There are workshops for parents and summits for entrepreneurs, but what about all the mompreneurs out there who need multiple skill-sets to handle all that daily life brings their way? Those modern mamas are exactly who the event designers of Bash, Please and bloggers from Heymama and Modern Nomad (all of them mothers!) had in mind when they planned their very first retreat, The Great Jane, recently in Ojai.
“The Great Jane was an idea we had while attending another retreat for creative entrepreneurs. A lightbulb went on our brains that nothing like this specifically had been created for working mothers. The dance between domestic child-rearing and enterprising career growth requires two different skill sets and we experience the struggle first hand every day as entrepreneurs juggling our kids.
Taking space for ourselves is rare and so needed to fuel our creativity and sustain our sanity in everyday life for our families and employees. The weekend was a total experiment that exceeded our expectations as well as the attendees. We learned that the hunger is there and mothers are looking for fuel outside of their homes to inspire, nurture, and ground them in your life pursuits.” – Paige + Kelly of Bash, Please
They say “like attracts like,” and these stylish mamas had no trouble filling their first ever retreat with a slew of L.A.-based moms and lady bosses, all looking for exactly what the getaway served up. Creative workshops from Shiva Rose, Rachel Craven and Oprah-approved kitchen healer, Jules Blaine Davis fed souls, while panels of experts like Ali Webb (Dry Bar) and Ara Katz (Spring) chatted through topics on career strategy and brand-building. The whole affair came together on the swoon-worthy Thatcher House property high above the Ojai valley, decked out to the nines in true Bash, Please style.
“No matter what point these mamas were in their motherhood, career or creative journey, they all shared a common hunger for community, connection and inspiration, which is what we really tried to tap into with The Great Jane. I think sometimes, as women, we worry too much about appearances and are shy about asking for help. We wanted to shake that up and make a safe place for women to form a tribe and ask for what they need to better their lives and feel more fulfilled. ” – Tara Parker Tait of Modern Nomad
Get inspired by our lookbook from The Great Jane above. We’re huge fans of Bash, Please’s work (see proof here and here!) and would’ve attended just to roll around all day on the vintage couches and poufs they had planted on the lawn. Creating this type of stunning environment is half the fun when it comes to breaking routines, finding inspiration and making those babysitter fees all worth the while. Add to this ambiance the long tables of Moon Canyon florals, kombucha cocktails and farm-to-table dinners that kept mamas up way past their bedtimes, and we’re thinking these ladies could be on to something here.
“Enabling mamas to take space and recharge helps them be better mothers, partners, creatives and individuals, so it’s really a vital tool that we plan to keep expanding in new locations so we can bring it to as many mamas as possible. It is really pretty magical what women can create when we come together with a common intention.” – Tara Parker Tait of Modern Nomad
Stay tuned for more The Great Jane gatherings and tell us what you think of this concept in the comments below! Did you attend? What did you learn? Are you a mompreneur yourself? What kind of resources are you loving now…
Get our Guide to Ojai here | See more Bash, Please prettiness! | A few of our fave moms talk balance
