Is there a difference between treating your work as a travel advisor like a hobby and a business? In this episode, Brianna and guest Sandy Saburn dive into what it means to be a successful professional in the travel industry. Hear their seasoned insights on how to have an entrepreneurial mindset, effective marketing strategies, and the importance of understanding the numbers that drive a profitable travel business.
Apr 23, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 170
Join Brianna as she chats with Megan Vatnsdal, the passionate entrepreneur behind Onyx and Evergreen Travel, to discuss the ins and outs of attracting new clients and crafting value in our sometimes competitive industry. They explore marketing, but with a twist – how to use events as a way to showcase your value and serve as a catalyst for travel business growth. Plus, they also chat about mentorship, networking, and growing into your entrepreneurial mindset.
Apr 16, 2024•47 min•Season 4Ep. 169
It's time for Shop Talk, where Brianna and Whitney talk about what is going on in their businesses right now . Whitney is preparing for maternity leave, and both she and Brianna are thinking about how to work with their teams to achieve proactive client management and nurturing client relationships. Plus, they chat about their individual strides toward aligning marketing efforts with business goals to continue attracting their ideal clientele.
Apr 09, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 168
Pull back the curtain on a Master Hour inside the Advisor Accelerator, where Sarah Williams of Rebel Office Inc and the host of IT'S A VIBE Podcast joins us to talk about client experience! We dive into topics like client retention, the art of client onboarding/offboarding, and the power of nurturing long-term relationships with clients. Plus, we cover nuanced topics like how to create personalized touch-points that strike a balance between professional boundaries and friendly engagement + incen...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 167
Ever come home from a trip with hundreds of photos and videos, only to struggle with actually using them to create marketing content for your travel business? On this week's episode, Brianna (Masters in Travel's queen of social media!) is joined by two other travel advisors – Julie Patterson and Kate Sullivan – to talk about the nuances of crafting content for your business even while traveling. They cover the creative process, importance of authenticity, and practical tips that will help get yo...
Mar 26, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 166
Every business owner will inevitably need to take time off. In this episode, we're talking about an extended leave that Whitney is about to embark on – maternity leave! To prepare, she chats with guests Madeline and Kristen of Steuber Travel Group, as the mother-daughter duo (and business partners) have recently navigated Madeline's own maternity leave. They share their experiences and perspectives on the nuances of preparing for leave, how to actually disconnect during it, and the physical and ...
Mar 19, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 165
In this Shop Talk episode, Master in Travel leaders Whitney and Brianna have their monthly conversation where they compare notes about running their travel businesses. Buckle up, because this week the convo covers several topics, including finance coaching, marketing strategies, client segmentation, and the mental shift required as an entrepreneur shifts into a CEO role. Plus, both are currently thinking about or preparing to hiring new team members and are exploring all the intricacies of finan...
Mar 12, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 164
Join Brianna and guest Erica Carr for a conversation on their innovative approaches to scaling a travel business with an employee model, from implementing unique incentive programs to understanding the evolving roles within a travel agency. They delve into the significance of hiring ahead of growth, the shift in industry norms post-Covid, and the vital role of technology in adapting to change. Plus, they share their personal experiences in assembling teams that complement their strengths and dri...
Mar 05, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 163
Love travel and planning it, but hate the sales part? In this episode, Brianna and guest Glenda from The Art of Selling Travel delve into the art of sales and client relations. Glenda shares her seasoned approach to pricing negotiations and reframing rejection, all while maintaining an authentic human connection. She provides invaluable insights on asking the right questions and building rapport that help build connections with clients. Through this candid discussion and personal stories, they u...
Feb 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 162
Host agencies...how do you find the right fit for you? Whitney delves into this world with special guest Steph Lee, the founder of Host Agency Reviews. They discuss the importance of transparency in the travel industry, the challenges and opportunities that come with reviewing host agencies, and tips for travel advisors on switching host entities. Steph shares her personal journey from managing a host agency to creating a vital industry resource that helps travel professionals make informed deci...
Feb 20, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 161
In the ever-candid Shop Talk episode, Whitney and Brianna take a behind-the-scenes dive into the inner workings of their travel businesses, sharing industry insights, frustrations, and successes. In today's episode, they grapple with the intricate dynamics of trip planning and client expectations to the broader questions of workload management and goal-setting. Get tried-and-true experiences and tactical approaches to ensure client satisfaction and business growth, even while managing a team and...
Feb 13, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 160
Is there a certain part of the world that tugs at your heart strings? If you want to learn more about developing a travel planning niche, this is the episode for you! Brianna chats with Lori Gold, the travel savant behind Mexperts, who has built an impressive career curating personalized trips in the Mexican Caribbean AND as an expert advisor with resources to share. Lori shares her evolution from a generalist travel agent to a specialized advisor, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how her...
Feb 06, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 159
In this episode of Masters in Travel, Whitney dives into the art of marketing with the experienced Kaytee Fisher, founder of Moxie & Fourth, and guru about all things email marketing for travel advisors. They dissect the strategic layers of marketing: the importance of understanding your target audience, the value of consistency, and tools and tricks for upping engagement. Plus, Kaytee shares her insights on the balance between using various marketing platforms and concentrating on a few tha...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 158
In this insightful episode, Brianna and special guest Kate Sullivan peel back the curtain on the concept of self-fam trips in the travel advisory world. From their personal experiences to the nuances of independent hotel site inspections and strategic relationship building, they offer a deep dive into the professional benefits and challenges of self-organizing familiarization trips. Plus, they discuss the intricacies of planning, executing, and capitalizing on these experiences to enhance their ...
Jan 23, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 157
Looking to improve your marketing? In this episode, Whitney is joined by Madeline Steuber of Steuber Travel Group. Madeline shares about her successful marketing efforts in driving business to specific destinations and strategies for identifying client segments and tailoring her marketing strategy to each segment's needs. They also chat about the importance of authenticity, addressing pain points, and building trust with clients. Plus, learn about the value of repetition and the impact it has on...
Jan 16, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 156
Steph Lee, founder of Host Agency Reviews, joins Whitney on the Masters in Travel Podcast this week to discuss the annual travel advisor surveys and reports. These annual reports provide valuable data like the average earnings of travel advisors, the percentage of advisors charging fees, the length of time advisors have been in the industry, and more. For example, 2023 data shows that the average annual income of a hosted travel advisor is $47,000, while the average annual income of an independe...
Jan 09, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 155
Happy New Year! In this episode of the Masters in Travel podcast, Whitney and Brianna discuss their end-of-year reflections and goals for the upcoming year. Get tips on the importance of journaling and reflecting on client feedback, plus hear their experiences with time-consuming tasks and the need to delegate or eliminate them. Lastly, they talk about the significance of setting goals and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress. Start your new year off strong with this in...
Jan 02, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 154
Join Whitney and special guest Whitney Warren for this week's episode as they delve into the intricacies of self-sabotage and the fascinating landscape of intrinsic motivation within business leadership. They talk about how certain Enneagram personality types can lead to entrepreneurs inadvertently hindering their own success. Plus, they offer unique insights into the world of business ownership, discussing the balancing act of power, control, and personal growth, all while understanding the dif...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 153
Joining Brianna on the podcast this week is Haleigh Scott, owner of Next Exit Travels. Both Brianna and Haleigh have been in the travel industry for many years, and in this episode, they discuss how to create a business that fits your lifestyle and achieve a good work-life balance. Haleigh shares her journey of starting her own travel business and how building strong relationships with her clients helped her streamline her processes, set healthy boundaries, and learn how to balance her professio...
Dec 19, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 152
Travel advisors use technology every day in their work! In our Behind the Technology episodes, we introduce you to tech tools that can help you in business. David Shulll, co-founder and CEO of Tern Travel, joins Whitney to share how Tern Travel is working to create a tool that enables travel advisors to manage their businesses more efficiently. The best part? He asked advisors what they need out of a CRM and planning tool! That's why he and his team have built a comprehensive platform that integ...
Dec 12, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 151
Are you using Linkedin for your travel business? In this episode of the Masters in Travel Podcast, guest Jenn Lee joins Whitney to discuss the untapped potential of LinkedIn for travel advisors. It's known as a social media and professional development marketing platform, but what other uses can Linkedin provide? We explore how LinkedIn can be used to build a personal brand, connect with potential clients and collaborators, and curate a unique content library. How can you use LinkedIn to attract...
Dec 05, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 150
We're all wrapping up 2023 and are ready to achieve new success and set goals for the new year! What better way to start 2024 than with a community of fellow travel advisors who provide a safe space to ask questions and receive honest answers? This is one reason amongst many why joining the Masters in Travel Advisor Accelerator is an investment you should consider! Whether you have been in business for years or are just starting out, our carefully curated calls will put you in "the room" with ot...
Nov 28, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 149
When you think about branding, do you think about logos and social media? In this Masters in Travel episode, Brianna chats with branding expert Cynthia Maseli about how branding is much more! Learn how to communicate your values through your online presence, what are website essentials, and the initial investments you need to make for strong branding. Plus, gain an understanding about how understanding your audience and clients' goals will help you achieve ultimate branding success.
Nov 21, 2023•53 min•Season 3Ep. 148
On today's episode, Whitney is joined by Jen Lee, VP of Industry Engagement and Support for Travel Planners International, to talk about a valuable asset for any travel business: client reviews. Get tips on how to ask for reviews and maximize their potential for attracting future clients. Whitney and Jen talk about how to prompt clients to leave detailed reviews, how to respond to positive and negative reviews, and how to creatively leverage views on your online presence.
Nov 14, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 147
Welcome to Shop Talk, a new monthly series where we (Whitney and Brianna) chat about what’s going on in our businesses right now - what’s exciting and what’s challenging. In this first Shop Talk episode, we are discussing the importance of analyzing data in our travel businesses to track and analyze numbers to make informed decisions and set realistic goals. Whitney shares how she compiled and analyzed data from her trips in 2023, leading her to set new goals for 2024, such as increasing the num...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 146
Whitney and Lindsey discuss the challenges of building a network as a new business owner. They emphasize the importance of identifying your sphere of influence and finding potential clients within your existing relationships to get started. They dive into a variety of ideas and suggestions for ways to continue building your network and sphere of influence which will ultimately aid in building a book of business. The key is to be authentic and find networking strategies that align with your perso...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 145
Whitney Shindelar and Brianna Glenn discuss the importance of collaboration and having a community of like-minded individuals in the Masters in Travel community and Think Tank. They mention the rebranding of the podcast and website, as well as the introduction of new segments like Shop Talk and the Advisor Accelerator. They emphasize the value of peer-to-peer conversations and the opportunity to learn from others in similar stages of business. They also highlight the new approach of having more ...
Oct 24, 2023•55 min•Season 13Ep. 144
On this episode of Masters in Travel, host Whitney Shindelar is joined by Ashley Theis, owner of the Constant Wayfarer to discuss various aspects of travel planning. They delve into the importance of setting boundaries with clients, the challenges of working within different budgets, and the need for self-reflection to find the right opportunities. Additionally, they talk about the benefits of working with in-country partners, the power of trust in the advisor-client relationship, and the value ...
Oct 17, 2023•50 min•Season 3Ep. 143
As your business grows, hiring support is something that you’ll likely hear stirring in conversations with colleagues and it will most likely be in the back of your mind as well. But we all know - hiring isn’t easy. It can feel scary for so many reasons - how do we hire? Can we afford to hire? How do we trust someone to come into our business and take over tasks we’ve always done ourselves? The list of questions and concerns go on and on… Join Brianna Glenn, owner of Milk + Honey Travels and I a...
Oct 10, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 142
As your business grows, hiring support is something that you’ll likely hear stirring in conversations with colleagues and it will most likely be in the back of your mind as well. But we all know - hiring isn’t easy. It can feel scary for so many reasons - how do we hire? Can we afford to hire? How do we trust someone to come into our business and take over tasks we’ve always done ourselves? The list of questions and concerns go on and on… Join Brianna Glenn, owner of Milk + Honey Travels and I a...
Oct 03, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 141
