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Why Join?
Five women. Four cities. One year. Rome. The Adriatic. Madrid. Milan.
Each quarter, you arrive with the one business decision you've been circling alone. You leave with it made. In between: monthly conversations with CEOs who share her best practices on business, leadership and time management at the top.
The Council convenes five women at a time. It begins in Rome, in February, in a restorer's studio.
The Outcome
Each woman has a place she wants to be by the end of 2027. This container creates the mental white space and accountability to realize that transformation. Otherwise the conversation never gets had.
What IS the next version of you that you wish to realize by December?
Bring it to Rome. Bring it to Madrid. Let's workshop it together. Each member has the benefit of knowing your history, given the year commitment.
Each monthly intensive, while on the ground in a country, I will include time to journal and get clear on your current challenge, then come back to the circle to workshop it as a group. Each member gets hotseat time to present and get the group's solutions.
Who Sits at this Table?
The Council is built for a woman who runs something — a business, an advisory, a coaching practice.
She knows what isolation can feel like: the bigger the decision, the fewer people she can take it to.
She's done with programs that hand her frameworks she could have written herself.
What she's missing isn't information. It's a table of equals with no stake in flattering her.
If that's you, keep reading. If you're looking for
networking, this will frustrate you — there are only four other people to meet.
Please note that the below itinerary may be subject to change due to availability.
The Four Acts Framework to effect change
- Every significant professional change follows the same arc. I watched it for twenty-seven years interviewing the people who ran the US economy on the New York Stock Exchange. It's a similar arc my clients follow.
You don't transform by deciding harder.
You move through four acts:
you Restore (strip away what's the 'performative' answer and find the real thing. For years, I couldn't lean into "organizing events" as a profession. TV anchor had the more prestigious ring to it. But when I stripped away the 'performing' I found not only great joy, but something that I could make a living doing)
you Navigate (chart the course and price the tradeoffs. I went freelance for a number of years on television as I set up the infrastructure for my business. I hired a business coach. I built a runway of cash.)
you Own (claim the change publicly. This one took a while, but I finally settled into the title of "business owner" and no longer "TV Anchor")
you Premiere (debut the next version of you. This is it. The Council, built on my top values: Adventure, Beauty, Freedom, Fun and Friendships)
The Council is that arc, built into a year. Four acts. Four cities. Each woman arrives with her own challenge. The FOUR ACTS framework is how we move every one of them from "circling-around-an-idea" to "decided-and-done."
Honestly, its how I arrived at creating this program.
ACT I RESTORE · January–March · crescendo: Rome
The restorer of Caravaggio’s works applied to your business: what is the original picture underneath the restoration work? Most women bring me the presentable version of the problem. Varnished on top of the real problem. Act I strips it down.
January The Audit. Kickoff intensive (2 hours, Zoom). Pre-work: the Challenge Audit — you write the presentable version of your challenge, then we find the real one underneath it. CEO interview #1 + first hotseat round.
February Rome (Feb 13–14). The atelier of the master restorer who works on Caravaggios. Then the roundtable at my apartment above Largo di Torre Argentina: 90 minutes on your challenge, five minds, until Decision #1 is made.
March The Hold. Monthly intensive. The hardest month of any change is the one after the decision. We pressure-test how Decision #1 survived contact with reality. CEO interview on the theme of the act: what I restored, what I repainted.
You leave Act I with: The Diagnosis. You named your challenge and made your first consequential decision.
ACT II NAVIGATE · April–June · crescendo: the Adriatic
You can't go very far if you just sit inside the harbor. Act II is inquiring: What are the options? What are the tradeoffs you have to make? How far do you have to go? This is the strategic work that means you are taking your hands off the wheel of the day-to-day.
April The Map. Monthly intensive. Every route your decision could take, priced: cost, risk, speed, identity. CEO interview with a leader who chose the unglamorous route and was right.
May The Weather. Monthly intensive. What are the threats to each route you could take? Is it the market? The money? Is it you? Pre-mortems on each woman's pathway.
June Croatia (June 16–19). Three days aboard the Princess Insieme. The roundtable happens on deck. Decision #2 is made at sea.
You leave Act II with: The Chart. Your route, with the tradeoffs priced and the weather mapped out. Decision #2 made.
ACT III OWN · July–September · crescendo: Madrid
A change you haven't claimed publicly is a change that can be quietly taken back. Act III turns the decision into your positioning.
July The Language. Monthly intensive. We write the ownership language: how you talk about the positioning to, your market.
August The Rehearsal. Monthly intensive (light, summer-paced). Each woman road-tests her positioning language in the real world and reports what worked, what didn’t work.
September Madrid (Sept 9–10). Apertura weekend. The Prado with Eva. How the masters like Goya and Velasquez claimed a point of view with their art. Dinner at VelascoAbellà, where Óscar Velasco and Montse Abellà rebuilt under their own names after losing the restaurant that made them famous. Decision #3: the claim you're making is now made.
You leave Act III with: The Claim your positioning stated in language that is yours and now public.
ACT IV PREMIERE · October–December · crescendo: Milan, La Scala
A premiere is not a party. It is the deliberate, produced debut of finished work. Act IV is production: the change executed and priced into 2028.
October The Production. Monthly intensive. Execution review: What's changed. What's stayed. What needs cutting before opening night.
November The Dress Rehearsal. Monthly intensive. Each woman presents her year with the challenges she foresees, the decisions she has yet to make to the Council. The group weighs in one last time.
December Milan (Dec 10–11). Opening week at La Scala. The atelier visit to commission a bespoke piece. The final roundtable: Decision #4, and your 2028 Operating Thesis — the one-page statement of what you now run.
You leave Act IV with: The Premiere the change executed and announced, your 2028 Operating Thesis
What previous retreat clients are saying
"At Joya’s Paris Retreat, I was expecting to have breakthroughs, but I was surprised at how much confidence I gained through the experiences and the relationships I forged"
- Bridgett Strickler
VP, Coalition Strategy, CAEL
"The class at Van Cleef & Arpels at Joya’s Paris retreat helped me recognize the necessary work that goes into fine jewlery making, and quite frankly comforted me as I do research for my Substack posts and my book to make them exquisite too."
- Hillary Sobel
CEO & Founder, Minerva Turning Point Strategies, LLC
"On Joya’s Paris Retreat, I realized I don't have to conform to some 'canned role' of what leadership looks like. The private tour of the Gallerie Dior in Paris reminded me how each Creative Director that succeeded Christian Dior was a rebel in his or her own right - taking their vision, blending it with the legacy of the house."
- Katie Goar, CEO
Quadel
Rome
February 12-14, 2027 (President's Day Weekend)
Feb 13th - When the Vatican Closes: A Private Journey Through Art and History
Embark on an exclusive journey through the Vatican Museums, accompanied by an expert guide and granted privileged access to its most extraordinary treasures after hours.
Discover the remarkable collection amassed by centuries of Popes as you explore the Pio Clementino Hall, admire the iconic Laocoön and Apollo Belvedere, and wander through the Gallery of Maps, Candelabra and Tapestries.
Your behind-the-scenes experience culminates in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s awe-inspiring frescoes reveal some of the world’s most celebrated masterpieces in an unforgettable setting.
We peel off to do the roundtable.
Feb 13th - A Fine Dining Evening in the Eternal City
An elegant close to the retreat: a curated three-course menu paired with wine in an intimate, refined setting. Thoughtfully crafted to highlight the finest seasonal ingredients and culinary traditions of the region, this dinner offers space to unwind, connect, and reflect on the days' discoveries.
Feb 14th Morning 2 hour Roundtable
My apartment in Rome
Each roundtable will have a structure. The first 30 minutes will be a female CEO sharing her best practices on leadership and business.
The remaining 90 minutes will be time to journal and get clear on your challenges, return to the circle to present it. Each member gets hotseat time to workshop and engage in solution finding.
Each of you bring a business challenge you are working on in 2027. I offer you breakfast and my apartment for the private space to workshop this.
Where you will stay in Rome (2 nights)
Palazzo 4 Fontane 12
Palazzo 4 Fontane 12 is a refined 4-star boutique property in the heart of Rome, offering an elegant blend of historic charm and contemporary comfort.
Ideally located near the city’s most iconic landmarks, it provides a stylish and intimate base for exploring the Eternal City.
This is where we host our roundtable the morning of the 14th over breakfast.
Croatia
June 16-19, 2027
3 Day Sail
I have sailed the Adriatic twice. Never am I more detached from work and troubles than when I am out to sea on a private yacht charter.
Our physical roundtable is built in. It's on the boat. Daily, we stop for swims off the yacht. We live and have all our meals on the vessel.
We stop at 3 islands to explore.
You live, sleep and eat on the vessel. Our roundtable will be on it as well.
Meet Princess Insieme
Princess 85 Fly is one of the largest yachts of her size, being built with impeccable quality by famous British Princess Yachts shipyard in 2009. She has gone significant refit in 2022, making her ready to take charters in Croatia. She features large volumes, both in exterior and interior, enabling you to enjoy in the sun, al-fresco dining or in comfortable interiors. She feature the full beam master cabin and two VIP cabins with double bed, while the fourth cabin has bunk beds.
Madrid
Sept 9-10th, 2027
Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend
September is when Madrid wakes up.
The entire art world reopens with Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend dozens of galleries launching their season simultaneously. We have a special surprise planned for participating in the art weekend. But first---
Thursday, September 9th
Morning: Private visit to the Prado with an art historian
We visit Madrid's Museo del Prado in the morning hours with an art historian before the crowds flood in.
We focus on masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, and Rubens, among others.
Highlights include Velázquez's intriguing "Las Meninas" and Goya's dramatic "The Third of May 1808," each painting telling its own story of beauty, struggle, and resilience. From the divine "The Annunciation" by Fra Angelico to El Greco's introspective "The Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest," the Prado's treasures invite you on a journey through history, art, and the human experience.
This tour is an intimate encounter with the legends of European art, set against the backdrop of Spain's rich cultural tapestry.
The tour will be led by Eva, an official Madrid guide since 2009 with over 15 years of experience specializing in Spanish art and history. She has been a member of the Friends of the Prado Museum Association since 2012, practices painting and other plastic arts herself, and truly considers the Prado her second home — making her the perfect person to lead an intimate, art-focused exerience.
Sept 10th Morning 2 hour Roundtable
Location: My apartment in Madrid
Each roundtable will have a structure. The first 30 minutes will be a female CEO sharing her best practices on leadership and business.
The remaining 90 minutes will be time to journal and get clear on your challenges, return to the circle to present it. Each member gets hotseat time to workshop and engage in solution finding.
Each of you bring a business challenge you are working on in 2027.
I offer you breakfast and my apartment for the private space to workshop this.
Evening Dinner
VelascoAbellá. Away from the tourists, we tuck into garden view dining, where Montse Abellá leads a sophisticated kitchen in Chamartín.
Where you will stay in Madrid (2 nights)
H10 Villa de la Reina
A charming boutique hotel set on Madrid's vibrant Gran Vía, where early 20th century architecture meets contemporary luxury. Just steps from Puerta del Sol and Retiro Park, it's an ideal base for exploring the city.
This is where we will do our roundtable over breakfast.
Milan
December 10th, 11th 2027
Opening Week of the Opera Season
Morning - December 10th
Inside Milan's Creative Soul: a Private Atelier Experience with a Local Fashion Designer
Privileged access to the intimate world of Milanese fashion with an exclusive private visit to the atelier of an independent designer. Far from the traditional fashion circuit, this bespoke experience invites you behind the scenes of contemporary Italian design, where creativity, craftsmanship, and personal expression come together to create truly unique pieces. Through a personal conversation with the designer, you will learn about the creative journey—from the first sketches and fabric selection to the development of silhouettes, textures, and handcrafted details that define the identity of the brand. Guests will have the opportunity to explore exclusive pieces and receive personalized styling insights from a local fashion designer.
In 2019, I once stood in the Le Scala theater on an afternoon visit and said to myself, "I will come here for an opera some day. Mark my words."
We get tickets to a La Scala opening week performance. And this is the most exciting part. I did this with the Nutcracker once in New York City and doing it again in Milan. A pre-performance private backstage tour and post-performance dinner.
December 10th - Roundtable and Luncheon
Location: Rosa Grand
Each roundtable will have a structure. The first 30 minutes will be a female CEO sharing her best practices on leadership and business.
The remaining 90 minutes will be time to journal and get clear on your challenges, return to the circle to present it. Each member gets hotseat time to workshop and engage in solution finding.
Each of you bring a business challenge you are working on in 2027.
Evening - December 10th
A fine dining experience in Milan
A fine dining experience in the vibrant city of Milan, where contemporary elegance meets the rich culinary heritage ofNorthern Italy. Your group will enjoy a curated three-course menu paired with wine, thoughtfully crafted to showcase the finest seasonal ingredients and the distinctive flavors ofLombard cuisine. Set in a sophisticated and stylish atmosphere, this dinner offers the perfect opportunity to relax, connect, and indulge in Milan's renowned gastronomic scene, a memorable culinary finale to a day of discovering the city's iconic fashion, design, and cultural landmarks.in t
Evening - December 10th
Milan’s legendary opera house: an evening of pure elegance at La Scala
Step into the golden hush before the curtain rises. This exclusive performance recreates the legendary atmosphere of La Scala's opening night, Milan's most celebrated cultural ritual, where centuries of artistry meet contemporary elegance.
Guests are welcomed with the same reverence reserved for the season premiere: red carpet arrival, orchestral overture, and a program echoing the grandeur of opening night tradition. Please note, latecomers cannot be admitted once the performance begins, in keeping with the theatre's strict etiquette.
Arrive early to savor every moment of this unforgettable evening, crafted for those who wish to experience Milan's most iconic stage tradition firsthand.
Where you will stay in Milan
An elegant, modern 4 star property just steps from the Duomo and the fashion district, offering stylish rooms and a refined stay perfectly positioned for exploring the city.
What previous retreat clients are saying
On Joya’s intensive with me in Barcelona, I created two powerful digital assets that capture my unique leadership framework—work I’d been putting off for years.
-Janice Whaley,
CEO, Donor Network West
On Joya’s retreat in Croatia, I turned a failed deal into a better one. I had mental white space to reflect, reset, and reimagine my next move.
- Divya Tandon, SJI Property, Real Estate Investor
I ended up doing so many things outside my comfort zone on Joya’s Retreat in Turkey that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not to mention making new friends and adding this type of trip on my annual ‘must do’ list. It was both a personal and professional development opportunity for me that I would do again.
-Jeanette Prenger,
CEO, Eccoselect
Become Part of The Founding Cohort
Each month, the anchor event is the monthly roundtable.
It's 2 hours in length. The first 30 minutes will be an interview with a female CEO on her best practices on leadership, business, time management. The remaining 90 minutes will be 2 parts: 10 minutes of journaling time to get clear on the challenge you wish to present to the group. Get clear on your thoughts. The remaining time, each member gets "hotseat" time to present her challenge and workshop it with the group. As each member presents, the other members leverage their own expertise to arrive at a solution.
This is dedicated white space in otherwise busy calendars to realize a goal that continues to be kicked down the road. You always have access to me for 1:1 as needed.
Five seats only for the Founding Cohort.
I'm speaking with a small number of women now about the 2027 cohort. If this page has been describing you, let's talk.