The solar beams down on us as we focus on our nomadic life and fervour initiatives. One second, we’re doing burpees on the seashore and the subsequent, we’re sharing our abilities and experience in a enterprise mastermind session. That is only a typical morning at one of many world’s coolest enterprise and mindset retreats, hosted by The Nomad Escape.
I lately spent two weeks with The Nomad Escape in Madeira, Portugal. The primary week was the Stage Up Enterprise Retreat, an intimate group expertise geared in the direction of enterprise and private development. And the second week was Nomad Island Fest, which is strictly prefer it sounds – a festive celebration of all issues digital nomad. Every retreat provided loads of alternatives to community, study new issues, and soak within the stunning island of Madeira.
For our group — starting from on-line coaches and digital entrepreneurs to content material creators and software program builders — all of us got here to Madeira for 3 issues: individuals, objective, and enjoyable. I’m comfortable to report that we skilled all of the above and a lot extra.
When you’re a digital nomad trying to take your enterprise to the subsequent degree, The Nomad Escape is looking your identify. And even for those who’re not a distant employee simply but, you’ll be able to nonetheless come alongside for the journey. You’ll go away the expertise feeling impressed to take motion on no matter journey is true and genuine to you.
Primarily based on my two weeks with The Nomad Escape as each a participant and speaker, right here’s a overview of my expertise and what you’ll be able to count on on a retreat with them.
What’s The Nomad Escape?
Earlier than leaping into my experiences at these retreats, let’s first cowl what The Nomad Escape is all about.
Led by Michelle Maree, a passionate visionary and neighborhood builder, this group hosts retreats and occasions for digital nomads all around the world. Their neighborhood additionally consists of entrepreneurs and creatives who aren’t location unbiased, however are open to residing a extra nomadic life-style. The principle focus is to assist members study new abilities, degree up their companies, and join with like-minded individuals — all in unique areas across the globe.
But it surely’s not all work and no play at The Nomad Escape. These retreats provide loads of alternatives to loosen up and have enjoyable, with actions like yoga, karaoke, and sightseeing constructed into the schedule. Plus, with a concentrate on constructing a way of neighborhood and supporting each other, you’ll come away from the retreat feeling not solely extra productive and profitable in your enterprise, but in addition extra linked and impressed by the opposite digital nomads you’ll meet.
With out additional ado, listed here are some key takeaways from my current retreats with The Nomad Escape.
Stage Up Enterprise Membership Retreat
One month in the past, I arrived in Madeira for the Stage Up Enterprise Retreat. I went there craving new concepts and abilities to assist me degree up my enterprise, and left with all of the above and a lot extra.
I spent the week with a bunch of 15 like-minded entrepreneurs and digital nomads from across the globe. Collectively, we shared concepts and abilities from our private {and professional} lives – all whereas taking within the stunning landscapes of this unique island. Right here had been a few of my favourite components of the expertise:
Masterminding periods and workshops
I used to be completely blown away by the masterminding periods and workshops, which impressed me to make essential modifications in my life and add extra worth to the world as a journey blogger.
For individuals who aren’t acquainted: a mastermind is a bunch of like-minded people who come collectively to share concepts, help each other, and push one another to better heights of success. Consider it as a high-level assume tank, the place everybody is targeted on attaining their targets and serving to each other do the identical.
Throughout these periods, every of us shared some ache factors in our enterprise lives. From there, we acquired suggestions from our friends. For me, this was a robust train. Having 14 different individuals with completely totally different life experiences and views weighing in on my state of affairs was tremendous useful. The train additionally alerted me to some blindspots and new concepts that I hadn’t thought-about earlier than.
Past the masterminding, I additionally actually loved the skill-sharing periods, the place every of us obtained to current our space of experience to the group. I did a 15-minute presentation on private branding, which I felt landed with many within the viewers. With so many group actions and workshops, there have been many alternatives to work on public talking.
Whether or not you’re trying to degree up your enterprise, enhance your private improvement, or simply wish to encompass your self with pushed, profitable people, these mastermind periods and workshops had been a key a part of the general expertise.
Morning exercise
For me, this was one other spotlight of the Stage Up Enterprise Retreat. Every morning, we did a exercise on the seashore – together with yoga and excessive depth interval coaching (HIIT). Some exercises had been led by Luis Calado from Madeira Buddies, a non-profit that organizes health and different community-oriented actions to digital nomads, expats, and locals on the island. On different mornings, we did yoga and sound healings with Cristiano and Anna, two beautiful locals from Madeira island. Such a good way to begin the day!
Some studying this may increasingly dread the considered a morning exercise as a part of a enterprise retreat, however hear me out. Once you prioritize bodily exercise, you’re not solely taking good care of your well being, however you’re additionally setting your self up for fulfillment in different areas of your life. Discovering your bodily edge in a exercise has constructive results in your bodily and psychological well being, and in the end provides you extra vitality and confidence to deal with another challenges that you just’ll face throughout the day.
There are many different retreats on the market the place bodily exercise isn’t on the menu. So, I appreciated that they integrated this into the every day schedule.
Connection Actions
Every evening earlier than dinner, we spent an hour doing heart-centered actions as a bunch. This included the Connection Card Recreation, the place we might every draw a card from a deck and reply no matter query was on it. The questions had been designed to get us a bit out of our consolation zones – encouraging us to share deep and significant ideas with the group.
We additionally spent a night watching the sundown on the seashore and one other doing karaoke and dancing. Every of those connection-focused actions introduced us all nearer collectively.
Improbable facilitators at The Nomad Escape
Such a collaborative and supportive group atmosphere wouldn’t have been doable with out the facilitators.
Tiago guided us by many of the actions and workout routines that week. Not solely is he a cool and personable man, however he additionally takes a real curiosity and curiosity in different individuals. Add to that his enjoyable and playful demeanor, and he was the proper facilitator for this expertise. Tiago was born on Madeira; his ardour for the island and private {and professional} improvement was actually contagious.
Along with Tiago, Michelle (the Founding father of the Nomad Escape) additionally led us by some workout routines and workshops that week. I met Michelle nearly earlier than the retreat and was impressed by her ardour and drive. However as soon as I noticed her take the reins and information the group by some actions…that’s once I absolutely realized why The Nomad Escape is the smashing success that it’s.
The breathtaking location on Madeira Island
The Stage Up Enterprise Retreat was an unbelievable expertise in its personal proper. Nevertheless, when bearing in mind the serene location within the coronary heart of Madeira, the retreat was actually distinctive.
Madeira is a tropical paradise that can transport you to a land of limitless journey and rest. Nestled within the Atlantic Ocean, not removed from the African coast, this island gem is bursting with vibrant tradition, breathtaking landscapes, and loads of alternatives to disconnect from the hustle of every day life. It’s no marvel, then, that this was the proper retreat location.
I completely loved staying in Ponto do Sol, the sunniest a part of the island. It has an excellent low-key and relaxed vibe that provides you an amazing style of island life. Throughout each The Stage Up Retreat and Nomad Island Fest, the entire venues had been solely a brief 5-10 minute stroll from each other. So, it couldn’t have been a extra handy and idyllic place to host a retreat.
The lodging had been image good and handy
Past the windswept coast and beautiful views of mountains and palm bushes, I additionally loved the motels we stayed at. We spent the primary week on the Enotel Sundown Bay and through Nomad Island Fest, we stayed on the Estalagem da Ponta do Sol. The primary lodge had an indoor pool and sauna, whereas the second had an outside infinity pool and spa space.
Every lodging provided staggering views of Madeira’s sun-kissed shoreline and nice facilities for a weeklong keep.
The Nomad Escape is aware of the best way to have enjoyable
As talked about above, there’s an excellent stability of labor and play at The Nomad Escape. One among my fondest reminiscences of the retreat was exploring Madeira on an open-air bus, all whereas singing karaoke songs by Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys.
We additionally spent just a few nights jamming out with a guitar and singing and dancing to our favourite songs. This gave every of us the chance to be enjoyable, foolish, and genuine – the recipe for fulfillment for any retreat.
However past the early 2000s throwbacks, it was additionally good enjoying video games in between workshops, together with a Rock Paper Scissors event. On the primary evening, we additionally performed a reputation recreation, the place we launched ourselves and acted out sure actions that every member of the group needed to memorize. With 15 individuals all making an attempt to recall one another’s names and poses, the sport went precisely as you’d count on…it was a shit present in one of the simplest ways doable, bringing a whole lot of smiles and laughs to the evening.
For sure, my interior baby beloved all of the enjoyable and foolish actions all through this retreat.
The superb individuals at The Nomad Escape
Touring is all in regards to the individuals, and I actually beloved attending to know every of the members and facilitators on this retreat.
With such a small and intimate group, we shared so many enjoyable reminiscences collectively. Throughout these 7 days, we realized, laughed, and grew collectively. We obtained to know one another on a private {and professional} degree – studying in regards to the wins, the losses, and every part else that units our hearts ablaze.
I left the retreat feeling tremendous grateful for all of the superb occasions spent collectively. It’s at all times unhappy to say goodbye, however I’ve little question many people will see one another once more actual quickly.
Closing ideas on the Stage Up retreat
Total, the Stage Up retreat was an excellent enjoyable, insightful, and grounding expertise for me. In contrast to different retreats, which have a extra religious and free-flowing aspect to them, I felt that The Nomad Escape offered a lot real-world worth that you may begin making use of at dwelling immediately. By some means I realized a lot extra sensible data in a single week right here than I did in a semester at enterprise faculty.
On the finish of the day, studying ideas and instruments are nice, but it surely’s the gentle abilities and enterprise experiences that matter most. By the top of the week at The Stage Up retreat, I gained a lot readability about my distinctive strengths, pursuits, and passions that can undoubtedly make me profitable in something I set my thoughts to in life. I do know the others within the group felt the identical method.
Nomad Island Fest
My second week in Madeira was spent at Nomad Island Fest. As you’ll be able to most likely infer by the identify, this was mainly a one-week celebration for digital nomads, paired with private {and professional} improvement. Although the vibe was excessive and upbeat always, we realized a heck of so much throughout that week.
Whereas the Stage Up retreat was small and intimate, Nomad Island Fest was something however. There was near 100 individuals there – together with nomads, vacationers, and inventive spirits from all corners of the globe. It was fairly the adjustment going from such a small gathering to a giant one. Nevertheless, it was an amazing alternative to let unfastened and have enjoyable.
Under are a few of the distinctive qualities of this retreat in addition to the important thing takeaways. I received’t be discussing the situation, lodging, or the morning exercises right here, as they’re all described intimately within the sections above. Now, with out additional ado, right here’s what Nomad Island Fest was all about:
Excessive vibes throughout
From the second Derek Smith, the Grasp of Ceremonies, walked on stage to kick off Nomad Island Fest 2022, I knew this was going to be a celebration. He and Michelle introduced an incredible quantity of vitality to this occasion, and it was a feast for the senses from the start.
We began the retreat with a pace networking session, which helped us get to know each other. From there, we had been led from one participating exercise to the subsequent – together with visitor speeches, workshops, and a lot extra. All through the week, there was such all kinds of actions and experiences that stored us entertained (and impressed). This stored the vibe excessive the entire time.
As they are saying, time flies whenever you’re having enjoyable. And let me let you know…this week completely flew by.
Knowledgable visitor audio system
At Nomad Island Fest, one of many greatest attracts was the lineup of visitor audio system. Okay, I could also be a bit biased as a result of I used to be one in all them, however this was such a useful a part of the retreat.
All through the week, audio system offered worth to the viewers on quite a lot of subjects, together with entrepreneurship, private development, gross sales, sustainability, and different area of interest areas pertaining to enterprise. One among my favorites speeches was by Jimmy Naraine, titled “the best way to create your bestselling on-line course.” I hadn’t actually considered making an internet course till that lecture, and now I’m tremendous impressed to begin one.
Different audio system mentioned subjects like the best way to construct a 7-figure enterprise, the best way to scale your enterprise, and the best way to construct a killer gross sales workforce. Total, I discovered the content material to be very sensible, tangible, and one thing you could possibly start making use of immediately whenever you get dwelling (nicely…no matter “dwelling” could be for a digital nomad, anyway).
The occasion areas at Nomad Island Fest
From the Estalagem glass home and sundeck to the John Passos Cultural Middle, the venues for the workshops and actions had been completely good. All of the open areas at Nomad Island Fest offered an excellent laid-back retreat expertise, which was fairly a special vibe than different enterprise conferences and retreats I’ve been to.
It was inspiring to be in such a lovely oceanfront location – studying about new and thrilling issues whereas taking in views of palm bushes and watching the waves as they crashed towards the shore.
Island exploration
Each retreats had a devoted day for exploring the island, which was positively a spotlight of the expertise. In spite of everything, whenever you’re in a vacation spot as stunning as Madeira, you need to exit and see it!
As talked about above, throughout the Stage Up retreat, we obtained to discover the island on an open air bus – seeing the uncooked and unspoiled nature up shut whereas doing a little karaoke.
Throughout Nomad Island Fest, we spent a day touring the island in a jeep. We visited some extremely beautiful locations, together with Fanal forest and São Vicente. Sadly, it was wet and foggy for a lot of the drive – making it troublesome to see the encompassing landscapes. Seems {that a} sunny day in Ponta do Sol doesn’t at all times translate to solar up within the mountains. Madeira has 4 totally different local weather areas at various elevations, so at all times be ready with a swimsuit and a jacket!
Group dinners had been a good way to finish the day
After a protracted day of enterprise mindset and private improvement actions, it was so good to loosen up and luxuriate in dinner collectively.
Every evening of the retreat, we obtained to take pleasure in a three-course meal on the Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol Restaurant. Although there was a set menu every evening, there was positively sufficient selection to maintain vegans and carnivores alike comfortable. However in fact, the perfect half was attending to know others and sharing how our days went.
Closing ideas on Nomad Island Fest
Jam-packed with workshops, actions, and networking occasions, Nomad Island Fest was a dash and a marathon on the identical time. The week completely flew by and left me feeling shocked by all that had simply occurred. With so many individuals right here, this retreat carried a really totally different vitality than the extra intimate Stage Up Retreat expertise. Nevertheless, it was actually no colder, inviting, and impactful.
In any article the place I overview a journey expertise, I additionally like to supply alternatives for enhancement. In spite of everything, no retreat is ideal and there’s at all times one thing to work on. If I might provide only one method for The Nomad Escape to enhance this expertise going ahead, it will be to have slightly additional free time to discover the island.
Positive, the jeep tour was an amazing alternative to do some exploring. And naturally, some individuals got here to Madeira early (or stayed later) — giving them ample time to see the island on their very own. Nevertheless, I imagine that just some additional hours of free time would have been useful – not solely to discover the island in additional depth, but in addition giving individuals extra time to combine every part they’ve realized. Given the fast-paced tempo of the retreat, I really feel that slightly additional exploration would’ve been good. After all, for those who had been to skip an exercise on the schedule, there can be no exhausting emotions both. Simply an thought!
The Nomad Escape: the bridge between the digital nomad & private improvement worlds
After two weeks of retreats with The Nomad Escape, I felt tremendous impressed and empowered to combine these new abilities and experiences into my very own life. I might 10/10 suggest these retreats for anybody who’s both a digital nomad already or is contemplating making the leap into this world.
With its superb management, distinctive experiences, and close-knit neighborhood, The Nomad Escape is actually the very best foray into this realm of risk.
