In episode 156 Steph is so excited to co-host with Meredith Calloway of GTN! You’ve sent along some fabulous questions this week, so please join us for some great Friday afternoon conversation! Here's Today's Questions! 1. Hi! I’d like to charge a fee for my business. I plan to specialize in luxury, which I think will make it easier to charge a fee, like Courtnie in your last podcast said. What is the best rate to charge? Any other fee-charging tips? —Anonymous 2. I'm currently with a Virtuoso h...
May 17, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 156
In episode 155 Steph co-hosts with Jenn Lee of TPI and their new franchise Vacation Planners! We’ve got some great, in-depth questions from you this week, so let’s get down to business. Join us! Questions : 1. Hello Stephanie, I am new to the industry and I am trying to find a travel host. If I am geared towards making money and want to make this a full-time job, would it be better to choose a host agency that offers leads? Would that make a difference? —Nina C. 2. If I am signing a contract wit...
May 10, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 155
In episode 154 Steph co-hosts Stephanie Gries of Travefy. (It’s a special Stephanie and Stephanie episode!) They’ve got some big questions to cover, so grab your note-taking materials and get ready to study up! Questions : 1. Hello HAR, I have learned so much from your site and have found it to be an invaluable resource, I only wish I had found it sooner! I been a travel advisor for about 3 years. I recently left my host. There were some areas of the business that I did not feel the owners were ...
May 03, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 154
In episode 153 Steph co-hosts with the one and only Mary Stein of HAR. Sponsored by Outside Agents - thanks Chad and team! Here’s a taste of the questions they’ll cover: Questions : 1. I keep noticing offers from my host agency/consortia/vendors that would provide perks for my clients and bonus commissions for me…after it is too late to claim them. How do other agents manage the flood of consumer and agent incentives so they can make recommendations that are good for their clients and good for t...
Apr 26, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 153
In episode 152 Steph co-hosts with the one and only Jenn of TPI and the chat on TPI’s new franchise, Vacation Planners! Questions : 1. What is your view on terms and conditions? I see so much talk about them but do I need to invest in getting custom terms and conditions for my agency? That seems crazy to me. —Anonymous 2. Hi Steph! I signed up for a host agency on your site and he asked me to Venmo over the payment to get started. He seems legitimate but it just has me worried. Is sending Venmo ...
Apr 19, 2024•21 min•Season 2Ep. 152
In episode 151 Steph tackles some great questions with co-host Henley Vazquez from Fora! Questions : 1. I have my agency set up after going through your 7 Day Set Up program but now I’m lost on how to find clients and start advertising. I know there is no one way to do things, but what would you recommend for next steps once my agency has opened? I sent an email to my friends and family about my new agency and also set up social profiles. –Anonymous 2. I am looking for a host agency and I have n...
Apr 12, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 151
In episode 150 Steph fields some great questions from our good friend Anonymous (ha!) about naming your biz and choosing a HA based on locality. She also breaks down how to become a travel agent in some handy steps! Questions : 1. I am just stepping into starting a travel agency at the very early stages and still working on what it would look like for me. When considering a niche and a business name, I suspect having the niche in the business name can help, but would it cause issues if I wanted ...
Apr 05, 2024•16 min•Season 2Ep. 150
In episode 149 Steph co-hosts with April Swales of Uniglobe. Here are the questions they’ll cover. Got some fun ones this week! Questions : 1. How do HAR courses differ from an IATA course or something offered through a host agency? –Anonymous 2. Hello HAR and team! I have a question about commissions. For travel agents based in Europe, as far as I know most airlines do not pay any commission. But it seems to me that this is not the case for TAs based elsewhere. I am asking this because I just g...
Mar 29, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 149
****** Transcript + Show Notes: https://har.news/vol29 Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Caffeine Today’s guest is a former professional fundraiser who put those skills to work and went from travel being a part time job on the side in 2017 to full time in June 2018. Here’s the thing to know though. Even with $2.5M in sales, that’s not the metric our guest watches. This travel advisor has niched down into groups—both destination weddings and celebrations groups—with a minimum of 10 rooms and an ...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 29
In episode 148 Steph co-hosts with Katie WIlliams of Tern. Here are the questions they tackle this week! Questions : 1. I'd like to switch to Tern. We're currently on Axus. Is there an easy way to transfer that data or can you tell me the level of manual work that needs to be done by our team to make the move? –Anonymous 2. I have been diagnosed with ADHD and of course, some of the things I struggle with is creating processes and maintaining focus (among other things ). I'm relatively new and I ...
Mar 22, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 148
In episode 147 Steph co-hosts with Lori Speers of Levarte Travel. Here’s a quick look at the three questions they cover this week. Questions : 1. I found a host agency which fits with my requirements but they don't have any reviews on host agency reviews. Is it okay or not to work with host agencies without any reviews on their profile? --Meseret G. 2. Is there an advantage to working with a host agency that has a storefront? Could you also please explain what the “Host Type” is on the HAR profi...
Mar 15, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 147
In episode 146 Steph and the lovely Lindsay Lauer of Travel Leaders 365 answer your excellent questions! Questions : 1. Would the Accelerator course be helpful if I've been an employee? I'm thinking of going on my own. I do a volume of around $1M and have 2.5 yrs experience with over 1000 cruise bookings. --Anonymous 2. Can I require my agency's independent contractors (ICs) to work exclusively with my agency? A few prospective ICs have told me that exclusivity is not allowed by law. Is this cor...
Mar 08, 2024•16 min•Season 2Ep. 146
In episode 145 Steph co-hosts with Connie Miller of Montecito Travel and they tackle your probing and ever-helpful questions. Questions : 1. I would love a conversation about how to execute charging fees when different trips take such a different amount of time. Some people know what they want - some don't. I've been experimenting and every person I've given an hourly fee (I've tested it at $75 and $100) and my estimated timeline, they've passed on my services. So I haven't gotten any fees in th...
Mar 01, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 145
****** Transcript + Show Notes: https://har.news/vol28 Starting a business is not easy. Starting a successful business is even harder. Judi Lombardi has done both the past 9 months with her newly opened travel agency, Memories on the Move Travel. A seasoned traveler with a passion for planning, she finally made the leap a decade after she first started exploring the idea of starting a travel agency. In 2023, she took the plunge! You’ll hear what gave her the push she needed to make that leap, wh...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In episode 144 Steph chats with the fabulous Jenn Lee of TPI as they answer some great questions from you, our audience. Here are this week's questions! Questions : 1. I have turned down several Canadians because I'm afraid I'm not licensed to work with them. But I've recently been told this isn't correct.. Can you please help me figure out what the current regulations are? I'm talking specifically about potential clients who live in Canada booking through me, a Tennessee-based agent. I've been ...
Feb 23, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 144
Tune in to see if you won. :) We'll see you next year! Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host Week 2025: https://har.news/signupHW2025 7-Day Setup Course with HAR: https://har.news/7DScourse Host Week 2024 Survey: https://har.news/hwsurvey
Feb 22, 2024•13 min
When most people think about accessibility, the first thing that comes to mind are mobility challenges. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 61 million adults across the United States identify as having a disability of some kind. Some disabilities are not visible or obvious, like sensory or dietary needs. About 10% or 6.1 million people have hidden or invisible disabilities. People with hidden disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) whi...
Feb 22, 2024•23 min
Aubrey Jackson's 10 years of journalistic experience and love of travel serve as the perfect ingredients for content creation success. The TV news anchor turned luxury travel specialist discovered organic marketing success by creating content that "tell stories" of destinations she highlights, further educating her online audience while enlightening her clients. During this Host Week workshop you will learn how to utilize storytelling to create content that informs your audience and inspires the...
Feb 22, 2024•18 min
Have you ever seen one of your friends, family members or clients post fabulous pictures about the amazing adventure they just took, but they didn’t hire YOU to craft the experience? It happens. Jenn Lee, VP Industry Engagement and Support with TPI, knows EXACTLY why this happens and will share what you should start and stop doing to ensure you have clients for a lifetime. Take away: - Understand what actions you are taking that “push” people away. - Understand what motivates people to stay loya...
Feb 22, 2024•25 min
Our Luminary Awards recognize the best of the best host agencies for their commitment to making the industry better for hosted travel advisors. This is a segment best watched instead of listened to. Find the video here---> https://www.youtube.com/live/tT7cHbr_y-g?feature=shared&t=15536 Read more about the Luminary Awards and view the winners on our blog: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/best-host-travel-agency-2024 Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Ma...
Feb 22, 2024•21 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 22, 2024•25 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 22, 2024•14 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 22, 2024•22 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 21, 2024•19 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 21, 2024•18 min
Every host agency starting to look alike for you? Hear from over 30 host agencies in Host Week's Meet the Hosts sessions! We interview them to learn more about their culture, programs, and success stories. Tune in for the 10-20 minute interviews that will help differentiate and humanize the myriad of host agencies out there. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host ...
Feb 21, 2024•19 min
Get to know the different consortia within the travel industry in Host Week's Meet the Consortia segments. We have all the major consortia, with the exception of Signature Travel Network. If you're going independent or with a host agency, your consortium will play a key role in the technology, partnerships, and marketing you'll have access to. Learn more about your options in our 10-15 minute interviews. Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har....
Feb 21, 2024•18 min
I will share my very own personal story, as most of our Travel Advisor partners are entrepreneurs, like Rudi and me when we founded AmaWaterways and were growing our baby to a beautiful young adult that it is today. Part of our story are five things that have shaped by path and steered me in making the decisions that have brought me to where I am today. Those five things, I call my “5 P’s”: Passion Partnerships Positive thinking Personal and Purpose I will be happy to discuss the importance of a...
Feb 21, 2024•42 min
Our Host Week One Things are short nuggets of information (3-5 min) to help you improve your business. It's like sitting down with an industry pro and asking them "If there was One Thing I can do to grow my business this year, what would it be?" Host Week 2024 Landing Site: https://har.news/hostweek View Host Week Magazine: https://har.news/2024HWmagazine Host Week Specials: https://har.news/deals Register for Host Week 2025: https://har.news/signupHW2025 7-Day Setup Course with HAR: https://har...
Feb 21, 2024•7 min
Host Week CoffeeSpots are a great way to pre-game the big event. Join us as we dive in-depth into one company a day to learn more about what makes them unique! Uniglobe Travel Center is a leading host agency that stands out for its professionalism and support for its members. We offer programs to meet all experience levels, as well as ongoing training & support, providing the tools and resources you need to grow. Through our commitment to success, and our partnership with Virtuoso, UTC empow...
Feb 21, 2024•47 min
