April 24 - 25, 2025
Boardroom Retreat - Richmond, VA

If you need to change your response after you've selected one of the options above, please email Jessica Marin at jess@b2blauncher.com

Room Reservations:

We’ve procured a courtesy rate of $174 per night for Boardroom members. We have a limited number of rooms secured at that rate for Wednesday and Thursday nights. We also have a handful of rooms at that same rate for Friday night, for those who don’t fly back home until Saturday. And even if we don’t use the entire room block, the deadline for this rate guarantee is March 24.  

So you’ll want to reserve your room as soon as possible by calling the front desk at the Commonwealth at (804) 343-7300 and referencing the "Gandia April Group Block." Or, you can email our contact, Sarah Riggen, at sarah.riggen@thecommonwealthsuites.com. Please be aware it may take her a day or two to respond

Of course, you’re also free to stay elsewhere in Richmond. Shop around and look at other options. We’re not on the hook for a minimum number of guest nights, so go with whatever works best for you. 

Retreat Times:  

• Thursday, April 24, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm  
• Friday, April 25, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 

We’ll share the retreat agenda and other logistical details as we get closer to the event. 

Flight to/from Richmond:

You’ll want to fly into Richmond International Airport, which is about 15 minutes from the hotel. 

I suggest flying in the day before and returning home on Friday evening. Or heck ... you may want to stay the weekend and do some sightseeing. There’s a lot to see and experience in the area. Known for its vibrant arts scene, rich history, and incredible food, Richmond offers the perfect blend of inspiration and relaxation. Our retreat venue will be centrally located, making it easy to explore the city’s iconic landmarks like Monument Avenue, the Virginia State Capitol, and the scenic James River. If you arrive early or stay a bit longer, take time to enjoy the thriving culinary scene, visit the renowned Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or unwind with a stroll through Carytown’s charming shops.

Transportation to/from Airport:

The hotel is a 15-minute Uber/Lyft ride from the Richmond airport.   

Questions?

Jessica Marin is your best contact for any travel or logistical questions about the retreat. Feel free to contact her directly: jess@b2blauncher.com

Can’t wait to see you there!

TENTATIVE AGENDA

Building Resilience and Sustainable Systems Through Boom/Bust Cycles 

Are you tired of riding the freelance rollercoaster — celebrating your best month ever, only to find yourself in a slow stretch weeks later? For many freelancers, these unpredictable revenue swings aren't just financially stressful; they're emotionally exhausting. In this practical session, we'll tackle both the psychological and structural causes of boom/bust cycles. You'll learn how to recognize your early warning signs, develop mental resilience during lean periods, and implement strategic business systems that create stability. We'll explore proven approaches to consistent marketing, capacity planning, and financial management that work even when you're overwhelmed with client work. You’ll leave with a personalized action plan to smooth out your revenue fluctuations and create the consistency you've been craving in your freelance business. 

“What's Working Now” Roundtable: Marketing Tactics That Are Delivering Results for Boardroom Members 

Do you sometimes feel like you're throwing marketing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks? In this member-led roundtable, we'll cut through the noise and focus on real-world marketing tactics that are generating results right now. This isn't about theory or "shoulds" — it's about what's actually working in your peers' businesses today. You'll hear firsthand accounts of effective channels, consistency strategies that survive busy periods, and practical systems that keep marketing on track without overwhelming your schedule. Come ready to share your own successes and challenges, ask specific questions, and learn from the collective wisdom in the room. You'll walk away with at least one actionable marketing tactic and a practical consistency strategy you can implement immediately to strengthen your client pipeline. 

How to Craft and Launch Strong Service Offers 

Are you struggling to stand out in a crowded marketplace where everyone seems to offer the same services? The difference between freelancers who thrive and those who merely survive often comes down to how they package and present their expertise. In this hands-on workshop, you'll discover the crucial distinction between generic services and compelling offers that clients can't resist. Using our proven 9-Point Juicy Offer Framework, you'll transform your skills into a distinctive, value-packed offer right there in the session. We'll also cover simple yet effective promotional strategies that don't require complex funnels or huge audiences. You'll leave with a fully crafted service offer, a clear launch plan, and the confidence to command premium rates for your specialized expertise. 

Lead Nurturing Simplified: How to Consistently Stay Top-of-Mind with NYR Prospects Without Losing Your Mind

Do your eyes glaze over every time you read about setting up "sophisticated lead nurture funnels"? You're not alone. For many freelancers, the idea of creating these systems feels overwhelming and unnecessarily complex. But what if nurturing leads could be straightforward and even energizing? In this no-fluff session, we'll break down lead nurturing into manageable pieces you can actually implement. You'll learn exactly who deserves your nurturing attention (hint: not everyone), how to create messaging that resonates without becoming a full-time content creator, and how to determine the perfect cadence that keeps you top-of-mind without becoming annoying. We'll cover practical automation strategies that don't require a tech degree and simple ways to outsource the right pieces. You'll walk away with a customized lead nurture plan that feels doable, not daunting — and templates you can immediately put to work turning more of your prospects into paying clients. 

How to Land More High-Value Clients by Mastering the Art of “Conceptual Agreement”

Are you tired of spending hours crafting detailed proposals only to hear crickets—or worse, having prospects who only focus on your price? The crucial step most freelancers miss in their sales process happens before you ever write a proposal. It's called conceptual agreement, and it's the difference between chasing opportunities and closing them confidently. In this strategic session, you'll discover how to shift conversations from deliverables to business outcomes, ensuring clients internalize the value of your solutions before seeing a price tag. We'll explore the exact questions that unlock meaningful discussions, techniques for confirming alignment, and strategies to secure verbal buy-in that makes proposals almost a formality. You'll practice real-world scenarios and learn how to read client signals that indicate readiness to move forward. Leave with a streamlined framework that not only improves your close rates but positions you as a strategic partner rather than just another service provider. 

Solving Big Business Problems from First Principles: A 10-Step Framework for Breakthrough Solutions

Do you find yourself applying the same old band-aid fixes to recurring business challenges? Most conventional problem-solving approaches merely address symptoms while leaving the underlying issues intact. In this powerful guided session, Ed will walk you through a comprehensive 10-step framework that breaks down complex business problems to their fundamental elements. You'll learn how to strip away assumptions, identify true root causes, and build solutions from the ground up using first principles thinking. This method—used by history's greatest innovators from Aristotle to Elon Musk—transforms seemingly intractable problems into manageable components that can be systematically addressed. Through interactive exercises and real-world applications, you'll apply this framework to an actual challenge in your business, experiencing firsthand how this structured approach generates insights and solutions that conventional thinking misses. You'll leave with both a practical methodology for tackling your most persistent business problems and a draft solution to implement immediately.

Improv for Business: Turning Uncertainty into Your Competitive Advantage 

Ever freeze during an important client call or struggle to pivot when a project takes an unexpected turn? The most valuable business skill isn't found in any course or certification—it's your ability to adapt and respond brilliantly to whatever comes your way. In this refreshingly different workshop led by fellow Boardroom member Sarah, you'll discover how improv techniques can transform your business communication and decision-making. Through a series of engaging exercises, you'll practice thinking on your feet, embracing uncertainty, and finding creative solutions without the luxury of preparation time. You'll learn how “controlled failure” in a supportive environment builds the confidence to take calculated risks. Whether you're pitching to prospects, handling objections, or navigating difficult client conversations, these improv skills will help you respond with authenticity and confidence--and discover business benefits in the unexpected. 

Shifting Your Outsourcing Model in the Age of AI: Building Teams That Make Sense Today and Tomorrow 

Is your outsourcing strategy stuck in 2019? As AI rapidly transforms how we work, the conventional wisdom about building teams needs a serious update. Many freelancers find themselves wondering: Does the traditional virtual assistant model still make sense? When should I hire contractors versus employees—or just implement AI solutions? In this forward-looking session, we'll examine how AI is reshaping the calculus of who (or what) should handle different aspects of your business. You'll learn a practical framework for deciding which tasks truly benefit from human expertise versus automation, when to invest in training team members on AI tools, and how to structure outsourcing arrangements that remain valuable as technology evolves. We'll address the financial, operational, and ethical considerations of different models, with special attention to maintaining quality and client satisfaction through these transitions. Leave with a clear decision-making process for building a responsive, future-proof team that leverages both human talent and emerging technologies in the most effective ways.