How Shannon Jamail’s Podcast Is Redefining Retreat Leadership - One Bold Episode at a Time
- Oct 8, 2025
- 3 min read
By Shannon Jamail
When Shannon Jamail launched The Retreat Leaders Podcast, her mission was simple: to help retreat hosts treat their retreats like a business- not just a passion project.
After leading more than 100 retreats around the world and owning a 46-acre retreat venue in Austin Texas, Shannon knew firsthand that the majority of retreat leaders were stuck in a cycle of burnout, underpricing, and under-earning. “The wellness industry has long made profit feel like a dirty word,” she often says. “But retreats can be both transformational and profitable. It’s not one or the other.”
That philosophy is at the core of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, which quickly found a loyal, engaged audience of retreat hosts, coaches, small business owners and wellness professionals who were hungry for real, unfiltered conversations about what it actually takes to run a sustainable retreat business.
Just within this last year, the podcast climbed into the top 4% of podcasts worldwide (according to ListenNotes), with listeners tuning in from all around the globe.
But beyond the numbers, what makes the podcast special is the impact it has had on listeners- and on the industry as a whole.
A pivotal moment came when Shannon released a solo episode titled “It’s Not the Economy, It’s You.” It was during a season when many retreat leaders were quietly blaming slow sales on inflation or global uncertainty. Shannon offered a compassionate but firm reality check: while the economy might be touted as terrible, the deeper issue was often a lack of confidence, consistency, and visibility in retreat leaders’ marketing and sales efforts.
She shared her own story of launching retreats during tough seasons and reminded listeners that people will always invest in what truly matters to them-regardless of the economy.
This wasn’t meant to minimize the very real and often ugly challenges that happen (and continue to happen) globally-because yes, they exist. But it is meant to empower a new way of thinking and leading: one where retreat leaders move with clarity, resilience, and belief in the work they do.
The episode hit a nerve. Shannon received a flood of DMs and emails. One listener wrote, “I almost canceled my retreat. But after listening, I realized the problem wasn’t the economy- it was me. I wasn’t selling because I wasn’t showing up. I got brave, got visible, and I filled my last spots!”
That single message mirrored dozens of others, and it reaffirmed something Shannon already knew: the mindset shift was just as important as the marketing and sales strategy.
What sets The Retreat Leaders Podcast apart is that it balances both. Shannon doesn’t just talk about social media tips or sales funnels-she talks about identity, confidence, and the kind of energetic leadership that’s required to lead sold-out, high-impact retreats.
The show features solo episodes, expert interviews, and real talk about topics like setting retreat pricing without guilt, handling objections without spiraling, building client loyalty, and planning retreats that go beyond “woo” and into true transformation.
Guests have included brand strategists, venue owners, mindset coaches, and fellow retreat leaders who bring transparency and practical wisdom to the mic.
Today, Shannon’s podcast is a hub for retreat leaders who want to do more than just inspire-they want to build something sustainable, impactful, and yes, profitable.
And while she offers paid programs and memberships for deeper coaching, the podcast itself is a free, high-value resource that has empowered thousands of retreat hosts to raise their rates, show up with confidence, and finally see their retreats not as side hustles or expensive hobbies- but as serious businesses.
You can learn more about The Retreat Leaders Podcast at: https://mindbodycomplete.com/podcast/ and more about Shannon and her programs at: https://mindbodycomplete.com/about-us/
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