Day retreat · Friday, November 20, 2026
Entrepreneurship with space
For founders and owners who notice the tank is running empty
The company dictates the pace, and that pace was once a choice. Decisions come faster than the peace required to weigh them. The question of whether this is still what you wanted rarely intervenes — there is always something more urgent.
This day is not about better planning or working harder. It is about the space between you and the business, and about what becomes visible when that space exists for a moment.
€450 per participant · incl. lunch and workbook · Utrecht region · max. 15 participants
The invitation
A company never asks for less.
Every phase demands more than the last. More attention, more speed, more decisions that no one else can make. That is not a flaw but the nature of entrepreneurship — and it is precisely why there is rarely a moment when things stop of their own accord. An employee has a manager who can say it is enough. An owner does not.
Speed has been an advantage for many businesses. But a pace that was once a choice becomes a habit one day — and a habit no longer asks for permission. The difference between acting quickly and being unable to stop then becomes difficult to see, precisely because the results keep coming.
What shifts beneath that is usually first noticed in your decisions. They become faster, and they more often stem from reaction than from direction. Not worse per se — but taken from a different place than where you would want to take them. And because they generally still work, there is no reason to examine them.
This day does not solve a business problem. What it does is take the pace out, long enough to notice from which place you are operating — and to feel what changes when there is space for a moment. What you do after that is up to you.
What you explore this day
Four entries, one question.
That question is: from which place are you operating? We do not explore it by talking about it, but by noticing what happens in your body — during a decision, under pressure, in silence. Four movements that present themselves throughout the day, at the pace the work requires.
-
01
Where your pace comes from
Speed was once a choice. When did it become a habit, and what keeps it in place? You usually notice this within the first hour of the day.
-
02
The ground beneath your decisions
The difference between a decision that comes from direction and a decision that comes from reaction. From the outside they look the same; from the inside they do not.
-
03
What you hold onto, and why
What a founder continues to do themselves often says more about trust than about capacity. The question is not who can do it, but why it had to stay with you.
-
04
The place the business occupies
A business that is given all the space will one day take it all. What happens when there is once again a boundary between what belongs to the company and what belongs to you.
The way of working is the same across all three day retreats: exploring what the nervous system registers, tuning into each other in a small group, and sharing what arises. That is the foundation of Transformational Presence, the methodology we work with during the day.
No model will emerge, nor an action list. But the experience of deciding from a different place will — and that is something you take with you, or not.
For whom
Fifteen people who have something in common.
Not their industry or their size, but their position: they carry the ultimate responsibility themselves, and there is no one above them who can say it is enough.
This day is for
- Founders, owners, and director-major shareholders.
- Those who notice the company is taking up more space than intended.
- Those who make decisions at a pace they did not choose themselves.
- Those who envision an acquisition, a growth step, or an exit and want to know from which place they are entering it.
And not for
- Those who want to solve a concrete business issue — there are consultants for that.
- Those recovering from a burnout; in that case, Out of Survival Mode is a better fit.
- Those coming with a team question — that work requires the whole team and goes through team coaching.
- Those who prefer to work individually on something specific; in that case, entrepreneur coaching is the shorter path.
Are you doubting if it fits? That is no reason to decline, but a reason to call. A ten-minute conversation is usually enough to know.
The rhythm of the day
What happens that day.
A fixed form with a calm pace. Nothing is mandatory: there is always space to walk, be silent, or just observe.
-
09:00
Arrival, tea, and silence
No introductory round, no handouts. You arrive, get tea, find a spot, exhale. No one needs to introduce themselves by what they do.
-
09:30
Landing in body and group
A quiet introduction to the work and to each other. A first exercise to become present before we involve the intellect.
-
10:30
Morning — your pace from within
Exploring what happens in your body during haste, under pressure, with a decision that waits. In pairs and in silence, with guided exercises. This is the part where the pace of your week becomes visible.
-
12:30
Lunch in silence
Simple and mindful. The silence is not a rule — it is a gift. Finally, a lunch where no one wants anything from you.
-
13:30
Afternoon — tuning in with the group
The deeper work. What happens when another nervous system is truly present, and nothing needs to be solved? For someone who carries a company all week, that is an unusual experience.
-
15:30
Break with tea
Walking, sitting, reflecting. Nothing is required.
-
16:00
Sharing what has emerged
In a circle, for those who wish. You do not have to share anything you do not want to share — participating can also be done in silence, and that happens more often than you think.
-
17:00
Closing
A brief moment to let the day land, and then farewell. You go home with your workbook and with a memory in your body of how it felt there. The weekend lies ahead of you — that is no coincidence.
Practical
What you need to know.
Date
Friday, November 20, 2026
09:00 – 17:00
Location
Utrecht region
exact location to be confirmed
Group
Maximum 15 participants
Facilitation
Steven Stephania, together with an experienced co-facilitator
Investment
€450 per participant
Including lunch and workbook
Business
This day falls on a Friday and is generally deductible as business expenses for entrepreneurs, with reclaimable VAT. What that means net depends on your situation; your accountant will know exactly.
Cancellation
Free of charge up to four weeks in advance. After that, you can transfer your spot to someone else or move it to a subsequent day retreat.
Before you register
What people usually want to know.
Who else will be there?
A maximum of fifteen people who carry the ultimate responsibility themselves: founders, owners, and director-major shareholders. Different industries, different sizes — what they share is their position, not their company. There is no introductory round where everyone tells what they do.
Do I need prior knowledge?
No. This day is suitable for people who have never worked with this language before, and for people who have been involved with it for years. We do not work with theory you need to know, but with what is present in your body — and that is already present in everyone.
Is this therapy?
No. A retreat is not a therapeutic treatment and does not replace treatment. It is a day of exploration in a group, with facilitation that carefully frames what we do and do not do. If you are in therapy or have a mental health question, please contact us beforehand so we can see together if this day is appropriate at this time.
How intensive is the day?
The work goes deep, but the pace is calm. There is always space to withdraw, walk, or be silent. Nothing is mandatory. What arises may arise; what does not want to, does not have to. The nervous system works best when it can choose for itself.
What if I have trauma in my history?
Working with the nervous system can activate unprocessed experiences. For people with traumatic events in their history, a group retreat is not always the right first starting point. The work here is not trauma treatment. If you doubt whether this day fits at this moment, please contact us beforehand — we will look together, without obligation. Sometimes a 1-on-1 trajectory or professional therapeutic guidance is more appropriate first.
Can I book this as a business expense?
Yes. The day falls on a Friday and is generally deductible as business expenses for entrepreneurs, with reclaimable VAT. The invoice will be in the name of your company; please provide the details upon registration. What it means net depends on your situation — your accountant will know exactly.
What should I bring?
Comfortable clothing in which you can sit and move well, a scarf or cardigan for extra warmth, and possibly a notebook. We take care of the rest. A week beforehand, you will receive a practical email with the exact location, parking, and any points of attention.
Is your question not listed? Feel free to call or email — that commits you to nothing. And if it turns out that individual work is a better fit, I will say so.
Register
Friday, November 20, 2026.
Fill in the form and you will receive a personal message within three working days with a confirmation and an invoice. Your spot is only final after payment — and until that moment, you are not committed to anything.
€450 per participant · incl. lunch and workbook · max. 15 participants
Not ready yet? No rush.
- Connecting Leadership — the next day retreat, Friday, December 18, 2026
- A conversation first — thirty minutes, free of charge, and it commits you to nothing
- Prefer individual — entrepreneur coaching in a trajectory of ten sessions