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There’s a phrase in Croatia, “fjaka,” that roughly translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing.”
Every language has a phrase like this that’s more than a word, it’s a mindset.
Last October, it became the heartbeat of our most unconventional (and unforgettable) event yet: Club Ichi’s first international Barefoot Business Retreat.
We chartered the yacht Lupus Mar and sailed through the Dalmatian Islands with nearly 40 of the most dynamic minds in the event industry. It was an experiment in connection, spontaneity, and how deep conversations flourish when you’re barefoot, salty, and just a little windswept.
From Strategy to Spontaneity
Our guests included in-house corporate event marketers, agency leaders, CEOs, and small business owners in the event space. We ran two separate cruises — one three days, the other four — with about 20 guests on each leg.
There were no slide decks. No agendas. No panel sessions or name badges. Instead, we used our Spontaneous Think Tank methodology to crowdsource content in real-time. The problems we solved and the breakthroughs we had were driven entirely by the people on the trip.
From conversations on event measurement to individual human design sessions to strategies for building emotionally resonant experiences, our group tackled real business challenges while sailing between the islands of Hvar, Vis, Brac, and beyond. Every conversation was rooted in peer sharing, and every moment was an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and unwind.
The sessions being held of giant inflatable unicorns didn’t hurt.
A Yacht with the Right Vibe
I can’t talk about this experience without mentioning Marko Lakić, the owner of Lupus Mar. When you’re planning a retreat on the water, it’s not just about the boat… it’s about the crew, the flexibility, and the local access. Marko has it all.
His network across the islands unlocked the kind of experiences no DMC could pre-package. Whether it was a secluded cove swim spot or a friend with a secret restaurant, every stop felt personal and perfectly timed.
The yacht itself was luxurious but not stuffy. The vibe was business casual meets Mediterranean leisure. Strategy sessions in the morning, grilled fish on deck for lunch, and a sunset swim before dinner.
When the Storm Rolls In
Of course, no real adventure goes off without a hitch. Halfway through the trip, a massive storm rolled in and forced us to cancel one of our island explorations. It could’ve killed the vibe. Instead, it became one of the most memorable moments of the week.
Marko got on the phone with a few friends and arranged for the entire group to have dinner at a local island restaurant that doesn’t even appear on Google Maps. They prepared Peka, a traditional Croatian dish slow-cooked under a bell-like dome of coals. It was warm, rustic, communal, and, according to several of our very well-traveled attendees, “one of the best meals of my life.”
It was a powerful reminder that sometimes the best parts of an experience aren’t planned. They’re improvised with trust, local knowledge, and a willingness to roll with the waves.
What We Learned
I’ve been to conferences, retreats, summits, and strategy sessions in cities around the world, but Croatia gave me something rare: a sense of place so immersive, it transformed how people showed up.
The intimacy of a yacht. The magic of the Adriatic. The freedom from structure. All of it came together to create something we now call the “fjaka effect”: the space to think bigger because you’re not rushing at all.
For other planners considering an incentive trip or leadership retreat in Croatia, here are our biggest takeaways:
- Trust your host. Marko and his crew were collaborators and problem-solvers.
- Design for flexibility. We didn’t have a fixed agenda, and that made room for moments of real magic.
- Build in culture. Whether it was learning the meaning of fjaka or sharing a traditional Peka meal, the local flavor elevated every conversation.
- Smaller is better. With just 20 people on each sail, the connections were deep, the feedback real, and the support system strong.
The Verdict
The Barefoot Business Retreat wasn’t a vacation, and it wasn’t a conference. It was something in between: The ultimate business-building trip that felt like a family reunion. It reminded us that when you strip away the noise, get a little sun-kissed, and surround yourself with the right people, the breakthroughs come naturally.
And that fjaka effect?
We brought that home with us with a very American twist: “Go fjaka yourself.”
Liz Lathan is the co-founder of Club Ichi.
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