BUSINESS GROWS WHERE COURAGE FLOWS …
Dare to step away from business-as-usual to invest in transformational change for your organization.
Do you need to bring your team together for innovation, strategy or team building? Brave YES Team Retreats are designed for you to be fully engaged and wildly entertained while getting things done and making brave decisions.
Business Grows Where Courage Flows
What if your team is holding back not because they are overwhelmed or burned out, but because they aren’t challenged enough? What if they are tired of doing the same thing every day, every week — year after year? Don’t think bored-out is an issue? You may not be asking the right questions. A goal that challenges and requires some courage and a retreat is often just what your team, your management or your board need to re-energize and re-engage!
It’s time to … Visualize. Strategize. Actualize.
Whether you are building up new leaders or re-energizing longtime servants, the goal of half day and full-day Brave Leadership Retreats is always the same.
First, we’ll visualize where you want to be.
Then, we’ll strategize on how to get there.
Finally, we’ll focus on how to actualize the vision and take the courageous steps forward.
Customized Leadership Retreats for Your Team
You’ve been Learning Forever … Now it’s Time to Integrate & Implement
One-off workshops are great bandaids for the core wounds affecting your team’s cohesion, clarity, burnout and lack of impact — but if you want to truly bring everyone together to work harder for the same level of expectations, you’re going to have to go deeper.
Most off site team retreats are about team building, which can feel like a waste of time for your people who actually want to do great work and go home.
Brave YES Team Retreats are about bringing you together in the most fun and engaging way possible while also getting things done: Strategy, Innovation, Professional or Personal Development, Planning — it can all happen in one room, in one day.
In addition to being fully inclusive and safe for everyone to contribute, Brave Leadership Retreats are also a great time to strategize how to accelerate projects, goals and team results.
A Team Retreat that Meets Your Needs
Forget cookie cutter approaches. Brave YES Team Retreats are customized for you, your team and your mission. We always plan your retreat by first talking about what’s going on inside your organization and what’s needed to most the moment and rise to greater courage to get there.
Creative, Out-of-the-Box Fun!
We can tackle big issues and design brave visions while having fun, being creative and innovative and digging deeper to build connections and relationships. Through interactive exercises, conversations, games and pure fun, Brave YES Team Retreats are designed to have you and everyone else smiling and laughing together while also getting things done.
Where the Professional Meets the Personal
Brave YES Team Retreats are intentionally designed to honor the WHOLE being of your team members because they bring their WHOLE selves to work so you can bet we’re going to meet them where they are as humans and create brave and safe space for them to learn, grow, be heard and share what’s on their minds and hearts in these retreats. That’s how courage flows …
I highly recommend her Lead, Rise, Flourish Leadership Retreat. We can’t wait to have her back next year.
I knew as soon as I saw Shawn speak at a community event that I wanted her to speak at our strategic planning session. Shawn delivered an amazing presentation on leadership and personal growth and provided our team with valuable information and tools that will help all of us. The comments I received from our management team confirmed that she was the best speaker that we have had in a very long time. Simply put, Shawn is awesome, and I highly recommend her Lead, Rise, Flourish Leadership Retreat. We can’t wait to have her back next year.
Sue DeStephano
President/CEO, First Capital Federal Credit Union
What’s the ROI on your Retreat Investment?
Teams that Say YES to a Brave YES Leadership Retreat are Saying YES to …
- Breaking free from the daily grind to gain fresh perspective and renewed energy
- Creating space for the big conversations that never seem to happen in regular meetings
- Building genuine human connections beyond job titles and roles
- Investing in their collective future rather than just managing the present
- Learning how each team member's unique strengths contribute to the whole
- Moving from surface-level interaction to meaningful collaboration
- Developing a shared language and vision that guides future decisions
In today’s hybrid and fast-paced work environment, teams often operate in silos, leading to disconnection and reduced innovation. A Brave YES Leadership Retreat creates cross-functional team environment that offers dedicated space for authentic connections and brave communication so that teams can unlock their collective strength and build lasting bonds that inspires aligned collaboration and problem solving long after the retreat ends. Your Brave Leadership Team Retreat will look unique to your team makeup and circumstances.
THE 3 PILLARS OF BRAVE LEADERSHIP RETREATS
We are living and working in a rapidly changing world and business landscape, Brave Leadership isn’t just an advantage – it’s essential strategy for survival. Organizations face unprecedented challenges: economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, shifting workforce expectations, and intense market competition. Traditional command-and-control leadership models are crumbling as employees demand more authenticity, purpose, work-life balance and meaningful connection. Only the bravest leaders can navigate this complexity by fostering environments where innovation thrives, where difficult conversations happen freely, and where teams feel safe being honest and taking calculated risks.
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PILLAR ONE
Brave Vision:
In today’s fast-paced business environment, teams need dedicated space to look beyond immediate pressures and envision bold possibilities. Brave Visioning creates structured opportunities for teams to challenge assumptions, think expansively, and align around shared goals. Many organizations struggle with getting everyone flowing in the same direction. Through structured yet engaging sessions, teams emerge with a crystal-clear shared vision and actionable strategies to achieve it. This purpose and goal alignment is particularly valuable during times of growth, transition, or when launching new initiatives.
- Strategic future-focused planning
- Challenge assumptions about what's possible
- Set ambitious goals that stretch your team's potential
- Innovation and creative problem-solving
- Create space for authentic, productive conversations
Without a clear vision, teams drift. But vision alone isn’t enough – it must be bold enough to inspire and practical enough to achieve. Our Brave Visioning process transforms your team’s aspirations into actionable strategy, creating the roadmap for your organization’s most ambitious future. When teams share a compelling vision, everyday decisions become easier and innovation flourishes.
PILLAR TWO
Courageous Connection
Strong teams are built on authentic relationships, yet many organizations struggle with silos and surface-level interactions. Courageous Connection creates psychological safety for real dialogue across differences, fostering the trust needed for innovation and problem-solving. This pillar helps teams move past artificial harmony to build genuine, lasting bonds that enhance collaboration and performance.
- Create psychological safety for authentic, honest conversations
- Bridge divides between teams and departments
- Strengthen collaboration and cooperation across the organization
- Open to and embrace diverse perspectives and experiences
- Form genuine relationships that drive creativity and innovation
In an era of constant consumption and digital communication, genuine human connection has never been more crucial – or more challenging. Courageous Connection builds the psychological safety needed for innovation, the trust required for difficult conversations, and the relationships that fuel outstanding performance. Strong connections aren’t just nice to have – they’re your competitive advantage.
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PILLAR THREE
Bold Action
Vision and connection mean little without execution. Bold Action bridges the gap between insight and impact by creating clear frameworks for decision-making and accountability. This pillar helps teams identify priorities, overcome obstacles, and maintain momentum long after the retreat ends. It transforms good intentions into measurable results through practical tools and sustained commitment.
- Prioritize high-impact initiatives that energize everyone
- Problem solve to overcome barriers to implementation and strategic action
- Turn team insights into measurable outcomes and tangible actions
- Create momentum for stalled initiatives as well as success metrics for accountability
- Learn to lead and prioritize strategic projects over daily firefighting
Ideas without execution are merely dreams. Bold Action bridges the gap between potential and performance, turning your team’s best thinking into tangible results. We break through the barriers of “business as usual” to create momentum on your most important initiatives. Because in today’s fast-paced market, the difference between good intentions and great outcomes is bold, sustained action.
Brave Leadership creates the psychological safety needed for true creativity and problem-solving, while building the resilience required to adapt in uncertain times. When teams are led with courage, they’re more likely to embrace change, challenge outdated thinking, and discover breakthrough solutions – exactly what organizations need to thrive in today’s dynamic marketplace.
Ideas for retreats include:
nonprofit leadership retreat
corporate team development
sales team retreat
startup team alignment
remote team building retreat
hybrid workplace collaboration
Truthfully, her out-of-the-box thinking made it fun.
Natasha Kukorlo
Habitat for Humanity
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m SHAWN…
I’ve been empowering teams and individuals for 25+ years especially as a full-time coach (13 years) working to empower and encourage people all over the world to lead more boldly. I am also a Business Strategist & Leadership Consultant. In addition to private coaching, I facilitate high-touch, interactive Retreats & Workshops for teams & organizations around Central PA. I am the founder of the Brave YES Mindset Framework™ used for greater impact, ease and growth, and believe strongly that “Business Grows where Courage Flows.” I am a proud mom of twin daughters, a writer and a soul-care enthusiast.
My coaching and facilitation cross over many multidisplinary boundaries such as brave leadership, resilience and wellbeing, risk taking and being a YES person as well as change management and creative innovation.
SOME OF OUR HAPPY CLIENTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Have a question?
Choosing to invest in a Team Retreat involves a lot of moving parts and we want to make sure you feel comfortable with all aspects of your retreat. Please reach out if you have a question not addressed below!
How do you ensure the retreat insights translate into lasting organizational change?
We focus on creating memorable frameworks and methodology throughout retreats that are easy to remember, implement and return to time and again. Every breakthrough moment is captured and connected to concrete next steps. Leaders leave with clear priorities, defined success metrics, and accountability structures to maintain momentum.
What makes your retreat different from standard team-building events?
Brave YES Team retreats go beyond surface-level activities to experience authentic connections and address core organizational challenges. We create space for honest, brave conversations that rarely happen in day-to-day operations, while building practical skills and strategies that transform how your team works together.
What measurable outcomes can we expect?
While each organization’s journey is unique, common outcomes include improved team alignment (measured through decision-making speed and quality), increased employee engagement (reflected in overall retention and satisfaction metrics), and enhanced innovation (seen through cross-functional collaboration and new initiatives). Other jobs that will get done during a retreat include:
– Draft a Strategic Plan
– Bring your whole team into alignment
– Deeper connections and relationships
– Reconnect with mission, vision and values and integrate them
– Work through operational struggles
– Get resistant team members on board for upcoming change
– Craft a new vision for a program, service or department
– Address priorities and visualize outcomes for the quarter or year
How do you balance strategic planning with team building?
We view these as interconnected rather than separate goals. Strong strategy emerges from strong teams, and shared purpose builds stronger bonds. The Brave YES Team Retreat dynamic weaves together visioning, strategic thinking along with deep relationship building in refreshing, meaningful ways.
How do you ensure the retreat environment is inclusive and accessible to all participants?
DEI isn’t a separate module but woven throughout our entire retreat experience. We create brave spaces where all voices are heard and valued, while building awareness of how diverse perspectives strengthen decision-making and innovation. Our frameworks help leaders recognize and dismantle barriers to inclusion, ensuring every team member can fully contribute their unique talents and perspectives.
We always begin by understanding your team’s specific needs and accommodations. Our activities are designed with multiple modes of engagement, respecting different communication styles, cultural backgrounds, and physical abilities.
And, we’re introvert friendly as well. Not everyone wants to get up and present, so we create space for everyone to thrive and flourish during the day.
I gained valuable insights and practical tools that I’m excited to apply in both my personal and professional life
“I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a training session led by Shawn Fink, and it was absolutely fantastic! Shawn’s expertise and passion truly shone through, making it an enriching and inspiring experience. I gained valuable insights and practical tools that I’m excited to apply in both my personal and professional life. I highly recommend any training or workshop facilitated by Shawn Fink!”
Kraig Hursh
Leadership York
