The Travel Business Unpacked

Stephanie Mack spent nearly 12 years as a corporate Communications Manager, leading internal and external communications and serving as spokesperson for large manufacturing facilities. In this episode, she joins Meredith Calloway to talk about how that career led her to Brava Adventures. Stephanie joined GTN’s Travel MBA program just two weeks before the pandemic began, right as her corporate role turned into 16 to 20 hour days, and shares how pacing the program on her own terms set the tone for the business she built.She explains how her communications and project management background shows up in her business today, from drawing out what clients really want on discovery calls to keeping every detail of an itinerary on track. She and Meredith also talk about her decision to retire early and go full time in travel and why she chose to build a solo business instead of a large agency. Along the way, they bond over their shared love of river cruising and the luxury travel experiences that have caught their eye, from barge cruises to around-the-world private jet tours.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

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🖥️ Brava Adventures: https://bravaadventures.com

👤 Stephanies LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mspx53m8

Alex Smirnov came to the United States from Russia in November 2019, just months before the pandemic kept him here for good. Alongside his wife and dance partner Daria, he spent over a decade as a competitive ballroom dancer, traveling to nearly 30 states for competitions before retiring from competing this June. In this episode, Alex joins Meredith to talk about how a family reunion in Dubai, and watching his parents experience travel for the first time, led him to join Gifted Travel Network’s (GTN) Travel MBA program in the February 2026 cohort and launch AD Luxe Escapes.Alex and Meredith explore what choreography and itinerary design have in common: pacing, rhythm, and the understanding that no single move, or hotel, works for everyone. Alex explains why the best advisors listen for what clients actually want, not just what they say, and how that mindset shaped his business. He also shares how he and Daria built their brand with help from Motive through GTN’s branding lab, why Thumbtack has become their biggest source of new clients, and how defining a clear avatar helped them focus on couples 50 and older who travel multiple times a year.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

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🖥️ AD Luxe Escapes: https://adluxeescapes.com/

👤 Alex's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/3ju5883f

In this special solo episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway breaks down a recent article she wrote, "I Don't Need Your Apology for My Setback, I Was Never Meant to Trust the Branch" and why she believes a setback, in business or in life, is one of the biggest opportunities for growth you'll ever get. She shares how Gifted Travel Network leaned into the pandemic, the hardest setback the travel industry has ever faced, and came out of it with roughly five times its pre-pandemic sales.From there, Meredith walks through the mental muscles that become your wings when the branch breaks: trust, curiosity and compassion, and self-love, along with the exercise that builds each one. She also explains why she'd skip the "I'm so sorry you're going through this" response when someone is facing hardship and what to offer instead, what a bow and arrow can teach you about letting go and moving on in life, and the clarifying moment she experienced while raising her children that showed her exactly who she's here to be.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU🖥️ Meredith's Article: https://tinyurl.com/ynw6jbs9

Veronica Gonzalez spent years promoting tourism in McAllen, Texas, and working in her father's pharmacy before she let herself build a business around what she loved most: planning travel. In this episode, Veronica joins Meredith Calloway to talk about how Delighted Designs grew from a destination event business into a luxury travel practice that does both. That growth started with a villa owner in Turks and Caicos who asked why she wasn't already doing this for a living, and continued with a referral from another host agency that led her to GTN's Travel MBA program in the October 2022 cohort.

Almost four years in, Veronica is honest about a growth curve that was anything but linear, including losing both of her parents a year apart and learning to give herself grace while running a business. She and Meredith talk about the emotional fitness that came out of that season, why this year is when everything opened up, and how GTN's community and partners gave her the confidence to book her first African safari. Veronica also shares her knack for knowing what clients want before they say it, why she always asks partners what they can do to surprise her travelers, and why she tells families not to wait on the trips that matter most.

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📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

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🖥️ Delighted Designs: https://delighted-designs.com/

Sylvia Sulkes knew for years that her work wasn't fulfilling her anymore, but it took a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro with her husband to make the decision clear. A month after coming down the mountain, she joined GTN's Travel MBA program and launched Sol Kiss Escapes, a luxury travel business built around soul-stirring journeys that give clients what they actually need, whether that's rest, a reset, or more time with family. Before even finishing her first year in the program, she crossed seven figures in sales.In this episode, Sylvia joins Meredith to talk about how she got there. She shares the story behind the name Sol Kiss Escapes, the last-minute festive request that became her first big booking, and how GTN's Circle community helped her land the perfect stay at Cap Juluca in Anguilla. She explains why a fast response and a thoughtful, visual proposal won the client over, how that one trip turned into a year-long retainer, and why she's choosing to keep her client book small. She and Meredith also get into the mindset that keeps her steady during slower stretches, her first National Geographic expedition cruise, and the role her husband plays in the business she's building.

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📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

-🖥️ Sol Kiss Escapes: https://solkissescapes.com/

👤 Sylvia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviasulkes

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway is joined by Laura Gonzalez, founder of Vacation Artisans Travel Agency, to talk about knowing when it's time for a change and starting fresh after a decade in the industry.

Laura shares her journey from nonprofit event planning to ten years as a travel advisor, including the slump that made her decide whether to recommit to her business or step away. She talks about choosing to double down, what told her she had outgrown her previous host, and why she approached her search for a new one like an interview on both sides. Meredith and Laura also discuss the tradeoffs between large hosts and smaller boutique agencies, why being part of a Virtuoso agency mattered to her, and what it was like joining the Gifted Travel Network community.

Throughout the conversation, Laura offers an honest look at building a business while raising a family, from working during nap times when she first started to making the most of the time her son spends at extracurricular activities. She explains why she's comfortable passing on clients who aren't the right fit, and how asking clients why they're traveling shapes every trip she plans. Laura also shares why she loves the challenge of planning for multigenerational families and how she's encouraging her cruise clients to arrive a few days early and explore beyond their cruise itinerary.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

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🖥️ Vacation Artisans Travel Agency: https://vacationartisans.com/

👤 Laura's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/4fkkt2ka

Julie and Alex Ott are the mother-son team behind Triple Play Vacations. In this episode, they join Meredith Calloway to talk about what it looks like to build a business together while specializing in one of travel's fastest-growing niches: sporting events.

Julie's path into travel started during the pandemic, right after wrapping up 25 years in the apparel and footwear industry, including years living abroad in Hong Kong, Switzerland, and France with her family. She went through GTN's Travel MBA program in 2020, and Alex followed a year later in 2021 before eventually leaving his corporate job as a credit analyst to join her full time.

They open up about how they divide and conquer, with Julie focused on cruise, river cruise, and adventure travel, and Alex leading the charge on sporting event trips, from fan bases and stadium culture to how the name Triple Play came to be. They also talk candidly about what it's really like working as mother and son, staying close while living in different cities, and how they've leaned on the right partners to help pull off major event trips like the US Open.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU

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🖥️ Triple Play Vacations Website: https://tripleplayvacations.com/

👤 Julie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-ott

👤 Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexjott

Lucie McLaughlin spent over two decades as what she calls the "family CEO," and when her kids grew up and life took an unexpected turn, she found herself searching for a new sense of purpose. In this episode, Lucie joins host Meredith Calloway to talk about trading the family-planner role for a career as a luxury travel advisor, and how a conversation with her mother-in-law led her to research host agencies and ultimately choose Gifted Travel Network.Lucie opens up about the emotional side of building her brand, Lucie's Luxury Travel, and how the process brought her back to childhood memories of her family's wine business and cross-country road trips. She and Meredith also dig into her Travel MBA cohort's tight-knit support system, her first Collette tour experience in Portugal's Douro Valley, and the unexpected way an Instagram connection turned into a recurring women's group-travel business, taking her from Charleston to Italy to a planned trip to Greece.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU🖥️ Lucie's Luxury Travel Website: https://lluxurytravel.com/👤 Lucie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucie-mclaughlin-1698a7340

Nicholas Dintelmann spent over a decade in corporate retail before he let himself pursue the international, travel-focused career he'd wanted since childhood. In this episode, Nicholas joins Meredith to talk about the deliberate process of unraveling his corporate life before joining GTN's Travel MBA program in the February 2026 cohort and launching CARTE ATLAS, his luxury travel business built for servant leaders who've built full lives but haven't made space to explore them.Nicholas is honest about what those first few months in the program actually look like: building a brand from scratch, navigating the gap between booking travel and getting paid for it, and learning to trust himself when the certainty of a corporate paycheck disappears. He and Meredith dig into the emotional fitness required to run a business, where the name CARTE ATLAS came from, his FAM trip to Grace Bay Resorts in Turks and Caicos, which was his first time traveling internationally for work, and the honeymoon trip where he circumnavigated the world in two and a half weeks.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU🖥️ CARTE ATLAS Website: https://CARTEATLAS.com/👤 Nicholas' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-dintelmann

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Pam Smithgall, owner of South Shore Travel and a longtime Gifted Travel Network member.Pam began her career as a music teacher before discovering a way to turn her love of travel into a business. Today, she brings the same attention to detail, sequencing, and storytelling that she learned through music into the way she designs travel experiences for her clients. She shares how she creates meaningful moments clients never knew to ask for, builds trusted relationships with travel partners, and has learned to see marketing as an opportunity to connect people with something genuinely valuable.Meredith and Pam also talk about the evolution of her business, from figuring everything out on her own to finding the education, community, and partnerships that helped her grow. Pam shares how her weekly newsletter, carefully curated website, and in-person travel events have helped her stay connected to both existing and potential clients, while reminding us that building a successful travel business takes patience, consistency, and a willingness to keep learning.Pam’s story is a reminder that the skills and passions you already have can become some of your greatest assets as a travel entrepreneur, especially when you learn how to bring them into your business in your own way.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU🎓 Travel MBA Program: https://tinyurl.com/TravelMBA-🖥️ South Shore Travel Website: https://www.southshore-travel.com/👤 Pam's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pam-smithgall-80430743

Shawn Lamphear and Jon Malpass of LM Authentic Travel went from corporate careers to a seven-figure producing, six-figure-earning travel business in under two years. In this episode, Shawn and Jon join Meredith Calloway to break down exactly how they did it: why referrals (not cold outreach) drove every client they've landed, how their software backgrounds shaped the systems and workflows behind their business, and where AI is filling in the gaps as they scale.Shawn and Jon also get real about what surprised them most, including how much more "sales" the job turned out to be, and share the biggest challenges they've faced around social media, marketing consistency, and educating clients on the true cost of luxury travel. Plus, hear their favorite "pinch me" moments from the past two years, including one unforgettable stay at the Mandarin Oriental, London.Tune in for practical takeaways from Shawn Lamphear and Jon Malpass on building momentum from day one, leveraging your network, and what it really takes to grow a seven-figure travel business.-📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/Learn-More-TBU-🖥️ LM Authentic Travel Website: https://lmatravel.com/👤 Shawn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnhitspace/👤 Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmalpass/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lisa VanBuhler of XOOM Tours, a longtime Gifted Travel Network member who has built a thriving luxury travel business from an unconventional start in student and group travel.

Lisa shares how her background in education led her to planning trips for students, eventually serving groups of up to 250 people, and how that experience became the foundation for her transition into luxury travel. At the heart of her approach is a simple but powerful belief: every client’s trip is a blank canvas. By listening closely, drawing on her deep destination knowledge, and working with trusted travel partners, Lisa creates highly personalized experiences designed around each individual traveler.

Meredith and Lisa also explore how Lisa turned the uncertainty of the pandemic into an opportunity to bring people together through virtual destination experiences, why there is always a way to serve a client regardless of their budget, and how thoughtfully curated travel can become something much more meaningful than simply a vacation. Her story is a reminder that the skills you already have may be more transferable than you realize, and that passion, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning can become powerful assets in building a travel business.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

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🖥️ XOOM Tours Website: https://xoomtours.com/

👤 Lisa's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/zyje3472

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway is joined by Keely Culpepper, founder of Blue Venture Travel, to talk about building a travel business around exceptional client experiences and lasting relationships.

Keely shares her journey from the corporate world to travel entrepreneurship and how focusing on thoughtful, personalized service has helped her build a business driven by repeat clients and referrals. She talks about the importance of creating an experience that goes beyond simply planning a great trip, with the goal of leaving clients excited about where they’ll go next. Meredith and Keely also discuss the role of attention to detail, strong systems, industry relationships, and the patience it takes to build momentum in a travel business.

Throughout the conversation, Keely offers an honest look at what it takes to build trust with clients, create memorable experiences, and turn those relationships into a sustainable business.

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📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

🖥️ Blue Venture Travel: https://blueventuretravel.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes back Meghann Bjarnesen, co-owner of Besté Travel Design and Lead Mentor & Programs Manager for Gifted Travel Network's Travel Business University.After first joining the podcast as a successful travel business owner, Meghann returns with a new perspective as she steps into a leadership role focused on mentoring travel advisors. Together, Meredith and Meghann explore why mentorship is one of the most valuable investments advisors can make, and why building a successful travel business requires far more than learning how to book travel. They discuss the importance of business education, branding, community, and accountability, along with the common challenges advisors face as they grow their businesses.The conversation also touches on GTN's new Ascend program, designed to help experienced advisors strengthen the business side of their agencies and prepare for long-term success. Whether you're just getting started or looking to elevate an established business, this episode offers practical insights into the mindset, guidance, and support that help travel advisors build thriving, sustainable businesses.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx-🔗 Meghann's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbmin🖥️ Besté Travel Design: https://www.bestetravel.com/home

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway sits down with Kay Fahlberg, owner of Ippo Travel, to discuss how finding your niche doesn't have to mean limiting your business. Drawing on her Japanese heritage and passion for travel, Kay shares how she built a reputation as a Japan expert while creating a brand that allows her to serve clients traveling all over the world.Along the way, Meredith offers valuable coaching on branding, client attraction, and the importance of building a business around your unique perspective rather than a single destination. They also discuss why Japan is one of today's most sought-after destinations, how a travel advisor can elevate the experience, and the cultural insights that make every itinerary more meaningful.They wrap the episode up with an inspiring discussion about mindset, boundaries, and the role emotional fitness plays in business growth. Kay shares how learning to attract the right clients, and having the confidence to say no to the wrong ones, helped transform both her business and her confidence as an entrepreneur.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx-🔗 Kay's LinkedIn: / kayfahlberg🖥️ Ippo Travel Website: https://www.ippotravel.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway welcomes back Carol McKee of McKee Travel for a practical conversation about one of the biggest growth opportunities for travel advisors: group travel. From destination weddings and milestone celebrations to hosted tours and educational conferences, Carol shares the lessons she's learned after planning groups of all shapes and sizes, and why success starts long before you ever collect the first deposit.Together, Meredith and Carol discuss how to identify the right type of group for your network, why understanding the group leader is just as important as understanding the destination, and how to avoid common pitfalls that can derail even the best ideas. They also explore destination wedding logistics, choosing the right suppliers, setting clear expectations with clients, understanding financial responsibilities, and why advisors don't need to travel with every group they organize.Throughout the conversation, Carol emphasizes the importance of preparation: researching suppliers before opportunities arise, learning the policies that matter, and using slower seasons to build the knowledge that leads to future bookings. She also shares why not every group inquiry will become a booking—and how every experience, successful or not, becomes an opportunity to grow. Whether you're planning your first group or looking to expand an established business, this episode offers practical advice that will help you approach group travel with greater confidence and a stronger strategy.📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx-🔗 Carol's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeetravel🖥️ Carol's Website: https://www.mckeetravel.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes Katina Athanasiou, Senior Vice President of Sales and Services at Celebrity Cruises, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, authenticity, and building a career that truly fulfills you.

Katina's journey to executive leadership has been shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to continually evolve. Rather than chasing the idea of perfect work-life balance, she shares why she believes in "calibration" instead, adjusting to life's changing seasons while staying grounded in what matters most. Together, Meredith and Katina explore what it means to lead with empathy, embrace your authentic self, and recognize that every challenge is an opportunity for growth.

They also discuss how adapting your leadership style to the people around you creates stronger relationships, why understanding how others communicate can transform the way you lead, and how finding work that genuinely excites you changes everything. Whether you're leading a team, serving clients, or building your own travel business, this conversation offers valuable perspective on creating meaningful success without sacrificing yourself along the way.

If you've ever wondered how to become a stronger leader while staying true to who you are, this episode will leave you with a fresh perspective on leadership, personal growth, and building a business and life you genuinely love.

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📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

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🔗 Katina's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katinaathanasiou

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Angie Corry, founder of Adventurously Yours Travel Design.

After moving to the Netherlands for her husband's job, Angie found herself navigating an unexpected season of life. What started as planning weekend adventures for her own family soon turned into organizing trips for fellow expats, eventually revealing a passion for creating meaningful travel experiences for women. Today, as a Travel MBA alum, Angie has built a business that reflects both her love of exploration and her belief that travel has the power to build confidence, connection, and community.

In this conversation, Angie shares how living abroad changed her perspective on travel, why she initially resisted becoming a travel advisor, and how a single women's trip helped her discover the niche that would become the foundation of her business. She also discusses the importance of listening to what comes naturally, creating experiences that truly serve your ideal clients, and building a business that aligns with the life you want to live.

Whether you're still searching for your niche or looking for the confidence to lean into your own story, Angie's journey is a reminder that your greatest business opportunity may already be hiding in your own experiences. Sometimes the path to building a successful travel business begins with simply saying yes to your next adventure.

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📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

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🔗 Angie's Website: https://adventurouslyyours.com/

🔗 Angie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiecorrycsp/

Making the leap into entrepreneurship is never easy, especially when you're leaving behind a career you've known for years. In this episode, Meredith welcomes Travel MBA graduate Ashley Carlson, founder of Carlson Travel Co., to share how she transitioned from elementary school teacher and stay-at-home mom to luxury travel entrepreneur.

Ashley reflects on the mindset shifts, branding decisions, and uncomfortable moments that helped shape her business, from investing in a professional brand and website to speaking at local events and attracting clients beyond her personal network. She also shares how the skills she developed in the classroom continue to influence the way she serves her clients today.

If you've ever wondered whether you're ready to take the leap, this conversation is a reminder that confidence isn't something you wait for. It's something you build by taking action.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

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🔗 Ashley's Website: https://carlsontravelco.com/

🔗 Ashley's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mtpdjk9c

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by returning guest John Rees, founder of J5 Luxury Travel Tailors.

After leaving a successful career in day trading, John built a thriving luxury travel business centered around his passion for travel and a commitment to exceptional client experiences. In this conversation, he reflects on how his role has changed as the business has grown, from handling nearly every aspect himself to building a talented team he trusts to deliver at a high level. He shares lessons learned about leadership, delegation, and creating a company culture that allows both the business and the people within it to thrive.

They also discuss the realities of scaling a travel business, the importance of focusing on your strengths, and why helping others grow has become one of the most rewarding parts of John's entrepreneurial journey.

John's story offers valuable insight for advisors looking to build a business that is not only successful, but also sustainable, fulfilling, and aligned with the life they want to create.

📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter

🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx

🔗 John's Website: https://www.j5travel.com/

🔗 John's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/j5travel