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.
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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>

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.

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