rethinking the business of landscaping
ROOTS & RUINS: Reconnecting
the human side of business.
Not a workshop.
Not a vacation.
Not what you’d expect.
5 NIGHTS IN CAMPECHE, MEXICO –
FEBRUARY 2026
For leaders who want to build strong companies without losing themselves.
We’ll talk and see if this makes sense for you right now.
Why Roots & Ruins
This isn’t a yoga-in-the-jungle retreat.
It’s not an all-inclusive resort surrounded by tourists either.
Roots & Ruins is a thoughtfully curated immersion — in culture, in clarity, and in connection.
It’s designed to take you out of what you know. Not to make you uncomfortable, but to expand your senses and help you see your business — and your life — with fresh eyes.
For five nights, you’ll step into a slower rhythm and a deeper conversation — one that reconnects you with what matters most: your people, your purpose, and your profits.
What to expect
We’re keeping it small. Just 14 business leaders.
This is not a workshop. There are no projectors. No stuffy hotel conference rooms. And no endless PowerPoints. Instead, you’ll get:
- Morning conversations that challenge your thinking.
- Late-night rooftop moments that stir your soul.
- Quiet walks among Mayan ruins that reframe what “legacy” means.
- Real tools you can take home to align your team and transform your culture.
And yes, there will be incredible food, local music, and the kind of laughter that only happens when good people gather far from home.
Who it’s for
Leaders who are ready to work on themselves and their business. People who feel a shift coming and want to meet it head-on.
You might be:
- At a crossroads (ownership transition, next chapter, new direction)
- Burned out by doing too much of the heavy lifting alone
- Hungry for alignment, clarity, and purpose
- Craving real conversations with people who get it
- Already using an operating system (like LeanScaper) and ready to deepen the human side of leadership — the alignment, trust, and shared ownership it takes to make it work
If you believe there must be a better way to run a business — one where your people grow, your culture thrives, and your numbers make sense — this retreat was designed for you.
What we’ll work on together
This isn’t just a chance to catch your breath.
It’s a springboard to better.
With coaching and facilitation by Ryan Markewich and guest insights from Steve Baker, you’ll explore:
- OBM: Open-Book Management — Not just a system, but a way of thinking that aligns people and profits
- QTR: Quality Time Remaining — A practical lens for making the most of the time, talent, and opportunities you have left
- Vision Reset — Step back far enough to see the whole picture, not just the urgent parts
- Cultural Design — Build systems that empower your people instead of managing around them
- Financial Transparency — Help your team understand how the business works so they can think and act like owners
You’ll leave with more than ideas.
You’ll leave with a clarified
mindset and practical tools to
reshape your next chapter.
What Open-Book Leadership
Looks Like in Real Life
This isn’t theory.
This is what it looks like when people understand the business they’re a part of.
At Creative Roots Landscaping, every person has access to the numbers, the goals, and the tools to make a difference. Not just managers. Not just owners. Everyone.
These photos aren’t staged. They’re real moments of people thinking, learning, forecasting, disagreeing, aligning, celebrating, and growing.
The Roots & Ruins Retreat is where we slow down long enough for you to learn how to build this — in your way, with your team, in your season of business.
Scenes from open-book huddles, financial literacy training, and leadership development at Creative Roots Landscaping.
Meet your host
Ryan Markewich
Ryan spent over 30 years building Creative Roots Landscaping – one of the most people-forward landscaping companies in Canada – and gradually transitioned 85% of the company to deserving employee-partners.
He didn’t “step away.”He built a business that could run, grow, and thrive without him — because the people inside it understood how the business worked, why it mattered, and how they contributed to its success.
Now, as a LeanScaper advisor and open-book culture specialist, Ryan helps trades and service companies:
-
Build war chests, not dependency
-
Develop leadership teams that think like owners
-
Create succession-ready cultures where people grow and the company isn’t held up by one person
Ryan doesn’t just teach open-book management.
He lives it. And he brings a calm, grounded presence to this work — the kind that comes from experience, not theory.
Featured Guest
Steve Baker
Steve is the co-author of Get in the Game, the book that introduced Open-Book Management to thousands of business leaders, and the voice behind QTR: Quality Time Remaining — a philosophy and framework for making the most of the time, talent, and opportunities we have left.
For more than 20 years, Steve has been the frontman for The Great Game of Business, teaching transparency, trust, and ownership to organizations ranging from family businesses to Harvard, MIT, EO, YPO, and Vistage groups across North America.
But this isn’t a keynote. It’s a conversation.
Steve’s work with QTR is deeply personal — shaped in part by his own journey through cancer and recovery. He brings both clarity and compassion to the work of leadership: the kind that helps people slow down, see what matters, and act with intention.
During the retreat, you won’t just hear from Steve. You’ll sit with him. Talk to him. Think with him. A rare opportunity — and one that can change the arc of your leadership.
Here are few of the organizations who trust Steve Baker to deliver high-impact content to their audiences.
What’s included
This isn’t just a chance to catch your breath.
It’s a springboard to better.
-
5 nights boutique lodging in Campeche’s historic centre
-
Shared meals tasting prepared by local chefs
-
Airport pickup and local transport
-
Guided experiences that help you understand the place NOT just visit it (ruins, fishing village, mercado, etc.)
-
Coaching, facilitation, and practical tools to take back to your team
Travel to Campeche is not included.
You can fly directly to Campeche via Mexico City.
Merida (MID) is also an option, about a 2-hour drive away.
Airport pick-up can be arranged from either location.
Considering Staying Longer?
If your schedule allows and your taste for adventure is calling, I highly recommend you spend some extra time before or after the retreat.
Campeche, Mérida, and the surrounding coastline are filled with small towns, rich in food, music, art, and slower rhythms that are worth experiencing. Extending your stay gives you space to reflect – without being immediately pulled back into the noise of day-to-day life.
And in my opinion, unless that is what you are looking for, there is no way to be bored.
Wandering stone streets, sitting in a cafe with a notebook, sitting in awe of the incredible sunsets with a cold cervesa – this is a place that invites you to exhale.
If staying longer feels right, let’s talk, and I will help you make the most of it!
Details
Dates: February 22 – 27
Location: Campeche, Mexico
Price: $5000 USD
Only 12 spots available
ROOTS & RUINS: Reconnecting the human side of business.
