Becoming Bold Without Apology: Why I Stopped Asking for Permission
By Shannon Jamail
For a long time, I softened my language in my retreat business.
I talked about transformation. I talked about healing. I talked about rest, nervous systems, connection, community, and joy.
All of that mattered, and still does.
What I avoided saying out loud, for far too long, was this: my retreats were also a business. Profit mattered. Charging well wasn’t greedy, it was responsible and necessary.
The hesitation didn’t come from my clients. It came from the industry itself.
Somewhere along the way, many leaders in the retreat and coaching space were taught, directly or indirectly, that wanting profit meant we weren’t “pure” enough in our intentions. That talking about money cheapened the healing. That accessibility meant undercharging. That we should be grateful people showed up at all. That the work itself should be reward enough.
That belief has kept many talented people -especially women, who dominate the retreat space - burned out, resentful, and quietly struggling.
What Helped Me Stop Seeking Permission
Experience. Plain and simple.
I’ve hosted over 100 retreats across more than a decade. I’ve seen exactly what happens when leaders underprice, overgive, and try to be everything to everyone. They don’t last. And when they burn out, the work disappears with them 0 which is a disservice to both the leader and the people they were meant to serve.
The shift happened when I realized something important: if I don’t treat this like a business, I’m not actually serving anyone long-term.
I stopped asking:
Is it okay if I charge this?
Will people judge me if I talk about profit?
Am I allowed to want this to be sustainable?
I replaced those questions with better ones:
How can I show up fully without resentment?
How can I pay myself and my team well?
Can I continue offering this work five, ten, fifteen years from now?
Profit - and sustainability - answered those questions.
The Industry Pushback Is Real
The pushback in the retreat industry is real, and it can be loud and aggressive.
There’s pressure, especially on women, to explain and justify pricing. To lead with disclaimers. To prove our hearts are in the right place before we ever talk about numbers.
But here’s the platform I fully stand on: profit doesn’t cancel out purpose. It funds it.
Retreats can be healing and well-run. They can be accessible and appropriately priced. They can be heart-centered and profitable. They can create real impact and real income.
These things are not opposites. They’re partners.
Reclaiming Confidence After Setbacks
Confidence doesn’t magically return one day. It’s rebuilt through action.
After criticism and self-doubt, I didn’t wait to feel ready. I made grounded decisions. I tightened my systems. I clarified who my retreats were actually for. I got honest about what it takes to run them well.
Confidence followed competence and self-trust came when I stopped outsourcing my authority to other people’s opinions.
What Bold Leadership Looks Like Today
Bold leadership isn’t louder necessarily. It’s clearer.
It’s saying:
This is what I offer.
This is what it costs.
This is who it’s for - and who it’s not for.
It’s trusting the right people will understand and letting the rest opt out without apology.
For women leaders, boldness today means owning the business side of our work with the same pride we have in the impact. Because the real courage isn’t just charging more - it’s staying in the room, leading well, and knowing the ripple effect that creates for you, your team, and the people you serve.
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