GRACIOUS LIVING OASIS (GLO) WITH GRACE VAN BERKUM
Nicole S. August 2023
“My week at GLO Wellness Center was invaluable. Grace’s insights helped me refine my future retreat plans, emphasizing support and coordination. Witnessing her dedication to recipe development despite so many challenges with food sourcing, availability and diversity, was inspiring; her use of starfruit as a thickener was genius! Grace was very forthcoming with information about how to run a retreat / successful businesses and I felt very comfortable at her retreat center. Grace’s passion, perseverance, and professionalism was infectious and her support was exceptional. Grace’s dedication shines through, making her an inspiration for my future retreats. I highly recommend this experience to fellow IHN students.”
Emma P. August 2023
“This was one of the greatest opportunities I have experienced. I have learned so much about food, retreats, business and myself. Grace has such a lovely way of teaching, guiding, mentoring and her passion for healthy living shows with everything she does. Her business mindset is so inspiring and I am leaving here knowing i have learnt so much about how I want to grow my business and leaving here with a plan. I was able to use my passion for nutrition and nature and put it to good use. having the opportunity to host and cook for 12 people for our community night dinner was an amazing and fun experience. Another experience was being able to guest chef in the GLO cafe, grace allowing me to put my own input and create an entire menu for the week was amazing. Grace taught me how to grow my online presence and how to market myself and business while i was here, which was very important to me when i came here. Overall, I have learned more than i can imagine from grace and i could not have imagined picking a better co-op”
Paminder B. September 2023
“I can’t put into words how amazing this co-op was. I feel like It taught me so much about taking risks. I was greeted with so much love. This experience is one of the best chapters of my life and I will forever remember my time here at GLO. Grace believed in me when I doubted myself. She pushed me to grow in my time here. I learned so much from her. This wasn’t just a Co-op placement for me. I learned so much about myself and my capabilities. I am so thankful to Grace for this experience and taking me under her wing.“
Linzi V. August 2022
“The first couple of days were hard while I was adjusting to being in a new environment, and I settled in once I was assigned specific daily tasks. I thrived working in the kitchen and planning/executing community dinner nights where I created a restaurant three-course meal experience. I settled into the routine and workflow so that I was able to provide orientation for 2 other students who arrived a couple of weeks after me. I grew so much as a person and as a soon-to-be nutrition specialist, and I value all of the experiences I had and knowledge I will take with me.”
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Kerri M. September 2018
“Grace’s experience is invaluable. The business coaching was amazing. I came into this with a far off dream of running my own retreats. I am leaving with the tools I need to run my own retreats. The social media aspect was challenging for me at first. The extensive knowledge and experience she has from building her business from the ground up using social media has really shown me the power of this free form of advertising. She also taught me the importance of listening to your own inner truth and finding a way to share that with those around us. With Grace’s guidance, I came to accept my own worth. She reminded me that I am enough and we all possess unique gifts.”
Amy M. September 2018
“Gracious living oasis is a home away from home. Grace welcomed all of us with open arms. There were so many valuable aspects of this past week from daily retreat workshops, daily yoga practices, meditation, and social media training which I found incredibly valuable for when I start my own retreats. Learning about the struggles and trials and what it truly takes to go into a retreat will help me in the future. Her philosophies about food and ways we should be eating were so inspiring to me. Grace is a wealth of knowledge. Grace made sure we felt comfortable and confident before we left her oasis. She was supportive with our goals and helped us all accomplish what we set out to do at our time at GLO. I can’t wait to attend another one of her retreats. xoxo”
Alexandria B. August 2018
“The level of engagement and support I received from Grace was absolutely phenomenal. She allowed me to have an insight into her business operations and her daily life. This was extremely helpful because it provided me with the raw fundamentals of how a retreat functions and how to source necessary tools and knowledge to complete various tasks efficiently and effectively. Grace both guided me on improving already existing materials of my business as well as taking me out of comfort zone. For example, filming my short videos was something I found I had little confidence in. Grace provided me with helpful feedback on how to improve my body language, speaking abilities, etc. The environment in which I stayed brought me back to my roots and to a minimalist way of living.”
Alva S. September 2018
“Having plant powered food has been the highlight of this week at GLO. Removing all dairy, gluten, soy has made a huge difference to my health. Plant based diet has an important role in achieving health and wellness and in the maintenance of good health. While it has given a boost to my energy levels especially the sluggishness after the lunch disappeared. Use of essential fats and quality protein eliminated the sugar and carbohydrate cravings. It also gives a satiating effect.
The daily yoga sessions have been energizing and distressing at the same time. It was a whole new experience practicing yoga in the open, fresh air amongst the chirping of birds, gentle breeze and a natural bamboo roof above; it was phenomenal!!! Grace shared her own valuable experiences and gave us a lot of information and knowledge about planning and organizing. She has stressed upon the importance of social media and the role it plays in generating, developing and promoting business. The hours of discussions, lectures, hands on work and in-depth analysis of each step will be very useful to create my own retreat. Getting all the information from an expert who has done it successfully is an invaluable experience.”
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Pauline B. September 2022
“Coming to GLO made me feel way more empowered in my personal and professional journey. It made me realized that owning a retreat location requires way more than professional skills. It helped me to enlighten and envision what my business retreat would look like as well as what fulfilled me in life. I consider Grace as a mentor. I have learned so much already from her and feel like I have way much more to learn and to offer. I am planning on coming back to help Grace with her retreat for a longer term as well as hopefully working together on future retreats projects.”
Samantha M. May 2022
“This co-op experience taught me how to work with clients on a personal level, accommodate their various needs, and understand different personalities. I unexpectedly became a better nutritionist in the kitchen by enhancing my cooking skills and learning to use what was available to us at the time. For our community dinner night, I had to prepare and serve a 3-course meal for 20 people at a time, without an oven and limited ingredients! This was one of the many challenges I faced during my experience, but it led me to get creative and adjust on the fly. In addition, I truly experienced how difficult it was to run retreats in a remote area, far away from any grocery stores. In many situations, we had to menu plan with what we had on hand and picked fresh produce from the gardens that I watered daily. Living at the retreat center also allowed me to become more conscious of waste, from leftover ingredients and food to composting to water usage, this newfound perspective is something I will continue to practice in my daily life.
Grace was engaging and supportive every step of the way. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to nutrition and social media. She gave me so many tips on how to narrow in on my target audience and niche, grow my business online, have a strong social media presence, and helped me find my voice through social media and public speaking. Grace is an amazing mentor and being able to spend a month at her retreat center was a life-changing opportunity! I know I will carry everything I learned from her into my future as a Certified Nutritional Practitioner.”
Xiaohong D. April 2023
“Thank you for referring Grace to me as a Co-op experience! Witnessing her daily involvement in managing her centre from watering lawn to renovating roofs then working in the very beginning stages of vegan cafe business was very different from this side of the world. Grace is a wonderful mentor on personal growth and health ambassador speaking out the truth to the rest of the world. We laughed a lot together and built a very good friendship!”
Sandra B. August 2019
“My professional dream is to run retreats in South America, specifically Nicaragua and Colombia. This experience has been personally and professionally enriching as I had the chance to daily learn and be submerged in all aspects of the retreat (i.e. food preparation, how to financially sustain a retreat, marketing , social media, yoga etc.) Grace Van Berkum was extremely knowledgeable, supportive, organized, dedicated and amazing in teaching all the steps necessary to run a successful retreat. She shared meaningful professional challenges and personal anecdotes she has gone through while running her Nicaraguan retreat. In addition, it was very valuable to be immersed into the Nicaraguan Culture and interact with the local community. Furthermore, it was great to make and learn so many amazing plant-based delicious meals and feeling energized and healthier by the end of this amazing Coop-experience”
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Jennifer H. August 2019
“Grace was amazing! She is so knowledgeable, kind, and a great inspiration and role model to have. I really appreciate that she shared her story with us. She was also very honest about the process of starting your own business and how she learned from challenges and overcame them. One of the challenges that I had personally, was that I got sick. Grace was very considerate and helped me providing me various holistic remedies and allowing me to rest, within 24 hours I was back to normal!
The most valuable part was just being immersed in the experience. Grace is a pro and there are so many useful and practical things I learned. I loved the positive affirmation cards, the deep breathing before meals and other practical tips we can use to easily introduce our clients to the holistic approach to health. The property at GLO is stunning and so relaxing. It was amazing that we were able to learn so much but also destress and rejuvenate at the same time.”
Erin A. September 2018
“Grace’s retreat setting facilitated a deep understanding of planning concepts while providing a serene environment for creativity. Her holistic approach, including plant-based eating and yoga, supported mental, spiritual, and emotional healing, crucial for my journey as a holistic nutritionist. This experience empowered me to confront fears, such as public speaking, and develop culinary skills under Grace’s guidance. Her insights on social media highlighted its significance in business growth, inspiring me to leverage its potential. Tending to Grace’s garden was rewarding, enriching her offerings with wholesome produce. Through this co-op, I not only expanded my theoretical knowledge but also gained practical experience in a supportive atmosphere, guided by Grace’s expertise. Overall, the opportunity to immerse myself in Grace’s retreat was transformative, equipping me with the confidence and skills needed for my holistic nutrition practice.”
Nadine A. August 2019
“Everything was of extreme value. This was a life changing and eye opening retreat. I found a lot of value in the confidence building skills, the releasing of limiting beliefs and the importance of movement classes in a retreat. Grace is very detail oriented and passionate about what she does. She made sure all her guests were well cared for and feeling good at all times. She was very honest about challenges she faced and gave advice on how she overcame them and tips on how to avoid the same. Grace made sure that we were confident and knew EVERYTHING we needed for our first retreat to be successful.”
Anna C. August 2019
“Everything was amazing from start to finish; such a warm inviting environment. They wanted us to get the most out of our time here. It was eye opening to see how much work it takes to run a retreat, all the stuff behind the scenes especially to do with the preparing of food and maintenance of the property as well as how much you need to be ON for the people who are at your retreat.”
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Trina T. August 2022
“I found the recipe development and menu planning with local ingredients useful, and making ingredient substitutions for specific food requirements or revising to what was available. I researched plants; what is edible, how to use different parts, what to plant together and how to plant. The shifting schedule, due to varying needs of retreat guests, weather, later farmer’s deliveries, etc. was challenging for me at times but as an entrepreneur myself, I recognize it’s the nature of running a business. I really appreciated and was inspired by the low waste lifestyle of the GLO center. Grace was fully engaged for my visit, providing tasks and support when needed, and I was inspired by her innovative perspective towards using all resources.”
Rita S. August 2019
“My personal experience at this retreat was transformational because of Grace’s truly inspirational story. Listening to how she overcame so many challenges and being able to establish this retreat center is truly empowering and I learned so much from her and gained more clarity on what type of Nutritionist I want to be. Overall, it was a transformational learning journey not only on how to run retreats but learned a lot about myself and the things that I need to release in order to become the best self-care Holistic Nutritionist.”
Terri-Lynn S. August 2019
“The GLO Retreat, Training and Development Coop with Grace Van Berkum at the Gracious Living Oasis in Nicaragua is an excellent educational experience and opportunity to learn how to run a successful retreat. Grace is very knowledgeable in retreat development and very professional in her approach. I learnt a great deal from Grace on how to partner with other brands and facilitators and how to cross promote with other health and wellness businesses. The daily workshops were very informative and well presented. In addition, the culinary experience was phenomenal. We learned recipe development, meal planning and how to create well balanced nutritious menus. Grace also provided great tips for meal plating and presentation. Fresh, locally sourced produce was used in every meal. I would highly recommend Grace’s business retreat to any Coop student entering the health and wellness retreat market.”
Megan B. August 2019
“This week was incredibly inspiring. Grace shared her journey from when she began to where she is now, instilling in me the belief that I can follow in her footsteps. She equipped us with tools to craft our own retreats, guiding us from conception to execution. Initially, I struggled to define my niche market, but with Grace’s guidance and the group’s support, I gained clarity on my ideal clientele. I’m immensely grateful for Grace’s assistance; without it, I wouldn’t have made this progress. The activities and exercises throughout the week gave me the confidence to move forward and become the holistic nutritionist that I want to become. GLO, with its eco-friendly ethos, provided the perfect atmosphere for learning and growth. This experience was so inspiring and I look forward to returning in the future.”
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Stefanie G. August 2019
“This has been a great experience. I have come away with knowing more of who I am, who I want to be as a nutritionist and what kind of client I want to work with and what the focus of my business is going to be. I have a much clearer understanding of this now. Grace was very supportive throughout in helping with development of marketing material and helping to find my voice as a nutritionist. She has given me the tools needed to be confident in what I’m doing and showed me that social media doesn’t have to be a scary thing. She has been a fantastic inspiration in showing us how a business can run smoothly and how to deal with the ups and downs of the business and any unforeseen conditions that may arise.”
Monica M. August 2019
“The Co-op at GLO has been amazing. Very informative and Grace was very inspiring. The positive affirmations on the walls and scattered stones at GLO Retreat immediately struck me. They epitomized the essence of retreat: rejuvenation and transformation starting from within, in our thoughts and self-talk. Grace taught us how to incorporate locally grown foods into existing recipes and make them super healthy and nutritious. She shared her wisdom on the 5 elements of a nutritious meal – plant protein, good fats, phytonutrients, live enzymes and chlorophyll. Learning about Grace’s journey as a retreat host and then having sessions of brain storming ideas with Grace on how, when and where I can start doing my workshops and retreats has helped me gain insight into what goes into making a retreat business a success.”
Jana B. August 2019
“GLO was a life changing experience. Grace has really inspired me to build my business on character and trust. She is so personable and it creates a space where her clients trust her knowledge and her entire business. I was challenged to do more on instagram, facebook, and linked in to give my business more exposure. Grace really helped me nail down my niche which gave me so much more clarity in my future and she gave really great tips on planning a retreat. I’ve never been so motivated and confident. I was able to practice yoga every day and it has made me feel so much more in tune with my mind, body and soul. This co-op made me really hopeful to become a successful nutritionist and entrepreneur.”
Rachel H. August 2022
“Grace’s informative sessions on retreat planning and challenges were invaluable. Her experienced insights provided practical guidance, enhancing my event management skills. When I say that holding space for others was an unexpected learning experience, it is because I came into this practice thinking that with my personal development over the years and background in the yoga industry, I had already accomplished this ability to hold space for others. Although I still feel this is true, it was very eye opening to experience the embodiment of holding space for others as they work through a deeper trauma in this detoxification retreat centre!
Working in the retreat environment taught adaptability, especially in utilizing local resources and minimizing waste. Unexpected lessons included mastering holding space for others and implementing low waste techniques, enriching my skill set and promoting environmental health awareness. The environment I worked in taught me how to work through many challenges such as utilizing the local foods and cooking tools/utensils available, occasionally having to improvise as not everything is available or accessible to us being in another country, and quite isolated and off the grid.
Grace’s unwavering support during a challenging illness was pivotal, enabling me to overcome obstacles and complete the co-op with fulfillment. Her attentive care and encouragement pushed me out of my comfort zone, ensuring a rewarding experience. Despite initial setbacks, Grace’s support and guidance made the remainder of the co-op enjoyable. Her understanding and assistance during difficult times exemplify her dedication to her students’ success. I am grateful for her mentorship and the invaluable lessons learned at Gracious Living Oasis.”
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Taryn M. August 2019
“The Co-op experience was incredibly valuable for me. Collaborating with diverse backgrounds, learning social media skills, and feeling a strong sense of community were highlights. Despite challenges like adapting to social media and power outages during our retreat in Nicaragua, we remained resilient and resourceful. One of the main challenges I faced was learning to be more open with social media. As I had never had much of a social media presence, I really had to step outside my comfort zone doing postings and videos. Grace’s unwavering support and encouragement were crucial; she was fully engaged, always available for questions, and our biggest cheerleader through every obstacle. Overall, the Co-op covered all necessary topics, providing a supportive environment for growth and learning.”
Melissa R. August 2019
“My experience at Gracious Living Oasis has been life-changing. It’s given me a different perspective on starting my own business and a sense of its realities. The environment is truly humbling, and Grace, Chris, and Lexy are incredibly supportive. The women on the retreat were empowering, and we covered all co-op topics, leaving me prepared and motivated. I deeply appreciate this experience; it set me up for success, from pushing my limits in social media to understanding retreat management. Being at Gracious Living Oasis has really helped to set me up for success!”
Najma M. August 2019
“I had an amazing experience learning to garden with my IHN classmates, one of the best of my life. Grace made it hands-on, letting us plant what we wanted. Preparing our daily food was immersive, teaching me to use Nicaraguan fruits and veggies for healthy meals. I feel nourished and energized, realizing vegan food can heal. I learned so much on how to use the fruits and vegetables of Nicaragua in making healthy smoothies and meals. I feel full every day and my stomach doesn’t hurt. I never knew vegan food could be healing for me. I did not feel bloated or crampy. I felt clean and looked forward to making smoothies every day. I enjoyed learning about Nicaraguan culture. Immersing myself in Nicaraguan culture was enlightening; meeting Jandir and staff helped me understand blending in and interacting internationally. Running the retreat taught me social media skills, including posting on Instagram and growing a business online. It was eye-opening to learn consistency and utilize various promotion options. Overall, I had a wonderful time and gained valuable knowledge for my future retreats.”
Danielle B. August 2018
“Grace and her property exceeded my expectations. It was a fulfilling adventure away from distractions, focusing on myself and building my business. I’m inspired by Grace’s success, motivating me to step out of my comfort zone. Learning social media skills was a highlight; now, I feel confident to promote my business effectively. Partnering with another IHN student for our own upcoming retreats adds to my excitement. Completing my education with Grace in Nicaragua has equipped me with all the tools for success as a Certified Nutritional Practitioner. I feel so proud to have embarked on this journey with IHN and finishing it off with Grace’s Co-op experience.”
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Megan C. August 2018
“We delved deep into social media strategies with Grace, covering posting on Facebook and Instagram, Stories, hashtags, and algorithms. Her guidance and hands-on approach helped me gain confidence in this area. Learning from her about retreat planning, from theme design to marketing and scheduling, was invaluable. I now have a clear plan for my own future retreat. Overcoming my discomfort with being on video was a significant personal growth, thanks to Grace’s patient support. Her genuine nature and successful business acumen were inspiring. Overall, this experience was life-changing. I’d eagerly do it again. Grace is a remarkable teacher, and I feel fortunate to have worked with her. All in all, this was a life changing experience for me! I would do it again, in a heartbeat. Grace is a gem and we are very lucky to have the opportunity to work with her through IHN’s Co-op program. ”
Hannah C. August 2019
“Being surrounded by like minded people is hard to come by, but within this program and especially this co-op experience I am surrounded by supportive, helpful and kind hearted people. This includes Grace and everyone we had the pleasure of meeting during our time here. Grace reassured me I would reap the benefits from my experience as it incorporates business and developing confidence in order to thrive and plan for success. As soon as we arrived we felt extremely comfortable and welcomed. Coming to a new country, especially those who don’t travel often, can be very intimidating and scary. Not once did I feel that was. The rooms had everything we needed and more, we never felt like pests with any questions, and of course we were filled with nutrients to feel wholesome and at our optimal health the entire time.
And then there is her father. A huge part of her story hit home for me. He is living proof of healing the body through a nutrient dense diet, balanced lifestyle and local whole foods. Not only was he cured of bone cancer, but he is absolutely thriving with Alzheimer’s disease. I plan to share his story on my end too and I hope it can be as eye opening to others as it has been for me. It was a pleasure meeting him and speaking to him one on one after seeing his story unfold on Grace’s social media.
The recipe development within this experience was not only full of laughs, but very informative on the recipes themselves and nutrition in each preparation. Delicious too of course! Finding my voice and building confidence has additionally been a huge part of my experience here. Exploring different cultures is high up in my interests, and we had the pleasure of doing so here in Nicaragua. I am leaving here with not only a million ideas, but also the courage to take the next steps in terms of reaching my goals. From day 1 and listening to Grace’s story, watching the goosebumps build on her arms and eyes sparkle as she spoke, I have been truly inspired. She taught and showed us everything we need in order to succeed in this field through retreat and workshop building, or whichever direction we choose to go from here on.”
Rani D. August 2019
“The co-op experience with Grace was amazing. I learned a lot about planning retreats, selling without being pushy, and building a social media following. She provided great tips on staying true to your brand and dealing with difficult clients. Grace also explains to us the hard parts of running a business and getting a location set up in a different country. It was eye-opening to see the amount of effort involved in running retreats. Grace provided useful advice on selecting locations and asking important questions. Starting small and growing gradually was a key lesson, and Grace’s encouragement pushed me out of my comfort zone. The homework assignments were thought-provoking, and the living arrangements and food were excellent. Overall, it was a fantastic experience!”
Rachel B. July 2021
“There were many valuable elements of this co-op. I loved meeting new people and enhancing my confidence as a future businesswoman. Working on my public speaking, whether at our dinner parties or on social media was extremely out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad that I did it and had a great support system backing me up. Another interesting and unexpected thing that I learned from being here is how little access people here have to things I take for granted back home. We repurposed things around the retreat, reduced garbage and made meals with the things we had access to which was very eye opening. Grace went out of her way to make sure I felt supported here. As well as made sure I enjoyed any free time we had. This was most definitely an experience I will never forget.”
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Celine S. July 2021
The 3 weeks spent with grace taught me a lot of life lessons! Most importantly that I am on the right path and I am 100% committed to making the world a healthier place.
Deanne D. August 2019
“It’s hard to pick but my favorite part of this co-op was the recipe development workshops where we learned how to create healthy meals using local ingredients and what is on hand in the kitchen. Grace not only allowed us to experiment in her kitchen but also let us make mistakes and showed us how to modify recipe mishaps. I feel a lot more confident not only modifying recipes but also teaching/demoing for others. It was beneficial to see how much work goes into running a retreat. I appreciated that Grace encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone with regards to social media and pushed us to start now. This entire experience was out of this world. I cannot imagine a Co-op that would have taught me more.”
Jessica K. August 2019
“Perfect environment to practice what we preach and fully embody the holistic lifestyle mentally and physically. Grace provided valuable coaching on starting a nutrition practice, the steps required to start up our career, and host workshops/retreats etc. We experimented with recipe development and how to incorporate different ingredients and adapt a recipe to improve nutrient content and make it healthy and tasty as well as aesthetically pleasing. She showed us the value we will bring to our clients by specializing our practice to a specific niche and how to market the type of nutritionist we are to attract our ideal client. Grace also taught us the impact of sharing our personal story and journey through nutrition in order to positively impact others and connect to our clients”
April C. August 2018
“I loved my time here, both for personal and work-related reasons. Grace was such a joy to be mentored by. Having such a vast array of life experiences she was able to share so much insight with us to take home and apply to both our personal and business lives. Gracious oasis living is able to perfectly balance learning, detox, cooking, adventure and relaxation to provide the ultimate learning and growing experience. The most valuable elements include Grace’s personal growth and how her business came to be. Her transparency and openness about her past and business development provided us with much insight on the trial and tribulations, as well as the amazing opportunities that may be in store for us. Her stories also provided us with an array of suggestions and guidance for our own personal business development. Another valuable takeaway was Grace’s social media and marketing expertise. Through Grace’s help she taught us how to successfully connect clients, possible sponsors and how to gain more awareness with each post. This co-op opportunity presented so many prospects and learning opportunities and luckily no challenges. We were really blessed with a great teacher and a beautiful surrounding to foster the perfect co-op opportunity. I would highly recommend this co-op for future students.”
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Adrienne R. July 2017
“Her home is beautiful and is the perfect oasis to de-stress, eat healthy and focus on the business aspect of retreat planning. The accommodations are excellent, the food fantastic; we had fresh, delicious and nutritious meals prepared for us every day. I was able to teach a yoga class to the group which was great experience for me, as well as make some protein bars in the kitchen to get some hands-on experience. Overall, the retreat was a fantastic experience, I can only say wonderful things about it and would recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the business of planning retreats!”
Mylen G. July 2020
“This was above and beyond anything I could have expected! This experience was all I needed to gain confidence in myself, pursue my passion, inspire creativity, and start my business. I have learned so much with the extreme support of Grace. Grace is an amazing mentor, and she was dedicated to show me everything I needed to know about the retreat, how to deal with guests, challenges, work with what’s available, be creative, and believe all is possible! I found her very committed to my success and I am extremely grateful for her teaching and generous help. The hands-on experience was extremely valuable and gave me so much confidence and understanding. Being part of GLO retreat was so transformative, and at a personal level. All the yoga, meditation, workshops, made me release tension, fear, and insecurity that was stuck inside of me. Overall, I am grateful, inspired, changed, and ready to start helping others with my learnings, nutrition, and connection to life. Thank you, Grace, for this transformative experience and thank you, IHN, for the opportunity and all the profound learnings I have received through this program.”
Tara B. September 2021
“Working with Grace at GLO has been an incredible journey of personal and professional growth. I’ve gained insights into starting a nutrition business, hosting retreats, and teaching nutrition and yoga to guests. It honed my public speaking skills and allowed me to share nutrition principles effectively. Grace’s guidance in the kitchen sparked creativity and recipe development using available ingredients. I plan to integrate these learnings into my daily routine and share them with future clients. This experience has prepared me to enter the world of nutrition confidently, with aspirations to run my own retreat in the future. Overall, it’s been an educational and enjoyable month at GLO.”
Haley S. August 2018
“Confidence in my business plan. What my focus in the field of health and wellness will be and who my ideal clients will be. I have chosen a business name and plan. I know what I need to set up- a website, contacts, sponsor. I have increased my social media presence and have a deeper understanding of how to use it effectively to create a strong following and get sponsors.
Knowledge in how to run a retreat and specific details unique to my retreat. I understand now how to source locations, pricing, partnership, sponsors…and have chosen a theme and am well on my way to ironing out the specifics.
A greater understanding and enthusiasm for preparing a plant based diet using local produce and ingredients. A deeper love of following a whole food, plant based diet and how great I feel off of processed, refined foods.”
Anita H. August 2018
“I found this co-op experience to be a major eye-opener for me as I haven’t traveled a lot in my life, and especially in an off the grid 3rd world country. What I found very valuable was learning about everything in setting up a retreat and how easy it was to create a lot of plant based and superfood meals and how healing they are for the body. Despite limited resources, I adapted recipes using herbs and vegetables from the garden. In the beginning, I was quite frustrated with myself because I felt I lacked my voice and confidence in setting up a retreat but as each day passed, I gained my voice and confidence in setting up a retreat and business profile with Grace’s support. This co-op experience has inspired me to start my nutrition practice and gave me the confidence to start my retreat.”