A Different Drummer
A Different Drummer is a founder-led wellness and career-guidance practice in Katoomba, NSW, offering 40+ Jungian-informed retreats, individual counselling, career coaching, and bibliotherapy to adult consumers seeking personal development, healing, and vocational clarity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersKatoomba, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What A Different Drummer does
A Different Drummer is a privately held, founder-led wellness and career-guidance business operating from a single site at 7 Seventh Avenue, Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. Founded in 2017 by Marcus Dabb, a social worker and career counsellor, the company delivers an integrated suite of services built on a Jungian / depth-psychology framework, encompassing multi-day personal-development retreats (behavioural health, art, breathwork, astrology, yoga, silent, midlife, couples therapy, family healing, and creative writing), individual wellness services (counselling, tarot, breathwork, reiki, reflexology, sound healing, art therapy, health coaching), career counselling and coaching, bibliotherapy, and resume-writing services. Ginny Shearer serves as co-facilitator for therapeutic retreats, contributing Breathwork, Theta Healing, and social-work expertise. The portfolio is marketed under three coordinated sub-brands — Writes of Passage Retreats, Polaris Astrology & Numerology, and Different Drummer Career Counselling — supported by a published book, 'The Different Drummer,' an email newsletter, and active blog content.
The company's product architecture is service-based rather than technology-based, with no proprietary platform; delivery occurs in-person at the Katoomba property and via Zoom for individual sessions, with a Squarespace website handling bookings and information. Revenue is generated entirely from individual consumer purchases: retreats are priced $540-$2,200 inclusive of accommodation, meals, workbooks, and activities, and individual sessions are billed at $100 per hour. The flagship 7-day Behavioural Health Retreat is positioned at less than one-third of comparable week-long programs, an explicit cost-leadership positioning. A secondary annual group memoir writing program is delivered off-site at Camp Creative in Bellingen, NSW.
The go-to-market motion is event-driven and community-led, relying on the website, blog content, email newsletter, and in-person workshops (Women's Circles, Breathwork Circles, Sisterhood Circles) for customer acquisition and retention. With 1-10 staff, no external funding, and no enterprise customers, the business operates as a small, bootstrapped boutique practice. AI/ML is not present in the product or operations, and there is no disclosed use of data-driven personalization, automated matching, or model-based content generation.
A Different Drummer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Different Drummer
- Legal name
- A Different Drummer
- Website
- https://adifferentdrummer.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- A Different Drummer is a founder-led wellness and career-guidance practice in Katoomba, NSW, offering 40+ Jungian-informed retreats, individual counselling, career coaching, and bibliotherapy to adult consumers seeking personal development, healing, and vocational clarity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Different Drummer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wellness Retreat Services
- NAICS
- All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Holistic & Alternative Therapy Retreats (Naturopathy, Energy Work) (THAGAMAI), Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB), Lifestyle & Habit Change Coaching (HSADAGAB), Private 1:1 Yoga/Pilates & Small-Group Sessions (HSADACAI)
Keywords
Where A Different Drummer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Katoomba
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
A Different Drummer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- One-on-One Sessions: Individual counselling, career counselling, career coaching, and bibliotherapy sessions charged at $100 per hour. Sessions are available face-to-face or via Zoom.
- Retreat Programs: Multi-day and week-long retreat programs (Behavioural Health Retreat, Art Retreat, Breathwork Retreat, Astrology Course, etc.) priced between $540–$2,200 per program. Retreats include accommodation, meals, workbooks, counselling, and activities. Revenue is one-time per program attendance.
- Writing Programs: Memoir writing workshops and programs offered in group class (Camp Creative in Bellingen), intensive one-on-one retreat, and online self-paced formats. Revenue is per program registration.
- Book Sales: Sale of the career guidance book 'The Different Drummer: Follow your own beat to find enlivening work and lead an extraordinary life' by Marcus Dabb.
- Resume & Cover Letter Writing: Professional resume writing, cover letter writing, and selection criteria response services at $100 per hour.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual sessions (counselling, career coaching, bibliotherapy, resume writing) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 2-day weekend retreat programs (Art, Breathwork, Astrology) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 5-day intensive programs (Astrology, Mystical Retreat) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 7-day Behavioural Health Retreat |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
A Different Drummer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Different Drummer is a boutique wellness practice based in Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW, that delivers an integrated suite of personal development services. The core offering consists of multi-day personal development retreats (behavioral health, art, breathwork, astrology, yoga, silent, rewilding, midlife, couples, family healing, and more) and one-on-one therapeutic services (counselling, breathwork, reiki, tarot, astrology, numerology, reflexology, sound healing, art therapy, IFS therapy), supported by career counselling/coaching, resume and cover letter writing, memoir writing workshops, and a published career guidance book. Programs are delivered in-person at the Katoomba retreat location and online via Zoom.
Product overview
A Different Drummer is a boutique wellness company based in Katoomba, Blue Mountains NSW, offering an integrated suite of personal development services centered around retreat programs and therapeutic modalities. The portfolio includes over 30 distinct retreat experiences (behavioral health, art, breathwork, astrology, yoga, silent, rewilding, midlife, couples therapy, family healing, and more), individual wellness services (counselling, tarot, astrology/numerology readings, reflexology, health coaching, sound healing, art therapy), career counselling and coaching, and bibliotherapy/life writing workshops. The company also publishes 'The Different Drummer' career guidance book. Services are delivered through in-person retreats in the Blue Mountains and individual sessions, with some online/self-paced options. The offering architecture is service-based rather than product-based, combining depth psychology, Jungian frameworks, and various holistic healing modalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Behavioral Health Retreat A week-long flagship retreat program based on depth psychology with a Jungian framework, focusing on identifying and transmuting emotional pain, relational patterns, and behavioral conditioning. The program integrates art therapy, breathwork, and numerology/astrology, and is priced at $2,200 for 7 days including accommodation and meals.
- Career Counselling and Coaching One-on-one career guidance services including career counselling, career coaching, resume and cover letter writing, selection criteria response assistance, and business coaching, priced at $100 per hour, available face-to-face or via Zoom.
- Art Retreat A 2-day weekend creative retreat exploring artistic expression through art therapy exercises, journaling, storytelling, life writing, drawing sacred geometry, and drawing exercises, priced at $590 per retreat.
- Breathwork Retreat An intensive 2-day and 3-day breathwork program designed to help release trauma and energy blockages through conscious, controlled breathing techniques.
- Astrology Course and Retreat A weekend or 5-day astrology intensive covering zodiac signs, planetary influences, astrological houses, chart patterns, and personal chart interpretation, priced at $590 for the weekend format and $1,400 for the 5-day program.
- Bibliotherapy Service Book-based therapy sessions in which a bibliotherapist curates personalised reading recommendations to support mental health, empathy development, and cognitive behavioural change, priced at $100 per hour.
- Memoir Writing Workshop A life writing program covering 12 life phases with archetypal perspectives, including Exploring Childhood, Exploring Adolescence, Exploring Midlife, and End of Year Exploration, available as group classes at Camp Creative Bellingen, one-on-one retreats in the Blue Mountains, or online self-paced programs.
- Tarot Course and Retreat A Jungian retreat exploring the major arcana cards #0-3, focusing on depth psychology and archetypal integration through tarot symbolism.
- Yoga Retreat A retreat combining yoga, meditation, chakras, and Ayurvedic health practices with eastern wisdoms, held in the Blue Mountains.
- Silent Retreat A retreat designed to attain greater clarity through a calmer mind and clearer perspective via silence and contemplation.
- Couples Therapy Retreat A program to enrich or revive romantic relationships through therapeutic interventions and guided exploration.
- Menopause Retreat A program helping women make use of the menopause transition to discover their authentic self and thrive during this life passage.
- Midlife Crisis Retreat A transition program helping individuals navigate from the morning to the afternoon of life, addressing the midlife passage (ages 35-55) and opportunities for rebirth.
- Rewilding Retreat A program for recalibrating with nature, technology, self, and place in the world through radically simple and integrated living practices.
- Self Discovery Retreat A deep self-understanding retreat integrating personal identity with life circumstances and authentic expression.
- Life Purpose Retreat A program focused on finding one's life purpose, described as the hub of a wheel from which everything radiates.
- Wellness Centre Services Individual and couples therapy services including counselling, breathwork, reiki, tarot readings, astrology readings, numerology readings, reflexology, health coaching, sound healing, art therapy, and Internal Family Systems therapy, delivered at the Blue Mountains centre.
- The Different Drummer (Career Guidance Book) Published career guidance book by Marcus Dabb, 'Follow your own beat to find enlivening work & lead an extraordinary life', covering vocational fulfilment, career change, finding authentic work, motivation for career change, and repealing social conditioning.
Quantifiable outcome
- 87% of workers globally are not engaged with their work (referenced as context in career services materials)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use A Different Drummer
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
A Different Drummer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
A Different Drummer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
A Different Drummer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat: Queensland-based wellness retreat offering multi-day programs including health, fitness, stress management, and personal transformation with residential pricing. Comparable in retreat-led, all-inclusive model and target audience of personal development seekers.
- Billabong Retreat: Australian boutique wellness retreat operator in NSW offering multi-day health, wellness, and personal development programs with all-inclusive pricing and facilitator-led delivery. Directly comparable in business model, geography (NSW), and immersive retreat format to A Different Drummer.
- Gaia Retreat & Spa: Long-standing NSW boutique retreat offering holistic wellness programs with all-inclusive pricing, spa, and personal development focus. Comparable in immersive retreat format, Australian destination position, and wellness/personal development target market.
- Elysia Wellness Retreat: Hunter Valley NSW wellness retreat offering multi-day health, detoxification, and personal development programs at premium price points. Comparable boutique destination retreat structure in Australia targeting similar life-pivot audiences.
- Quest for Life Foundation: Australian not-for-profit in Bundanoon (NSW Southern Highlands) running residential retreats, workshops, and counselling programs in personal development, trauma recovery, and life transitions. Closely comparable to A Different Drummer on therapeutic retreat focus, facilitator-led delivery, and mission around emotional healing.
Broad incumbents
- BetterUp: Global career coaching and professional development platform serving individuals and enterprise clients. Comparable in its career coaching/counselling offering, but operates via technology-led scale and B2B channel rather than A Different Drummer's retreat-led delivery.
- Esalen Institute: Iconic US destination retreat center offering workshops in personal growth, holistic health, meditation, and human potential. Comparable in depth psychology-informed, transformative retreat philosophy, but operates at much larger institution scale with a broader facilitator roster.
- Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Large-scale US retreat and educational center offering yoga, personal development, holistic health, and creative arts programs. Comparable in mission and program breadth, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than A Different Drummer's boutique offering.
Emerging players
- SOMA Breath: Global breathwork training and facilitation company offering retreats, online programs, and breathwork facilitator certification. Overlaps with A Different Drummer's Breathwork Retreat and broader breathwork modality, but primarily operates an online/licensing model rather than destination retreats.
Regional players
- The Body Mind Centre: Australia-based holistic therapy center offering breathwork, reiki, counselling, and wellness services at multiple practitioner locations. Adjacent competitor for individual wellness services; less comparable on the immersive multi-day retreat structure but competes for similar individual therapy clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
A Different Drummer social profiles
Digital presenceA Different Drummer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Different Drummer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
A Different Drummer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Different Drummer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A Different Drummer
What does A Different Drummer do?
A Different Drummer is a boutique wellness practice based in Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW, that delivers an integrated suite of personal development services. The core offering consists of multi-day personal development retreats (behavioral health, art, breathwork, astrology, yoga, silent, rewilding, midlife, couples, family healing, and more) and one-on-one therapeutic services (counselling, breathwork, reiki, tarot, astrology, numerology, reflexology, sound healing, art therapy, IFS therapy), supported by career counselling/coaching, resume and cover letter writing, memoir writing workshops, and a published career guidance book. Programs are delivered in-person at the Katoomba retreat location and online via Zoom.
Is A Different Drummer a public or private company?
A Different Drummer is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was A Different Drummer founded?
A Different Drummer was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is A Different Drummer based?
A Different Drummer is headquartered in Katoomba, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does A Different Drummer make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. One-on-One Sessions are the primary driver. The others are retreat Programs, writing Programs, book Sales and resume & Cover Letter Writing.
Who are A Different Drummer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Billabong Retreat, Gaia Retreat & Spa, Elysia Wellness Retreat and Quest for Life Foundation. Broad incumbents are BetterUp, Esalen Institute and Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. SOMA Breath is listed as an emerging player. The Body Mind Centre is listed as a regional player.
Does A Different Drummer have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Different Drummer.
What industry is A Different Drummer in?
A Different Drummer's product category is Wellness Retreat Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAJAF, Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs, with a secondary code of THAGAMAI, Holistic & Alternative Therapy Retreats (Naturopathy, Energy Work). Its NAICS code is 71399 and its SIC code is 8090.