What is our lifestyle business retreat?

Do you run a small business or is it something you are dreaming of doing?

There is a great difference between the reality of running a business based on your dream, and the dream itself. “No shit, Sherlock!” I hear you reply. And then you say either…

‘This is why I’m still working for the other person, letting them take the risk while I get guaranteed sick pay, pension contributions, and thirty days holiday a year. No I don’t love the job, but I’m not taking a risk to run that lifestyle business I do talk about when I allow myself, I do dream of when I’m staring at my work computer screen, I do imagine myself dressed for and kind of doing… but I won’t take seriously as an idea because how do I take the first step, and the next, and the next? “

Or…

“I have founded a business based upon a dream. But it’s harder than I thought it would be. I feel as though I’m just busy busy busy and not always productive. I’m stressed watching the competition doing so well on social media. It’s exhausting having to be so self-motivated all the time. I can see where I want to be, but I’m struggling to get there.”

I would say both of the people making these replies would benefit from the Lifestyle Business Retreat we are holding here at Common Farm in March 2026.

Our retreat

We call it a retreat because it’s not a boot camp. There will be nobody saying that you’ve been foolish, or your idea can’t work, or that unless you work the way we say you must you’ll fail.

On the contrary. This retreat is for gentle question asking. Time to help you solve your own problems creatively. A friendly space where you will discover how you can use the skills we share to keep on working towards your dreams, making a living as you go, not wasting time, not worrying about what the competition are up to (because they aren’t really your competition, they are just other businesses doing their thing.)

Three days to show you that small, simple changes can make your objectives possible: to show you that you know more than you think already, but you may not be trusting yourself to truly have a go.

Three days to help you see that while you’re productively marketing your business, you won’t be interested in comparing yourself to anybody else.

Three days to give you the daily habits to get up and take steps towards your objectives, to make constant, regular progress towards your goals.

This is the workshop I would have liked to have been offered in the early days of running Common Farm Flowers. I couldn’t find this kind of teaching. I still can’t. And so I’ve created this three day retreat myself, so that I can share it with you, but also so that I can learn too.

Stepping out of the every day to give yourself time to think, time to reassess, time to recharge. This is continued professional development at its most productive.

Here’s what we will cover on the Lifestyle Business Retreat and how it will help you

Ask yourself:

Do I trust the business processes I’ve put in place (or am thinking about starting) to help me make a living? Do I understand the processes? Am I doing what I’ve been told rather than what I’ve understood will help my business flourish?

If the answers to any of the above questions are ‘No,’ then day one, led by me, Georgie Newbery, will help you take your WHY and use it to drive regular assessments of your business practice, in a time efficient, and revealing way. I’ll help you turn the admin you dread into a skill as rewarding as playing an instrument.

Are you afraid of marketing? Does social media feel impossible, overwhelming, too time consuming? Do you think AI must be your enemy and so you’ll keep well away rather than learn?

If your answers to any of the above are ‘Yes,’ then day two, led by marketeer Francesca (Frou) McGarey of Marketing for Small Businesses is for you. Frou will help you give your business or idea a voice, so you can create a brand that feels like you; authentic, engaging, and sustainable.

While you know the big picture, do you sometimes struggle to find your mojo? When the alarm goes off in the morning do you pull the duvet over your head and groan? Do you need habit skills for bringing your best self up and out to run your every day?

If you answer ‘Yes,’ to any of the questions above then you need day three, led by coach Alice Armstrong Scales of Armstrong Scales Coaching, who has the right tips for each student in a ‘magic bag’ she’s been filling from her own long life spent learning and coaching.

You, the person who’s found answers to questions, and learned new skills on days one and two, you will step into your purpose on day three, and leave with habits which, once put in place will mean you have the energy, determination, resilience, and faith in your own abilities to take both your life, and your business where you want to go.

This is for you…..

If somewhere in your soul you’re afraid of success or of making good money, because you think it will turn you from a nice friendly person who everybody likes for having a go, into some kind of rich monster, these three days together are for you.

You cannot run your business for long if it exhausts you, if you compare yourself to others, if you’re afraid of making it successful, if you reward yourself with sugar and sleep when the to do list is long.

The Lifestyle Business Retreat is time for you to stop, step away from the busy, reassess your WHY, your HOW, and learn skills to take you forward so that the dream you had when you started your business can come to fruition, and more, can evolve with you and your life to keep you solvent and creatively interested for many years to come.

The details

Our Lifestyle Business Retreat takes place at Common Farm Flowers on Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March 2026, with each day starting at 10am and finishing by 4pm.

Lunch at our local farm shop is provided each day.

Common Farm Flowers is located in Charlton Musgrove, between Bruton and Wincanton, just a couple of minutes from the A303. There are plenty of lovely places to stay nearby.

Our paid subscribers, clubbers, receive 10% discount on workshop bookings - so it’s worth considering joining the club, if only for a short time, to receive this benefit. Find out more here.

If you would like to pay for the retreat in instalments you can find more details on the website here (scroll towards end of retreat description). Please email nicola@commonfarmflowers.com to arrange this.

Clubbers, if you are thinking of booking and need reminding of your current discount code please drop Nicola an email at nicola@commonfarmflowers.com, including the email you’ve signed up to Substack with.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RETREAT HERE