When it comes to hotel knowledge, it’s not about knowing which property is “the best”—it’s about understanding the differences and trade-offs that help you guide each client to the right fit. In this special crossover episode from The Hivemind Podcast, Whitney models how to have smarter, more strategic hotel conversations with fellow travel advisors Michelle Orr of Master Travel and Andrea Duvall of Andrea Duvall Travel Design.
They compare six hotels in Grand Cayman—from the design-forward Hotel Indigo and lively Palm Heights to the classic luxury of the Ritz-Carlton—sharing what truly exceeds expectations, where the trade-offs lie, and which clients each property serves best. This conversation is a masterclass in how thoughtful hotel comparisons can elevate your credibility, strengthen client trust, and transform the way you sell destinations.
Explore more hotel comparison and destination deep-dive episodes on The Hivemind Podcast at thehive.travel/podcast
Financial clarity might not sound glamorous—but it’s one of the most powerful tools for building a sustainable, confident business. In this conversation, Brianna Glenn and Kinaya Pettiford of Atlas & Ledger explore how clean books lead to calm decision-making, why clarity unlocks freedom, and simple steps to start managing your money with confidence instead of avoidance.
October’s Shop Talk is full of honesty, exhaustion, and big-picture reflection. Whitney shares how an overwhelming travel season pushed her to rethink her team structure and workflows—and what needs to change before next year. Brianna reflects on her own delegation journey, what it means to truly give team members ownership, and how she decides when to let go of personal preferences in favor of team growth. Together, they talk about balancing high-volume success with sustainability, taking sabbaticals abroad, and the launch of The Hivemind Podcast.
Search is changing faster than ever—and it’s not just about Google anymore. As AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity reshape how travelers look for information, the rules of online visibility are shifting. In this conversation, Brianna Glenn and SEO strategist Meg Clarke of Clapping Dog Media break down what travel advisors need to know to stay discoverable. From optimizing for engagement and authority to showing up consistently across platforms, Meg shares practical steps to help you stand out in the age of AI search.
Learn more about Meg: https://clappingdogmedia.com/
This week, we are previewing an episode from newly launched The Hivemind Podcast. For more episodes like this, add it to your weekly podcast roundup (new episodes release on Thursdays.)
Seville embodies what travelers imagine when they think of ‘classic Spain’—flamenco, tapas, Moorish palaces, and lively plazas. Sam Lister, Founder & CEO at Tailormade, shares why this southern city is both a cultural icon and a versatile base for travel advisors planning Spain. From must-sees like the Cathedral and Alcázar to unique experiences like flamenco jam sessions, tapas in local barrios, and art restoration studios, Sevilla offers something for every client profile. Learn how to structure itineraries, when to avoid the summer heat, and why 4–5 nights in Seville unlock both the city and its rich day-trip options, from Córdoba to Ronda, Cádiz, and jamón farms.
Learn more at: https://www.thehive.travel/podcast-posts/the-essentials-seville
In this episode, Whitney sits down with Jeremy Sulek—CEO/Owner of Jetset World Travel and founder of Brava—to unpack a new, advisor-first approach to commissions. Brava aims to decouple commission payments from host agencies so advisors can own their bookings, get paid faster, and give suppliers clear visibility into which advisors are actually driving sales. They discuss why the current agency-centered system creates misaligned incentives, and how shifting to advisor ownership unlocks flexibility, transparency, and growth.
Many travel advisors hit a stage where their business is running, clients are happy, and revenue looks strong — but behind the scenes, it still feels harder than it should. In this solo episode, Brianna shares the three clear signs that you’ve outgrown your current business model and offers quick, practical wins to help you step into the next phase of growth. From recognizing when you’re the bottleneck, to patching hidden leaks in your workflows, to aligning your marketing with the business you’re really running, this episode is designed to help you lighten the load and reclaim your role as CEO.
When your calendar is full but your goals are bigger, something has to change. In this candid conversation, Ali Raymer (Picture This Travel) shares how she scaled from solo advisor to leading a 6-person team—owning mistakes, codifying training, and letting go of control to protect life outside of work. Expect practical frameworks, real client-experience lessons, and permission to build the support you need to grow sustainably.
And we're back with newly recorded content! Picking up with a Shop Talk check in. We unpack the difference between trip operations and business operations, how project tools like Asana and ClickUp can run an entire agency, and why protecting client data with clear roles is non-negotiable. Plus: Brianna shares fresh takeaways from the Biz Huddle conference and strategies to make your content more discoverable in the AI era.
In this second episode of our 4-part client experience series, we explore five top areas of business that impact any client's experience working with you: service offering, aesthetics, communication, systems, and attracting new clients. Do a self-audit on your travel business with this episode, and hear our experiences and advice as you consider these vital parts of your business and how to improve each of them.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
Today premiers the first episode of our 4-part Client Experience Series! Join us as we explore all the ins and outs of creating a memorable, signature client experience. This week, we are talking about how your brand experience impacts the client experience more than you may realize. Learn to define your business purpose, gauge a client's expectations, and create memorable memories from the first moment the learn about you to the post-trip check-in.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
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.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
Love travel and planning it, but hate the sales part? In this episode, Brianna and guest Glenda from The Art of Selling Travel delve into the art of sales and client relations. Glenda shares her seasoned approach to pricing negotiations and reframing rejection, all while maintaining an authentic human connection. She provides invaluable insights on asking the right questions and building rapport that help build connections with clients. Through this candid discussion and personal stories, they unravel the complexities of selling travel experiences, advocating the power of conversation over assumption.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
Host agencies...how do you find the right fit for you? Whitney delves into this world with special guest Steph Lee, the founder of Host Agency Reviews. They discuss the importance of transparency in the travel industry, the challenges and opportunities that come with reviewing host agencies, and tips for travel advisors on switching host entities. Steph shares her personal journey from managing a host agency to creating a vital industry resource that helps travel professionals make informed decisions based on honest reviews and comprehensive directories.
Get Brianna's free "Branding Your First Impression" webinar: https://mastersintravel.myflodesk.com/dmyliai2lk
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
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.
In this episode of Masters in Travel, Whitney dives into the art of marketing with the experienced Kaytee Fisher, founder of Moxie & Fourth, and guru about all things email marketing for travel advisors. They dissect the strategic layers of marketing: the importance of understanding your target audience, the value of consistency, and tools and tricks for upping engagement. Plus, Kaytee shares her insights on the balance between using various marketing platforms and concentrating on a few that yield the highest ROI. Whether you are just starting as a new advisor and need the basics, or are a seasoned advisor who needs some marketing fine-tuning, this episode has insights for you!
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
In this insightful episode, Brianna and special guest Kate Sullivan peel back the curtain on the concept of self-fam trips in the travel advisory world. From their personal experiences to the nuances of independent hotel site inspections and strategic relationship building, they offer a deep dive into the professional benefits and challenges of self-organizing familiarization trips. Plus, they discuss the intricacies of planning, executing, and capitalizing on these experiences to enhance their service offerings and bolster their expertise in the luxury travel market.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
On today's episode, Whitney is joined by Jen Lee, VP of Industry Engagement and Support for Travel Planners International, to talk about a valuable asset for any travel business: client reviews. Get tips on how to ask for reviews and maximize their potential for attracting future clients. Whitney and Jen talk about how to prompt clients to leave detailed reviews, how to respond to positive and negative reviews, and how to creatively leverage views on your online presence.
*For the next few weeks, enjoy replays of listener favorite episodes that were previously behind a paywall. We will be back soon with newly-recorded content.
In this candid Shop Talk episode, Brianna joins from Costa Rica, where she’s spending a month on a “sabbatical-ish”—a slower pace of work made possible by years of intentional business design. She and Whitney unpack what it really takes to step away from the day-to-day without compromising client experience. They discuss shifting from task-based delegation to outcome-based leadership, building a team culture rooted in ownership and empowerment, and redefining success beyond revenue. Plus, they reflect on the personal and professional growth required to truly let go and why they’ve decided to sunset the Advisor Accelerator after five impactful years.
Representation companies are often misunderstood, but they’re one of the most valuable allies a travel advisor can have. In this episode, Whitney and Natalia Aldacour-La Borie of TL Portfolio demystify the role of representation companies, explain why advisors should rely on them more often, and share how these partnerships elevate client experiences and advisor businesses alike.
Takeaways:
How reps act as liaisons between advisors and suppliers and why that connection matters
The visibility and consistency in the market that reps provide for suppliers
Why advisors should loop in their reps early and often when working with suppliers
How reps can support marketing efforts and supplier education
