Design The Marriage Of Your Dreams.
Marriage Mastermind With Dr. Karyn & Dr. Brent. An adventurous, romantic experience for couples wanting to build a successful marriage — not just a surviving one.
Married 25 Years · Business Partners · Dr. Karyn, Relationship & Leadership Expert
Trusted By Leaders At
Coca-Cola
The New York Times
YPO
Entrepreneurs' Organization
TIGER 21
LIVE with Kelly & Mark
Magna
PwC
Plus leading universities & professional associations.
Marriage Mastermind
You have a strategy plan for your business. Do you have one for your marriage?
Marriage Mastermind takes the same strategy, leadership, and EQ principles you already use to run your business, and applies them to your marriage. A 6-month experience for high-performing couples, using The MM Process™ and The Three Chairs™ — Dr. Karyn's frameworks from her WSJ bestselling book — applied together month by month, and celebrated with an adventurous, romantic retreat.
So you achieve success in every part of your life, not just the business.
Real Results From Real Couples
Don't take our word for it — here's what members are saying.
A first draft of our vision, values, and goals.
"The Marriage Mastermind was an incredible experience and investment for us as a couple! We emerged out of the retreat with a great first draft of our vision statement, values and goals that helped us navigate decisions not only this past year, but will help us in the future. The ongoing tools in the program, monthly coaching, and high-performing community of like-minded couples provide the extra support you need to apply what you've learned and experience great results. If you look at a lot of high-performing leaders, business leaders, the very best people have the most coaches, and they're not hesitant to invest. Karyn and Brent's Marriage Mastermind has been so healthy, uplifting, practical, and life-giving. We highly recommend it to any couple wanting to elevate their marriage to the next level!"
Carey Nieuwhof Comm (USA)
What was your empty nest plan?
"The way Dr. Karyn teaches is really profound! We had experienced both kids leaving the house and she asked me, what was your empty nest plan? And I realized that I had planned for everything but had not planned for empty nest life. The Marriage Mastermind is very forward thinking, it's very clear. Having Dr. Brent be part of this program is incredibly important, his comments and observations were really profound. Karyn is the knowledge base and Brent is the implementor, and having both of these brought together from a married couple is what makes this so unique!"
Dr. Mindy Pelz Co. (USA)
I give the MM retreat an 11.
"The Marriage Mastermind retreat exceeded all expectations. From the beauty of Muskoka to the hospitality, warmth, and professionalism of Karyn and Brent. As an introverted person I was a little skeptical about spending the long weekend with other couples from around the States and Canada and anticipating having to be vulnerable in their presence. However, it was as if we all already knew each other and that uneasy feeling quickly went away. The part that resonated with me the most and set the tone for the rest of the weekend was at our first dinner together when we all shared personal experiences about our relationships. For me, this allowed me to be exponentially more open-minded throughout the weekend. The class sessions and group exercises helped me to see things differently through Tyler's eyes and gain a better understanding of what her expectations are as we move forward and grow our relationship. On a scale of 1-10, I give the MM retreat an 11!"
TBA Worldwide (USA)
We renewed our 20th anniversary vows there.
"We LOVED being part of this experience! The retreat was incredible (we even renewed our 20th wedding anniversary vows there!). The couples were amazing, and the coaching after the retreat really helped us apply what we learned to our own relationship goals. We've been married for 20 years and have been through many seasons of life. Now that our kids are more independent, we realized it was time to intentionally focus on us and the relationship we want for the years ahead. In the past, we struggled to stay consistent with working on our relationship. Being surrounded by other amazing couples along with the guidance and accountability Dr. Karyn provides made all the difference. We've gained clarity on what we need to work on and feel much more comfortable having conversations we used to avoid. We now have practical tools to handle life's challenges and, most importantly, we truly feel like we're on the same team again. We highly recommend this unique Marriage Mastermind to any couple who wants a thriving, connected relationship!"
(Canada)
Inspiring. Energizing. Meaningful.
"Inspiring. Energizing. Meaningful. We are so thankful for the Marriage Mastermind! While we were the youngest and most newly-married couple in the room, we felt really valued and fit in right away. Karyn & Brent did a great job curating a unique mastermind with fun, high-performing couples who share a common experience: wanting to build a thriving marriage AND grow their business. We loved the epic retreat (cliff jumping, dancing, cold plunges, leadership sessions) at their beautiful luxury Muskoka venue and the monthly coaching to discuss the application. That combination was really powerful to create lasting change. Our marriage has a brighter future because of this mastermind! We highly recommend!"
Creativ Rise (USA)
We invest in everything else. Never our marriage.
"This was a very good investment, and it will continue to be a good investment... We invest a lot in business and in our life financially for the future, but we never really invested financially for our marriage for the future. And this was just an easy route to say, what do we have to lose? We only have a lot to gain... From this experience we have better understanding of each other and better communication. It's been exciting to have the follow through with monthly coaching. We're finding ourselves in a different stage of life and about to be empty nesters. We feel we have a good marriage, so it was kind of like, why do we need to do more? But at the same time, it can always be better, and we have always more to learn and bring us together. And we want to be a good example for our children of a thriving marriage!"
SDS Group (USA)
Make the time, do the work. You'll be happy you did.
"Karyn and Brent's Marriage Mastermind was very positive for our marriage. While we would consider our marriage healthy and good, we wanted to make sure we were thriving, not just today, but forever. Brent and Karyn each brought unique perspectives along with tools to help further enhance our marriage. This started at the Marriage Mastermind retreat, which was the right mix of fun, learning and connecting with like-minded couples. Brent and Karyn really put a lot of thought into all aspects of the mastermind, the chemistry and energy made it powerful. We also benefited from the 6 months of follow up after, to help implement all the tools and keep us accountable. We particularly enjoyed the review of needs, love languages, giving and receiving feedback and better understanding each other's personalities. For us, investing in the Marriage Mastermind is an investment in the quality of our marriage. We invest so much time and money in all different aspects of life, we want to make sure that our marriage is at the top of where we make those investments. We are thrilled with our investment in the Marriage Mastermind program. We would highly recommend this to couples who want to thrive. Make the time, do the work, and you will be happy you did."
Ginn Group (USA)
Deepens your relationship at the highest level.
"We highly recommend the Marriage Mastermind to all couples! The content and communication will deepen your relationship with your spouse regardless of whether you have been married a year, a decade, two decades. This program deepens your relationship and allows it to thrive at the highest level. You will forge a deep purpose together!"
SDQ Janitorial (USA)
We've become better communicators.
"The Marriage Mastermind was a perfect blend of in-person and live online monthly coaching workshops facilitated by Karyn and Brent. They shared personal experiences and combined those often-humorous stories with expert research to illustrate and educate participants in an enjoyable, structured environment. MM gave us creative, practical tools in a comfortable setting, which we have used not only with each other, but with our family as well. We've become better communicators, learned how to resolve conflicts, and how to take a strategic vision and goal-oriented approach to not just having a good marriage but having a great one. Our weekend away at their Muskoka Leadership Retreat was a beautiful adventure in an unmatchable natural lakeside setting."
Private Corp. (CDA)
Only 7% of marriages are thriving, with a real plan to develop the relationship. Yours can be part of that 7%.
You Built The Business. Your Marriage Is Paying For It.
7 Gaps: Vision. Plan. Time. Romance. Intimacy. Support. Tools.
That's exactly what MM changes.
It's EQ, Emotional Intelligence, the 5 success skills Dr. Karyn teaches to business clients, applied specifically to your marriage.
Vision
Design your shared vision, values, and goals as a couple so you can proactively align your decisions and achieve your definition of a successful marriage.
Relationships
Know yourself and your partner deeper by learning their needs and personality, and reconnecting emotional and physical intimacy.
Decisions & Time Management
Learn simple tools for wise decision making. Get clear on roles, routines, and money, without the fights.
Communication
Learn to give and receive feedback, address issues, and solve problems fast, saving time and energy.
Stress & Energy Management
Understand emotion management, ways to reduce stress, and set boundaries in the marriage (and parenting, if applicable).
Most couples live in one of two chairs: holding everything in until resentment builds, or speaking out loud so aggressively it pushes the other person away. Either way, you grow apart, physically and emotionally.
Left Chair — Insecure Partner
Avoids the hard conversation. Absorbs everything to keep the peace. Calls it being easygoing. Resents it quietly.
Middle Chair — Confidence Where Great Partners Lead
High expectations and high support. Clear on the vision and goals, for the marriage and for yourself. Sets boundaries. Says the hard thing with love. Focuses on partnership, and making sure each other's needs are met.
Right Chair — Arrogant Partner
Controls everything. Corrects everything. Calls it having standards. Can't be vulnerable. Pushes away the person they love.
Six months in MM is six months learning to lead from the Middle Chair, with each other.
What's Inside MM
One Retreat. Monthly 1:1 Coaching Calls. One Roadmap.
Everything you need for six months of building your marriage on purpose.
Is This Right For You?
MM isn't for every couple. It's a small room, and we're careful about who fills it.
Perfect If You're…
- High-performing, in business or leadership together or separately
- Doing good as a couple, but you want to be great
- Ready for a real plan for the marriage, not just the business
- Wanting to be with other amazing couples who want to be part of the thriving 7% club
Not For You If…
- You're currently in crisis and need therapy first, not a retreat
- One of you isn't fully in
- You want a vacation, not a plan
- You'd rather stay busy than get honest
Just Imagine…
This is what couples tell us they actually wanted, adventure and romance, and got both.
✓ New Experiences
Experiencing adventure and making memories together, not just managing a calendar together.
✓ More Romance & Intimacy
Improving your physical intimacy, and having more affection, more romance, and more sex.
✓ Falling Deeper In Love
Understanding your partner more fully, and feeling more alive with your spouse.
✓ Feeling Energized
Feeling emotionally connected and aligned as a team, with a clear vision for what's next.
✓ Focused & Productive
Driving performance in your business, because success at home fuels you instead of draining you.
✓ Your Legacy
Role modelling for your kids, and grandkids, how to build a successful relationship.
This Isn't For Every Couple.
Marriage Mastermind is application-only. Every couple is interviewed before they're accepted, because the room only works if everyone in it is serious about the same thing: a successful marriage, not a good-enough one.
If you're accepted, we'll walk you through your investment. Applications open October 2026 for the June 2027 retreat.
Three Days At Shiloh.
Ten couples, three days at Dr. Karyn and Dr. Brent's private nine-acre estate in Muskoka called Shiloh, surrounded by nature, water, and rocks. No phones, no performing by day two, just the two things every couple actually asked for: adventure, and romance.
Adventure: cliff jumping, cold plunges, laser tag, archery, country hikes, a yacht boat tour, staying in a luxury glamping village or modern farmhouse on Lake Joseph.
Romance: a red carpet photoshoot, dancing under the stars, massages in the garden cabana, yoga, meditation, meals with a private chef in a luxury space featured in the national design magazine, Styled At Home.
Mornings are world-class teaching from Dr. Karyn & Dr. Brent in The Barn. Afternoons and evenings are for each other. Ten beds. It sells out.
Muskoka has been called Canada's celebrity-studded secret escape by Toronto Life, Forbes, Architectural Digest, and Hello Magazine.
Hi, I'm Dr. Karyn Gordon, leadership and relationship expert to CEOs, entrepreneurs, and high-performing couples. My husband and business partner Dr. Brent Penner, and I have built a great 25-year marriage, three successful businesses and raised amazing kids together — and that didn't happen by accident!
When we got married, we designed a strategic plan for our marriage, the same way we'd build a business, and worked hard to live it out. In MM, I teach the tools and Brent shares what it actually looks like to apply them. Couples tell us that's their favorite part: hearing both sides, the professional and the personal. We're in this with you.
✓ Business Expertise
WSJ Bestselling Author of The Three Chairs: How Great Leaders Drive Communication, Performance & Engagement. CEO of DK Leadership Inc. Clients from start-ups to Coca-Cola USA.
✓ Relationship & Culture Authority
Top 10 TEDx Speaker globally. 1,000+ keynotes to 500,000+ leaders across 17 countries. Regular contributor on LIVE with Kelly & Mark and Good Morning America.
✓ Mental Health Credentials
Dr. Karyn has been a licensed therapist with a Doctorate in Marriage & Family Therapy for 30 years, because real relationship tools have to be clinically sound, not just inspirational.
✓ Recognised
RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award Nominee.
Frequently Asked Questions
We're incredibly busy. Do we have time for this?
Marriage Mastermind is built for high-performing couples, not people with spare time. It's one 3-day retreat, monthly 1:1 coaching calls, and tools you apply at your own pace. That's the whole ask. If you can protect one weekend and a few hours a month for your marriage, you have time for this.
What will we actually learn?
The MM Process™, our proven system that applies strategic business principles to your marriage: vision, relationships, decisions & time management, communication, and stress & energy management. It's EQ, Emotional Intelligence, applied specifically to your marriage. Dr. Karyn and Dr. Brent walk you through it together, sharing what's worked, and what hasn't, in their own 25-year marriage.
Is this marriage therapy?
No. Marriage Mastermind is not therapy, it's a curated experience for high-achieving couples who've been through our interview process and are ready to build, not repair. If you're in crisis or need therapy, get that support first. This is the room for after. We offer 1:1 coaching and marriage intensives for couples.
Who's actually in the room?
CEOs, senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across the US and Canada. Some run businesses together. Some are individually high-achieving and want new tools for the marriage. What they share: demanding careers, real stakes, and a decision to prioritize the marriage anyway.
What if we want to talk before applying?
Book a call. Twenty minutes, no pitch. If MM isn't the right fit, we'll tell you what is. Book a discovery call.
Your Marriage Deserves The Same Plan Your Business Gets.
A proven roadmap. A retreat you'll never forget.