What is Mine to Do Now?
A Transformational Retreat for Funders, Philanthropists
and Purpose-Driven Leaders
Chicago, IL
August 7th-9th, 2026
Limited Spaces Available
There are moments in life—and in history—when success is no longer the question.
You’ve built something.
You carry influence.
You have access, resources, and reach.
And you are increasingly alarmed by the headlines.
Today, global challenges are no longer hypothetical or abstract; they are all around us, shaping events around the world in profound ways.
All of us are confronted with the challenge of not allowing overwhelm to lead to inaction, passivity, and cynicism. For individuals with the capacity to shape systems and exert large-scale influence, the need to respond with passion and purpose is particularly acute.
In the face of today’s chaos and complexity, each of us is challenged to discern the uniquely personal response to a simple but profound question:
What is mine to do now?
An Invitation
The What is Mine to Do Now? Retreat is an intimate, invitation-only leadership retreat for a carefully curated small group of philanthropists, investors, founders, and civic leaders who are ready to engage that question with honesty, depth, and responsibility.
This is not a traditional retreat. There will be no keynotes, expert speakers, or sages on the stage offering technical solutions. Instead, this carefully designed experience is crafted to create the conditions for:
Deep reflection
Meaningful dialogue
Clear discernment
Aligned action
Designed and hosted by two pioneers in the work of creating spaces that call forth inner wholeness, the retreat offers a rare opportunity to step out of the noise of daily life and into a space of presence, perspective, and possibility.
Who This Is For
This experience is designed for individuals who:
Hold significant influence through wealth, leadership, or networks
Are actively exploring questions of purpose, legacy, and responsibility
Recognize the limitations of traditional approaches to creating impact
Are ready to engage both inner development and outer contribution
Value depth, honesty, and meaningful conversation with peers
This is not a large group experience.
It is an intimate gathering of 10–20 participants, intentionally curated to ensure trust, depth, and quality of dialogue.
What Makes This Different
There are many retreats that offer rest, connection, or inspiration.
This is not that.
This experience sits at the intersection of inner work, leadership, and systems change—designed specifically for those navigating power, responsibility, and impact.
The Dual Journey
This gathering is grounded in the understanding that leadership is always a Dual Journey of inner and outer change, and those two dimensions of change are too interconnected to seperate. We believe that as much as we live in the systems of the world, those systems live within us. If the world around is polarized, disconnected, and in conflict with itself, it is because that is the condition of our inner lives. When we turn inwards and find more wholeness, healing and integrity within ourselves, we begin calling forth those transformed conditions in the world around us.
A Focus on Discernment and Calling
At this moment when there are so many challenges to confront and so many issues in need of attention, each of us must discern how we personally feel called to respond. The time for seeking experts outside of ourselves who can tell us what to do is over; it is up to each of us to discern our path forward. We must quiet the noise and learn to listen to the quiet voice of wisdom in our souls that knows what it ours to do.
The focus of this retreat will be on creating spaces and providing experiences that help each of us hear that inner voice and begin the work of aligning our actions with that inner knowing.
From Insight to Action
This is not reflection for its own sake.
Participants leave with greater clarity about how their resources, relationships, and influence can support meaningful, regenerative impact.
The Experience
Over the course of a carefully designed, high-touch weekend, participants will experience a journey of reflection, dialogue, and discernment.
Arrival
Transition out of daily life and into a shared space of presence and intention.
Exploration
Engage in guided conversations on leadership, purpose, power, and responsibility.
Connection
Build relationships with a small group of peers navigating similar questions at a high level.
Place-Based Learning
Experience the Caribbean as a living system—inviting reflection on complexity, resilience, and possibility.
Discernment
Clarify what is yours to do—and what you are ready to commit to.
What You Will Leave With
Participants leave with:
Greater clarity on how they feel personally called to respond to this moment
Powerful ability to work with the wholeness of light and shadow within the self
A deeper understanding of their relationship to power and responsibility
Insight into how to align resources with meaningful impact
A trusted network of peers engaged in similar work
A renewed sense of purpose—grounded in action
Your Hosts
This retreat is a collaboration between two master practitioners of leadership development. Over the course of decades of work with senior leaders across multiple sectors, both have arrived at a focus on wholeness as an essential response to the brokenness and separation we see all around us. They have collaborated on the design of this gathering to weave their two approaches together to create a transformational experience for all participants. They are:
Mercedes Martin
Founder, Mercedes Martin & Company
(NEED A GOOD BIO FOR YOU!)
Dr. Max Klau
Founder, Center for Courageous Wholeness
Dr. Max Klau is the Founder of the Center for Courageous Wholeness, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and organizations integrate shadow, serve others, and scale inner development. He recently served as the Chief Program Officer at the New Politics Academy (NPA), an organization focused on bringing more servant leaders–military vets and alumni of national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps–into politics. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of Leadership Development at City Year, the education-focused AmeriCorps program. He received his doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2005 with a focus on human development and leadership. His second book, Developing Servant Leaders at Scale: How to Do It and Why It Matters, was published in September 2025. He is a husband, father, podcast host, consultant, speaker, Integral Master Coach, Inner Development Goals Ambassador and musician. Learn more about him at www.maxklau.com.
Together, Mercedes and Max bring a unique blend of depth, structure, and lived experience at the intersection of leadership, systems, and transformation.
Details
Location: Chicago, IL (specific location shared upon invitation)
Format: 3-day immersive retreat, running from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon
Group Size: 10–20 participants
Structure: Highly curated, facilitated experience
Cost
$4,000 per person
Request an Invitation
Participation is limited to ensure depth, trust, and quality of experience.
If this resonates, we invite you to express interest.
We will follow up personally to explore fit and share additional details.
→ Request an Invitation