There’s a big difference between a travel agency employee and an affiliated independent contractor (IC). Even before the pandemic, an increasing number of travel advisors were choosing to affiliate as ICs, but the pandemic has spurred even more agents to make the leap. In this episode of Trade Secrets, get into the topic of switching from an employee to an IC in depth with Amanda Klimak, president and co-owner of Largay Travel, along with co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada.

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises.

In this episode:
1:13 - Meet our guest, Amanda Klimak, president and co-owner of Largay Travel in Waterbury, Conn.
2:00 - Starting with the basics, what’s the difference between a travel agency employee and an IC?
2:56 - What was it like when Largay transitioned its employees to IC status?
6:30 - Health insurance is a big factor for someone considering making the jump to IC; what are some of the options available?
7:47 - Amanda’s advice to agencies transitioning employees to ICs
12:23 - An IRS red flag to watch out for
15:22 - Some ICs use their own business name, and others use their host affiliation - many use both. Why?
17:02 - Don’t rush the leap! Do your due diligence
17:33 - Before the pandemic, agencies with employees and ICs were very common. Is the pendulum swinging more toward the pure host?
21:00 - It’s not easy to find talent today. Where are Largay’s coming from?
23:06 - Travel advisor Tara shares some of her top tips about switching to an IC
25:53 - Amanda adds her top tips
27:20 - Travel advisor Katy asks about host agency commission splits
29:31 - Amanda talks about vetting hosts and their commission splits (spoiler: don’t just look at the split!)

Further resources:

Largay Travel
Website
Please Go Away
800-322-9481

HostAgencyReviews.com

FindaHostTravelAgency.com

Legal Briefs: Making staff ICs could prove costly

Legal Briefs: A host can impose some rules on independent contractors

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: tradesecrets@travelweekly.com 

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There&rsquo;s a big difference between a travel agency employee and an affiliated independent contractor (IC). Even before the pandemic, an increasing number of travel advisors were choosing to affiliate as ICs, but the pandemic has spurred even more agents to make the leap. In this episode of Trade Secrets, get into the topic of switching from an employee to an IC in depth with Amanda Klimak, president and co-owner of Largay Travel, along with co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada.
This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.windstarcruises.com/">Windstar Cruises</a>.
<hr>
In this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">1:13 - Meet our guest, Amanda Klimak, president and co-owner of Largay Travel in Waterbury, Conn.</li>
<li aria-level="1">2:00 - Starting with the basics, what&rsquo;s the difference between a travel agency employee and an IC?</li>
<li aria-level="1">2:56 - What was it like when Largay transitioned its employees to IC status?</li>
<li aria-level="1">6:30 - Health insurance is a big factor for someone considering making the jump to IC; what are some of the options available?</li>
<li aria-level="1">7:47 - Amanda&rsquo;s advice to agencies transitioning employees to ICs</li>
<li aria-level="1">12:23 - An IRS red flag to watch out for</li>
<li aria-level="1">15:22 - Some ICs use their own business name, and others use their host affiliation - many use both. Why?</li>
<li aria-level="1">17:02 - Don&rsquo;t rush the leap! Do your due diligence</li>
<li aria-level="1">17:33 - Before the pandemic, agencies with employees and ICs were very common. Is the pendulum swinging more toward the pure host?</li>
<li aria-level="1">21:00 - It&rsquo;s not easy to find talent today. Where are Largay&rsquo;s coming from?</li>
<li aria-level="1">23:06 - Travel advisor Tara shares some of her top tips about switching to an IC</li>
<li aria-level="1">25:53 - Amanda adds her top tips</li>
<li aria-level="1">27:20 - Travel advisor Katy asks about host agency commission splits</li>
<li aria-level="1">29:31 - Amanda talks about vetting hosts and their commission splits (spoiler: don&rsquo;t just look at the split!)</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Further resources:
Largay Travel
<ul>
<li><a href="https://largaytravel.com/">Website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pleasegoaway.com/">Please Go Away</a></li>
<li>800-322-9481</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://hostagencyreviews.com/">HostAgencyReviews.com</a>
<a href="https://findahosttravelagency.com/">FindaHostTravelAgency.com</a>
Legal Briefs: <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Mark-Pestronk/Making-staff-ICs-could-prove-costly">Making staff ICs could prove costly</a>
Legal Briefs: <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Mark-Pestronk/A-host-can-impose-some-rules-on-ICs">A host can impose some rules on independent contractors</a>
<hr>
Need advice?
Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098
Email us: <a href="mailto:tradesecrets@travelweekly.com">tradesecrets@travelweekly.com </a>
&nbsp;
Theme song:
Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
&nbsp;
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Trade Secrets, a podcast from the editors of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, where travel advisors ask -- and answer -- questions. On each podcast, our editors will ask a veteran travel advisor to join them and field listeners’ questions. Topics will range from business advice to industry trends, history and more — as long as it’s travel-related, we want to address it! Find Trade Secrets wherever you get your podcasts, or at travelweekly.com/podcasts.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:

Jamie Biesiada is a senior editor with Travel Weekly. She is an award-winning journalist, including being named the American Society of Travel Advisors’ 2019 Travel Journalist of the Year. Her roots are in community journalism, where she was the editor of several local newspapers and a regional entertainment magazine.

Emma Weissmann is a Senior Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the host of the Humans of Travel podcast, where she interviews notable individuals in the travel industry about their lives — the highs and lows that make them human.


Theme song:
Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information

Welcome to Trade Secrets, a podcast from the editors of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, where travel advisors ask -- and answer -- questions. On each podcast, our editors will ask a veteran travel advisor to join them and field listeners&rsquo; questions. Topics will range from business advice to industry trends, history and more &mdash; as long as it&rsquo;s travel-related, we want to address it! Find Trade Secrets wherever you get your podcasts, or at <a href="http://travelweekly.com/podcasts">travelweekly.com/podcasts</a>.
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:
Jamie Biesiada is a senior editor with Travel Weekly. She is an award-winning journalist, including being named the American Society of Travel Advisors&rsquo; 2019 Travel Journalist of the Year. Her roots are in community journalism, where she was the editor of several local newspapers and a regional entertainment magazine.
Emma Weissmann is a Senior Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the host of the Humans of Travel podcast, where she interviews notable individuals in the travel industry about their lives &mdash; the highs and lows that make them human.
<hr>
 Theme song: Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod Link: <a href="https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop">https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop</a> License: <a href="https://filmmusic.io/standard-license">https://filmmusic.io/standard-license</a>
<hr>
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information

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