October 20 - 24, 2026
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Leading what’s next requires clarity.
March 1–4, 2026 | Whitefish, Montana
20-seat private cohort
EVERYTHING IS CHANGING
The Old Ways of Business Can’t
Keep Up.
Every leader in this room has already succeeded under the old rules.
You’ve built the brand.
You’ve scaled the team.
You’ve earned trust, authority, and influence.
And yet, the ground is shifting. What worked five years ago no longer creates the same momentum. What once felt clear now feels noisy.
And decisions carry more weight, with fewer places to think them through honestly.
This experience is designed for leaders carrying real complexity — with space, peers, and frameworks built for that reality.
WHO THIS ROOM
IS BUILT FOR
This retreat is designed for leaders who:
✔ Are operating at a high level — but feel the cost of carrying vision alone
✔ Are navigating AI, automation, and cultural change without a clear playbook
✔ Are shifting from attention and transactions to experience, trust, and advocacy
✔ Want strategic clarity and human connection — not one without the other
✔ This experience supports leaders who need clarity under real-world pressure.
✔This is for people who feel close to their next chapter and want the environment that helps them step into it.
✔ Are operating at a high level — but feel the cost of carrying vision alone
✔ Are navigating AI, automation, and cultural change without a clear playbook
✔ Are shifting from attention and transactions to experience, trust, and advocacy
✔ Want strategic clarity and human connection — not one without the other
✔ This experience supports leaders who need clarity under real-world pressure.
✔This is for people who feel close to their next chapter and want the environment that helps them step into it.
What happens inside the retreat
This is a small, intentional group brought together for focused work and meaningful connection.
You will spend time in:
1. Guided conversations that surface real decisions
2. Small group sessions where ideas get sharpened
3. Unstructured time that leads to honest, useful discussions
4. A setting that supports reflection without distraction
Nothing here is passive. You are expected to participate, think clearly, and engage fully.
The Experience Economy:
Why It Matters Now
The Experience Economy Is Redefining How Brands Win
This is a non-negotiable moment for your business, brand and career.
In this era, execution is easy to replicate. Content is everywhere.
AI can scale output instantly.
What can’t be automated is how people feel — and what they choose to believe, remember, and share. The Gathering Retreat is built for the leaders who want to lead this shift, not chase it.
You’ll learn how to design experiences that build emotional connection, deepen trust, and turn customers into advocates.Trust is the new currency. Experience is the new economy.
This retreat gives you the frameworks to master both.
The Experience Economy Workshops: How Brands Win When Attention
Isn’t Enough
This retreat format reframes branding from campaigns and channels to something far more durable: the experiences that create trust, advocacy, and emotional ownership.
Led by Chris Kneeland and resident faculty, these three days of immersive sessions are designed to help leaders understand — and act on — the real drivers of growth in the Experience Economy.
You’ll work through three core shifts:
1️ Design the Emotional Journey
→ How people feel is the brand.You’ll map the emotional journey customers and teams actually experience — across touchpoints, moments, and decisions — and identify where gaps between intention and reality quietly erode trust.
Outcome: clarity on what your brand and leadership truly feel like to interact with.
2️ Build Advocacy, Not Just Attention
→ In the Experience Economy, loyalty isn’t bought — it’s earned.You’ll learn how CULT brands move beyond awareness and impressions to create emotional ownership, belonging, and word-of-mouth that compounds.
Outcome: a clear understanding of what drives belief, not just behavior.
3️ Create Your Experience Blueprint
→Experience only matters if it can be executed.You’ll align brand, culture, and customer experience into a single, coherent system — using CULT principles like Congregate, Co-create, and Rites & Rituals — so experience becomes operational, not aspirational.
Outcome: an Experience Blueprint ready for activation inside your organization.
Why This Matters
In a world where products, services, and content look increasingly similar, experience is the strategy.
This retreat gives leaders the language, frameworks, and clarity to design experiences that earn trust — and build brands people choose to advocate for.
What You’ll Take Home
✔ Customized Brand Experience Blueprint – a plan tailored to your next chapter.
✔ CULT Experience Frameworks – practical tools that connect purpose, culture, and performance.
✔ Peer Cohort & Accountability Network – a trusted circle of bold brand minds who stay connected long after the mountain.
✔ Renewed Clarity & Conviction – measurable goals and the confidence to act immediately.
Why Now
The leaders who win in the next era won’t be the loudest or fastest.
They’ll be the clearest.
AI can replicate execution.
Experience, trust, and belief are the differentiators.
This retreat is for leaders who want to shape that future — not react to it.
The Business ROI
Clarity ROI
A 12-month brand + leadership roadmap
Sharper decisions & better prioritization
Connection ROI
New partnerships + high-trust network
Collaboration & long-term deal flow
Performance ROI
Tools to scale culture without burnout
Energized leadership & team alignment
Cultural ROI
Frameworks that create advocacy
Loyalty & share of heart that sustain growth
Meet Your Hosts
Mandy Balak
President, The Gathering | Leadership Coach &
Experience Designer
Mandy designs environments where leaders think clearly, lead humanely, and build cultures that last. With 20+ years creating transformational communities, she bridges performance and humanity — ensuring insight turns into action.
Chris Kneeland
Co-Founder, CULT | Advisor to the world’s most iconic global brands
Chris helps leaders align brand, culture, and customer experience into systems that create trust and advocacy at scale. He leads the Cult Brand Workshop, translating belief into practical frameworks.
Special Guests
Each guest shares real stories of how they’ve built cult-like followings and led teams that changed culture.
Katrina Demers
Katrina Demers is the Vice President of Brand at Pursuit, She leads brand evolution for 60+ iconic destinations across North America and Iceland, including Banff Gondola, Sky Lagoon, and FlyOver experiences.
Xanthe Wells
Xanthe Wells is the VP of Global Creative at Pinterest, Former Global ECD at Google. Cannes Grand Prix winner. Recognized for shaping culture-driven creative that drives business results.
Seán Doyle
Seán Doyle is Group Creative Director, Experiential, part of Pinterest's 'House of Creative', in-house creative team. He leads live experiences and campaigns that translate brand belief into real-world engagement at global scale.
How the Days are designed
Every element of the retreat is intentional — balancing strategic depth, integration, and restoration so insight actually sticks.
Mornings
Movement, reflection, and space to think clearly again
Midday Workshops
Hands-on strategy sessions led by leaders who’ve built brands people feel, not just recognize.
Afternoons
Integration and application. Peer work, guided integration, and collaborative problem-solving — where insights are pressure-tested, priorities clarified, and direction sharpened.
Evenings
Mastermind dinners, fireside conversations, and off-the-record dialogue that builds trust only possible in smaller rooms.
Experiences
The Montana setting is deliberately woven into the experience. Optional experiences are integrated to support presence, recovery, and connection,
including: Fat biking and cross-country skiing under the stars, guided walks, recovery and quiet evenings
The Rhythm
Built for alignment, focus, and sustainable momentum.
Leaders return aligned, focused, and ready to move forward.
Investment
This is a strategic decision about how you want to lead the next chapter.
Most participants don’t measure ROI in inspiration — they measure it in:
Faster, clearer decisions
Fewer misaligned initiatives
Stronger internal alignment
Leadership confidence that compounds all year
When clarity improves, everything downstream gets cheaper.
This is a strategic decision about how you want to lead the next chapter.
Most participants don’t measure ROI in inspiration — they measure it in:
Faster, clearer decisions
Fewer misaligned initiatives
Stronger internal alignment
Leadership confidence that compounds all year
When clarity improves, everything downstream gets cheaper.
Pay in Full — Only 8 Seats Left
3.5 days / 3 nights in Whitefish, Montana
and ground transport from Kalispell airport
and ground transport from Kalispell airport
Accommodations, meals, workshops, and experiences
Full access to the CULT Brand Workshop, pre-work and custom Experience Lab Blueprint
Airfare not included
Only 8/20 seats available — once they’re gone, they’re gone.
The Montana Retreat
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dates for the 2026 Montana Retreat?
The retreat runs Sunday, March 1 to Wednesday, March 4, 2026 in Whitefish, Montana.
Sunday, March 1: Welcome Dinner begins at 6:00 PM
Monday, March 2: Full day of workshops and connection experiences
Tuesday, March 3: Full day of workshops, movement, and integration
Wednesday, March 4: Morning session + closing lunch, wrap by 1:00 PM
We recommend arriving Sunday afternoon and departing after 2:30 PM on Wednesday.
Where is it held?
Our 2025 retreat takes place in Whitefish, Montana—a mountain town known for its natural beauty, creative energy, and community spirit. You’ll receive the full venue address and travel details in your confirmation email.
What meals are included?
All group meals are included—beginning with the Welcome Dinner on Sunday and ending with a Closing Lunch on Wednesday.
Expect nourishing, locally inspired cuisine designed to fuel conversation and connection. Please note any dietary restrictions during registration and our hospitality team will take care of you.
What can I expect from the workshops?
Each day blends high-impact facilitation, leadership development, and curated reflection time. Sessions are led by CULT Founder Chris Kneeland and Gathering President Mandy Balak, alongside guest facilitators. Expect a mix of strategy, storytelling, embodiment, and connection—this isn’t a lecture series, it’s an immersive leadership experience.
Is there time for rest or recreation?
Absolutely. Our programming is intentionally designed with both depth and spaciousness. You’ll have solo reflection time and optional recreation blocks to explore, recharge, or connect informally.
What’s the best way to get there?
Most guests fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), approximately 20 minutes from Whitefish. Shuttle and car rental options are available at the airport. Detailed travel recommendations will be provided in your pre-arrival guide.
Who is this retreat for?
This experience is designed for: Senior brand, marketing, and creative leaders navigating the next era of relevance
Entrepreneurs and founders shaping how their customers feel, not just what they buy
Teams stewarding legacy brands that want to stay human in a world of automation
If you’re ready to evolve from transactional leadership to transformational experience design, this retreat was built for you.
What should I pack?
Think mountain casual meets intentional leadership:
- Comfortable clothes for workshops
- Layers for cool mornings and evenings
- Outdoor gear for optional activities
- A notebook or journal
- An open mind and willingness to play full out
Can I come alone?
Absolutely. Many attendees join solo and leave with lifelong connections. Our gatherings are intentionally designed to create belonging from the moment you arrive.
What’s included in the retreat fee?
Access to all sessions and workshops
All group meals (Sunday dinner → Wednesday lunch)
Welcome gift + retreat workbook
Optional morning movement sessions
Access to curated community experiences before and after the retreat
What’s not included?
Flights and travel to Whitefish
Optional recreational activities or spa treatments
What’s the vibe?
Think less “conference” and more immersive leadership reset—equal parts strategy, soul, and connection. We keep it intimate so every conversation matters and every guest feels seen.
Is accommodation included?
All accommodations and reservations are included in your retreat fee and will be fully coordinated by The Gathering team. Once registered, our team will handle all lodging details to ensure a seamless arrival and stay in Whitefish.
Welcome to
Nita Lake, Whistler, BC
Famous for its vibrant lakes, majestic mountains and easy access to outdoor adventures of all kinds.
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Whistler is a town north of Vancouver, British Columbia, that's home to Whistler Blackcomb, one of the largest ski resorts in North America. Besides skiing and snowboarding, the area offers snowshoeing, tobogganing and ski jumping at the Olympic Park, a venue for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
The hub of Whistler is a compact, chalet-style pedestrian village at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Whistler is a mountain resort town renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant community. Whistler offers visitors endless adventures and natural beauty.
Join us February 25-28th, 2025
Only 14 spots are available to ensure an intimate and high-touch experience.
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