[01:23] Meet Anna VanAgtmael – Anna is welcomed to the show; background as founder of Wandering Roots, focused on adventure retreats and entrepreneur mentorship.

[01:54] Breaking Away from 9-to-5 – Anna shares her transition from a corporate career in molecular diagnostics to entrepreneurship, spurred on by a life-changing neck surgery.

[03:44] Starting Something New – Discovering yoga and saying “yes” to things outside her comfort zone starts Anna’s journey to personal growth and business ownership.

[05:05] Launching the First Business – Anna helps her husband begin his landscaping business, managing the back-end essentials of entrepreneurship.

[05:56] The Birth of Wandering Roots – Anna launches her first women’s retreat, initially as a side hustle, driven by her passion for combining travel and connection.

[07:39] Challenges of Hosting Retreats – Anna details the realities of planning transformational retreats and the unique pressures versus traditional entrepreneurship.

[08:22] Facing Doubts and Learning Curves – Anna reflects on her earliest retreats, the significant learning involved, and her advice for first-time hosts.

[10:27] Maintaining Intimacy as You Scale – How Anna keeps her retreats personal and connected, even as her business grows, by limiting group sizes.

[12:36] Lessons from the Road – Anna reveals the toughest surprises and logistical hurdles she’s encountered, plus advice for building a loyal audience.

[15:30] Memorable Retreat Experiences – Anna recalls stand-out retreats in Banff and Sicily, explaining both her biggest challenges and how each event shapes her process.

[17:54] Investing in Yourself – Anna’s commitment to her own growth, from attending retreats as a guest to ongoing professional development and marketing efforts.

[20:15] Looking to the Future – Anna discusses her evolving role as a retreat mentor and embracing change and openness in her entrepreneurial journey.

[22:13] Building Trust with Clients – Anna’s approach to creating safety, authenticity, and rapport with strangers joining her transformative retreats.

[26:05] Feedback and Continuous Improvement – The importance of vulnerability and feedback in refining the retreat experience for her guests.

[28:46] Listening to Guests – Responding to constructive criticism to improve retreat structure and enhance the participant experience.

[29:41] Advice for Her Younger Self – Anna shares motivational wisdom she’d give to her 10-year-old self: keep going and believe in yourself.