Ep 164 Shop Talk: Financial Goals, Hiring, and Marketing Evolution

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 for Masters in Travel moving forward! (Oh, and there’s a little bit of healthy venting about problematic clients…we know you know). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 + incentivizing referrals in a way that feels authentic rather than transactional. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 your photos out of an album and out into the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 mental healing process mothers go through. They also chat about delegating tasks, trusting the team, and the financial considerations of taking leave. This is a conversation to bookmark! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 financial planning and properly delegating. Both hosts are over seven years into business in the travel industry, but their conversations are repeatedly inspiring and insightful for other advisors at any stage in business. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message