2026 LJV Retreat x Kohler, WI

Now in its ninth year, the Little Joe Ventures (LJV) Fellowship traveled to the iconic American Club Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin, for the LJV Retreat, a week of personal and professional development unlike any before it. Seventeen Fellows, including ten current students and seven alumni, arrived on March 23, 2026, ready to dive deep. Over the next five days, they moved between workshops, the kitchen, the woods, and the sports core.

The LJV Fellowship is awarded to five Northwestern sophomores each year who have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial potential. Fellows receive funding, mentorship, executive coaching, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences throughout their time at Northwestern and beyond.

Each day began with a guided meditation from a staff member at Yoga on the Lake, grounding Fellows before workshops on fear management, life mapping, goal setting, and writing letters to their past selves. Fellows also took the stage, delivering personal presentations that highlighted the depth of experience within the cohort. Between sessions, the group blew off steam with rounds of Snake Oil, the wildly creative card game that brought out surprisingly strong acting skills and had everyone laughing.

Tony Owen ’93, ’03 MBA, joined the Fellows in Kohler alongside Gordon Segal, founder of Crate & Barrel, Northwestern life trustee, and one of the founders of The Garage, as well as David Ervin, Tony’s business partner and Managing Director of DOM Capital Group. Gordon spent time with the group, sharing his entrepreneurial journey and engaging directly with Fellows, giving them a rare opportunity to learn from someone who has built an enduring company from the ground up. The LJV Fellowship is made possible thanks to the generous support of Tony and Monique Owen, and the presence of Tony, Gordon, and David in Kohler speaks to the deep and ongoing commitment this community has to investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs.

The Kohler setting opened the door to three standout experiences. First, Fellows were divided into teams and challenged to create a dairy-free, gluten-free chocolate lava cake under the guidance of the resort’s pastry chef, with Chef Alysia serving as final judge. Midweek, Chef Ted led a Cooking on Fire experience in which Fellows prepared an entire meal over an open flame, then gathered around a bonfire to make pudgy pies. The week closed with a guided hike through a stunning Wisconsin forest, a quiet and grounding end to a packed few days.

Fellows across cohorts reflected on the impact of the experience. “There is no other program at Northwestern that has given me as much as the LJV Fellowship has,” shared Colleen Charcut, Cohort 7. “The retreat brought together a plethora of unique personalities from all walks of life that have made me think differently about my priorities and what success looks like. I am extremely excited to stay connected with this community beyond my undergraduate years.”

Ryan Kang, Cohort 8, echoed this sentiment: “The LJV Retreat has been my favorite week as a Northwestern student. From connecting with alumni scaling their companies to diving deep into reflection exercises, the retreat has greatly shifted my trajectory and perspective on life.”

Above all, the Retreat reinforced what makes the LJV community so special. "This trip demonstrated how incredible the LJV cohort is. We are not just a random group of people, but a beautiful family who gets to come together every two years and give each other advice. It's a bond that will last forever," reflected Victoria Israel, Cohort 7. 

Robbie Waxman, Cohort 4, captured it beautifully: "The LJV Fellowship has given me a set of lifelong friends that I can turn to for advice in times whether good or bad. The retreat provided the perfect outlet for manufacturing serendipity and reminded me why I'm so lucky to be a member of this community."

They left Kohler refreshed, closer than ever, and maybe a few cheese curds deeper. Take a look at the week in photos below: