One part of the retreat that I never have a problem planning is what we will eat and drink!  I love to look at the food options, plan the menu, the timing and how it will be served.  One thing that should be considered when planning the food for an event is the diet needs of those attending.  There is nothing like having a big BBQ with no veggie options only to find out that some of your guests are vegetarians.  Oops!

So, one thing I always recommend is that you not only ask people what their preferences are, but always plan for the ‘unexpected’.  I generally try and have two dishes that are strictly vegetarian and I will even try and have one soup that is vegan.

In addition to diets, another consideration is whether you want to try and go with locally grown foods, all organic, or at least pesticide free.  Many restaurants, caterers and chefs are offering local fare as an option, and on the Central Coast there are some who are dedicated to preparing local food, only.  For out of town guests this is a great opportunity to bring a local flavor to meal time.

Whatever you do for food, have fun with it!  A retreat is a perfect place to get people to try something new and to be a bit adventurous with the menu.  At retreats, the time around the table can be some of the most productive time.  It’s amazing how food will lighten the mood and help people relax.

Bon Apetit!

This question gets asked a lot.  Especially when you’re someone who is proposing that your team has a working getaway.  When you are asking your investors, your company or even your individual team members to put up money, the first thing they want to know is, Why?  Why is this necessary?  Why are we doing it?  Why is it so important?

You may wonder about this yourself.  You may start questioning why you ever brought it up.  So, let’s look at some top reasons why a getaway that is well planned can be beneficial:

• You get your team out of their usual cubical/office environment and into a more natural and creative environment.  This will lead to more creative thinking which is really one of the first steps to getting good ideas to happen.  When is the last time you had a good idea while sitting at your desk typing an e-mail.  Most people will tell you their best ideas happened while they were out hiking with  friend or in the shower, or while on vacation.
• You get focused, uninterrupted time that allows the team to charge ahead on a project.  This uninterrupted time can produce more results in a few hours than you may get in a few months! We have become a society of multi-tasking, this does not serve projects well, as there are times that laser focus is required.
• When run by a trained facilitator who knows how to get the ball rolling (and how to keep it rolling), you will be shocked by how efficient and effective a team of smart people can be.  That business plan you’ve been trying to get done, that project plan that you still need to put together, that product you still need to integrate… when facilitated over a few days, a group can get from A-Z without being taken on a tangent that is not only not critical to the project, but not even related.  A facilitator will help keep the focus on the task that is at hand… with deliverables that mean something.

The main benefit to a well organized and plan getaway is that the group will walk away with a completed project that can move business forward.  With new ideas that may not have been found otherwise.  With a team that is stronger because they worked together in a very focused way that allowed each contributor to focus on their strengths and their contributions without constant interruptions.

Because the team will be able to define, work on and complete a project, they will walk away stronger and more motivated.  They will know that, when they put their collective minds to something, they will be able to get to their goal.  Get that product out the door, get that project to the finish line.  There is no greater motivator than this.

This is one reason why a working getaway can be such an important component to the workplace.

As I start to ramp up my own business around helping people escape so they can focus, I go back and forth on using the term, ‘Offsite’.  Why, you ask?  Mainly because of the negative connotations this word may have to the group I’m targeting (start-ups, tech people, small to mid-size companies).  Almost everyone has had a bad offsite experience, and wonders if they are really worth it.  The thing is, if not planned well by the leader, they are NOT worth it.  That is the truth.

I’m here to tell you that when planned well, they can have a positive and meaningful impact on your company, team and product.  When a group is able to get out of the everyday routine, AND they are led by a person or persons who have truly thought about the end goal of an offsite, it is amazing what can be accomplished.

I read this article about planning an offsite,  and thought I would post the great list they came up with.  If you want more detail around each item, take a look at the article where there is great information.

Step 1: Identify Your Purpose

Step 2: Identify the Participants

Step 3: Pick a Location

Step 4: Plan Your Activities

Step 5: Inform Your Team

Step 6: Find a Facilitator

Step 7: Write a Complete Agenda

Step 8: Measure Your Success

I think the key to a good offsite is starting with the end.  What do I mean… I mean, what do you want to walk away with?  A business plan, a product, a list of long term goals for the company or team, a completed budget?  Once you define the end goal, you will have a much easier time creating your path to get there.

Have fun planning an offsite, and know that it can be a good experience that creates real results.

When on a getaway, there are times that I love to just lock myself in a rented house or hotel room and completely disconnect.  This also means that I may not partake in the local fare, which is not necessarily something I want to skip.  So, what do I do… I bring the local fare to me!  Some ideas, especially if you’re renting a house:

• Find a great local yoga or gym instructor who will come give you a personal class.
• Find a local restaurant who has great food who will either deliver, or let you pick-up for eating at home.
• Find a local masseuse who will bring their table and aroma therapy where you are… great way to relax in the privacy of your space.
• On your way in, go by a local wine shop and have someone help you pick out some interesting wines from local vintners that are in your budget… have your won wine tasting, whenever you want.
• Find a local artist who can come to you and give you a one hour lesson, whether it’s painting or photography or something else, this will bring your creative spirit alive on your vacation.

Get creative!  There are so many fun and wonderful local businesses and people who are happy to come to you.  Would love to hear any ideas you have around this topic.

You know you want to getaway, you know who is coming, now you need to figure out the location.  To do this, requires that you answer a few basic questions:

1. Where is everyone coming from, and how far are they willing to drive/fly to get to the location?
2. What type of environment does the group like? (urban, rural, etc.)
3. What activities is the group interested in doing during this time? (shopping, hiking, etc.)
4. Does the location need to be family/kid friendly?
5. What type of amenities are a must have? (public parks, ocean access, pool, etc.)

Once you’ve answered these questions, a location can be determined that matches most of the needs of the group.

What are some other factors that you consider when planning your getaways?

I got a tweet from Guy Kawasaki that took me to this article.  The article provides a great list of online resources to plan your next event.  If you need to plan a meeting, a party, or just need to find a date that works for everyone… there is a tool to help you.  The great thing is that most of the online tools you find to plan an event are free.

This isn’t on the list, but I find that for our family, keeping a central Google calendar is extremely useful for planning our schedules and marking events.  You can color code the calendar, give access to multiple users and set-up e-mail reminders for all parties.  Using this along with other tools (like those on the list in the article I posted) you will be able get all of your event planning done, quickly and efficiently.  This will in turn give you more time to enjoy the process and the event itself.

So… let’s get planning!

When I’m planning getaways for my group of friends or co-workers (yes, I tend to be the go-to person… I love this stuff!), the first thing I do is figure out what is the goal of the getaway.  By defining this, the getaway can be planned to meet the need, rather than the other way around.  When my old college buddies and I get together I know that we need a large house (6 bedrooms minimum), with enough room for kids, and good spaces for the adults to hang out in when the kids go to bed.  We also require a good kitchen, as we all love to get together and make lots of food!

Our ultimate goal is to catch up, have a central place for hanging out, and a location that is close to parks and other outdoor activities.  Knowing this, I’m always able to find an amazing vacation rental that suits all of our needs.  My recommendations for coming up with your own ‘getaway definition’:

1. Know who is coming – is it professional singles, families with kids, a mix of the two… know you audience.
2. Know the food situation – are their vegetarians, do you plan to cook or go out, alcohol or no alcoho?
3. Know the amenities people want – is a hot tub important, is proximity to the beach or a park important, or is the only thing that matters is that there is good wine, food and hang out areas in the house?
4. Know sleeping situations – Will families want one room together, or, will they want some time apart (maybe a kids only room for sleeping), does everyone want their own bedroom, or are some okay sharing with friends?
5. Entertainment – Does the group want to go out at night, stay in, a nice blend of the two?  Do they want to go on a winery tour, kayaking, golfing, or do some want one thing and others want another?
6. Schedules/Timing – What is the best time of year for your group, are their school schedules to think about, busy times at work that make it impossible for some to getaway?  Have everyone send you their best weekends over a set span of time and see if you can get one to line up.

I hope that the tips above help you plan a great group getaway!  It really is a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and/or family in a relaxing place.  Feel free to ask any questions you my have in the comments section.

Something I love to do, whether it’s for myself or for a group of people, is to plan working getaways.  There is something about getting out of the office and into a a great remote location that can help people get a lot of good work done.  Surrounded by nature, where you can’t be interrupted, work takes on a whole new feel.  You can think about that project that you keep setting to the side, can focus as a group on future plans, or can focus on that new software product and walk away with a prototype (or better yet a bet version that people can start using!).

While a lot of people think (and justifiably so) that group off-site = lots of fluffy stuff that has no real long term impact… when an off-site is limited to a small (3-6 people) group of people with a very focused mission and end goal… the results can be staggering.  You may be shocked by what can be produced over 48-72 hours… entire companies and products can be launched over a focused getaway.

So, the next time you’re trying to figure out how you and/or your team are going to pull of your idea(s)… think about a well planned getaway.  Your business will thank you for it!

So, you have a great idea, you know it will be perfect… you’re just missing a team!  Not to fear, there are great resources out there for people just like you.  There is one I’m highlighting today that has produced a few companies within the weekend.  Check out Startup Weekend where you can find an event taking place in your city.  If you participate, the only real requirements are that you be willing to work hard, and be willing to share your idea with the group.  It’s got an Open Source feel… and a hard working vibe.

So… take your idea, and yourself, and get that product out there!  This is a form of an escape that can really bring you a tangible result.

Fast Tube by Casper

Today my husband and I were on the Central Coast and decided to check out the Boatzart Festival.  This is an annual event in its sixth year.  It is a free concert for all, and is focused on giving the local community an afternoon to hang out by the Pier with free music.  The ‘Baywood Navy’ puts on the event, and even provides a ‘boat load’ of cookies to munch on.  Many of the locals arrive via kayak or canoe, and they just park up on the beach to listen to the music from their boat.  It really is a great local event that I recommend people check out if they are in the area next year.

The band playing this year was, Red Skunk Gypsy Band and they were fantastic!  Great sound, perfect for a concert by the bay.

I captured a quick video while I was there so you can see for yourselves what it is like.  In typical Los Osos fashion the fog was in and out during the concert.  A fun time was had by all!