BRANDBUSTERS EXPEDITIONS · STRATEGY ON THE WATER
A few days away from day-to-day operations. One critical business question. The owner, board or leadership team returns with decisions made, clear accountability and a 90-day action plan.
A few days away from day-to-day operations. One critical business question. The owner, board or leadership team returns with decisions made, clear accountability and a 90-day action plan.
I design and lead intensive strategy offsites on one or more yachts — in Croatia, other warm-water destinations, the Baltic Sea or the Masurian Lakes. Sailing together, sharing life on board and stepping outside the usual environment create space for conversations that rarely happen between meetings.
I match the programme, sailing area, vessels and level of comfort to the goal, the make-up of the team and seasonal conditions.
[01 / OUTSIDE THE DAILY RHYTHM]
In the daily rhythm of a business, conversations about the future are interrupted by phone calls, urgent emails, customer issues and the next meeting. The team begins discussing strategy but soon returns to the same tasks and assumptions.
On the water, the rhythm changes. There is time to define the real problem, examine the data, hear different perspectives and stay with the conversation until a decision is reached.
The water won't come up with a strategy for you. It creates conditions in which it's harder to escape the right questions.
[02 / THE QUESTION WE SET SAIL WITH]
The company has several possible paths and must decide where to concentrate capital, people and attention.
The board wants to agree its priorities, level of ambition, metrics and what it will deliberately deprioritise.
The team is preparing a go-to-market plan, market entry or a major extension of the offer.
The company needs to bring marketing, sales, pricing, CRM and customer experience together into one agreed plan.
The board wants to choose real use cases and agree the rules, accountability and order of implementation.
The leadership team needs clear roles, decision-making authority, escalation rules and an effective operating rhythm.
The company is facing an investment, a change in its business model, succession, the entry of a new shareholder or another decision requiring time, confidentiality and full attention.
One expedition should not attempt to solve seven problems at once. Before we set off, we agree the question whose answer could create the greatest value.
[03 / PROCESS]
01 / BEFORE
Usually 2–3 weeks before the expedition:
I do not ask participants to start with a blank page. We arrive with prepared materials, relevant facts and the right questions.
02 / ON THE WATER
Depending on the day and conditions:
We do not run six-hour workshops under sail. Key sessions take place in port, in a calm bay, at anchor or at a prepared venue on land. Sailing is part of the experience and the teamwork, but safety always sets the limits of the programme.
03 / AFTER RETURNING
The results may include:
The goal isn't to come back energised. The goal is to come back with decisions the company starts to deliver.
[04 / THE RHYTHM OF THE DAY]
This is an example rhythm, not a fixed timetable. The final plan for each day depends on the goal of the work, the weather, the sailing area and the skipper's decisions.
08:00 / FOCUS
A morning strategy session in calm conditions.
10:30 / UNDER SAIL
Sailing, crew roles, conversations in pairs and observing how people work together.
14:30 / BUILD & TEST
Working with data, scenarios, prototypes or concrete solutions.
17:30 / DECISION
Summary, decisions and clearly recorded accountability.
20:00 / SHARED TABLE
Dinner, informal conversation and a synthesis of the day.
[05 / WORKING SETUP]
We choose the vessels and route so that we can plan working windows of stable connectivity. Depending on the sailing area, we use mobile or satellite connections, suitable power and materials that are also available offline.
This means that during planned sessions you can:
I do not promise an uninterrupted office on the open sea. I design conditions in which the team can combine focused work, access to the tools it needs and a deliberate break from day-to-day noise.
[06 / COLLABORATION IN PRACTICE]
Limited space, changing conditions, shared tasks and dependence on others reveal how the team communicates, makes decisions and responds to change. These observations can become the starting point for a valuable conversation about how the company operates.
It is not, however, a hidden test of employees or an assessment centre. Nobody is judged on their susceptibility to seasickness, physical fitness or previous sailing experience. Participation in tasks is matched to each participant's abilities and comfort.
Possible areas of work
[07 / FORMATS]
01
Typically 4–6 participants · 3–5 days
For an owner, board or small executive team working on one important decision.
02
Typically 6–10 participants · 4–7 days
For an executive, commercial or marketing team.
03
Several crews · a bespoke programme
For a larger team or a project involving several business functions.
The number of participants depends on the vessels, the sailing area, the nature of the programme, safety requirements and the level of comfort.
[08 / LEVEL OF COMFORT]
In addition, as needed:
For a larger or particularly demanding expedition:
The costs of the strategic work and of the charter, travel, crew and additional services are clearly separated in each individual proposal.
[09 / WHERE]
01 · FLAGSHIP FORMAT · 4–7 DAYS
The flagship format for 4–7-day expeditions. More time for work, sailing, rest and conversation outside the formal sessions.
02 · SHORTER · DYNAMIC
A shorter, more dynamic format. The choice of route and programme depends particularly heavily on the weather and the skippers' experience.
03 · 2–4 DAYS
An easy-to-access 2–4-day format for a team that needs focused work without organising an international trip.
The route is never more important than the objective or safety. Final sailing decisions are made by the skipper based on current conditions. The programme always includes a prepared port-based or land-based alternative.
[10 / THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE TABLE]
Each expert’s scope of responsibility is clearly defined. Formal legal or financial opinions are prepared by an appropriately qualified professional or firm.
Ask about involving an expertDepending on the problem, the following may join the preparation or a selected workstream:
The expert can take part:
[11 / RESULT]
The result depends on the goal but may include:
A good expedition doesn't end with “that was great”. It ends with “we know what we're doing on Monday”.
[12 / GROUND RULES]
[13 / WHO IT'S FOR]
[14 / WHO LEADS]
For more than 20 years, I have been accountable for growth, marketing, e-commerce, CRM, customer experience and commercial transformation across multiple markets. I have led teams through situations requiring difficult choices, changes of direction and the translation of strategy into action.
My sailing experience comes from practice, not leadership presentations. I also know that running a safe voyage and leading a strong strategic process require different skills. That is why I personally design and lead the business work, while experienced skippers remain responsible for sailing.
I do not bolt a workshop onto a sailing trip. I design one expedition in which every element serves the company’s objective.
My sailing experience comes from practice, not leadership presentations. I also know that running a safe voyage and leading a strong strategic process require different skills. That is why I personally design and lead the business work, while experienced skippers remain responsible for sailing.
I do not bolt a workshop onto a sailing trip. I design one expedition in which every element serves the company’s objective.
[15 / NOT EVERY TEAM SHOULD SAIL]
For teams for whom sailing is not the right environment, the Brandbusters Expeditions programme can take the form of several days of strategic work combined with mountain hiking. The terrain and rhythm of the day change. The principle remains the same: one important question, a well-prepared process, clear decisions and an implementation plan.
[16 / FIRST STEP]
01
We briefly discuss the company, the team, the situation and the expected result.
02
We determine whether an offsite is the right solution and what decision needs to be made.
03
I prepare a proposal for the process, format, duration, sailing area, level of comfort, partners and budget.
04
Once the proposal is approved, we begin the strategic and logistical preparations.
[FAQ]
Tell me what choice the company faces, who should be part of the conversation and what has to happen after you return. I'll design a format that combines intensive work, a shared experience and a real action plan.
