105: Inside Our 2023 Team Retreat

I have a very special episode for you today. I get to introduce you to my entire team. So right after Immersion Live, our annual conference, we moved into our annual team retreat. Now, this is really special because the 12 of us are completely virtual. So we're working every day in between Asana and Slack and Zoom. And so when we get to be together in person, it feels amazing. Now, about three of these team members are somewhat new to the team. Two of them I was meeting for the very first time, and it was just incredible to get everyone's personalities in the same room. We mesh so well. We got to know each other on a whole new level. We got to see each other work differently and laugh differently and make jokes differently, and it was just really impactful. There's something that happens to me too, when I look around the room and I see these incredible women all here supporting this dream that I had a long time ago. And it has grown into a mission that's really impacting in ways that I never even thought was possible. It's like I never really felt super lonely until I had a team and I realized just how lonely I had been. And so to have these women come alongside me and really do the best work of our lives together just feels incredible. Now you're gonna fall love with them just the same way that I fell in love with them. And I'm so excited for you to get to know each and every one. Let me introduce you, so let's dive in. I'm Bonnie Christine. And this is where all things creativity, design, business, and marketing unite. I'm a mama living in a tiny town tucked right inside the Smoky Mountains, running a multi seven figure business, doing the most creative and impactful work of my life. But when I first set out to become an entrepreneur, I was struggling to make ends meet and wrestling with how to accomplish my biggest dream of becoming a fabric designer. Fast forward to today. I'm not only licensing my artwork all over the world, but also teaching others how to design their creative life and experience the same success.

Success.

I'm here to help you spend your life doing something that lights you up. I'll help you build a creative business that also creates an impact, changes people's lives, gives you all of the freedom you want, and is wildly profitable. Welcome to the Professional Creative Podcast.

I'm Erin Godby, the events director here at Team Bonnie. I'm new to the team in an official capac, but I had worked as a freelancer with Bonnie for several years. So I had either already met or had some Contact with many of the team. It was really special to interact with everyone this time around. As a core team member, they were all so warm and welcoming. Everyone made me feel like I'd always been part of the gang. I really enjoyed the outside business training that Bonnie brought in via reboot. I learned so many valuable communication techniques that I know will serve me in all areas of life, not just in a work arena. I also love the time I was able to spend in the margins getting to know various team members. Whether a fun chat over dinner or a late night hang in someone's hotel room, enjoying snacks and deep conversations, we were able to forge wonderful connections and real friendships that strengthen our working relationships. As the event director, I had the pleasure of planning all the aspects of the team retreat. And it was so much fun to organize not only the logistical pieces like booking hotel rooms and arranging catering to work in some personalized touches as well. So whether it was preparing welcome bags with their favorite snacks that would be waiting when they arrived, or making sure that a team member who was traveling with their husband and infant had a room with a little more space, I loved taking, taking care of everyone. That's definitely my love language. The focus that Bonnie put on relaxation and fun was such a gift. Especially after an incredibly busy time planning and putting on the conference. Having time intentionally set aside to enjoy a spa session, good food, a sunset boat tour. It was so luxurious and restorative.

My name is Tessie Snow. I am the sales and retention manager or Bonnie likes to call me the Director of delight and customers smiles. So my job really is just to make sure that our customers are happy. I have a bit of a unique situation on the team because I was one of the first employees that Bonnie hired. So when I started working for Bonnie Back in 2020, it was just her and I and I was with her as the team began to grow. And it was such an exciting time and I loved working for Team Bonnie. But about a year and a half ago to work on my own business and it was exactly what I needed at the time. I was able to do some things that were on my heart and that I was yearning to do. But after a year and a half of being on my own, I really started missing the team. I missed that collaboration that happens when you're working with other people, with people that you enjoy and you're working towards a common goal. So I decided to come back to the team just very recently, back in October. I was so happy that I was able to come back to the team right before going on team retreat, I knew the majority of the team members already from working with them before. I either worked with them or had trained them. And these are women that I know and love and I had missed. And so I was so excited to go to team retreat and really spend some in person time with them. I also had this incredible opportunity to meet our new team members. So the entire marketing team got hired right around the same time that I came back on the team. And I was so thankful that we could go straight into team retreat because I feel like there's nothing quite like being in person to get to know someone. I just loved having that time in the margins, the time at night or during dinner or before we started where you could have a conversation with someone and get to know their family and their story and what they're about. So that's one of my favorite parts of being in person is I feel like those relationships just go deeper so much quicker. One thing that surprised me with the team retreat is I wasn't sure how it would feel coming back. I wasn't sure exactly where my place was and I was amazed that immediately it felt like home to me. I felt like no time had passed at all. I felt like I had been there and I was coming back to family. It just felt comfortable. And the thing that I enjoyed the most, besides those in person conversations and besides the brainstorming, the thing that I loved was the food. So I live in the country. I don't have a lot of opportunity to go out to eat and I love going out to eat. I also have celiac disease and so I have to be very strict with eating a gluten free diet. So I'm used to being in situations where I don't have a lot to eat and that's okay. I've gotten really used to that. But one thing I love about Team Bonnie is Bonnie and Aaron are always so thought our food and just making sure that each of us are taken care of when we go out to restaurants. Bonnie knows how to eat. She loves ordering lots of appetizers. We try so many things. Oftentimes we're getting pretty full by the time the main course comes. But it's honestly one of my favorite parts of going on the team retreat is just feeling so well taken care of.

Hi, I'm Bea and I recently joined Team Bonnie. As the brand and content strategist, I'm focused on maintaining our exceptional brand presence, our aesthetics, our voice, our tone, and overall, the experience that you feel when you interact with the Brand Bonnie Christine. In addition, I'm focused on maintaining a comprehensive content strategy. We have so many helpful resources and my role is to support the growth of all of those resources, to support all of our creative entrepreneurs. During our team, I was meeting everyone for the first time, and if I could describe Team Bonnie in one word, it would be lovely. And that's how I would describe the heart of Team Bonnie 2. Absolutely lovely. The respect, patience, and the collaboration of everyone was nothing like I have ever experienced before. And we had a lot of really fun experiences too. Of course, Bonnie treating us to a rooftop spa was like, ooh la la. And we had a great boat ride around Charleston and the food, because as a cannot forget to just give a shout out to Charleston because you did not disappoint Charleston. The restaurants were exceptional. But what I enjoyed most was learning about each person on the team, about their strengths as well as their Enneagram number and what that says about them as a person. Now, I quickly learned that there's something called what I guess I'm going to coin as like true Bonnie fashion. And I'll kind of define this as like, essentially her just asking, like, how can I make this experience extra special for this person? How can I ensure this person is seen and how can I make this person expand their potential? So that's what I'm defining as, like true Bonnie fashion. It's next level. It's unmatched. So during our session where we were learning about each other's strength, Bonnie takes it to the next level by giving us all a grid of each other's strengths and how that maps out as a team. So where we overlap in some of our strengths and where we've got some gaps and she doesn't. Like I said, she's got this, like, true Bonnie fashion touch. And she takes each individual's top five strengths combined with their Enneagram number and their wing. She puts this into ChatGPT, which I would never thought of to do, but she does. And this gives us a more clear perspective on who we are as individuals and how we show up. And then she had each of us read it out loud. And this was probably the most memorable and motivating team experiences that I've had in my career. We got to hear each team member in their voice share who they are because we're all one of a kind and no one has the same DNA. We are all here for a unique purpose, to be fulfilled, and we're all uniquely made. And in this session, Bonnie did such a great job of just reminding us of this. And as she consistently shares, there is room for you. And through this session, I thought she really brought this to life so thoughtfully to our team. And it was absolutely memorable.

Hi, my name is Lisa Jacobs and I'm the integrator on the team. And one of my favorite things about this year's team retreat was the addition of Erin Godby. She serves as our event director and she is all about the details. Upon arrival, I walked in to find the most delicious snack basket. And based on just a casual conversation, Erin had stocked my supplies, my basket with my favorite snack, which is Doritos and cottage cheese. So she left some cottage cheese in my fridge and a big fresh bag of Doritos for me to snack on throughout the week. And I was just so appreciative to her attention to detail. I was never hungry. I was never unsure what we needed to do next. During the entire thing, we were always on schedule and it was just amazing to have an ext of hands on top of that. Aaron just has an extremely comforting presence. Which brings me to my overall favorite thing about the team retreat is being in person with the team. It's just a whole new level of connection point. And I could name each one of our team members and say something I enjoyed about being in their presence this week. But one thing that just stands out to me is the level of comfort between our team members, Tessie and Efia, because they are, in real life, family. And so when you're around them, you can tell that they gather like family. I remember being in the room with them and Efia reaching out and touching Tessie on the shoulder to say something. And it just struck me how calming and comforting it is to be in the presence of people who are so comfortable together. It reminded me of what their holidays must be like when they're together in person. And it helped to keep me present in the moment to realize that that's my greatest takeaway of all when we're together is to get to touch, when we're laughing, to get to make that direct eye contact. These are just type of things that do not translate on zoom. And so the entire time I was at the team retreat, I was just soaking up the presence of the others.

Hello, I'm Ashley and I'm the customer success champion for Team Bonnie. I am passionate about helping others and have the pleasure of connecting with members of our community. Each support in the inbox and ensuring a smooth and positive experience for everyone. Our team retreat in Charleston was truly an amazing experience. I joined the team in 2022 and it's wonderful to see the growth of our team from eight to 12 members. It was exciting to finally meet all the new members of our team in person and I was instantly greeted with warm hugs and smiles. We got to know one another on an even deeper level through personal and professional hot seats and team strengthening activities. Everyone is so perfectly suited for their roles and the retreat really highlighted how we all work together for a shared purpose to help creatives realize their dreams and thrive in their creative careers. Among the many memorable experiences we shared, one of my favorites was the surprise boat tour we went on through the charming Charleston Harbor. It was a fun and relaxing time on the water learning about the history of Charleston as the sun set in the distance and laughter filled the air. I'm so grateful to work with these remarkable women every day and love the strong bond you've created as a team.

Picture this your creative business thriving beyond your wildest dreams. More than just a business, a entire legacy. It's not just possible, but I want you to feel how close it is to within your reach. I want to unfold the map of success together with you. In fact, I want to invite you to join me on a journey unlike any other with my brand new professional Creative Business Coaching program. If you're currently making in between 50 and $200,000 a year in your business, it's time to think bigger. Imagine expanding your team, honing your leadership and overcoming the challenges most businesses face. You know, what got you to where you are today isn't going to be the same thing that gets you to where you're going. If you're nodding along, I made this program for you. We'll have weekly live coaching calls, accountability pods to keep you on track, and a vault of resources and BO along with a community of fellow creative big thinkers. Because growing together is where all the magic happens. We've got the Time management lab, my $5 million launch debrief, and a Creative Profits training which you'll have as a launch pad for all your revenue streams. But if you're unsure if this is your next step, I would love to chat with you. So in order to do that I need you to send me a DM on Instagram or fill out our short interest form over@bonniecristine.com coach so that I can personally follow up with you and just ask you a few questions because I want to make sure that this is the perfect fit for you and your journey right now. You have my word. If I don't think I can truly move the needle for you, I'll tell you. So if you're ready to elevate your creative business and step into your power and into a room of some really big thinkers, join me by filling out the interest form@bonniecristine.com coach or com. Just DM me over on Instagram the word coach, and I'll respond with my first few questions for you. Together, let's make your passion your legacy.

Hi, I'm Lisa Weaver and I live in Dallas, Texas. I'm the marketing director at Team Bonnie and I work to build the Bonnie Christine brand and grow the business by implementing the latest marketing trends and strategies for all digital media events and launches. So that includes social media, the website, the podcast, and any products, resources and events that we have. I'm new to Team Bonnie this year, so attending the team retreat was such an amazing experience because I had the opportunity to meet all of these fabulous people who work together to make everything you see come to life and successful for you. And the thing that really just impressed me the most because I've been on quite a few teams, I've led some team, was the culture that Bonnie has created. And it is such a warm and collaborative culture. Everyone works together, there's so much support and everyone has a deep desire for success. And so everyone is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen, whatever it takes to help and support one another to get to that place. And so that was something that was really exciting to me and just getting to know Bonnie. And one of the things that many people might not know and that I know now from being in a more casual, off the screen atmosphere is she seems to be. She's just a really genuine person. And what, how she appears on screen or on the podcast is who she is behind the scenes. And that makes it so much easier for us to promote someone and market for them when they are genuinely who they are to their audience. I'm just excited to be a part of this great team and look forward to all the successes we're going to have in the future.

My name is Ifia and I'm the virtual assistant for Team Bonnie. And I look forward to the team retreat every year. I think it's such a fun thing that we get to do because we all work virtually. So I really look forward to it every year to just connect with people and get to know them a little bit better. So this year did not disappoint. We added some new team members and I loved meeting them. Um, Bonnie has really assembled just an amazing team. Everyone is creative and smart and kind and it's just a joy to like be together and talk about our work and then talk about our non work stuff. But I just always walk away learning something and being inspired and really thinking about, you know, what can I add, what can I do to help our team? We've really excited to be on this team and to be part of this work that we do. One of the things I loved that we did this year as a team is we all took the cliftonstrength finder and I find it super fascinating and I really enjoyed seeing everyone else's strengths and seeing how they all fit together on our team and really just things that I've noticed about people I saw reflected in their strengths I think is really cool and I'm excited to see how we can understand each other better and how that just will enhance our team working together. So that was really fun and Charleston is an amazing city. I'd never been there before and it was really fun to explore a little bit with the team. And Bonnie always takes such good care of us, eating all the yummy things, you know, working, but also finding some time to relax and that was just really enjoyable and it was really fun this year also because we did our team retreat with the Immersion Life conference that it was fun to talk to people and hear their stories about what brought them to Bonnie and to the Immersion Live event and what their dreams are and hopes are. It really just enhan for me like what we do here and how we really want to uplift and encourage other artists and entrepreneurs. It was just really such a treat for me.

Hello, I'm Rebecca Beretta and I'm lead designer here at Team Bonnie. Our retreat this year was incredible. I really enjoyed getting to meet our new team members in person. As a team, we are very intentional about weekly creating space for connection since we all work remotely. But there's such a different connection that is made when you meet in person. It's so much, so much more fluid and natural to get to know people on a more personal level and to chat about things that are not as work related. For example, there are a couple of us who deep dived into all of the books that we're reading and I got quite a few book recommendations that I'm excited about digging into. Our retreat was packed full of fun and deep work and there were a lot of things that I really enjoyed. But if I had to pick, I would say my top two were first, the workshop where we learned all about how to create a successful team. The workshop was was a flood of good information as a subject matter. It's one that I really deeply value. We learned a lot of actionable things that we can do to intentionally make our team a place where everyone feels safe, welcome and needed and how those things are the foundation that we create for a truly successful team. It really built on all of the groundwork that Bonnie has already established for our team and I think it's going to help us a lot as our team grows. It was really impactful, especially after the discussion of our CliftonStrengths and Enneagram numbers, which was another conversation that I really, really enjoyed. My second favorite part of our retreat, if I had to pick, was the surprise harbor boat ride that Bonnie and Aaron planned for us. If you don't know, I am a nature girl to my core. I need my outside time. So the boat ride was such a treat, especially after all of the deep work that we had done all day. The cool breeze blowing through my hair, the birds soaring overhead, and the sky slowly and subtly shifting into the warm colors of sunset, all while being surrounded by these incredible women that I call myself friends. It was really just the cherry on top of a fantastic day. It's always a little bittersweet when our team retreat ends. We have so much fun together, but I love how there's a new energy in our weekly meetings when we return home. Because of the connections that we were able to create while we were together, the little inside jokes and funny stories that we share together, that energy is able to hold me over until the next time that we get to meet again in person.

Hello, I'm Nikita Cahoon and I'm the Program Manager here on Team Bonnie. Which means that I get to our students and members in their journey as creative professionals by making sure that they have the best learning experience possible. I'm always thinking about the ways we can make that more impactful. Whether it's our immersion workbook, resources to go with the lesson Bonnie is teaching, or simply helping a member find what they are looking for, I'm also known on the team as our Content Librarian because I love to make sure all of the amazing insight Bonnie teaches and shares is easily accessible not just to our customers, but to our team. I help Bonnie with this podcast, upcoming episodes that will be useful and impactful for you. So when you're listening, I hope you know how much we think about you and strive to make the professional creative a great resource for you. This was My second year attending the team retreat and I could not wait to gather with my teammates and friends in person this year. Last year I met Kylie for the first time when she had a layover in Detroit where I was flying out from. We got coffee together and it just really kickstarted our priority friendship. And this year, touching down in Charleston, I was so surprised to meet Bea for the first time. While we were waiting to get our luggage, we caught a lift to our hotel together and instantly bonded over books. I'm always amazed how quickly our connections to one another deepen, even within the moments of meeting or reconnecting in person. The team retreat itself is so thoughtfully and masterfully planned down to the small details like welcoming treats in our room by Bonnie and Aaron. Bonnie even surprised us with a video montage of snippets from our interviews and it was so meaningful because not only does the so much about the work we do together on Team Bonnie, but I know that Bonnie considers so carefully not only finding the right fit for each role we have here on the team, but for this amazing team that cares for each other so dearly and she truly thinks about how that all comes together. I could tell you so much about the work we did together during the retreat, but because it's so well planned, those in between moments also flow so meaningfully and they really stand out for me. I treasure the conversations we had as Bonnie and I walked to a nearby coffee shop on a break as Erin, Kylie and I soaked in the sun on the rooftop deck at the spa. And then there was a group of us staying up late to giggle together on the last night of the retreat and even just sitting by the outdoor fireplace at the hotel, learning each other's stories and getting to know each other more deeply. I enjoyed walking to the docks, watching the sunrise, then meeting up with a couple more teammates and friends to talk through what we'd learned that week. I can think of individual moments with each team member that really cemented our friendship and also my deep respect for all that they bring to this team. We often hear about team building and truthfully roll our eyes because it can be empty and forced. But what I so appreciate about our team retreats is that we truly connect with one another and care about this team and the work that we do together and continue to find ways to strengthen all of that.

My name is Jodi Rixie and I

recently joined the team at Bonnie Christine

as the Digital Marketing Manager.

This was my first time meeting everyone

on the team except Bonnie.

And what surprised me the Most was

how quickly everyone just truly clicked.

From day one it felt like I

was hanging with old friends. It's like Bonnie curated a dozen new professional friends just for me.

One of the biggest things I enjoyed

at the retreat was going over our

personality tests before we arrived.

Everyone took the Enneagram and the Gallup Clifton strength Finders tests and while we were there, we shared the results with our top five strengths. It was so fascinating to see our

commonalities as a team as well as

where each of us bring our unique strength strengths. Bonnie had run an analysis on who would work well together on different projects we face and it was such interesting data. Not a shock though, as one of my top five strengths is analytical.

Coming right out of Immersion Live, which

was filled with so many takeaways, the entire week was fulfilling and inspiring.

Charleston did not disappoint.

Hi, my name is Kylie and I'm the Director of Customer support here at Team Bonnie. I work inside the inbox as well as inside the Immersion and Flourish community communities and I also manage our incredible support team of guides and experts that help serve our students and members throughout the year. This year's team retreat experience was very unique and special for me. As a new mom, I was able to bring my six month old along with me to both Immersion Live and the team retreat and I was a little nervous about the logistics of all of this. All working moms out there know what a winding journey it is to find your footing and I just had no idea what it would look like to need lots and lots of breaks to feed my baby as well as skipping out on team dinners and activities because of bedtime because I'm an extrovert and I only see my team rarely. So the thought of missing out was a little heartbreaking. But I really shouldn't have worried for one second because Bonnie has cultivated such a family focused company and I I was able to really lean into a working mom role in a way that felt possible. And that's thanks to all of the support that I received from every single team member. It was truly a privilege, an experience I will cherish forever to get to bring him along with me. And thanks to my husband, I was able to make a couple of the dinners too. One special little thing that Bonnie does at our team retreats is to hire a photographer for team he headshots. And it's so wonderful to get these beautiful headshots every year. But this year the team made sure that the photographer snapped a few of me with my son. So I'll have the memories of bringing him along with me forever commemorated. And moms also know how rare it can be to have photos of just you and the baby that aren't selfies. So that was really sweet, too. It was also such a treat to spend time with our new team members because in the weeks prior to our retreat, our team expanded quite a bit. And in it was the perfect timing because we all came together. We got to have really valuable one on one, face to face time that we wouldn't have had. And it really set in place that team bond and camaraderie that is so vital to a thriving team. The team retreat was truly amazing this year, and I don't know how we'll top it next year, but I have no doubt it will happen.

Now it's my turn to tell you about my experience at the team retreat. I already told you a little bit about just how meaningful it is for me to see this room full of incredible women here to work in this business alongside of me. And each of them just have, like, layers and layers of added value and personality strengths and things that they bring to the table that just make the experience feel so rich. We had so much fun, but I have to tell you this story. So we spent the first day really more relaxed, right? So we spent the first half of the day at the spa. Now, remember, we're coming off of Immersion Live, which is our biggest event of the year.

So we're pretty tapped out.

So I wanted to treat everyone. And so we spent the first half of the day at this incredible spa and had an amazing lunch. Now, I'll come back to tell you about what we did in the afternoon. But that evening, I had surprised everyone with an event that I didn't tell anybody what it was. So we jumped in and car and went. And between you and me, I had rented us a yacht, like a yacht in Charleston to go out on the ocean and see the sunset. And we were going to have a charcuterie board and just have an amazing time, okay? And so I announce it when we get there. We get to a marina with, like, docks and boats everywhere. Beautiful, stunning boats, okay? And so we walk by out on the dock, we pass all of these incredible boats, and then we get to our boat. I'm like, oh, this boat must be the boat that's going to take us to our yacht, right? And so we're like, okay, we all get on this boat and like, five or 10 minutes in, like, everybody's having a good time, we're having some snacks But I sneak over to Erin, who is my executive assistant who helps me plan. She's my events director too. And I'm like, is this the boat that we picked out? And she looked at me and she was like, yeah, I told you it was not a yacht. It's a 12 person boat. And I just started dying laughing because what actually happened is that she sent me the link to this boat and apparently all I did was look at the website, because on the website it's like these glorious yachts. And the link that she sent me was correct. It was a 12 person boat that we had been on, which was fine. It's just so funny that I thought it was going to be this whole grand yacht experience. And so we all got to laughing so hard on our yacht experience. And I said, just wait until dinner. I've booked us a mansion, so I'm sure that I'm never going to live this one down. It was very funny. And my lesson learned was to always read the details right. But then one of my favorite parts of, of the experience was the afternoon before this event, which is where we came together and discussed a recent test that we all took. So I had the team take the Gallups strengths finders test. And this test is pretty robust and I believe it costs like maybe $59 a person. And it's a timed test and it walks you through all of these questions and then it ranks you from 1 to 34 in different applications attributes. And so everyone's top attributes are different. They reference them as like your top five. They're really telling. Also your bottom five are really telling. And so we were able to come together and talk about our number one strength and our top five strengths and how that means we show up in a work setting or in a communication setting, in a relationship setting. And it was just really impactful. But one of the favorite things that I did was we made like a team grid. So if you can imag in a spreadsheet, we had all 34 of these attributes along the top and then all of our names along the column to the left on the side. And so I put everybody's numbers where they ranked 1 through 34 in this team grid and then highlighted everybody's top five. And so it was really fascinating to see who all had similar things in their top five and some things that we don't have as a team in our top five five at all, which was really interesting. So some of the things that many of us have in our top five I really stand for as a company and as a brand and as a voice, but then other things that we really need to have that we don't. For instance, no one on the team has focus in their top five. Now, that doesn't mean that we're not capable of focusing, but it's really none of our top strengths. However, we have many achievers on the team, so we definitely get a lot of done. We just might need to work on our ability to focus a little bit. And so when you look at it from a team perspective, it's really, really beneficial. So that was probably one of my favorite parts. And then we did hot seats the second day where everyone got to bring to the entire team something that they were working on that they have ownership of inside the company. And it was just so fun for everyone to use, like, all. All of their creative mind and strength to support this one person in something that they were working on. So it was overall incredible. I don't think I can wait another year to get us all together. And I'm so glad that you got to meet everyone today. My friends, create the beauty that you want to see come alive in the world. And remember, there's room for you.