27. Learning to "fail forward" and how to expand your business with intention

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

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 drive business success, highlighting the balance between independent contractors and employees, the value of understanding employee motivations, and strategic hiring decisions that prioritize team dynamics and client satisfaction. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 love for the Mexican Caribbean fueled her niche expertise. From this discussion, you'll gain insights on the importance of passion in your work, the possibility of becoming an expert that can support other advisors, and how your career can take unexpected turns. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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

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 the right audience and achieve specific business goals? Find out, plus more, in a conversation that will be useful for travel advisors in any level of business. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 other advisors at your level of business. The Advisor Accelerator offers monthly calls on various topics, such as branding, marketing, client experience, systems, finances, and the entrepreneurial approach, plus other resources. So if you are ready to have a place where you can bring your questions, successes, pain points, and ideas and grow with peers, take a listen about how this membership is perfect for you! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 number of trips and implementing a minimum spend requirement. We're also sharing our experiences with DMCs, challenge client relationships, and… we're hosting a free workshop! Get all the information in this episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 nuanced and relevant discussions based on specific topics. The calls and discussions will be recorded for easy access to resources. Overall, they are excited about the growth and improvement in the community and the valuable resources they can provide to travel advisors. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

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 as we discuss our journey and learnings from building a team with employee support. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message

Sandy Saburn, Chief Membership Officer at Gifted Travel Network, joins host Whitney on the Masters in Travel podcast to discuss the importance of technology for travel advisors. They address common misconceptions about technology in the industry and highlight the need for advisors to invest in the right tools from the beginning. They outline a tech stack that includes a research and knowledge tool, a CRM and workflow management system, a client outreach platform, an itinerary builder, and a money management tool. They emphasize the value of these tools in saving time and increasing efficiency, and discuss emerging trends in travel technology, such as interconnectivity between systems and the development of universal booking platforms. They also mention the frustration of having multiple logins for different bookings and express excitement about the possibility of a consolidated tool for all travel bookings. They believe that in two years, there will be better systems and platforms available to make booking more efficient and convenient for travel advisors. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mastersintravel/message