I Attended A Private Retreat On The World's #1 Beach & Got Some Great Life Advice

Waiting at JFK’s terminal five I noticed an usually high ratio of toddlers to adults about to board a plane with me to Turks and Caicos, a Caribbean island that was desperately calling my name as New York City was in full swing sweater-weather season. I had been invited to the fourth annual Social Media on the Sand Conference at Beaches resort alongside 100 “elite influencer mom” attendees, and as it would seem, their many kin. Being void of interactions with children under the age of 12 since my side-hustle babysitting gig in college, I was admittedly excited and perhaps a little apprehensive to enter these unchartered waters, but by the end of the trip found myself happily wading in the kiddie pool with some seriously amazing mom moguls and their minis, soaking up invaluable work-life balance lessons from these superwomen.

At its core #BeachesMoms brings together some of the most influential matriarchs in the biz, empowering them with tools to create safe space digital communities where moms worldwide can transparently share tips, vent, laugh, and find inspiration through the trials and tribulations of motherhood. From travel mavens who plan family friendly vacations to craft queens and holistic health enthusiasts, this aggregation of wonder-women in paradise was a force to be reckoned with. I strongly recommend everyone eligible apply for next year, but if you don’t happen to have a blue check next to your Insta name fear not, below are some insider highlights from some of the unparalleled speakers at this powerhouse meeting of the minds in the Caribbean:

Rebecca Minkoff
Rebecca Minkoff impressively launched her #RMSuperwoman podcast, a feminist clothing line #IAmMany, a nonprofit Female Founder collective, and a new affordable eyewear collection within the same year. On balancing it all she advises, “all of us question our resolve at some point through motherhood, but the support you build around you as a team is of utmost importance in navigating your way.”

Alli Webb
Ali Webb, founder of DryBar, shared her story of feeling the “itch” on year 5 of being a stay at home mom and wanting to take ownership of her own personal ambitions in tandem with motherhood. Despite backlash from family and friends (why want more when you have the suburban dream?), Webb saw white space and yearning among her community for affordable blowouts with added ingredients of confidence and self care, two categories she feels pivotal for mothers to hold sacred.

"Making that decision to go back to work while being a mom was a decision I felt really strongly about. I'm a happier mom when I'm also carving out time to pursue my personal passions. You can be a mother and a mogul. Those two things don't have to live mutually exclusive."

Holly Robinson Peete
Holly Robinson Peete opened up about her son’s autism, her HollyRod foundation, and spoke to instilling empathy in schools and providing support to parents of children with autism through community education.

"There's a "never complex" for children with autism that broke my heart whenever someone told me my child would never hold a job or have a significant other. That mentality rang true for adults, children, teachers, organizations, but at the end of the day my son is amazing and defied all odds. I implore parents and children to embrace empathy and compassion and for organizations to embrace autism training..."

Whether strolling the white sanded beaches or sailing into cerulean abyss on the complimentary catamarans, Social Media on the Sand with Beaches was a once in a lifetime bucket-list experience that I’ll revisit in daydreams every time I’m need of a little office escapism. Check out the video below and subscribe to our channel RSVP for more travel tips!

Travel for the author was provided by BWR Public Relations and accommodations were provided by BWR Relations for the purpose of writing this story.