Co-hosting a retreat: how to split revenue with a partner

To split revenue when you co-host a retreat, choose one of four models: a flat fee, a fee per guest, a percentage of net revenue, or a profit share. The right one matches who carries the risk if the places do not sell. Put the whole arrangement in writing before tickets go on sale, including who collects the money and when each person is paid.

What are the ways to split retreat revenue?

Almost every co-hosting deal is one of these four models, or a mix of them.

Model	How it works	Who carries the risk	Good for
Flat fee	The partner gets an agreed amount, full or not	The lead host	A guest teacher who only leads sessions
Per-guest fee	The partner earns a set amount for each guest	Shared, mostly the lead host	A partner who also brings their own audience
Share of net revenue	Each person gets a percentage of what is left after direct costs	Shared by percentage	Partners with similar weight
Profit share	Costs are paid first, profit is split, and so are losses	Both, equally	A true partnership or a recurring retreat

A flat fee is the simplest and causes the fewest arguments. A profit share is the most balanced, but it needs trust and open books on both sides.

Who carries the risk if the retreat does not fill?

This question decides the model. A retreat has costs that do not shrink with fewer guests: the venue deposit, a minimum room or meal guarantee, booked transport, marketing. Someone puts that money up, and someone loses it if sales fall short.

• If only you sign the venue contract and pay the deposit, a flat or per-guest fee for your partner makes sense. You carry the risk and keep what is left.
• If you both sign or split the deposit, a profit share makes sense, losses included.
• If your partner brings most of the guests, a per-guest fee rewards that work without asking them to risk money.

Agree on a go or no-go point as well: by what date and with how many bookings you confirm the retreat, and how money already spent is shared if you cancel. To work out that number, see how to price a retreat.

Who should collect the money and pay the venue?

One host. Guests pay one name, get one receipt and know who to ask about a refund. That host pays the venue and suppliers and pays the partner on the agreed date.

Splitting payments (half to one person, half to the other) feels fair but causes practical trouble:

• Guests do not know who to ask for a refund.
• One cancellation means two refunds from two accounts.
• Nobody has the full list of who paid what.
• Reconciling at the end turns into a spreadsheet full of corrections.

If your partner wants transparency, share the sales report and the cost receipts. That builds trust without two sets of books.

What does the split look like in practice? (illustrative example)

These figures only show the arithmetic. They are not a price benchmark.

A weekend retreat with 16 guests at US$900 each:

Item	Amount
Gross revenue (16 x US$900)	US$14,400
Payment fees (estimate, 3%)	US$432
Venue with meals	US$7,200
Transport and materials	US$968
Net revenue after direct costs	US$5,800

The same retreat under three models:

• Flat fee of US$1,500 for the partner: the lead host keeps US$4,300. With only 10 guests, the partner still gets US$1,500 and the lead host absorbs the shortfall.
• US$100 per guest: the partner gets US$1,600. With 10 guests, US$1,000.
• 50/50 profit share: each gets US$2,900. With 10 guests, the profit can turn into a loss, and both share it.

Check your payment processor’s real fees and your venue contract before you fix a percentage.

What belongs in a co-facilitator agreement?

A short agreement signed before the first sale prevents most disputes. Use this checklist:

• Roles: who leads which sessions, who handles logistics, who answers guests before and during the retreat.
• Marketing: who posts what, on which channels, until when, and with which branding.
• Split model: the model, the percentages or amounts, and which costs count.
• Costs and advances: who pays the venue deposit and how it is paid back before the split.
• Collecting payments: who collects from guests and into which account.
• Cancellation policy: the refund tiers for guests and who can approve exceptions. See retreat cancellation policy.
• If a co-facilitator drops out: who replaces them and how the split changes.
• If the retreat is cancelled: the go or no-go point and how sunk costs are shared.
• Guest list and data: who owns the list and who may contact guests afterwards. Guests should know who uses their details and why, and marketing consent should be asked for each host separately, as privacy laws such as PIPEDA in Canada expect.
• Payout timing: the partner is paid after the last refund deadline and once costs are final, for example within 15 days after the retreat.
• Photos and content: who may use retreat photos and videos, and with what permission from guests.

How do co-hosts handle tax?

Each person reports their own share. In the usual setup, the lead host sells the retreat to guests and records the full revenue, and the partner invoices the lead host for their fee or share. Each pays tax on what they actually earned.

Whether you charge GST/HST in Canada, whether you need to issue contractor tax forms in the US, and how a large one-off payment affects your situation all depend on where you live and how you are set up. Talk to your accountant before your first co-hosted retreat, not after it.

When should each facilitator get paid?

Once the money is settled. In practice:

1. Sales close at the booking deadline.
2. The last refund deadline passes.
3. The retreat happens and final costs are checked (extra meals, transport, surprises).
4. The lead host shares a closing statement with revenue, costs and fees.
5. The partner is paid by the agreed date.

An advance on a flat fee before the retreat is fine. Just write down what happens to it if the retreat is cancelled.

Can a booking system keep the books clear?

It helps a lot when one host collects everything. With elastudio for retreats, each lodging option is a ticket type, guests pay a deposit and the balance is charged by card on the date you set, and every order is recorded with a receipt, paid straight into your own Stripe account with no cut of your sales. The split with your partner is still yours to do, from the orders report.

Agree first, then open sales

Choose the model by risk, let one host collect, pay your partner after the last refund, and write it all down. With that settled, you can both focus on running a good retreat together.