The Joy of Connection – Cultivating Possibilities
Embark on an experiential journey into the many dimensions of visible and invisible wealth and what it means to truly prosper. This Pre-Rendezvous Workshop brings together the ancient wisdom of our ancestors, the insights of modern indigenous communities, and our own values and life experiences, to broaden our thinking and come to greater clarity about our purpose. Led by Don Opatrny, Principal of the Lovins Group, British explorer Anthony Willoughby, and elder of the Maasai people Emmanuel Mankura (joining us live from his home in Kenya) we will experiment with the fast-working, emotionally engaging, and non-threatening methodology they have developed, which is enabling practitioners and clients in the family wealth arena to break out of habitual patterns and articulate inspiring new visions. We will ask essential questions and chart courses to game-changing answers for us, our clients, and the larger community.
Benefits to participants:
Experience for yourself a powerful instinctive methodology that helps to bring clarity to where you are in your own personal or professional journey.
Learn a new approach to hosting vibrant conversations with your clients or colleagues about their vision and commitments for the future.
Explore a process that builds trust and understanding across generations, between spouses, and among siblings while addressing cultural and value differences in ways that open new possibilities for connection.
Develop a new sense of confidence in opening difficult conversations and supporting clients to speak about their challenges, their hopes, and about the contributions they long to make.
Anthony Willoughby is an adventurer, cross-cultural ambassador and storyteller. He left England at the age of 22 with a one-way ticket on the Trans-Siberian Express in search of inspiration, adventure and opportunities and he is still on that journey. He has walked across the spine of Papua New Guinea, climbed high mountains, and recently rode with nomadic families and their herds through the mountains of western Mongolia in -30c.
Based on the wisdom and insights Anthony learned from first-hand conversations with indigenous leaders he founded the Nomadic School of Business, providing individuals and organizations with the courage, clarity, and agility to survive and thrive in an ever-changing world.
Doutzen Groothof is a Dutch sociologist, management consultant and coach who combines modern and traditional approaches from various cultures. She gained knowledge through her work with premier global management consulting firms in Europe, and built on that foundation with the wisdom and inspiration from nomadic and indigenous tribes in Africa, who are masters in building strong and agile communities.
Doutzen works with organizations in East-Africa and collaborates closely with Anthony Willoughby and his international teams on multiple continents. Through her company, Stand Tall (Courageous Coaching) she helps people live and lead with courage and clarity.
Polina Crotty spent nearly twenty years in the fiduciary area of the wealth management industry, where she built close relationships with clients and their advisors, supporting a client-centric, holistic approach to managing wealth. Guided by her training with Co-Active Professional Coaching Institute, Polina is now working at the intersection of wealth and personal development.
Polina earned a BA degree in History from Wesleyan University and holds the Certified Financial Planner™ designation. As a member of the Purposeful Planning Institute and Financial Therapy Association, she enjoys learning and collaborating with other member professionals. Polina lives in Granby, CT, watching her three children grow and blossom, and as often as possible shares a sunrise or a sunset with them.
Matt Opatrny helps individuals, families and teams reimagine and articulate their stories, awakening new perspectives on the past and new visions for the future. He is an award-winning writer, creator, storyteller, and teacher with decades of experience in theater, television, and podcasts. His writing for children, including programs on Netflix and Spotify by DreamWorks Animation and Moonbug Entertainment, celebrates differences and elevates kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness. Matt is visually impaired and is currently developing a preschool animated series with a visually impaired protagonist that introduces kids to mindfulness meditation.
For 20 years, he served as Managing Director of the family business that he co-founded, an award-winning non-profit physical theater ensemble based in New York City called Blessed Unrest. As a playwright, he has won multiple awards including the 2018 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Play and First Prize at the Secondo Theatre Festival (Switzerland). His eleven full-length plays have been performed in New York City, across the country, and on international tours (in collaboration with Teatri Oda of Kosovo). He has taught numerous workshops to students from elementary school to university graduate level, earning a Special Commendation from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. As a performer, he has appeared extensively Off-Broadway, on international tours, and on stage at The Moth storytelling events. He is a graduate of Clemson University, was selected as a 2022 RespectAbility Lab fellow, and owes much of who he is to the sea turtles of Costa Rica.
Don Opatrny, LMFT, founded the Lovins Group with Alan Lovins in 2008 and continues today as partner and Principal. Don’s unique approach to family business consulting and legacy wealth advising blends his own firsthand family business experience with relationship building techniques developed during more than 20 years of practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has a passion for finding what works in the context of each family’s unique circumstances, and is committed to co-discovering the steps clients can take to bring them closer to realizing their own visions of success.
Don’s intention is to inspire, support, challenge and empower families to thrive in the “special conditions” created by family wealth. He delights in supporting clients to take initiative that leads to meaningful discussions on the topics that matter most to them. He works closely with clients to develop trust and build the skills that meet the needs of their current situation. Don considers calls from clients sharing their excitement of having created their own solutions to new challenges as the touchstone of a good consultancy.
Don‘s work spans a wide spectrum of families—from the top of the Forbes 400 list to beloved local establishments, and from first generation entrepreneurs to legacy families with complex structures and large groups of family stakeholders.
Don is a husband, father, and a veteran of his own multi-generational family business. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises (AFHE), the Family Firm Institute (FFI), the Purposeful Planning Institute (PPI) and serves on the Leaders Council of the Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) Institute. Don has served as a board member in multiple family businesses and non-profit organizations.
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