How do you create peer groups and retreats that actually feel safe—while still driving growth, accountability, and real change?
In this episode, Mo Fathelbab, founder and president of the International Facilitators Organization, joins host Dan Berger to unpack what makes peer groups, forums, and retreats truly work.
Drawing on decades of experience facilitating thousands of retreats across the globe, Mo shares why vulnerability is the foundation of trust, how facilitators create real belonging, and what leaders often misunderstand about moderation versus facilitation.
Whether you’re a facilitator, retreat leader, coach, or operator designing peer experiences—this episode offers a masterclass in connection, structure, and presence.
Episode Themes
Chapters
00:00 — Welcome + what this show is about
00:00 — Welcome to The Assemble Podcast
00:41 — Introducing Mo Fathelbab and his work in facilitation
01:39 — Why Mo founded the International Facilitators Organization
02:38 — What facilitators really do—and why the work matters
03:14 — Peer groups vs. forums: what’s the difference?
04:27 — Why chemistry, matching, and belonging make or break groups
06:48 — Setting the room: intentions, safety, and confidentiality
08:01 — Levels of confidentiality and how to make them explicit
08:41 — Mo’s most powerful facilitation exercises
09:35 — Exploring mortality as a catalyst for transformation
10:34 — Do groups really need facilitators—or just moderators?
11:46 — Why facilitating and participating is so demanding
11:54 — How Mo has led thousands of retreats over decades
12:49 — The value and vision of the International Facilitators Organization
14:37 — Membership tiers, pricing, and benefits
15:25 — Mo’s three-year vision for the facilitator ecosystem
16:39 — The size of the peer group and facilitation market
19:44 — How facilitators should think about pricing
20:53 — What Mo actually charges—and why it depends
21:19 — Breaking into facilitation and building demand
22:13 — Vulnerability as the currency of relationships
23:56 — Seeing others as human to deepen connection
24:47 — Setting intention so exercises land with meaning
25:12 — Where to find Mo and closing thoughts
About the Guest – Mo Fathelbab
Mo Fathelbab is the founder and president of the International Facilitators Organization and a global authority on peer learning, facilitation, and leadership development. He has worked with over 30,000 CEOs and entrepreneurs across 30+ countries and has led more than 2,500 retreats and programs worldwide.
Mo is the author of The Friendship Advantage and Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders, a Harvard Business School Alumni Forums co-founder, and a longtime facilitator within YPO, EO, and executive peer networks.
Company website: internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com
Social Media: LinkedIn
About the Assemble Podcast
Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.
We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.
This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.
Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.
Learn more: assemblehospitality.com
Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube
Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.
