It’s not about where you are. It’s about who you’re with.
Here We Are was built for men who are showing up — to work, to relationships, to life — but still feel like something important is missing.
Where the name comes from
“Here We Are.”
That’s what my father used to say on every family vacation. The moment we arrived somewhere new — a beach, a mountain, a roadside stop in the middle of nowhere — he’d pull out the camcorder, look around at the people with him, and say it: Here We Are.
I still say it today. Sometimes with people, sometimes alone. Not as a statement about a place, but as a reminder to be present. To notice who I’m with, and whether I’m actually there for it.
That phrase became the name of this retreat because it captures exactly what Here We Are is about: shifting the focus from where you are to who you’re with — and whether you’re genuinely present for any of it.
“I’ve learned a lot over the years from others, Here We Are allows me to give them a platform to champion their efforts.”
Josh Ahadian, Founder
Why this exists
Men are more connected than ever. And yet more alone than ever.
The loneliness epidemic
Men report fewer close friendships and deeper social isolation than previous generations. We have more ways to communicate and fewer people to actually talk to.
The third place is disappearing
The spaces beyond home and work where real community used to form — the barbershop, the bowling league, the local hangout — are disappearing. We scroll instead of gather.
We lost play
As men get older, responsibility tends to take over. The version of you that plays, experiments, and feels fully alive gets buried. Here We Are exists to help bring that back.
“This isn’t a technology problem. It’s a connection problem. And connection can be rebuilt.” — Josh
The founder
Built from experience. And honest failure.
I spent years building and running a business. I worked hard, learned relentlessly, and made plenty of mistakes along the way. When I made the decision to close that chapter of my life, I challenged myself to reframe failures into lessons and action.
Those years taught me that failure matters as much as success, and that the best work comes when it’s aligned with who you actually are, what your true passion is.
Here We Are came out of that reframing. A place built around genuine connection, surrounding myself with people I aspire to learn from, and giving others a stage to share what they love. I can’t be everything, but I can curate the room and let remarkable people fill it.
What guides Here We Are
Men deserve spaces to be human, not just productive...
Play is not a luxury. It is a need.
The best connections happen in person, in motion, and off screens.
Vulnerability and strength are not opposites.
Everyone in the room has something worth learning from.
Championing others is its own kind of leadership.
How it works
Every retreat has a different crew. The same purpose.
Each Here We Are retreat is shaped by its facilitators. These are vetted individuals whom I genuinely respect their expertise in their passions. The first retreat was built around the strengths of the people leading it, and future retreats will be shaped the same way: by real expertise, real chemistry, and a theme that grows out of the people in the room.
The theme follows the expertise. The expertise follows the person. Every facilitator I bring in is someone exceptional at what they do and willing to share it in a way that creates real connection.
Expert-led
Every facilitator brings real depth in their craft. Not generic inspiration, but lived experience that shapes the retreat itself.
Relationship-first
Facilitators are not random additions. They go through a more in-depth vibe check as any participant to ensure they can talk the walk they wish to teach.
Always evolving
Each retreat can take on a new shape, there’s always more to explore! It could be fitness, wilderness, or something else entirely, all while maintaining the essence of Here We Are.
The first retreat facilitators
The first retreat was shaped by the people leading it.
Rob Byers, Jay Buckley, and Richard Lee-Thai helped shape the first Here We Are retreat. Each brought a different kind of experience to the weekend — which is exactly the point. Here We Are is built to champion the work of exceptional facilitators and create a space where their skills can spark growth, play, reflection, and real connection.
Rob Byers
Art Director & Brand Illustration
Rob’s background in illustration and art provided a creative outlet to the inaugural retreat. His workshop added variety, which is the spice of life.
Jay Buckley
Ski leadership
Jay helped shape the first retreat through his background in ski coaching, challenge-based growth, and leadership development. A big reason the first experience took the form it did given our love for skiing.
Richard Lee-Thai
Connection and communication
Richard lead a yoga and meditation workshop, his first time doing so! Showing his vulnerability and willingness to challenge himself in a comfortable set and setting.
Future retreats will feature new facilitators based on the experience they bring and the theme they help shape. That’s part of what makes Here We Are different: it’s not about putting one voice at the center. It’s about creating a platform where exceptional people can share what they do best while learning from the room too.
The vision is a growing network of Here We Are retreats shaped by trusted facilitators around the world — each one built around a specific skill, discipline, or experience, and all of them grounded in the same purpose.
Here We Are is a way to champion what other people do well, give them a meaningful space to share it, and invite men into experiences that make connection feel real again. The retreat is the entry point. The community is what stays.
What’s on the horizon
Themed retreats shaped by expert facilitators — fitness, creativity, wilderness, and more
A facilitator network that allows Here We Are to grow without losing its soul
Experiences that continue to center presence, conversation, and real connection
Partnerships with people and brands that share the Here We Are values
A growing community of men who keep showing up for one another after the retreat ends
Ready to show up?
Applications for the next Here We Are retreat are open. Spots are intentionally limited because the room only works when the people in it are meant to be there.
Here We Are 