Transformation in Travel + 5 Tools!

Katrina Julia
Mar 27, 2017
7 min read

There are a number of ways people transform. They include health, wealth, business, giving, and travel among others. I have experienced and love all of them. However, I particularly think travel has an incredible transformation bonus as being able to get away from daily life to focus on transformation.

This is what led me to create experiences like retreats that combine all aspects of transformation. That, and my utter and complete love for travel!

I've always loved creating experiences - so I thought why not combine Getting Healthy, Making Money, and Building a Brand while helping others around the globe? Yes. Please!

As a second piece continuing from the first retreat in Cuba, this piece will feature my own takeaways + five tools to help you! For more insight on the set up, visit Week 1's post.

Differences from Week 1:

Different Villa

Increased Video

Group Grew

Scuba + Snorkeling

Plaza Vieja Tour

We were in Cuba 2/15-2/20 with Marissa Pedersen and Ashley Renne.

Creating Space

In between Week 1 + Week 2, I gave myself 3 days to spend some time on my own in Vedado. I stayed near Havana Libre at an Airbnb and got to walk everywhere! I journaled and had some key takeaways from week 1.

These included putting together a plan for:

1) Video

2) Social Media Automation

3) Influencer Growth

I spent time in Vedado walking around, visiting Hotel Nacional, and visiting local street markets, and simply resting.

Week 2: 2/23-2/27

We were in Cuba with:

Jen Morillo,

Carly Nogawski

Tre + Preston

After integrating and interviewing various influencers for the past several months, I selected these four entrepreneurs as a result of purpose, positivity, value, and future potential growth.

The five of us got to spend time on creating a life and business we love together in Cuba.

Insight:

Jen brought an element of being a Cuban american, experiencing her birthday in Cuba with us, and being a videographer!

Carly brought an element of instragram hyper growth, social media automation and management, and travel hacks for budget travel + more!

Photo credits all: Preston Olsen @ps.ilovefilm with @weekendvoyagers

Weekend Voyagers

Tre + Preston with Weekend Voyagers brought insight into video and filmed with us:

The Retreat

Purpose2Profits

Space Creator + More

They also brought knowledge of youtube + building and growing a channel!

The wellness retreat experience included:

Private villa stay via Airbnb

Healthy Chef onsite

Herbalife Nutrition + Swag (all part of our programs)

Service: Photography School in Old Havana

Workshops from Purpose to Profits to Billions in Our Brains

Convertible Car Tour around Havana

Beach Day at Playa Matanza

Plaza Vieja Tour

PLUS opportunities for future business building with creative and collaborative options.

This provided an opportunity for each person to personally experience creating a life + business they love, while also experiencing an immersion experience with our brand.

So what did each day look like?

Immersive. Out of the Box. Creative.

Day 1: Thursday, 2/23/2017

Arrival

The first day Jen and I woke up to simply relax, and then head to airport to get Tre + Preston with the Weekend Voyagers! I spoke into existence we would find them right away and literally as soon as we walked into the pick up area, I hear "Katrina" and it was Tre!

We headed back to villa and Carly arrived shortly after. She was already in Cuba with her family and met us at the villa to start off the retreat!

Welcome

We kicked up with having a welcome with the binders + swag bag + super amazing info on video set up and lighting with the Weekend Voyager Team!

Service

We then headed over to the photography school to share our stories + also give back to the school! If you want to learn more, head back to the blog, and read all about it!

Dinner + Workshops

We arrived back at the villa to an incredible dinner prepared by the chef + workshops on Purpose2Profits, Space Creator, Taming Time, and Seven Steps to Success.

The energy was amazing + the group vibed great! We couldn't believe we had only known each other a day!! The transformation was already under way!!

We continued to team up with our driver from week 1 - Yansel! I highly recommend him for your driving needs in Cuba! He was super friendly and professional and always early!!! You may reach him at 537-691-7262!

Day 2: Friday, 2/24/2017

Morning

I woke up super excited! We had an amazing Cuban breakfast along with Herbalife shakes (vegan and gluten free) Banana Caramel (all part of all experiences) .

These help with providing examples of how healthy may be transformed with travel and at home!

We also did a workshop on Fly By Nutrition. I decided next time we will do a shake making workshop and build your own meal plan via our digital recipes partner, Plate Joy. This will be possible with wifi easily in Brazil, and in Cuba was quite a challenge to even post on social media and check emails!

Afternoon

We then headed off to shoot content along the Malecon (sea boulevard) and take a convertible tour!!!

We tried to contact our photographer from the week before! We couldn't reach him, and decided to go with Preston since his work was amazing!!! We shot up and down the boulevard, and then grabbed the convertible and shot with both of them! So much fun!!

This was key to transform experiences and also business and branding to help with content!

After the photoshoot and convertible tour, we got dropped off at Plaza Vieja to grab a bite to eat and tour with the daughter of one of the Airbnb owners - Yaxselys!! She was so awesome!

She shared with us some spots to get your own perfume done, and hidden gems throughout Plaza Vieja!

Evening

We headed back to the villa to rest + have dinner !!

Myself, Tre, and Preston stayed up strategizing the videos and realizing ways to simplify them with an intro, bullet points, and closing vs. filming all the workshops! I also realized lessons learned have videographers come a few days early to knock out several pieces of content!

This was another powerful lesson to realize the impact of adding video and the added energy required!

I encourage you to click below in Jen's vlog to see behind the scenes!!

Day 3: Saturday, 2/25/2017

Morning

We had another amazing Cuban breakfast along with Herbalife shakes (vegan and gluten free) Banana Caramel (all part of all experiences) .

We also did a workshop on 6 Pack of Wealth! This was key to setting the stage for transformation in wealth!

We all had insight from activities involving money from creating to spending, and everything in between. We will also host experiences with Mint, and Business Plans in Brazil to better provide more hands on experience!

We then headed to our adventure day with an incredible beach trip to a protected Crocodile Farm, Scuba and Snorkel at Playa Larga, and have an incredible Cuban meal along the way!!

I believe for lasting transformation it is important to do something fun everyday + realize true transformation takes time! Enjoy the journey!

We stopped for a beautiful sunrise + our Creating Retreats workshop!! This workshop helps travel bloggers, potential retreat leaders, and people learn how to travel on a budget and/or create retreats with us or on your own!

Then headed back to the villa for rest + relaxation!!

Day 4: Sunday, 2/26/2017

Morning

We had another amazing Cuban breakfast along with Herbalife shakes (vegan and gluten free) Banana Caramel (all part of all experiences) .

We also did workshops on Billions in Our Brains! This includes going from a social media following and blog to creating content, programs, retreats, academies and more. I teach people how to grow >7 monetization methods. In addition, influencers are exposed to ongoing collabs where we partner with them to do it!

Afternoon

Jen then hosted a pitch workshop where she shared tips + tools on pitching brands.

This was then followed by Carly's workshop on social media + instagram + more!

This provided the group with more transformational knowledge for their brand to apply!

We held a Creating Limitless workshop + wrapped up with a 90 day plan. The team also filmed videos of the influencers about the event - more coming soon in an upcoming feature!!

This workshop wrapped everything up to provide clarity on what would need to be applied the next 90 days in all areas of life, what tools could be used, and what ways to continue to partner with us!

Evening

Tre + Preston also held a youtube workshop later that evening as after that the group wanted to head to town to get some souvenirs and film more footage of Cuba! I decided to rest at the villa :)

I learned a ton about increasing clarity in approaches with collabs, growth on social media, and building a youtube channel with them! I also encouraged them to create content and value around these platforms!

The group also had several insights - so be sure to check out their instagrams + sites!

Day 5: Monday, 2/27/2017

Morning

The day of departure! It came so fast, but then it always does! We had down time to relax and have breakfast and pack. We chatted about some final aspects from the week, and Tre + Preston headed out for the airport at right around 9:30 am with no travel delays for anyone!

Carly and I had a one on one session on pricing and packages where I helped her with insight on social media + brand value + pitches from a financial and presentation side.

She provided me with insight on cohesiveness, composition, and growth with instagram via sogro! Check them out + use code "fitlifecreation" if you decide to use them to help you grow your social media reach organically with their strategies! I am seeing awesome results so far!

Always a win!! I've included some of my video insights from group II, and will share more features, and insights!

5+ Tools

Insight from My Perspective as the Creator and Planner of the Event