Mari Milenkovic has taken founders to Sicily and Lake Como, hosted 500 person events, and run meetups in four cities. She also scouted Catalina for a day trip, took one look, and walked away.

In this episode she breaks down the actual formula she uses to build an experience, and it works the same whether she has six days in Italy or seven hours in Orange. We get into the three part structure she designs around, the care package she mails before anyone gets on a plane, why seven days is one day too long, and the real numbers on whether a retreat makes money.

If you have ever thought about hosting a retreat, a day trip, or even a dinner, this one is a playbook.

What we cover

• The formula behind every experience she builds: an activity you do with your hands, a visit to something a founder built, and a meal to tie it together
• Why she thinks about an experience in three parts, and why the last moment matters more than the first
• Everything that happens before a guest arrives, from the mailed care package to the snacks already in the room
• How she filled her very first retreat, and who those women actually were
• Why she moved from Sicily to Lake Como, and how travel logistics changed the sale
• The honest answer on retreat profitability, including the one that broke even
• Why she scouted Catalina and said no, and the one thing about a location that makes it an instant pass
• How she finds a local collaborator in every city and borrows their excitement

About Mari

Mari Milenkovic is a serial entrepreneur, exited founder, and marketing strategist who has helped thousands of female founders grow their businesses through strategies that align with their vision and directly impact their bottom line. As the founder of With Mari, she specializes in creating momentum through clarity, building systems and strategies that support intentional, aligned growth.

She hosts an annual retreat in Lake Como and runs founder field trips across Southern California.

Find Mari

• Instagram: @withmari.co (she loves a voice memo)
• Website: marimilenkovic.com
• Next Lake Como retreat: May 21 to 26, 2027. Get yourself to Milan, she takes care of the rest.

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