Rested Minds, Creative Designs: Inside Our 2025 Designer Retreat | Seaside, FL

I just put the kids to bed and have a quiet moment to myself, so I decided I'd share a few reflections from last weekend’s designer retreat before tomorrow's to-do list takes precedence.

Want to know what I loved most about this trip with my designers to Seaside, FL? Besides the much-needed break from changing diapers, folding laundry, and school drop-offs…

It was the girls I was with. Hands down.

I was missing a few designers this time around, but most of the team was able to make it—and it made for the sweetest few days together. Girls flew in from California, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. 

Retreats are totally optional for my contractors, so it meant the world to me that they chose to give up a weekend to be there. Heck, one of our girls just got married two weeks ago and still made the retreat a priority! That kind of commitment is something I don’t take lightly.

We stayed in an Airbnb with five bedrooms, a pool, and a pink golf cart, which made beach runs (and donut runs) much more accessible and fun.  

During our short 48 hours there, we managed to hit up at least four different coffee shops in 30A (are we even surprised?) *My personal fave was Fonville Press in Alys Beach—I highly recommend the Iced White Mocha if you’re ever in the area.

The first night, we had a make-your-own pizza party with a spread of toppings that ranged from classic to fancy—hello, fig and prosciutto —followed by our favorite board game, Hues & Cues, which has become a staple at these retreats. Lauren won.

On the second night, I hired a private hibachi chef who cooked us dinner by the pool. I honestly had no idea this was even a thing until a few months ago, but I’m so glad I splurged because it turned out to be one of the highlights of the weekend!  

We ended that night with a Sip & Paint. Libby won by a landslide when we opened up the Instagram polls (her painting was top left).

The days were spent exploring the charming towns along 30A—Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seaside, WaterColor... We shopped, ate ice cream, and spent a few hours with our books at the beach (hence the sunburn I mentioned earlier). 

I’ve had a few people ask, “How much time do you allocate to work versus leisure on these retreats?” and the truth is, we don’t work at all.

In earlier years, I'd set aside a couple of hours each morning for strategizing, but lately, I've been taking a different approach. 

After all, the whole point of these retreats is to reward my team for the incredible work they’ve done all year. Why would I reward them with more work (on a weekend, at that!)?

The theme of this year's retreat was “Rested Minds, Creative Designs” because I truly believe that rest sparks creativity.  

Tired minds aren't creative, and creativity is the lifeblood of what we do at BrandWell. When my team's creativity is threatened, the whole business is too.

But rest is so much more than sleep; it’s a deep, intentional practice of soul care. 

As a mom and business owner, I’ve learned that true rest isn’t just about finding time for a nap or getting to bed early—because, let's be real, that never happens. It’s about choosing to start my day with Jesus, even when it means waking up earlier than I’d like. It’s about releasing the need to constantly be striving and remembering where my confidence comes from—His grace, not my performance.

On Sunday morning, before our poolside Pilates class, we sat around the kitchen island and talked about what it means to find rest—to live and work from a place of steady confidence instead of burnout. It was the sweetest morning and one I'll remember for years to come. 

It's not lost on me that I get to work with such amazing women—not just as designers but as people. I may be their boss, but each of them has taught me something valuable about life, leadership, and what it means to build a brand with heart.