Lead Dog Meeting & Event Management

12/01/2024

As this Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close, we are grateful for so many people:

*our amazing clients who trust us to make their vision a reality

*our team of professionals who work flawlessly together to provide the level of service that enables our clients to put their trust in us time and time again

*the many exceptional vendor partners with whom we have had the opportunity to co-create stellar events (and have fun along the way)

*the many people in all of the categories above who have been vocal in their support of our team and who have referred us to others. You are the main source of our growth!

*our friends and family who understand and support our drive for excellence

Oh, and we are also grateful for pumpkin pie and puppies!

08/28/2024

*Retreat Series 10 of 10*
Finally! 🙂

Creating space in our lives and minds allowed us to connect to inspiration and joy.

The sun halo in this picture was an opportunity to experience everyday things, the sun and sky, in a glorious new way.

How will you foster an environment that allows this openness to inspiration? What new perspective might inspire change for your organization?

08/26/2024

*Retreat Post 9 of 10*

Reflections - three months after our retreat.

At the end of May, we returned from our retreat experience GRATEFUL, FULL of AWE, CONNECTED and READY!

Grateful – for the support of our amazing team and our families

Full of Awe – of the power of nature, the scope of history, and the beauty of Ireland

Connected – stepping back from the day-to-day activities of running the business gave us time and space to connect on a deeper level, strengthening the bonds that make working together and for our clients a joyful endeavor.

Ready – We returned refreshed, relaxed and ready for the opportunities and challenges the next year will bring.

Now, three months later, we have been diving into operations. As always, supporting our clients and creating experiences to meet their goals and help them to shine is our number one priority.

But taking time to step back and look at how we run our business brought us new energy to reinvigorate and reimagine the administrative side of our business. Focusing more of our efforts on this side of the business will allow us to continue to grow and thrive.

All-in-all, our experiment in taking our own advice and taking a corporate retreat has paid dividends in ways expected and unexpected.

Plus, we learned a lot about the magic and wonder of Ireland and many places to share with our clients for their own retreats or meetings. It really is an amazing place to reflect and create.

06/28/2024

A great retreat awakens a sense of wonder and awe.

For us, traveling to Ireland in May meant discovering wildflowers in many unexpected places.

These tiny, delicate flowers showed grit and determination, thriving in even seemingly inhospitable environments.

*Retreat Post 8 of 10*

06/24/2024

Tea-time provided space for reflection as well as refreshment. As big tea fans, our leadersip took full advantage of this!

Muckross Park Hotel we reflected on:

*the joy of the current moment
*the challenges and successes of the post-pandemic years
*finally making this retreat happen
*the feeling of rejuvenation

Taking time to consider and appreciate both the past and the present moment left us feeling ready for the exciting new opportunities on the horizon for Lead Dog.

*Retreat Post 7 of 10*

06/21/2024

One of the highlights of our retreat was an e-bike excursion around the Di**le Peninsula. We were treated to extraordinarily beautiful scenery and weather. The bit of a power boost provided by the e-bikes made riding up steep hills along cliffsides a fun workout.

Watch this 33-second ride hightlights video for your own relaxing mini-retreat.

If you are interested in discussing a full-scale retreat for your company, schedule a consultation at your convenience. https://zurl.co/82Yd



*Retreat Post 6 of 10*

06/19/2024

*Retreat Post 5 of 10*

Our excursion to the wilds and winds of Connemara National Park - Páirc Náisiúnta Chonamara brought joy – and ruddy cheeks!

Unexpected moments came in many forms:
• exhilaration and joy derived from hiking in the windy mountains
• learning more about boglands and the environmental concern about their significant diminishment
• a delicious break for tea and scones! Check out these single-use bamboo boats for the jam and clotted cream – a great sustainability item. No plastic in sight.
• exploring Kylemore Abbey

06/17/2024

*Retreat Post 4 of 10*

After a few days in Dublin learning about the history of Irish Emigration at the well-designed and informative EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum and exploring the wonders of the Book of Kells at The Book of Kells Experience Trinity College Dublin , we explored the lovely Cabra Castle , a quintessentially Irish castle hotel. The castle provides lovely grounds for a walking in the woods, two parlors for gathering or simply reading, and several beautiful spaces for celebratory events.

Because we are ultimately in the business of providing unforgettable experiences for our clients, even while on retreat we often viewed our own experiences through that lens. All of the above locations and excursions would be great as part of a curated incentive trip to Ireland.

06/14/2024

*Retreat Post 3 of 10*

Our retreat incorporated several keys to wellness:

1. Plenty of time spent outdoors in nature
2. Exploring new environments
3. Physical activity & FUN
4. Time for slowing down and living in this moment, rather than living for the next one
5. Making meaningful connections with others
6. Learning new things
7. Enjoying music and listening to the sounds of nature around us.

We'll spare you the many videos we took of wind sounds! The idea of capturing the feel of the wind was much more appealing than the actual results. 🤣 Here's a snippet of a lovely band in a pub in Dublin, instead.

06/13/2024

After an incredibly busy and fulfilling two years spent rebuilding and growing our business after the near shut-down during the pandemic, our leadership took some time to refresh, rejuvenate, and get ready for our next phase.

Making this happen required a lot of advance planning. We carefully scheduled meetings and workflow to ensure our clients would be well-served while we stepped away and disconnected as much as possible.

Then we boarded a plane to Ireland for nearly two weeks!

*Retreat Post 2 of 10*

06/11/2024

Recently, Lead Dog Meeting & Event Management decided to practice what we preach.

We often speak about the business (and personal) benefits of stepping out of the day-to-day to refresh and restore via a retreat.

So, in a move that is unusual for us (as we typically spend our time working to exceed the expectations of our clients), we headed out for a two-week retreat!

Here’s a blog we wrote about retreat elements towards the end of the pandemic – this advice still rings true today and guided us in planning our own retreat!

*Retreat Post 1 of 10*
https://zurl.co/liqp

“It feels like we have lived a century in the past year,” writes historian Heather Cox Richardson in a recent Facebook post. This spot-on analysis rings true for us! We are planning a company retreat to rest, reconnect and re-imagine the future, and hope you will, too! A retreat can be the magic...

04/02/2024

We are proud to support Living Beyond Breast Cancer ’s Thriving Together: 2024 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer!

Join us this April in Philadelphia for a weekend of inspiration, information, and connection. Learn more and register: https://zurl.co/zfBp

03/19/2024

Spring brings to mind deep cleaning.

This does not always mean getting rid of things.

Spring is a great time to reconsider, reinvent, refresh, and rejuvenate.

Meetings and events are no exception.

Do you have events that are getting the same-old, same-old treatment, when they really need a refresh?

03/18/2024

Please join me in supporting the amazing work of Synapse TBI Retreats. Despite her own TBI, my hero and dear friend, Becky, works to provide powerful retreats for other adult TBI Survivors. The retreats create opportunities for respite, empowerment, making social connections, and personal growth. These retreats truly make a difference - at a very low-cost to the attendees.

Double Good popcorn is a fun and delicious way to show your support. Here's the link to support: https://s.dgpopup.com/g155ejc8

To learn more about Synapse TBI Retreats: https://synapsetbiretreats.org/

Please feel free to share!