By Tia Cristy
I was invited to speak at a retreat that was happening in Orlando last month on the topic of Empowering Your Voice. The retreat was called PlayScape. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived, but my research told me that PlayScape is a fun retreat, mastermind, and workshop all in one for adult entrepreneurs to play and learn. I also knew that it was a revolutionary concept developed by the lovely and successful entrepreneur, Maruxa Murphy. PlayScape is one of the community-building platforms under her company, Revolutionary Communities. Murphy, a seasoned community experience designer, specializes in creating vibrant and intentional communities, both online and in person. She created PlayScape as part of her broader mission to help visionaries and leaders grow and scale communities that make a meaningful impact while staying true to their core values.
When I had my initial call with Murphy, she told me it was a collective group of already successful people who want to level up more and learn to give back, and she believed my services could be quite beneficial to the community. After hearing about the integrity of the mission, I was thrilled to be part of it.
The Founder
Maruxa Murphy has had great success as a community architect, known for her expertise in building several impactful and profitable communities. With over 20 years of experience, she has helped numerous organizations create thriving communities that blend people, purpose, and profit. Her approach has resulted in millions of dollars in revenue for her clients, like Kajabi, where her strategies helped increase member retention and contributed to the company’s multi-billion-dollar valuation.
Overall, Murphy has worked across various industries, from startups to large organizations, designing community strategies that boost engagement and retention. One of her notable achievements includes growing the Erotic Blueprints community on Mighty Networks to over 1 million members. She’s also the founder of Perky Perky Coffee, which has been recognized by the United Nations as a standout woman-owned brand.
The Mission
But this is more about PlayScape and how it focuses on creating meaningful and transformative communities that allow businesses to thrive while fostering genuine human connections.
So, I arrived in Lake Nona, which is located in the Orlando area. The hotel was a smart hotel that had many eco-friendly amenities to offer. It was gorgeous, full of art, and splashed with colors, but the biggest talk amongst the attendees was the remarkable toilet that had more features than a dishwasher. I kid you not! The seat opened as you entered the room just as a light would turn on inside the bowl. The seat was heated, and that was just one of the incredible tricks performed by this so-called toilet. I named my toilet Yoshi since I found him adorable, like the character in Super Mario Bros. And I’m not going to lie, it was slightly hard to say goodbye after our week together. But needless to say, Yoshi wasn’t the most powerful impact in Lake Nona for me. I took away so many incredible memories from my week with PlayScape.
It all started when I first got to the hotel. I was informed that the group was just going into a meditation with meditation specialist Julia Mikk at 8 p.m. I changed really quickly into yoga clothes and dashed for the elevator. I arrived in a large conference room to find several dozen people lying on yoga mats. I hadn’t laid on a floor for longer than five minutes since I was a teenager. However, I sucked it up, took my spot, pushed past the pain, and fell into the deepest meditation ever. I will spare you the details, but it was absolutely life-changing. The next morning, I was pumped to do my talk and workshop. I entered a different conference room this time to find eager faces of successful men and women ready to learn. The speaking work I offer is so incredibly rewarding, and I am always honored to help someone find their voice and story. I spoke for about two or more hours in a very interactive setting. And at the core of it all, we had fun! I had them dancing and practically singing, but most of all, I had them laughing and gaining confidence in tandem.
The Bonus
After my talk, I was invited to participate in the remainder of the week. And it was transformative, to say the least! The core of PlayScape’s philosophy is centered on fostering deep human connections through shared experiences and values. Murphy emphasizes creating communities where individuals feel understood and appreciated. Her approach, called the “People First, Profits Follow” methodology, focuses on building sustainable, people-centric business models. PlayScape helps communities not just grow in numbers but also in engagement and authenticity, aiming to disrupt conventional business paradigms by prioritizing ethical practices, culture, and relationships.
There were several guest speakers who talked throughout the week. However, one speaker stood out to me from all the other incredible guests because she spoke about the importance of giving back to our communities.
I am a firm believer that we cannot fully succeed without giving back. It’s like a universal law. People who don’t give back will never have enough or feel satisfied. Think about it, when you give kindness, time, or even food to someone in need, how good does that feel? It beats the feeling you get when you receive that weekly paycheck, right? And it’s got nothing to do with desensitization or time or money at all, if I’m being honest.
It has to do with our purpose and giving your gifts to others. It’s about making that positive impact. As you give, the more you will receive.
Overcoming the Impossible
As the week brought so many great lessons that I will continue to cherish and nurture, there was one final exercise offered to us. Not everyone participated, and that’s absolutely fine, but I was very excited to take part in this last exercise. It was a glass-walking ceremony to show that the impossible is always possible. So, for a woman (me, in case that wasn’t clear) who doesn’t even like walking barefoot on grass, I slipped out of my shoes and socks and asked if I could play a theme song for the event and the dozen souls that were in the room with me.
I held up my phone as if I were presenting it to the group while Annie Lennox’s Walking on Broken Glass bellowed out from my phone’s speaker. I danced around the room, psyching everyone up for the mission ahead of us all. Eventually, everyone was singing, dancing, and feeling way more confident in conquering what the world might say is impossible.
With bare feet, I walked across 80 broken wine bottles that night. I did not get a single cut. And I did feel invigorated. It was a magical moment that solidified everything I had learned and gave that week. I not only gained the knowledge but proved to myself beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing is impossible, and I am possible.
Thank you, Maruxa Murphy and PlayScape, for an inspiring and elevating experience. For those looking to grow their own communities, PlayScape offers resources and case studies that highlight successful examples of rapid, value-driven growth. You can also find where and when their next retreat is going to be at: https://www.revolutionarycommunities.com
Tia Cristy
data to provide the most efficient and trusted information to others. Tia has been a radio personality for over 20 years. She’s the founder of Tips from Tia and CEO of Ready Speaker One, as well as an International best-selling author, national speaker, and TEDx alumna. She has humbly earned the title of Personality and Tips Expert in Health, Family, Lifestyle, Home, and Beauty through radio, television, and print.
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