Hi everyone, this is Emma Weissmann, and welcome to another episode of Humans in the Hot Seat. This is actually a bonus episode — it’s coming out the day before Thanksgiving, which is a bit unusual for us, but this topic was an especially timely one. We'll hear from Kari Dillon, the owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels, the agency behind the viral “In My Eras” Taylor Swift-themed cruise that has recently hit the world by storm.

Now, if you know me in real life, you know I’m a huge Swiftie, so of course I immediately reached out to Dillon to learn more about it. We'll hear how the cruise came about, what went into creating this cruise, and what Dillon wants other travel agents to know about planning this type of affinity cruise, and then going viral. I hope you enjoy.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

From TravelAge West:

Who Is Marvelous Mouse Travels, and Why Is it Hosting a Taylor Swift-Themed Cruise?

Here's How to Book the Waitlisted 'In My Cruise Era' Taylor Swift Cruise

Marvelous Mouse Travels

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. 

TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 

ABOUT THE SHOW

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

Hi everyone, this is Emma Weissmann, and welcome to another episode of Humans in the Hot Seat. This is actually a bonus episode — it’s coming out the day before Thanksgiving, which is a bit unusual for us, but this topic was an especially timely one. We'll hear from Kari Dillon, the owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels, the agency behind the viral “In My Eras” Taylor Swift-themed cruise that has recently hit the world by storm.
Now, if you know me in real life, you know I’m a huge Swiftie, so of course I immediately reached out to Dillon to learn more about it. We'll hear how the cruise came about, what went into creating this cruise, and what Dillon wants other travel agents to know about planning this type of affinity cruise, and then going viral. I hope you enjoy.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
From TravelAge West:
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Travel/Cruise/marvelous-mouse-travels-taylor-swift">Who Is Marvelous Mouse Travels, and Why Is it Hosting a Taylor Swift-Themed Cruise?</a>
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Travel/Cruise/taylor-swift-cruise">Here's How to Book the Waitlisted 'In My Cruise Era' Taylor Swift Cruise</a>
<a href="https://marvelousmousetravels.com/">Marvelous Mouse Travels</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.  TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 
<hr>
ABOUT THE SHOW 
TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.

Humans of Travel

TravelAge West&rsquo;s podcast, &ldquo;Humans of Travel,&rdquo; features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry&rsquo;s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences &mdash; the highs and the lows &mdash; that make them human.

Humans in the Hot Seat: Inside the Making of the Viral 'Taylor Swift Cruise'  With Kari Dillon (Bonus Content)

Grace McBride got her start in the travel industry earlier than most — as an undergraduate at Cornell University. During her sophomore year, McBride worked as a marketing intern for JetBlue, where she helped write marketing and ad copy for the airline. After catching the travel bug, she joined MilesAhead, a travel agency founded by Cornell classmate Rob Karp.

But it was an entrepreneurship class that ultimately gave McBride and her friend, Sarah Peters, the idea for an entirely new travel business: TripKit, an itinerary builder and assistant service for luxury travel advisors (a company that the pair eventually sold in 2022).

In this episode of Humans of Travel, McBride takes listeners along on her entrepreneurial journey, sharing the impact her father — a florist from Long Island — had on her work ethic; the pros and cons of starting two companies while juggling school (and a pandemic); and how travel advisors and suppliers can engage with her newest venture: Lucia, a freelance marketplace for the travel industry.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

From TravelAge West: Lucia Gives Travel Businesses a New Way to Hire Freelance Workers

MilesAhead

TripKit

Lucia

Contact McBride: grace@letslucia.com

Rob Karp on Humans of Travel

Grace McBride got her start in the travel industry earlier than most — as an undergraduate at Cornell University. During her sophomore year, McBride worked as a marketing intern for JetBlue, where she helped write marketing and ad copy for the airline. After catching the travel bug, she joined MilesAhead, a travel agency founded by Cornell classmate Rob Karp.
But it was an entrepreneurship class that ultimately gave McBride and her friend, Sarah Peters, the idea for an entirely new travel business: TripKit, an itinerary builder and assistant service for luxury travel advisors (a company that the pair eventually sold in 2022).
In this episode of Humans of Travel, McBride takes listeners along on her entrepreneurial journey, sharing the impact her father — a florist from Long Island — had on her work ethic; the pros and cons of starting two companies while juggling school (and a pandemic); and how travel advisors and suppliers can engage with her newest venture: Lucia, a freelance marketplace for the travel industry.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
From TravelAge West: <a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/travel-advisor-job-platform">Lucia Gives Travel Businesses a New Way to Hire Freelance Workers</a>
<a href="https://www.milesahead.co/">MilesAhead</a>
<a href="https://www.tripkit.com/">TripKit</a>
<a href="http://www.letslucia.com">Lucia</a>
Contact McBride: <a href="mailto:grace@letslucia.com">grace@letslucia.com</a>
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Podcasts/Humans-of-Travel/Gen-Z-Entrepreneur-Rob-Karp-of-MilesAhead-on-Founding-a-Travel-Agency-at-Age-14">Rob Karp on Humans of Travel</a>

Encore: How Entrepreneur Grace McBride Built Two Successful Travel Businesses

Tara Minson refers to InteleTravel, a host agency supporting over 100,000 travel advisors, as the "Goliath" of the travel industry — and with good reason. Not only does the host agency have the largest network of advisors, but she also credits the company with bringing the most new agents into the profession.

Recently promoted to President of the host agency, Minson has deep roots in the travel industry. Her father, an entrepreneur, founded InteleTravel more than 33 years ago, and for the past 17 years, she’s led many of the company’s marketing, programs and communication initiatives. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Minson reflects on her childhood, her strong family ties and how travel has shaped her life from an early age. She also shares valuable lessons from her first boss, speaks on the qualities of leaders, and weighs in on the hot topic of new travel advisors entering the industry.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

InteleTravel

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. 

TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 

ABOUT THE SHOW

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

Tara Minson refers to <a href="https://www2.inteletravel.com/">InteleTravel</a>, a host agency supporting over 100,000 travel advisors, as the "Goliath" of the travel industry — and with good reason. Not only does the host agency have the largest network of advisors, but she also credits the company with bringing the most new agents into the profession.
Recently promoted to President of the host agency, Minson has deep roots in the travel industry. Her father, an entrepreneur, founded InteleTravel more than 33 years ago, and for the past 17 years, she’s led many of the company’s marketing, programs and communication initiatives. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Minson reflects on her childhood, her strong family ties and how travel has shaped her life from an early age. She also shares valuable lessons from her first boss, speaks on the qualities of leaders, and weighs in on the hot topic of new travel advisors entering the industry.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://www2.inteletravel.com/">InteleTravel</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.  TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 
<hr>
ABOUT THE SHOW 
TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

InteleTravel’s Tara Minson on How the ‘Goliath of the Travel Industry’ Welcomes New Advisors

Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.

Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the travel advisors named in the "5 Future Leaders to Watch List," the cover story within the October 2024 issue of TravelAge West. All of these travel advisors, attendees of Future Leaders in Travel, were chosen to appear in the cover story to acknowledge their work and their potential to be game-changers in the travel industry.  

Today’s episode features Jessica Brown of Smith Brown Travel, who first learned about travel advising from the audio social media platform Clubhouse. She’s a graduate of Gifted Travel Network’s MBA program and is an advocate for inclusion in the travel industry; her specialty in travel is catering to the needs of Black travelers, single parents and caregivers.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Future Leaders in Travel

5 Future Leaders to Watch List, 2024

SmithBrown Signature Travel (and @SmithBrownTravel on Instagram)

Clubhouse

Gifted Travel Network

Gifted’s Travel MBA Program

Host Agency Reviews

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. 

TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 

ABOUT THE SHOW

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.
Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the travel advisors named in the "5 Future Leaders to Watch List," the cover story within the October 2024 issue of TravelAge West. All of these travel advisors, attendees of Future Leaders in Travel, were chosen to appear in the cover story to acknowledge their work and their potential to be game-changers in the travel industry.  
Today’s episode features Jessica Brown of Smith Brown Travel, who first learned about travel advising from the audio social media platform Clubhouse. She’s a graduate of Gifted Travel Network’s MBA program and is an advocate for inclusion in the travel industry; her specialty in travel is catering to the needs of Black travelers, single parents and caregivers.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://www.futureleadersintravel.com/">Future Leaders in Travel</a>
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/future-leaders-in-travel-retreat-watch-list-2024">5 Future Leaders to Watch List, 2024</a>
<a href="https://smithbrowntravel.com/">SmithBrown Signature Travel</a> (and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smithbrowntravel/">@SmithBrown</a>Travel on Instagram)
<a href="https://www.clubhouse.com/">Clubhouse</a>
<a href="https://www.giftedtravelnetwork.com/">Gifted Travel Network</a>
<a href="https://www.giftedtravelnetwork.com/travel-mba">Gifted’s Travel MBA Program</a>
<a href="https://hostagencyreviews.com/">Host Agency Reviews</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly.  TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 
<hr>
ABOUT THE SHOW 
TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.

Humans in the Hot Seat: Inside the Making of the Viral 'Taylor Swift Cruise' With Kari Dillon (Bonus Content)

Humans of Travel

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