Spring Retreat 2024
Registration Now Open
Spring Retreat registration is now LIVE! Register by March 27 to take advantage of your member benefit of no-fee registration. We are looking forward to seeing you at The Greenbrier on May 1-3, 2024.
Several dynamic keynote speakers are lined up and are ready to help you EXPLORE BOUNDARIES in boosting profits, personal greatness, and economic strategy. Join members and sponsors to connect, learn, and grow.
Learn more below!
VACEOs 2024 Spring Retreat Overview
Wednesday Recreational Activities
Welcome to Spring Retreat 2024
About The Venue: The Greenbrier
Nestled in the majestic Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, The Greenbrier stands proudly as a world-class resort extending its warm welcome to guests since 1778. This iconic destination has witnessed pivotal moments in history, where leaders gathered to exchange ideas, build alliances, and shape the destiny of nations. We are so excited to have our first Retreat at The Greenbrier where we will explore our boundaries! Reserve your room for two nights, starting May 1, by calling 877-262-4150 or using the link below by April 1.
2024 Spring Retreat Keynote Speakers and Workshop Presenters
The VA Council of CEOs 2024 Spring Retreat includes internationally-acclaimed keynote speakers and workshops tackling the challenges that are most on the minds of the CEO of today.
Mike Michalowicz Presents Profit First: How to Become Permanently Profitable
May 2, 2024
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
In this wildly popular presentation, Mike shows why the formula entrepreneurs commonly use to calculate profit actually inhibits it. He then shares a new approach to profit – taking it first – that instantly changes everything. With this simple yet profound change, any business will become instantly and permanently profitable. Content is based on Mike’s bestselling book, Profit First.
About Mike Michalowicz
Mike Michalowicz is the entrepreneur behind three multimillion-dollar companies and is the author of several business books, including Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan and his newest book, All In. Mike is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and business makeover expert for MSNBC. He regularly travels the globe as an entrepreneurial advocate.
Merit Kahn Presents EQ Leadership: Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey with Emotional Intelligence (Workshop)
May 2, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Picture this: You’re seated at a table. To your right, a trailblazing leader from a digital startup. To your left, the founder of a community-driven enterprise. Before you, the visionary behind a transformative service offering.
You bring up a leadership challenge you’ve faced, and instantly, nods of understanding resonate around the table. Fellow leaders share their tales of similar trials, and the solutions they employed, powered by emotional intelligence.
In this interactive program, join Merit Kahn, CEO of Merit-based Business, as she explores with us the deep connection between emotional intelligence and impactful leadership. Learn to handle hurdles with empathy, clarity, and agility. Together, we’ll address vital leadership challenges, like nurturing teams, fostering organic growth, and harnessing your own emotional intelligence to strengthen business relationships and community ties.
Leave with insights that amplify your leadership and resonate with the unique challenges and opportunities faced by businesses like yours.
Merit Kahn Presents Open Minds, Open Doors: Lessons from the Unexpected Stage of Life (Keynote)
May 3, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 p.m.
Imagine a stage where life’s unpredictabilities unfold, often with a delightful twist of humor and a touch of heartwarming insight. Join Merit Kahn as she brings to you anecdotes from her acclaimed theater show, “Who Chiseled That?”
This isn’t just theater—it’s a reflection of life, unexpected and unscripted. Laugh at the relatable moments, nod at the universal truths, and open up to the profound lessons of resilience and adaptability. Entrepreneurs and business leaders, like actors on a stage, often find themselves in unrehearsed scenarios, needing to improvise and innovate. Through Merit’s captivating tales, discover how an open mind can lead to open doors, creating opportunities where none seemed to exist.
Prepare for a keynote that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening, reminding us all of the endless possibilities that await when we embrace life with an open heart and an open mind.
About Merit Kahn
Merit Kahn, CSP, is the CEO of SELLect Sales Development and author of two books; Myth Shift: Challenging The Truths That Sabotage Success and Are You Open To… Four Words That Transform Sales and Just About Everything Else (2023). She is a co-host of The Smarter Sales Show podcast and writes sales curriculum for clients across a number of industries.
She is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach and a Certified Speaking Professional, the highest designation in The National Speakers Association, one held by less than 12% of professional speakers worldwide.
Since 1998, Merit has worked with salespeople, entrepreneurs, professionals and sales teams teaching them how to stopselling and start getting selected by their ideal clients. This language and messaging appeals to sales professionals as well as to people who shy away from the word “sales.”
If your organization, company or association is made up of people who sell something custom, complex or creative that requires a consultation, and not a “click here, buy now” commodity, then Merit’s philosophy, sales process and tactics will be a great match for your event. And if you lead a team, company or run your own show, you’ll appreciate her relevant leadership and life lessons wrapped in humor.
Her mantra “The first step to a closed deal is always an open mind,” is the perfect message to open your conference and open minds of attendees about what is truly possible. Whether you sell products, services or ideas and influence, Merit’s message will resonate and people will walk away with practical skills they can implement immediately… and more than a few laughs.
In her spare time she is a mom, stand-up comedian who wrote a one-woman inspiring comedy show, a Peloton addict, a former Gerber baby model and a newly minted empty nester.
Jennifer Hudye Presents Vivid Vision: A Powerful Process For Aligning Your Business (And Life) Around A Shared Vision For The Future
May 2, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
One of the number one roles of the entrepreneur/CEO is to cast the vision for the company’s future. Yet, it’s one thing to see the vision in your head, but if you can’t clearly articulate it—it stops there and becomes another idea lost in translation. This session is designed to help you clarify and communicate the vision for your company’s future by creating a Vivid Vision. The Vivid Vision is a document that paints the picture of what your company looks like three years into the future to help you align your team, attract top talent, enroll key partners, vendors, and clients, and stay focused and motivated while making it a reality. This workshop is split up in two parts. If you register for this workshop, you are committing to attending both parts. You will leave this workshop with a Vivid Vision Playbook, and a good start on your own Vivid Vision.
About Jennifer Hudye
Jennifer Hudye is the visionary force behind Vision Driven, a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and CEOs clarify, communicate, and connect to their next big vision for their business and life.
As a sought-after guest speaker and facilitator, Jennifer has spoken at top entrepreneurial events such as the Genius Network Annual Event, Traffic & Conversion Summit, TEDx, Tiger 21, Mindshare, War Room, and Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) Chapters across the US. Her client list has included influential figures like Tony Robbins, Strategic Coach, Joe Polish, Bulletproof Coffee, Brendon Burchard, and other notable experts.
Through her 1:1 work with clients, in-person retreats, and online programs, she and her team have helped over 2000 entrepreneurs doing 7 to 9 figures using their signature Vivid Vision® process (that she partnered on with Cameron Herold) to help clients craft a compelling vision for the future, align their teams, and stay motivated and focused.
Check out Jennifer’s websites for more information at VisionDrivenGlobal.com, www.VividVision.com, VAEDailyDose.com
Robin Green Presents The Corporate Athlete: Lessons for Leaders From Elite Athletes
May 2, 2024
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Leaders are the pivotal force behind a company’s success, expected to deliver top performance every day—there’s no off-season in business. Just as athletes require clear goals, robust plans, and boundless energy, so do leaders. But even with relentless effort, success isn’t assured. It’s about performing at your best, regardless of the challenges, much like every day is game day in the world of sports.
Join Robin Green in an interactive workshop where he draws parallels between his time as a college coach and his current role as a trainer and executive coach. Discover the nine pillars of success that unite the arenas of sports and leadership. Learn how adopting these athletic strategies can refine your leadership skills. You’ll leave with practical exercises designed to boost your daily performance and drive your leadership potential to new heights.
About Robin Green
Robin Green is the President and Owner of Ascend Performance, Inc., an award-winning Sandler training center in Richmond, VA.
After a long and successful career leading sales teams for large organizations, he now works with a variety of companies to help them implement proven, reliable systems in the areas of sales, management, and leadership development. He has trained companies from a wide variety of industries and has clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Asia, and South America.
Robin is a native of West Virginia and earned a graduate degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He has called Chesterfield home for the past two decades. He has been married to his wife Monica for 32 years and they have two children. His daughter works in Educational Technology and lives in Clarksville, TN. His son is in graduate school at the College of William & Mary, where he also played baseball as an undergraduate.
Elliot Eisenberg Presents The U.S. Economy: Where Do We Go From Here?
May 3, 2024
10:30 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
Gain a better understanding of market conditions and what may lay ahead and why. Join the always-entertaining Bowtie Economist, Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D., as he discusses the latest data about the current and expected condition of the economy. You’ll learn the most recent statistics on a multitude of key topics such as: current economic growth prospects, the likelihood, timing and magnitude of any upcoming recession, auto manufacturing activity, inflation, the Fed’s thinking, the path of interest rates, the health of labor markets, the impact of the pandemic, the condition of supply-chains, the shape of the yield curve, savings rates, and default rates. Dr. Eisenberg will then shift his focus and spend time looking at construction activity including new home construction and renovation, multifamily construction, input prices, and much more. Be ready to take plenty of notes.
About Elliot Eisenberg
Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is an internationally acclaimed economist and public speaker specializing in making economics fun, relevant and educational. Dr. Eisenberg earned a B.A. in economics with first class honors from McGill University in Montreal, as well as a Master and Ph.D. in public administration from Syracuse University. Eisenberg is the Chief Economist for GraphsandLaughs, LLC, a Miami-based economic consultancy that serves a variety of clients across the United States. He writes a syndicated column and authors a daily 70-word commentary on the economy that is available at www.econ70.com.
Dr. Eisenberg has spoken hundreds of business groups and associations, serving as keynote speaker on topics including economic forecasts, economic impact of industries such as homebuilding, consequences of government regulation, and other current economic issues. Dr. Eisenberg has been invited to testify before lawmakers and is often asked to comment on proposed legislation. His research and opinions have been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Bureau of National Affairs, Forbes, Fortune, and many other publications. He is a regularly featured guest on talk, and public radio.
Dr. Eisenberg was formerly a Senior Economist with the National Association of Home Builders in Washington, D.C. He is the creator of the multifamily stock index (the first nationally recognized index to track the total return of public firms principally involved in the ownership and management of apartments), the author of more than 100 articles, serves on the Expert Advisory Board of Mortgage Market Guide and is a regular consultant to several large real estate professional associations, financial institutions and investment advisory groups.
Elliot’s interests include walking at least five miles a day and reading as many newspapers as he can get his hands on. He loves ice hockey and talking economics with crowds large and small!
Bunker Tour
As a workshop option, we are offering two rounds of an unforgettable 90-minute tour where your private group will explore the historic Greenbrier bunker corridors and chambers. Comfortable shoes are recommended. Learn more about the Bunkers!
2024 Spring Retreat Schedule
Wednesday, May 1
Recreational Options
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Golf Outing (Thank you Adams, Jenkins & Cheatham for sponsoring this outing)
2:00 – 4:00 PM Aerial Adventure Course
2:00 – 4:00 PM RZRs Adventure
2:30 – 4:30 PM Escape Rooms
4:15 – 5:00 PM Greenbrier Tea Time
6:00 – 7:30 PM Opening Reception (guest ticket available) (Thank you Transact Capital Partners for sponsoring the reception)
8:30 PM – 1:00 AM Hospitality
Thursday, May 2
8:00 AM Registration
8:30 – 9:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Welcome and Profit First with Mike Michalowicz
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 PM WORKSHOPS A (pick only one)
1:00 – 2:30 PM The Approachable Leader with Merit Kahn
1:00 – 2:30 PM Vivid Vision (Part 1) with Jennifer Hudye
1:00 – 2:30 PM Bunker Tour Group 1
2:30 – 2:45 PM Break
2:45 – 4:15 PM WORKSHOPS B (pick only one)
2:45 – 4:15 PM Vivid Vision (Part 2) with Jennifer Hudye
2:45 – 4:15 PM The Corporate Athlete with Robin Green
2:30 – 4:15 PM Bunker Tour Group 2
5:45 PM Shuttles Begin
6:00 – 9:00 PM Dinner at Kate’s Mountain Lodge (guest ticket available) (Thank you Warren Whitney for sponsoring this dinner)
9:00 PM – 1:00 AM Hospitality
Friday, May 3
7:30 – 9:00 AM Registration & Breakfast in the Main Dining Room
9:00 – 10:15 AM Welcome and Open Minds, Open Doors with Merit Kahn
10:15 – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 – 11:55 AM Welcome Back and The U.S. Economy: Where Do We Go From Here? with Elliot Eisenberg
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM Closing
*Before you leave, look for your special gift from VACEOs and sponsor, Fahrenheit Advisors!
Wednesday Recreational Activities
The following recreational activities are privately held for VACEOs Spring Retreat attendees.
Aerial Adventure Course
Elevate your Greenbrier adventure to new heights as you navigate through 12 dynamic challenges suspended 50 feet above the ground, all while soaking in panoramic views of West Virginia’s scenic landscape. At the end of the course, choose your preferred descent — a leisurely glide or an adrenaline-pumping free fall. You will be paired with another member or sponsor. Reservations are required for this experience.
Golf at The Old White
This year’s Spring Retreat activities will include golf on the Old White course, The Greenbrier’s first 18-hole course. We will place one sponsor and three members in each foursome. Tell us who you would like to play with when filling out your registration form, and we will do our best! Foursomes will compete in a scramble-style tournament. Shotgun start at 10:00 a.m on May 1, 2024. Learn more about the course here. Thank you Adams, Jenkins & Cheatham for sponsoring this outing.
RZRs Adventure
Get behind the wheel in a private exploration of The Greenbrier’s 11,000-acre West Virginian mountain preserve in the most extreme off-road vehicle on the planet. Highly-trained guides will show you how to operate this open four-wheel sport vehicle, designed to traverse even the most rugged terrain. The adventure will continue as you are guided through modest unpaved roads to some of the most extreme tracks on the East Coast navigating rocks, ruts, creek crossings, and steep hills. Reservations are required for this experience.
Escape Rooms
Think you can solve an escape room? Choose between two rooms where those that sign up will be split into teams of 8 for each room. In the Down the Rabbit Hole room, your goal is to find your way out of the Queen’s evil fortress by solving riddles and using your imagination to avoid getting trapped in Wonderland forever. In the Debunked room, you’re sent back to 1992 as an undercover government employee who had stumbled upon a security breach within The Greenbrier’s Cold War bunker. It’s imperative that you locate and stop the intruder, who has plans to expose a national secret that’s decades old. Reservations are required for this experience.
Tea Time
Enjoy The Greenbrier’s traditional Tea Time while also networking with fellow VACEOs members and sponsors. Tea Time is held everyday from 4:15-5:00 pm near the Main Dining Room. On Wednesday, May 1, we will have an area reserved so retreat attendees can have the chance to enjoy tea time and network before the Opening Reception.
VACEOs Retreat 2024 FAQs
The 2024 VACEOs Retreat will be held at the The Greenbrier in Greenbrier County, WV from May 1-3 this year. Are you new to the Council? These answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Retreat experience may help.
Q: DOES MY MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE ENTRY INTO THE RETREAT?
A: Yes. Your VACEOs Membership includes a ticket to this special yearly event where members are able to learn and connect with national thought leaders and each other. (And have some fun too!). You must register by March 27 for no fee.
Q. WHAT DOES REGISTRATION INCLUDE?
A: All Retreat programming, such as keynote speakers and workshops, is included. The following meals are also included for Members: Wednesday night reception, Thursday light breakfast, Thursday lunch, Thursday night dinner/party, and Friday breakfast in the dining room.
Membership does not include hotel rooms/expenses or special activities. Click here to see more details about activities.
Q: THE FIRST SPEAKER STARTS ON THURSDAY MORNING. SHOULD I COME WEDNESDAY NIGHT?
A: Yes! Do consider coming in on Wednesday – most participants do – for the Opening Reception and special activities like golf, which are available that day. Or, to maximize your time making connections, choose one of the group activities planned that day.
See the 2024 VACEOs Retreat Schedule for a full listing of events for each day.
Q: DO I NEED TO BOOK A ROOM?
A: Yes. As soon as possible! We have a block of rooms reserved through April 1. Use the special group link found in your confirmation to make your reservation.
Q: SHOULD I BRING MY SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
A: We offer guest tickets for our Wednesday reception and Thursday night dinner/party. The Retreat program (keynote and workshops) is designed just for members and sponsors.
Q: IS THERE A DRESS CODE?
A: The Greenbrier does have a dress code that they ask all guests to adhere to. Resort attire is required (collared sportshirts, sweaters, jackets, dress slacks, etc.). Denim is allowed but it must be well-kept and should be a dark shade. For dinner, a jacket and collared shirt are required for men.
Thursday night at Kate’s Mountain Lodge is a casual event, but make sure to dress for the weather! Once back at The Greenbrier, be sure to have a jacket as the Greenbrier dress code will be in effect.
See more details about the Greenbrier dress code here.
Q: I’VE ARRIVED AT THE GREENBRIER. NOW WHAT?
If you arrive Wednesday, please check in the hotel, (time permitting), before you make your way to the group activity you’ve registered for or take advantage of other resort amenities, such as the spa. You can also stop by our registration in the Garden Room.
If you arrive Thursday morning, we will officially welcome you at the Retreat Registration desk located in the Garden Room at 8:00 am.
Still have a question? Please contact us!
VA COUNCIL OF CEOs
SPRING RETREAT 2024
This Event Is Made Possible Because of the
Generous Support of Our Sponsors
About VA Council of CEOs Spring Retreat
The VACEOS Annual Spring Retreat features acclaimed keynote speakers and workshops tackling the challenges that are most on the minds of small and mid-sized business owners of today. The event also includes time for networking and making connections. CEO members often say the Retreat is “worth the price of membership.” The event is included in membership. Learn more about VACEOs Member benefits.
(VACEOs Members and Sponsors only. Not a member or sponsor but interested in attending? Contact us at info@vaceos.org with questions.)