favourite smells, and things they love or hate, and discussed their definitions of success.
With each day that passed, they opened up more to each other and also showed vulnerability and mutual support. The highlight was the wheel of life session. Each participant drew their wheel of life and scored on a scale of 1-10 where they see themselves in life financially, career-wise and personally. Really deep thoughts were shared during this session and all of them realized which areas of life they would like to focus on in the future, be it career, physical activity, mindfulness, friends, family or love.
On the last day of the retreat, they had a speed networking session where everybody got the chance to speak one-to-one. They already knew each other quite well and used the opportunity to share gratitude and compliments. It was another beautiful moment where everybody got to hear positive thoughts they had about each other.
The purpose
Level Up Club is not only a retreat, but an opportunity for anybody who wants to take the next step in their business or life. It is not exclusive to digital nomads, but anybody with an open mindset and entrepreneurial spirit.
Those that are on a path of self-development or career change find the best opportunities to broaden their horizons, make useful connections and find their direction. Charlie wasn’t looking for a career change or a breakthrough in personal development and she still found a lot of inspiration, a few days of mindfulness and deep connections that will hopefully last a lifetime.
It was incredible to see how somebody who was looking for a new career path and new hobbies suddenly picked up the guitar again after 20 years and rediscovered the music, how a business idea turned into a proper business plan, how an ongoing lifecoach found their unique approach and branding and how a passions project turned into their main business.
If you come with a specific goal, you will see much clearer after this business retreat, and if you don’t have a specific goal, you might find something you didn’t even know you were looking for. That’s what the Level Up Club with The Nomad Escape can do!
images: charlieonthemove.com & Julie Attallah
