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  • Writer's pictureKatrina Julia

7 Steps to Create a Retreat in Costa Rica and the Pura Vida

Updated: Sep 14, 2019


Do you love to travel? Does travel set your soul on fire? Have you thought about transforming and traveling at the same time? Are you considering taking or creating a retreat?


There are many ways to transform and travel. Travel and retreats help us transform into new versions of ourselves. Maybe you love to travel alone? Or maybe you are thinking about traveling with a group or a transformation retreat?


Each and every time you travel, challenge yourself to experience something differently besides the city or country. Are you dreaming about traveling to Costa Rica? Costa Rica is an incredible country. Recently, in 2016, I created an entrepreneur and lifestyle transformation retreat in Costa Rica.


There is a good chance I may go again, and we may host a lifestyle transformation retreat in Costa Rica again. Costa Rica has something for everyone. You may experience culture, beaches and adventure to start. Pura Vida is felt everywhere you go.


 It’s time to transform and travel.  Get your journal out to make a plan. It feels great to dream about traveling to Costa Rica. Putting pen to paper and taking action wins every time.


You want to transform and travel to Costa Rica, but you don't want to break the bank doing it? 7 Steps to Create a Retreat in Costa Rica and the Pura Vida will help you cast a vision for your life. Whether you travel to Costa Rica, or create a retreat, you will learn travel and retreat tips to help you.








Lifestyle Transformation Retreats
Lifestyle Transformation Retreats

Photo Credit: Leo Parias in Costa Rica



7 Steps to Create a Retreat in Costa Rica


If you are connecting with me for the first time, I have traveled to over 25 countries and hosted over 4 retreats. Costa Rica is our first retreat with FIT Life Creation. One of my dreams for creating a lifestyle brand was transformation and travel experiences globally. As a result, this retreat has a special place in my heart.


Costa Rica was on my radar for years. I love to speak Spanish and love beaches. The ease of airfare connections with Southwest Airlines to Costa Rica helped make a retreat to Costa Rica one of my first choices.


Right before I made a choice to host the first retreat in Costa Rica, I stayed at an Airbnb. As I explored my options for stays for the lifestyle transformation retreat, I immediately thought staying at a private villa at Airbnb would be a great idea so I started exploring options. I immersed myself in looking for community service and adventure options in Costa Rica like Diamante Eco Adventure Park right away as well.




Adventure in Retreats
Adventure in Retreats

Photo Credit: Diamante Eco Adventure Park (I'm on the right with @postcardstoseattle)



Fun Facts About Costa Rica

Costa Rica truly is about the Pura Vida ranking as #1 on Happy Index. Costa Rica is the butterfly capital of the world. More than 25% of the country is dedicated to national parks, reserves, and wild life refuges. and Costa Rica is home to over 25% There are over 1,400 varieties of orchids.


The national slogan is Pura Vida and people live longer in Costa Rica. There are many incredible beaches and surfer's paradises in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a nature, adventure and foodie paradise you don't want to miss.


How I First Started Thinking About Retreats


I started thinking about retreats early in 2016. My focus became heightened on retreats when I broke my foot surfing in California in 2016. It was my first time surfing and I got up on the board. Right after, my board crashed into shore and I fell backward and broke my foot. Thank God it wasn't worse. It taught me to ground myself and focus on gratitude massively.


It gave me something to look forward while I was healing. I started focusing on social media and influencer marketing with travel, lifestyle and entrepreneurship. The more I learn about creating and collaborating, the more I am blown away by limitless possibilities.

Business

In a world where there is excitement with 3-5% conversions, I set out to create exponential results. My heart is to create relationship long-term with lifestyle transformation and entrepreneurship.


Our focus is first on creating an opportunity I would love, relationships and communities.


To give you an idea of the retreat results:

  • Over 40% conversions in less than two months.

  • >60% calls with business builders + influencers.

  • >60% closing rates & interest to end of 2017.

This is all setting the stage for entrepreneurs, travel bloggers, and influencers. We have options for retreats, as well as lifestyle transformation entrepreneurship collaborations.

A million things are probably going through your brain. Let me venture a a guess by putting myself in your shoes. Here, I will break down the 7 Steps to Create a Retreat in Costa Rica and how I did it. This will help you imagine how you could do it, or ways to create with our community.


Photoshoots at Retreats
Photoshoots at Retreats

Image credit: Richard Brown: Pure Fine Art


Step 1: Influencer and Entrepreneur Retreats


When I first started creating influencer and entrepreneur retreats, I brainstormed what types of retreats I wanted to create. I considered who would be the community that would want to attend The outline for the retreat came next. The final steps included presentation and technology of the retreats.


Imagine what you could create.




Private Villas at Retreats
Private Villas at Retreats

Step 2: Setting Up Retreats


The next step included setting up the retreat for Costa Rica. This includes adventure, community service, and hands on workshops.


This included exploring villas like this that we stayed at via Airbnb. I wanted to make sure we had a private villa to help set up healthy retreat and workshops.


This included having quiet space to truly have a quiet getaway. It helps to know what type of retreat you want to attend or create.


Integrated Brands

Image Credit: Rose Riot Photography


Step 3: Travel and Media Strategies


I noticed how many travel brands were creating press trips with travel bloggers. I began to brainstorm how to extend lifestyle transformation and entrepreneurship long-term.


These media strategies grew from travel to a lifestyle transformation and entrepreneurship short to long-term opportunities to create a community.


I saw the results short term with travel brands I began to apply my past experiences in strategy in over 7 industries to increase the return on investment long term with relationship and incentives with entrepreneurship and incentives.


You could consider how you may learn how to create content while you travel, or grow your brand with media.

@katrinajuliafit @fitlifecreation @postcardstoseattle @thetourwife with influencers for this retreat 10/13-10/17 in Playa del Coco, Costa Rica.



Healthy Experiences

Image Credit: Rose Riot Photography



Step 4: Retreat Experiences


Our retreats grew into creating a life and business we love. This includes healthy lifestyle retreats at private villas with entrepreneurs, swag bags, and chefs. Our experiences include adventure, service and media like photoshoots.


We help you create content for your blog, brand and social media. Our experiences include hands-on workshops like creating a course and more.


Step 5: Creating Your Community


Whether you are creating a community online or live with retreats, it's important to know who your community is and how to find them.


When we started creating a community, I started researching various social media and influencer softwares to help find people.


These softwares may help you determine reach, growth and engagement to start. However, what these softwares won't tell you is if this person is a business builder building a brand. More importantly, they won't tell you who they are as a person and what the quality of their brand is.


As a result, with events and retreats you may want to invest time initially connecting with people via e-mail and phone to get to know them. A great idea is to ask for prior references with retreats and press trips.

Costa Rica Villa


Step 6: Technology for Media

There are softwares you may use for media, as well as events and retreats. I use various softwares for media, events and retreats like Retreat Guru, BookRetreats and our retreat platform.


This helps us connect with more people on platforms. It is helpful to connect with various platforms especially when you are building your brand. I recommend reviewing these regularly whether you create or attend retreats.



Step 7: Community Alignment

Community alignment is important whether you are attending or creating retreats. If you are thinking about aligning to communities whetThere are softwares you may use for media, as well as events and retreats. I use various softwares for media, events and retreats like Retreat Guru, BookRetreats and our retreat platform.


This helps us connect with more people on platforms. It is helpful to connect with various platforms especially when you are building your brand. I recommend reviewing these regularly whether you create or attend retreats.


Some helpful practices to align to a. community is to look at retreat reviews, connect and have a call.

Transformation and Travel Retreats


These seven steps to create (or attend retreats) will help you transform and travel. Whether you choose to travel to Costa Rica, attend one of our retreats or create your own, you will be set up for success.


How could you take a leap of faith now to transform and travel? Don't let your dreams die. Take a step towards what seems impossible. What could be the next step you take to transform and travel?


Imagine what action steps you may take now to end the year completely different than you started the year. What is something you will do now before the year ends?


To learn more about what happens during our retreats, check out this post on our Costa Rica Retreat with Lifestyle, Wellness, Transformation and Entrepreneurship.


CREATE IN OUR COMMUNITY


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