TLDR Click the link and watch the video to see what happened in 4-minutes and 40-seconds at The Engaging Retreat 2026…
[INTRO]
We started with Lipsyncapalooza,
And normal left the room!
JO kicked off those slippers—
Jessica Rabbit in full bloom.
Jacques brought Canadian Power of Love,
Donna said girls just wanna have fun,
Devon wanted to dance with somebody,
Then John Chen Uptown Funked it up!
[PRE-CHORUS]
Hands up high,
Screens lit bright,
Everybody brought the spark tonight—
[CHORUS]
CHENERGY!
Bring your voice, bring your story, bring your whole self in!
CHENERGY!
When the room comes alive, that’s where change begins!
In the seats, on the screens,
Everywhere in between—
We don’t watch the energy…
We ARE the CHENERGY!
[VERSE 2]
Brian Walter served Verbal Ping Pong,
Hybrid flying left and right,
Marilyn Sherman moved us forward—
Front Row Life, front row light.
Jim Spellos brought G to teach us,
AI joining in the crew,
Elizabeth got AI recommending,
“Hey algorithm—pick YOU!”
Jacques brought joy from the inside out,
Put the human in the room—
[CHORUS]
CHENERGY!
Connection turns a meeting into possibility!
CHENERGY!
When everybody jumps in, that’s community!
[BREAKDOWN — MUSIC PULLS BACK]
Then Alvin Law reminded us
What possibility can be.
Not someday.
Not somebody else.
Right here.
You and me.
When the world says, “You can’t…”
[CROWD]
YES WE CAN!
When the mountain says, “Turn back…”
[CROWD]
YES WE CAN!
He gave us courage,
He gave us belief,
And every person rose to their feet—
A CHENERGY STANDING OVATION!
[BUILD]
YES WE CAN!
YES WE CAN!
YES… WE… CAN!
[CHORUS]
CHENERGY!
[VERSE 3]
Johnny Wimbrey showed one book
Can be your best business card,
Jim Harris prompted AI headshots—
Lookin’ good was not that hard!
Ming-Ming said reuse is love,
Making purpose part of the groove,
Then Ming-Ming brought so much Chenergy…
[MUSIC STOPS]
…SHE BLEW A FUSE.
[SILENCE]
[Spoken]
Uh…
RESTART THE MUSIC!
[RESTART — BAND CRASHES IN]
Kathy Klotz-Guest flexed improv,
No electricity? No fear!
JO and Matthew networked virtual,
Kept the online party here!
Power down,
People up,
That’s a team that doesn’t lose—
You can kill the electricity…
BUT YOU CAN’T KILL THE CHENERGY!
[CHORUS]
CHENERGY!
Power flux? We improvise!
CHENERGY!
No lights? We still light up the night!
When the current disappears,
We’ve still got volunteers—
That’s the power of the people…
That’s CHENERGY!
[VERSE 4]
Robin Nussbaum and Zee explored
Hybrid worlds both near and far,
Devon made us superheroes—
Turns out you already are.
JO made everybody scream
For JO’s ice cream delight,
Janet said shake, shake, shake it—
And the whole room moved that night.
Tim Gard helped us Find the Funny,
Scott biked toward success,
Bruce said ask a better question,
Theresa said tell stories best.
Luam brought us Food Rescue,
Feed somebody, make it count,
Ivy showed us how to plan it,
Every detail, every amount.
Adam changed our point of view,
Made us see with different eyes—
[BUILD]
Then yours truly, John Chen, CSP,
Shared five ways to make it safe to try.
Safe to speak.
Safe to play.
Safe to fail along the way.
Safe to laugh.
Safe to risk.
Safe to raise your hand and say—
“I’M IN!”
Because engagement isn’t something
You command from center stage.
You build the room,
You build the trust…
Then people turn the page.
[FINAL BUILD]
In the room—
CHENERGY!
Online too—
CHENERGY!
Notebooks packed with fresh ideas,
But something bigger happened here.
New connections.
New directions.
New experiments to begin.
Not just notes upon the pages—
Transformation from within.
[FINAL CHORUS]
CHENERGY!
FOMO?
Engage Again in 2027, October 19-21, 2027.
$498.50 for the in-person ticket
$48.50 for Virtual VIP
(REPLY if you’d like a link without registration fees)
This price is available ONLY UNTIL 11/15/2026 11:45pm PST.
Only available to you AND YOU can FORWARD this link to anyone you think MUST be here.
This ticket is fully transferrable in case you get a paid presentation.
This price will NEVER be repeated again.
—John Chen, CSP
CEO, Engaging Virtual Meetings
(206) 856-8491
