I’ve seen many associations and companies put on retreats. I’ve never attended one, but I was curious. Do you become brainwashed and transform? Leave totally changed? There was always something cultish around it for me. Maybe it’s the very word retreat? Retreat, by definition, is an “act of moving back or withdrawing”. As in battle, you retreat when you are losing. What are we retreating from? Our responsibilities, life, reality?
This year in August of 2025, Amazing Women in Automotive hosted our very first Women’s Retreat. A big goal set for us by our founder Maylan Newton, who passed unexpectedly this year. His passing motivated us to deliver on his dream. I was hesitant to call it a retreat, but it wasn’t quite a convention or expo, so alright let’s go with it! I knew what I did not want it to feel like and began focusing on what I thought our members would want. Finally, after consultation with our board, we set out to create an event where someone can go to find peace. Time to focus on the things that give your life purpose and make you a better you, not a different you. To fill your cup so that when you return to your regular routine, you are better able to lead and take care of those around you.
Women, especially those that are career focused with families, find themselves burning the candle at both ends. They work during the day taking care of customers, employees, co-workers, and businesses then leave to spend nights and weekends caring for their children, spouses, and other loved ones, such as aging parents. Often, we do find joy and take great pride in these responsibilities, so we do them with devotion, at times to our own peril, forgetting to take time to care for ourselves. We forget to stop and check in on our own health and well-being or don’t do it often enough.
The AWiA retreat was a relaxed, laid-back event hosted in the quaint town of Park City, Utah. Surrounded by mountains and nature’s beauty, it gave you no choice but to stop and breathe in the fresh air. The weekend was spent in Deer Valley Resort at one of the cozy cabins of Black Bear Lodge, atop a mountain. Several of the nearby ski lodges were within walking distance, and the city buses offered easy transportation into town for more activities, shopping, and sight-seeing.
The retreat wasn’t just a vacation; we incorporated an opening night roundtable to allow the attendees to set some goals for the weekend. Rachel, owner of Aminth Goods & Consulting, donated some beautiful, personalized journals with each attendee’s name, and everyone participated in some guided writing about what called them to the event, and what they hope to get out of the weekend. Some shared their “why” and conversation flowed while sharing a massive charcuterie board with a variety of cheeses, nuts, fruits, crackers and meats resulting in an amazing evening of food and fellowship.
The following morning, after a healthy, hearty breakfast, we took a walk on a nature trail and toured an old historical dairy barn nearby called the McPolin Barn. We had no set schedule and allowed the group’s natural rhythm to dictate the plan. There was no rush to class or hard stops; we just enjoyed the moment. Maryann Croce, of Small Biz Vantage presented and led a discussion that evening on boundaries. Many of us shared both personal and professional struggles. The evening concluded with a night stroll under the stars and among the trees covered in twinkling lights along the road of the ski resorts.
On the last day, we all decided to ride the gondola up the mountain and take in some even better views. Once we had gone as high as we could, half the group wanted to hike down, and half the group wanted to take in the live band and festivities happening on the grassy gathering place back at the bottom. Birdie Patterson facilitated a discussion on relationships before the grand finale of our final night together, an on-site hibachi dinner, complete with a fire show and fun team building games. It was truly incredible, and you could tell the attendees had really made deep connections and found long-lasting relationships.
The retreat group’s texts kept coming for weeks after, sharing thoughts of goodwill, laughter about the fun times, and intentions to see everyone at next year’s event. This was confirmation that we achieved our goals. One attendee, Ashlan Kaplan, put it best in her Facebook post upon her return home, “Talk about a cup filling weekend, in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been”.
Here is what I learned. Retreating doesn’t have to be permanent. Even in battle, you can retreat, reorganize, focus, and go out and win! This is exactly the experience for everyone who attended this event. This was our intent. I encourage any ladies out there that feel burned out or overwhelmed to join our group and participate in our annual women’s retreat. It may seem selfish at first, but it isn’t just for you, it’s also for everyone who depends on you and needs you at your best.
Male shop owners, I call on you to pour into the ladies in your shops that support you and your customers and staff every day. Invest in a weekend that allows them to invest in themselves and show them you see all they do.
I want to thank Margaret and her team at Autoshop Solutions, AAA Midwest, Aminth Goods & Consulting, and Lorraine Klein, our AWiA Ambassador and owner of Delightful Way Travel. This would not have been the success it was without all of you.
If you are a woman in the industry and you have not already become a member of AWiA, you can go to our website and join today www.amazingwia.com or email us for more info at tiffany@amazingwia.com.
