Face-to-Face: Recap of the 2019 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat

In today’s digital age, in-person networking can sometimes fall to the wayside. But its power is undeniable.

“The value of face-to-face networking is being recognized as one of the most powerful tools available for increasing one’s personal exposure, creating meaningful relationships and providing growth opportunities at a personal and professional level,” explained Lucinda Honeycutt, in an article for Forbes.

In fact, this is the entire point of the annual Club Solutions Leadership Retreat. Its mission is to bring 40 club operators from across the U.S. together for 2.5 days of roundtable discussions, networking and unique experiences. Ultimately, the goal is to help operators step outside of their day-to-day operations so they can meet with their peers, exchange ideas and problem solve, all in a resort setting.

The 2019 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat took place this September 4-6 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the beautiful Phoenician Resort. And according to Stephanie Coulon, the member services and marketing manager at Stone Creek Club & Spa, its mission was a success. 

“The most valuable aspect of the 2019 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat is getting the opportunity to spend valuable time with other industry professionals,” said Coulon. “The roundtable structure of the agenda allows us time to focus on topics that affect us all, and the chance to share practical ideas and best practices that we can implement in our own clubs. I would absolutely recommend this retreat to any industry professional.” 

This year’s event was moderated by Blair McHaney, the CEO of MXM, who led attendees and sponsors through six strategic roundtables. Topics included:

• Leadership: Setting the CX Vision
• Team Empowerment: Accomplishing the Vision
• Online Reputation: A Social Media Strategy
• Deliberate Memorable Moments: Leveling up the Member Experience
• Technology: Enhancement or Obstruction? 
• Retention: Developing Your Service Level Agreement (SLA) For Your Members

The overarching goal was to ensure specific topics and areas of a club business — such as technology and social media — align with an overarching strategy that will lead to a club’s greater success. 

“The roundtable sessions were excellent,” said Karen M. Raisch-Siegel, the executive director of LifeWorks of Southwest General. “The information and discussions were excellent. The opportunity to meet other industry leaders and discuss meaningful topics was invaluable. Blair is a phenomenal moderator — he brings a wealth of information in a fun and open format. Congratulations on providing a format that every industry leader should attend.”

Thank you to our sponsors for making the Club Solutions Leadership Retreat possible, including premier partner ABC Financial; diamond partners Epsilon, MXM, Trainerize, Keiser and TSG; and platinum partners ASF Payment Solutions, The Cincinnati Insurance Company, FITLIFE, FitnessOnDemand, InTouch Technology, Listen360, Matrix, Myobuddy, Sneeze It and TRX. 

Next year’s Club Solutions Leadership Retreat will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, in California, from September 9-11, 2020. Interested in attending or sponsoring? Email Carrie at carrie@peakemedia.com.