I never expected this, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

Truth be told, I'd never done this before. Yes, I've planned dozens of events, but not like this one. Not a weekend retreat I would be fully responsible for.

On Friday morning, as we drove through the Catskills, I couldn't stop thinking.

Would people enjoy themselves?
What if I forgot something?
Would all of this be worth it?

I thought about the purpose of this retreat: to prepare these woman to be strong coaches and lead their students with confidence.

This was the first 'in-person' event we had hosted for Personal Brand Accelerator, and I knew it would require me to level up.

Was I ready? Yes.
Was I scared? Also, yes.

As we pulled up to the Airbnb, I noticed a pick-up truck in the driveway.

Hmmm that's odd.

I parked my Jeep and got out of the driver's seat to walk inside the house.

"Hi," I said to the woman who was standing in the kitchen.

"Were they able to get ahold of you? There's no water here." she looked at me with panic in her eyes.

"Um no, I haven't heard from anyone. What do you mean?" I asked with a confused look on my face.

"We're in a big drought right now and the well is all dried up. There's no running water. You can't even flush the toilet, I'm afraid you can't stay here."

My mind went straight to the 4 women who would be arriving in less than an hour. What was I going to do? We were in the middle of nowhere. I had no service and we had no place to stay.

Sachiko and I had an entire evening of activities to get through. Would any of that be able to happen now? How would the women who had put their faith and trust in me respond to this?

I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Okay, we have to come up with a Plan B," I said after a momentary freak-out.

I got on the phone with Airbnb. They refunded me, gave me a partial credit, and helped us find a new place to stay. Eventually, we heard back from a man, Ray, who assured me that his place could be ready in less than 3 hours.

"Done and done," I said.

It wasn't perfect, but it would do.

When the coaches arrived, I gave each of them a big hug. We had our first meal together at the picnic tables outside. After dinner, we gathered in the living room.

"Thank you for your flexibility," I said. "Sometimes, things happen that require us to think and pivot quickly. How we respond is what defines us as leaders and coaches." I could see their eyes were filled with grace and understanding, and I appreciated it.

The rest of the weekend turned out beautifully. Each meal was magical and the yoga and meditations led by Tay were a great addition.

I asked each coach to lead a "mock" breakout session to practice their facilitation skills before the big day. It was a great exercise that allowed them to hone their skills in a safe environment. Each coach thanked me for the opportunity to practice what they had been taught during session.

It got me thinking. We can spend months (heck, years) planning, studying, and training, but we'll never truly know how we'll respond to something until it's happening to us.

Leadership is a skill that's cultivated through action. We have to put ourselves in the way of experiences that test our skills and challenge us to grow.

This weekend, just like my coaches, my leadership skills were put to the test. It showed me what I am capable of, while also revealing ways in which I can improve.

As I sat with my coaches on the last day of retreat, I felt so much gratitude. I can't wait for PBA to start this month. I feel ready and more prepared than ever.

With love,
Anna Vatuone