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? This week, we are replaying a past episode where Brianna and two other travel advisors – Julie Patterson and Kate Sullivan – 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 your photos out of an album and ou...
Mar 25, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 217
You own a travel business...but does your marketing showcase "travel influencer"? In this episode, Brianna dives into the balance of inspiration and advising with marketing content for a travel business. She talks elevating a business by effectively navigating the buyer’s journey, and strategically using storytelling alongside strategic marketing. From leveraging your own travel experiences to client testimonials, Brianna provides actionable steps for travel entrepreneurs to transform engaging c...
Mar 17, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 216
In this episode of Masters in Travel, Lisa Taub joins Brianna to explore the intricacies of building meaningful relationships with travel clients by understanding clients' deeper motivations and needs and communicating effectively. They talk about how consultation calls can be transformed into powerful relationship-building tools, sharing strategies on how to conduct them in a way that ensures clients feel seen and heard. With a background in consumer and market research, Lisa brings an expertis...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 215
In classic Shop Talk style, this week Whitney & Brianna delve into sharing about their personal and professional journeys as travel entrepreneurs. Brianna shares about her decision to join a high-level mastermind and the importance of aligning business growth with personal peace and fulfillment. Plus, Whitney spills the tea on her recent transformative trip to South Africa, highlighting its impact on her marketing strategy and client engagement. For some inspiration on investing in one's sel...
Mar 04, 2025•40 min•Season 3Ep. 214
How can travel advisors create partnerships with DMCs that feel more like collaborations and less like transactions? Joining Whitney for Part 2 of a two-part convo are seasoned travel advisor Kate Sullivan and newer advisor Anna Tretter to explore the intricacies of working with DMCs. They talk about the role DMCs play in the travel industry, especially in crafting experiences that go beyond the traditional "greatest hits." And they share tips on effective communication with DMCs, the benefits o...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 213
Sometimes you love them, sometimes they drive you crazy...this week, we're talking all about Destination Management Companies (DMCs)! Seasoned advisor Kate Sullivan and newer advisor Anna Tretter join Whitney to share their personal experiences, frustrations, and strategies when working with DMCs. Plus, they talk about the importance of transparency, effective communication, and how to build strong partnerships with DMCs to enhance client experiences. This is Part 1 of a two part conversation!...
Feb 18, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 212
Join Brianna this week for another solo episode where she breaks down her favorite topic for travel advisors – branding! She breaks down with examples how to incorporate your mission/vision/values into your brand. Plus, she illustrates how to pinpoint a unique selling proposition (USP) and the foundational elements that shape and differentiate travel brands. With practical advice on visual and verbal branding and the importance of consistency, the episode empowers travel entrepreneurs to craft r...
Feb 11, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 211
Tune in as Brianna chats with a successful travel advisor and founder of the Biz Huddle, Courtney Nichols, in this week's inspiring, "I can achieve anything!" episode. Together, they delve into the art of breaking through barriers to build a sustainable and thriving travel business. Courtney shares her unique insights into dreaming bigger, overcoming industry norms, and thinking outside the box. This conversation is filled with practical strategies (like working backward from a revenue goal thro...
Feb 04, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 210
In our first Shop Talk of 2025, we (Whitney & Brianna) bring back the tradition of opening up about what's going on in our travel businesses. There's some strategizing, some win-sharing, and a little venting, too. We delve into ongoing branding and marketing strategies that are working and that aren't, like Brianna's experience with a new marketing hire and Whitney's evaluation of her brand authenticity. Plus, we share personal anecdotes and hot takes about popular travel destinations!...
Jan 28, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 209
We're bringing back a favorite past episode that is full of insights, even for a second listen! You may be interested in being a travel advisor, but are you also interested in being an entrepreneur? Sometimes running a travel advisor business requires much more than just planning travel. You may have to ask yourself if you’d rather join a team to help with the workload, or go solo to control more of your business. On this episode, Whitney is joined by Korrine Johnson to dive into this big questi...
Jan 21, 2025•46 min•Season 3Ep. 208
Joining Whitney this week are two star travel business owners, Madeline Steuber & Kaleigh Kirkpatrick , to delve into the intricate balance between hiring independent contractors (ICs) and employees for business growth. The discussion covers the benefits and challenges of both models, the importance of mentorship, and practical strategies for managing and integrating diverse team structures. Each guest shares personal insights and experiences, offering invaluable advice for travel advisors a...
Jan 14, 2025•57 min•Season 3Ep. 207
Welcome to 2025! We're doing something a little different by bringing you a solo episode featuring Brianna Glenn that explores "CEO-worthy goals" for travel advisors. We all make some sort of goals in our travel businesses, but are your goals "regular" goals or CEO-worthy one? AND, are they SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound)? Get actionable tips and personal insights to help you reflect on the past year and set goals that will actually scale your travel business e...
Jan 07, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 206
That's a wrap to 2024! In this special Shop Talk, Brianna and Whitney reflect on 2024 and look ahead at what the next year holds for their travel businesses, from ROI metrics to track with marketing to utilizing Google profile reviews for local business. Tune in to hear their strategies for adjusting target client demographics and fine-tuning business strategies from branding approach, marketing campaigns, and financial management.
Dec 24, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 205
Travel industry expert Lisa Fletcher has watched the industry evolve since the '80's when she first got into the business, and while it has evolved, her passion has remained the same: using email newsletters to connect with clients. Lisa shares her journey of writing "The Effortless Newsletter," offering practical tips on creating engaging content that fosters client relationships and highlights the importance of consistency. The episode explores alternative content creation methods, the role of...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 195
Joining Brianna on the podcast again is Cynthia, the brand strategist who gave Masters in Travel our new look! Together, these two branding gurus delve into the essentials of effective strategies to truly connect with clients. Gain clarity on how to practically implement a marketing plan...and how that differs from develop a marketing strategy. Plus, Cynthia offers actionable advice on identifying your unique value proposition, the role of client experience in branding, and how to make the most ...
Dec 09, 2024•52 min
What really goes on behind the scenes of a travel business? Find out in Shop Talk! This week we spill the tea on past and upcoming FAM trips and the art of balancing family, personal, and professional travel commitments. Get Whitney's tips on taking personal time while traveling with children & hear how many books Brianna read on her last FAM! Plus, we talk about using AI tools for content creation, the work we are both doing with marketing professionals to tell our business stories, and KPI...
Dec 03, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 202
A travel industry favorite, Kaytee Fisher of Moxie and Forth, joins Whitney to share her marketing insights, having worked with many travel advisors to help move the marketing needle. In this convo, hear her take on why personalized experiences are valued over cost-saving measures, the significance of niching down, and how consistent, authentic content can build deep connections and trust with consumers. Plus, Kaytee shares insights on balancing promotional content with storytelling, the effecti...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 201
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
