In this milestone episode (200 episodes later...wow!), Brianna chats with Valerie Merut, founder of social media marketing agency Cerita, to explore the vital role of storytelling in social media for travel businesses. Valerie shares her expert insights on building relationships and trust over time through authentic, personal content that truly invites your clients into a story. Learn about strategic social media planning, the significance of engagement over follower count, and practical tips fo...
Nov 19, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 200
Remember when AI wasn't a part of our daily lives? How quicklly things can change, but that doesn't have to be a scary thing! Join Whitney as she chats with Emily Kessler, the communications specialist at Gifted Travel Network, about the transformative potential of AI tools for travel businesses. Learn from the expert about how AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Toby AI can streamline tasks and improve communication quality. Plus, learn practical applications for integrating AI into your ...
Nov 12, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 199
We're getting closer to the end of the year, which means that even though inquires are slower right now, travel advisors are preparing to ramp up in 2025. In this episode, Whitney and Brianna share about their current journeys to reach more clients in 2025, brainstorming various marketing strategies like targeting certain destinations through content and utilizing quizes on websites to engage visitors. This candid convo also touches on financial planning, client engagement strategies, and the va...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 198
Let's talk about FAMs! Brianna is joined by her agency team, Kelsey and Ellen, to debrief their recent self-FAM trip to Peru. Gain some colorful insights into this experience, plus the team shares why self-FAMs are key to a travel advisor's success. Plus, hear how the experience helped benefit their team personally and professionally, and the special moments that help them grow stronger as a company. So whether you're a solo advisor or part of a growing team, you won't want to miss this deep div...
Oct 29, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 197
What questions are travel advisors asking their clients to build loyalty and plan unforgettable travel experiences? Back by popular demand, Sandy Saburn of Gifted Travel Network shares her insights about the questions she hears all too often...and the questions too few advisors are asking. Insights from this conversation will help any advisor improve their communication with clients and set up the foundation to see steady, predictable business growth.
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 196
What is AI's role in the travel advising industry, and what are today's travelers actually looking for? Oh, and how can travel agency owners truly elevate themselves and the industry to a level of respect and professionalism that matches those of other industries? In this episode, Jenn Lee joins Whitney to dive into these BIG questions! They talk about how AI is revolutionizing marketing, client communication, content creation, and more...and how it can help you, not hurt you. Plus, they explore...
Oct 15, 2024•58 min•Season 4Ep. 195
It's a topic many travel business owners can't get off their minds – hiring. This week, Grace Van Hollebeke of Lucia joins Whitney to talk about how to find the right fit for your team, delegate, train, and continue to fit employees and ICs into the right parts of your workflows. So whether you have hired and looking to improve your team workflows, or are thinking about finding help, this episode gives actionable insights to guide any travel business owner.
Oct 08, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 194
On this week's episode of Shop Talk, we are covering a variety of topics – quiet months in business, handling difficult conversations with supplier partners, and communicating to skeptical clients about our planning fees. Plus, Whitney fills us in on her journey of embracing a business rebrand and trying to attract new clients. And Brianna's plans for her team FAM to Peru is that does or travel inspiration that reminds us why we are in this industry to begin with.
Oct 01, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 193
This week on the podcast, we're covering a favorite topic at Masters in Travel – mentorship! Mentor and mentee Margaret Haas and Brittany Pigorini join Brianna to talk about their experiences on both sides of the mentorship relationship. But if you think that mentorship is just one travel advisor teling another how to build a business, think again. Margaret and Brittany shed light on the intricacies of a mentorship that helps a newer travel advisor build a business vs. copy one. Tune in to hear ...
Sep 24, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 192
"If you aren't working hard, you're hardly working." Heard this before? On today's episode, Brianna is joined by Marcie Muensterman, a seasoned travel advisor, to talk about why this old adage doesn't have to be true for travel advisors. Hear about how Marcie shifted from a hustle-driven career to a balanced, profitable business model. She shares her strategic insights on the math behind business decisions, how to work fewer hours and still deliver top-notch results, and maintaining boundaries. ...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 191
Join us to hear a special airing of a special event hosted by The Hive, featuring a conversation about the intricacies of curating personalized cruise itineraries for clients. Cruise experts Carol and Korrine walked us through various strategies to up-level your cruise planning. They share about knowing client psychographics, leveraging various tools for efficient search and organization, how to educate yourself about various cruise lines, and a nitty gritty comparison of various cruise experien...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 190
We're back with another episode of Shop Talk, the conversations where we don't hold anything back and share transparently what is going on right now in our travel businesses. Whitney shares about her ambitious goal to double her business in the next two years and the uncertainties she is facing right now. And Brianna updates us on her ongoing website refresh and reflects on her successful sabbatical in Portugal, sharing insights on managing business operations remotely. Finally, we talk about th...
Sep 03, 2024•58 min•Season 4Ep. 189
Building a book of business from scratch, regardless of how you do it, is a big feat. Most commonly, travel advisors start off by diving into their personal network to find their first clients. On this episode, Kim and Haleigh share their unique stories of networking as a launching pad in building their travel businesses. Learn about the journey from accepting any business to setting boundaries, how to tap into a corporate background, and building trust no matter who your clients are.
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 188
When a new inquiry comes in, how do you approach it? In today's episode, Jeremy Sulek of Jetset World Travel shares his less conventional approach to handling every inquiry and effectively booking clients. If you cautiously vet potential clients when inquiries come in, expecting them to prove that they are worth your time and energy, Jeremy will challenge your mindset. Learn how to maintain a positive outward posture, even with potentially unsuitable clients. Plus, learn strategies for restructu...
Aug 20, 2024•58 min•Season 4Ep. 187
We're all in this industry for the travel, but achieving financial freedom is an (attainable) goal that many travel advisors have! Join Brianna as she chats with Stephanie Cannon, a licensed CPA and small business accountant who specializes in helping travel advisors achieve higher profits without needing a finance or accounting degree. Dive into financial planning, expense management, profitability misconceptions, and strategic decision-making to foster business growth in the travel industry....
Aug 13, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 186
How can you utilize the world's most powerful search engine to spread word about your business and attract ideal clients? Join us for this informative conversation with Lee Friedman and Denise Kubica, who both share their unconventional strategies for building their travel businesses by leveraging Google reviews, blogging, and SEO. Tune in for fresh ideas from these seasoned advisors!
Aug 06, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 185
Personalization is the key to success when it comes to your client experience. So, how do you curate a personalized selection of hotels to share with your clients when planning a new trip? Tune in to learn from three top travel advisors (Whitney Shindelar, Julia Matheson and Kate Sullivan), all self-proclaimed hotel lovers, on how they select hotels to include in proposals and how they present them to clients. This episode was a free webinar hosted by The Hive – if you want to learn more about h...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 184
Peel back the curtain on a Master Hour member call inside the Advisor Accelerator! Join us as Victoria of BrandWell Designs leads us in a session about brand differentiation and how to leverage your brand to stand out in a saturated market . Victoria and her team have designed more than a thousand brands and websites over the last several years, so you'll definitely want to tune in to learn from her extensive expertise!
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 183
And we're back with Part 2 of how to create content while traveling! By popular request, we invite back Kate Sullivan and Julie Patterson for this practical discussion that any travel advisor will find useful. We delve deep into marketing strategies, ROI measurements, the importance of authenticity, and balancing content creation with being present in the moment. From pre-trip planning to post-trip posts, Brianna and guests share their personal experiences and practical tips for maximizing engag...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 182
We asked listeners on our Instagram what topics you want to hear on the podcast, and the topic of "incentive travel" was one. So today, Brittney Tromanhauser of Avery Travel Group shares about her journey as a corporate incentive travel specialist. She discusses the transition from leisure travel to focusing on corporate group travel and the ins and outs of that sector.
Jul 09, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 181
Looking to build or shift a travel business into the luxury travel market? Join Brianna and guest Becky Lukovic for a conversation about the intricacies of providing luxury travel services, from catering to discerning clients, ensuring superior service, and doing the research to take you to this level.
Jul 02, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 180
Do you ever find finance-related conversations to be dry and not very inspiring? Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at an Advisor Accelerator Master hour call – we welcome Travis Shelton, an executive financial coach and host of the Meaning Over Money podcast, to help us find the meaning behind the work we do and the $ we bring in. We talk abut the challenges faced by small business owners in the travel industry, balancing financial stability with passion, and defining personal success in unco...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 179
In this exciting roundtable episode, we welcome three incredible travel advisors: Haleigh, Lina, and Ashley, all members of the Advisor Accelerator. Our onversation delves into the unique value of being part of a supportive, peer-to-peer community designed for travel advisors. And each guest shares how they have grown their businesses while being part of a collaborative, diverse learning space like the Advisor Accelerator. (Sneak peak: Haleigh hired someone and can't imagine 6 months ago before ...
Jun 18, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 178
You asked, we're answering! We put out a question: "What do you want to know about client experience?" and listeners really challenged us with some great questions. How to level up the pre-travel experience, how to request feedback from clients effectively, and tips for surprising and delighting clients that have worked for us...this are just some of the topics we cover today.
Jun 11, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 177
In our third Client Experience series episode, we delve into the intricacies of communication and systems in the four phases of the trip design process. Learn what those four phases of trip design are and how client communication will change in each phase, Plus, get our tips for tools and systems to streamline and support each phase of trip design so that you can truly master the most important part of travel advisor work. Plus, we are hosting a free masterclass – learn more about it!
Jun 04, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 176
In this second episode of our 4-part client experience series, we explore five top areas of business that impact any client's experience working with you: service offering, aesthetics, communication, systems, and attracting new clients. Do a self-audit on your travel business with this episode, and hear our experiences and advice as you consider these vital parts of your business and how to improve each of them.
May 28, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 175
Today premiers the first episode of our 4-part Client Experience Series! Join us as we explore all the ins and outs of creating a memorable, signature client experience. This week, we are talking about how your brand experience impacts the client experience more than you may realize. Learn to define your business purpose, gauge a client's expectations, and create memorable memories from the first moment the learn about you to the post-trip check-in.
May 21, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 174
Will artificial intelligence replace travel advisors? David Shull of Tern Travel shares insights on how AI can aid, not hurt, the travel industry. Gain insights about the challenges travel advisors face and how AI can optimize workflows, personalize services, and transform the way travel advisors manage data and engage with their clientele. Learn more about the opportunities that AI brings to the travel industry, along with how the human touch remains irreplaceable.
May 14, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 173
How do you know when to hire? In this episode, Whitney is joined by Madeline and Kristen from Steuber Travel Group to explore the intricacies of team expansion. They chat about setting financial goals, the benefits and challenges of having a hybrid team structure, the importance of job role clarity, and the impact of strategic hiring on operational efficiency and sales growth.
May 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 172
Welcome back to Shop Talk, where Brianna and Whitney share about what is going on in their businesses right now. This week they delve into the dynamics of team workflow efficiency and delegation, particularly the transition from task delegation to autonomy in decision-making. Brianna shares about how she handled unforeseen travel incidents, and Whitney is systematizing responses to enhance client communication Lastly, they talk about why they dropped the podcast paywall and the bigger picture fo...
Apr 30, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 171
