I recently had the opportunity to join a Global Founder’s Retreat to Morocco for women founders. I had the most incredible experience that changed my perspective not only on how I run my business, but how I operate in my little daily world, and how there’s so much more that we can do out in the bigger world, too.

*(L to R) Ericka Saurit of Saurit Creative, Chelsea Miller of Olive + Rose, Alex Cole of Alex Cole Studio, and Fletcher Rhodes founder Emily Mughannam in Morocco volunteering at Project Soar.*

GLOBAL FOUNDER’s RETREAT

One day during our weekly marketing calls, my friend and marketing guru Erika Brechtel asked, “What do you think about a trip for women founders to Morocco? We all deserve it!” Immediately I said “yes!” knowing that after two years of Covid, we were all feeling disconnected from the world and were longing for connection.

At the time it felt like a pipe dream, just a would be nice kind of thought. Wow Marrakech — a dreamy location I had only dreamed about visiting someday! But I soon realized she was serious! Despite Morocco shutting down for two months during the omicron wave, we were finally able to fly off to our Moroccan adventure in May 2022.

The entire trip was planned with purpose and ease — I just had to show up! Dinners, activities, shopping, spa treatments, professional development workshops, a desert camp adventure and a Moroccan wine tasting were all on the itinerary for the week and I couldn’t wait to unplug and get into the thick of it all.

PEACOCK PAVILIONS

What I didn’t expect or couldn’t have imagined was first, the connections made with the other 13 women who came. The majority of us were strangers to each other, but with such a curated group who arrived with open hearts and minds, we were able to create life-long bonds. Secondly (and primarily), the positive impact we had just by being there. We stayed at Peacock Pavilions a give-back hotel that funds a non-profit founded by the hotel’s owners, Maryam Montague and Chris Redeke. It was our own little oasis in the middle of the desert about 25 minutes outside of the city center, made by HAND by local artisans. Each room was designed by Maryam (my room, above!) with treasures in every corner. Nestled on a lush, olive tree-filled property with pathways and pavilions sprinkled throughout (with a pool!), I would’ve been happy to just stay there and lounge around for the week!

PROJECT SOAR

In addition to our give-back stay (which we already felt pretty good about!), we had the opportunity to volunteer at the non-profit our first morning. Project Soar empowers teen girls in Morocco through education and leadership development, which results in reducing child marriage and early motherhood, and increasing the chances for higher education and future employment so that these young women can generate wealth for themselves and their families, breaking the cycle of poverty.

We walked over to the neighboring village and got to meet the Project Soar girls, many of whom did not speak English. We spent the morning connecting with them, learning about them, learning about their cultural struggles, their poverty. Despite the language barriers, we connected over an activity to make bracelets together picking a word that inspires us. Our little group all chose the word “BRAVE” … ironically my guiding word this year! In Arabic and in English we bonded with no common language but notes, giggles, sign language and smiles. I learned we are actually more alike than we are different — we just want to connect, we want to learn, we want to grow, and we want to connect with other women and girls.

Erika surprised us all with a large collective donation from the group which we found out will help keep 255 girls in school for three years! As part of Project Soar’s End Period Poverty campaign, just $12 purchases a reusable, washable period panty for a girl so she doesn’t miss school during her cycle — a major contributor to girls dropping out of school and marrying before 18. You can help too with just $12!

THE ÉLANOURA EFFECT

The Global Founder’s Retreat was the kickoff event for Erika’s new company Élanoura (which means “life” + “light”). Her vision of “Elevating Women Globally” is to support women leading the world through positive business creating positive change. She used this incredible platform to really dig her heels into something bigger than I think even she realized: a retreat with women who are really wanting more. Really needing more. Needing more to fill their hearts and wanting something to shift the way they operated in the world in their day to day lives.

We were posed with the question before we left, what do I want to be remembered for? What do I want to leave behind? As a designer I often wonder, what is my greater purpose? How does the work I do truly impact the world? Other women? My daughter?

I see strength in positive leadership. Guidance from my female team, empowering them to be better people, better designers. I hope by leading by example, by being a more mindful business leader, and female founder that alone helps to encourage other women to do the same. The impact we have is grand, bigger than us, bigger than our little town we live in. Bigger than our clients. It’s just bigger.

Of course Morocco checked off all the boxes of inspiration, beauty, culture, food, architecture that I was longing to see (more to come on that!). But the quiet impression that got me and that has stayed with me deep in my heart is being immersed in their culture. I have held on to the experience I had with these girls. It made me feel like our world is actually closer than we think and we, as humans, really want to connect. To be seen, to be heard. My heart is full.