Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Max Schneider, Founder of Sand and Salt Escapes, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We curate revitalizing retreats that create space for you to step back from your day-to-day and recharge through unique mindfulness and movement activities.
Our retreats are designed for people who work hard - whether that's in your career, in your personal life, or with your family. We help people who need a break or are going through life transitions reset and reconnect with themselves in ways they've likely never experienced.
We take care of every detail, from gorgeous accommodations to daily exercise and mindfulness classes (think things like breathwork, yoga, art, and sound journeys) to an onsite private chef and villa staff.
Tell us about yourself
I spent ten years in the corporate world, living in Cincinnati, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The last eight years of my career were in management consulting, where I led large-scale engagements for Fortune 100 clients in change management and strategy implementation. At the end of last year, I was totally burnt out. The long hours, back-to-back-to-back meetings, and high stress took a heavy toll on my physical and mental health. I started experiencing anxiety attacks around work and felt like a shell of my former self. To help untangle my brain, my wife and I took a month-long trip to Costa Rica. Central America is a place I've always been drawn to - I've traveled there over 25 times over the years for work and personal travel - so it was a pretty natural place for an escape. The month of disconnection helped me reconnect with myself, reset, and recharge.
After getting back home, I was reflecting on how impactful of an experience I had and the fact that so many other people are navigating similar circumstances. At that moment, I was inspired to leave my career in consulting and create this type of experience for others who are looking to reset and recharge. I'm not a guru or a hardcore yogi. I'm a former corporate leader who understands the real-world pressure of a demanding career and personal life and the role mindfulness can play in reducing stress and finding balance.
My motivation comes from building long-lasting, meaningful relationships. I've had the chance to meet the most amazing people, including our guests, our instructors, and our partners across so many areas of the business. Those authentic connections create so much meaning and motivation.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is navigating the enormous identity shift I've experienced. Letting go of an established career in consulting to start over in a field to which I had very limited exposure was a terrifying leap.
I didn't realize the scope of what I was letting go of - the relationships, the defined career path, the domain of expertise I had built, the financial security - it all went away, and I had to sort out what that meant.
Doing that internal work is often more challenging than building a business. I'm proud of how I've tuned into that, but I know I have a lot more work to do - and always will.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Finding the line between working and relaxing. When you're doing something you're passionate about, it gives you so much energy, and you constantly want to do it. But your brain needs space to recover from long hours, and it's not always easy to create that space.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't try to be the expert. Find people smarter than you and bring them in at the right time. Your job is to see the company end-to-end and connect the dots.
- Listen and let go. Constantly check the data, get customer feedback, and talk to experts. Synthesize what you're learning and constantly iterate. If you hold onto exactly how you think your business should be, you'll miss the boat.
- Everything is theory before you go to market. Until you've put your business in front of the customer, you can't be sure of anything. The faster you can get something viable in front of them, the faster you'll learn and be able to adapt.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.sandandsaltescapes.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandandsaltescapes/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sand-salt-escapes/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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