Most podcasters walk into a retreat with a suitcase. Laylee Emadi walked in with a suitcase and a couple of mics.
When she hosted her Next Level Retreat, she didn’t just plan to create transformation for her attendees—she planned to capture it. With intentional recording time built into the retreat schedule, Laylee walked away with four high-impact podcast episodes that extended the retreat’s impact well beyond the event itself.
This wasn’t just thoughtful content planning—it was a masterclass in using live, in-person connection to fuel consistent, compelling podcast content.
Let’s take a look at how she did it—and the conversations that came out of it:
🎙 Supporting Your Partner in Their Business with Tim Smith
Your business does more than fuel your passion, it supports your family. And sometimes you need your family to support your business.
Laylee brought her husband, Tim, on the mic to talk about what it really looks like to support a partner’s entrepreneurial journey. Recorded at the retreat, this episode gives listeners a rare behind-the-scenes look into the personal side of business-building—and reminds us that success isn’t always a solo story.
🎙 How to Create ChatGPT Prompts That Serve Your Brand
Recorded while the retreat energy was still fresh, this episode features an insightful conversation between Laylee and Dawn Richardson on a topic every creative educator is curious about: how to utilize AI without compromising your voice.
Dawn’s approach seamlessly blends strategy with storytelling, using real-life examples and context from the retreat to make the episode even more relevant and timely.
For a quick look at how AI can support weekly content planning, this example is a helpful reference.
🎙 Growing as a Speaker: Live Coaching from the Next Level Retreat ft. Danielle Throckmorton
This episode is a standout example of live coaching turned into content. Laylee and Danielle explore into what it takes to develop your speaking skills, with an authentic, in-the-moment conversation that would never have been the same over Zoom. It’s vulnerable, powerful, and packed with takeaways.
🎙 Overcoming Business Overwhelm with Shaochen Wu of Monstera Gold
Shaochen shares her story of burnout with honesty and insight, making it clear that the real magic of in-person recording is in the comfort and connection it creates.
Why This Works (and Why You Should Try It)
Laylee didn’t wait for the perfect studio setup. She leaned into the moment, using the depth of her retreat to capture real conversations and intentional solo episodes while ideas were fresh and vulnerability was high.
If you’re hosting a retreat or event, here’s how you can do the same:
- Plan for content capture: Build recording time into your agenda.
- Bring your gear (or hire a team to help—hi 👋).
- Mix it up: Record a few solo episodes, guest convos, or live coaching sessions.
- Use the energy: There’s something different about in-person momentum—don’t waste it.
- Batch record so you leave with weeks of content, not just one great idea.
Laylee didn’t just create a retreat experience—she multiplied its impact. Four episodes. One location. Endless value.
And if you ask us? That’s the kind of content planning that’s next level.
Blog Photos by Angelica Marie Photography
