In this episode of Office Hours, Grace Van Hollebeke welcomes David Shull, CEO and co-founder of Tern, for a candid conversation about his journey from Michigan Tech to building a transformative travel technology platform. David shares how his early days at Handshake inspired his passion for creating impactful technology, and how a travel mishap in Greece sparked the idea for Tern.
Grace and David discuss Tern’s recent acquisition of Lucia (Grace's company) and why pairing great technology with high-quality services is essential for empowering travel advisors. They also unpack the importance of choosing the right VC partners who share a vision for supporting, rather than displacing, travel advisors, which is a refreshing stance in the world of venture capital.
Key moments include:
- David’s journey from Handshake to Tern
- The turning point that led to Lucia’s acquisition
- The role of technology and services in scaling travel advisors’ businesses
- How Tern’s platform is designed to eliminate invisible work
- Why their VC partners are committed to building with, not against, travel advisors
If you’re a travel advisor or agency owner looking to supercharge your business, or simply curious about the intersection of technology and human-driven industries, this episode is a must-listen.
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