Free planning tool
The 9-Month Retreat Launch Calendar
Plan your retreat launch over 9 months with this interactive timeline. Check off phases as you finish them, dismiss what does not apply, and add your own milestones.
First time hosting? Validate your retreat profitability first with the Profitability Calculator.
Three months less runway. Foundation work runs in parallel with venue lock-in — workable, but the early-bird launch window tightens.
- Phase 1 · Foundation
Set the vision and secure your venue
- Define your retreat vision, theme, and the transformation it offers
- Identify your ideal guest avatar
- Decide on length, group size, and residential vs day-retreat format
- Draft an initial budget with a 10–15% buffer
- Begin venue scouting (popular venues book 12 months out)
- Decide on pricing strategy and payment model
- Research comparable retreats in your niche
- Decide whether to co-lead or hire facilitators
- Research legal and tax implications of hosting a retreat
- Phase 2 · Anchor
Lock contracts and build the landing page
- Sign the venue contract — verify cancellation policy, capacity, dietary, and AV
- Secure event and liability insurance
- Draft participant waivers
- Sign co-facilitator and hired-facilitator agreements
- Publish the retreat landing page (messaging, sample itinerary, pricing)
- Draft the program arc — day-by-day skeleton
- Set up your registration and payment system
- Warm up your audience with a content cadence
- Gather marketing assets — venue photos, retreat-style imagery
- Define deposit and refund policy
- Phase 3 · Launch & sell
Announce, sell early-bird, build momentum
- Public announcement post and email
- Launch early-bird pricing tier with a deadline
- Schedule the announcement → social proof → urgency email sequence
- Plan social cadence — behind-the-scenes, founder story, day-in-the-life
- Set up referral incentives
- Reach out for podcast guesting and partner promotions
- Track and respond to the first wave of paid registrations
- Shortlist vendors — catering, transport, photography, AV, special activities
- Refine the itinerary based on early registrant feedback
- Phase 4 · Lock-in
Go/no-go and finalize every detail
- Hit your minimum-viable headcount — go/no-go decision
- Confirm all vendors with signed agreements
- Finalize program content and printed/digital materials
- Send welcome packet with intentions email
- Send packing list and what-to-expect email
- Send dietary and allergy survey
- Confirm roommate matching and special requests
- Check in on accessibility needs
- Brief the on-site team and finalize the run-of-show
- Phase 5 · Final weeks
Detailed itinerary, travel logistics, day-of prep
- Share the detailed itinerary 4 weeks out
- Send travel logistics confirmation 2 weeks out
- Send arrival details and final note 1 week out
- Print attendance rosters and check-in sheets
- Prepare name tags and welcome materials
- Compile emergency-contact list and safety protocols
- Prepare on-site signage and materials kit
- Phase 6 · Post-retreat
Close the loop, gather social proof, plan the next one
- Send personal thank-you emails to every attendee
- Share the photo gallery
- Send the feedback survey
- Request and publish testimonials
- Reconcile finances and document lessons learned
How to use this calendar
- Pick the runway that matches your situation — 3, 6, 9, or 12 months.
- Work through the phases top-to-bottom, checking off what you complete.
- Dismiss anything that does not apply (you can restore it later).
- Add your own milestones with the inline input — each phase has its own.
- Email yourself the plan when you want to take it offline or share with co-hosts.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to plan a retreat?
12 months is the unhurried, honest answer for a first retreat. 6 months works if you already have a venue identified and a warm audience. 3 months is possible only if your venue is booked and your audience is ready.
How far in advance do retreats sell out?
Strong retreats with established hosts often sell out 4–6 months out. First-time retreats usually fill in the final 6–8 weeks if at all — early-bird incentives help compress this curve.
When should I open registration for a retreat?
Open registration as soon as your venue contract is signed and your landing page is live — typically 6 months before. Early-bird tiers can run for the first 4–6 weeks.
How early should I book a retreat venue?
Suitable retreat venues book 9–12 months in advance for popular seasons (spring, summer, early autumn). Start scouting at the 12-month mark.
Can I launch a retreat in 3 months?
Yes, if your venue is already booked and you have a warm audience. Use the 3-month variant of this calendar — it skips standalone foundation work and assumes warm-outreach drives early registrations.
What's the minimum lead time for an international retreat?
Plan on 9–12 months minimum. International retreats add visa requirements, currency considerations, and longer travel-booking windows for guests.
What's a realistic retreat launch timeline for a first-time host?
For a first retreat, 12 months gives you the most realistic runway — time to validate the concept, build an audience, and learn pricing. The 12-month variant is the canonical version of this calendar.
Is my progress saved across devices?
No — your check-offs and custom items are saved on this device only. Use the email-the-list option to take your plan with you or share it with co-hosts.
Does this work for any retreat type?
Yes — the canonical timeline applies broadly. We will add yoga / wellness / meditation / coaching variants in a future update with niche-specific milestones.
What's the most common reason retreats don't sell out?
Late launch — opening registration less than 3 months before the retreat without a warm audience. The second-most-common: pricing that does not match the audience's perceived value.
Should I run the Profitability Calculator before or after the calendar?
Before. Validate that the numbers work first, then plan the timeline. The Profitability Calculator is in the related tools below.
How do I share my plan with co-facilitators?
Use the email-the-list option to send your personalized plan to your co-host. Each device has its own progress, so each co-host can have their own view.