Mel Carroll often goes missing in action from her B:HIVE Level One desk. She takes off on luxury retreats around New Zealand and soon to return to Bali and Niue. But before you get all envious and pin her tan and healthy looks on a chilled life, it’s because she’s working.
Mel is the founder of Wellness Retreats New Zealand – as well as the resident Smales Farm yoga teacher (on Tuesdays from 12.30-1.15pm). Her story is familiar – top performer in the wild world of advertising and graphic design, until she burned out.
Mel says her mid-20s diet and lifestyle as well as her work added up to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. After taking some time out to focus on her wellbeing, Mel ventured overseas to work on super yachts for three years. Then it was on to Bali where she managed a women’s premium wellness retreat. Along the way she became a certified yoga instructor, completing her 200-hour Vinyasa training in Seville, Spain.
Her grownup self then returned to New Zealand and 2014 started up her business. “Yes it started as predominantly women who were keen to get away, often with friends, for a premium luxury holiday with yoga, fitness, good eating, massages wellness workshops and all the good stuff,” Mel says. “But I have noticed more and more men are joining our retreats either solo or with their partners now. And since the pandemic a wider range of people are investing in their holistic health.”
“Corporates too are investing in their people to not only retain but keep their good talent healthy. They are including it in personal development plans, with half a day planning and the other half learning about nutrition, mindfulness, resilience and how to keep yourself fit in your body and mind.”
Wellness Retreats New Zealand has a collective of around 40 health practitioners it calls on to cover its retreats here and overseas and its corporate days.
“I call it adventure meets wellbeing,” Mel says. “Yes, you can have an alcoholic beverage with dinner on our Franz Josef and overseas retreats (wellness is all about balance) and sometimes get on your cell phone or laptop. But I encourage people to leave their devices behind, or only use them for an hour a day. I think a lot of modern-day stress and mental health issues, especially with young people, can be sheeted back to electronic devices. It’s good to turn them off – disconnect to reconnect.”
Over the past six years Mel’s rolled out wellness programs for prominent companies such as HSBC, PwC, PwC Foundation, 2degrees, ANZ, BNZ, Deloitte, Deloitte Fast 50, Hyundai, World Masters Games, AIA, Caci Clinic, Stride Property and Yellow.
Hook into the B:HIVE yoga or talk to Mel about her retreats …if you can catch her at her desk!