Corporate retreats · Founder teams
DeepenThe creative leadership reset for founder teams
Most offsites ask your leaders to think harder. This one gets them thinking differently, with their hands, by the ocean in Nayarit, Mexico, or on Vancouver Island.
The problem
Your team is smart, capable and tired. The last offsite was a slide deck in a nicer room. Nothing changed on Monday.
What happens here
Out of meetings and into the studio
For five or seven days I take your team out of meetings and into the studio. You'll paint, surf, eat well and talk honestly.
No art experience needed. Everyone finishes work they're proud of on day one, and that's where the shift starts.
A sample week
How the week runs
- Day 1
Arrive
Airport pickup, welcome dinner, a light opening circle.
- Day 2
Let go
Gesture and mark making, fast and messy on purpose. Everyone finishes a piece by lunch. Afternoon surf lesson or beach time.
- Day 3
See differently
Negative space and layering, each paired with a leadership question. Private journaling. Afternoon local culture day.
- Day 4
Build together
One large collaborative canvas, and each leader adds a layer. Evening celebration dinner.
- Day 5
Take it home
Each leader paints a Beacon piece for their desk and writes a one-page commitment. The team agrees on three shifts for the next 90 days.
No one is asked to share personal material in front of colleagues. Reflection is private, and sharing is a choice.
What you leave with
Results you can point to on Monday
- A shared direction your team actually agrees on
- A large team paintingFinished and shipped to your office.
- A Beacon piece for every leader's desk
- Three concrete shiftsFor the next 90 days.
- A 30-day follow-up sessionSo it sticks.
Everything is handled
What's included
- Oceanfront venueIncluded
- Private chef and all mealsIncluded
- Private airport transfersIncluded
- All art materials, including resin and large canvasIncluded
- Surf lessonIncluded
- Local culture day with my team in MexicoIncluded
- Pre-retreat design call with the leaderIncluded
- A private 20-minute intake call with each attendeeIncluded
- Photo recap the company can use internallyBonus
- 30-day follow-up sessionBonus
You show up. I take care of the rest.
Who I am
An artist who knows how groups work
I'm an abstract painter and Master Instructor. My collections sell out, and for over a decade I led marketing and community for a national online community of 60,000+ members.
I know how groups work, and I know how to get non-artists making work they love.
In their words
“Working with Natalie was a turning point. She brings a calm, grounded presence that immediately made me feel seen and understood. I've completed two new bodies of work I feel deeply proud of, pieces now being shown publicly. Natalie Brake isn't just an artist. She is a facilitator of creative transformation.”
Sandra DanielFounder, Open Field Consulting · Systems transformationCoaching client · Victoria, BC · 2025
The 9 out of 10 Guarantee
If your team doesn't rate the retreat 9 out of 10 or higher, I'll run a full-day follow-up session for you, free.
Investment
One price, everything in
All-inclusive except flights, taxes included. Venues and rates change by season, so I quote every retreat for your group on the design call.
I lead every retreat personally, so I run a limited number each season. Prime weeks fill first.
- Group
- 6 to 12 leaders, 6-person minimum
- Winter
- Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, November to April
- Summer
- Vancouver Island, Tofino or Ucluelet, June to August
- Length
- 5 or 7 days
- Booking
- 50% deposit holds your dates. Balance due 60 days before arrival.
Not ready for a retreat?
Start with a session at your office
Creative Leadership Session
Half day, 4 hours, on site at your office. Up to 12 people, all materials included. The fee credits 100% toward a retreat booked within 60 days.
Ask about a sessionCreative Leadership Day
A full day on site at your office. Up to 12 people, all materials included.
Ask about a dayFree guide
The Offsite That Actually Changes Monday
A short guide for founders planning their next team offsite.
- Why most offsites change nothing, and the three things that do
- A one-page checklist for planning any team offsite
- Six questions to ask any venue or facilitator before you sign
Questions
Good to know
Anything else? Ask me on your design call.
Do we need any art experience?
No. Everyone finishes work they're proud of on day one. The studio sessions are built for non-artists.
Is Nayarit easy to get to?
Yes. There are direct flights to Puerto Vallarta, and private transfers take you from the airport to the venue.
Will people have to share personal things?
No. No one is asked to share personal material in front of colleagues. Reflection is private, and sharing is a choice.
Can you tailor it to our team?
Yes. It starts with a design call with your leader, and every attendee has a private 20-minute intake call with me before you arrive.
What's included?
Oceanfront venue, private chef and all meals, private airport transfers, all art materials, a surf lesson, a local culture day with my team in Mexico, the design and intake calls, a photo recap and a 30-day follow-up session. Flights are the only thing you book yourselves.
How does payment work?
Prices are in US dollars, taxes included, and invoiced in USD. A 50% deposit holds your dates, and the balance is due 60 days before arrival. Payments are non-refundable after that. For sessions outside Victoria or Guanajuato, travel is billed at cost.
Can we make this a yearly thing?
Yes. Annual Partners get one retreat plus three sessions a year, paid up front or quarterly. See below.
Annual Partner
One retreat plus three sessions a year
Keep the shift going all year. Paid up front or quarterly.
Next step
Find out if Deepen fits your team
Twenty minutes, one call with your team's leader. We'll talk about your team, your dates and what you want to change. No obligation.
Natalie Brake · NB ART · Painter / Self Expression Coach / Retreats