This time next week, we will have just wrapped up our 2025 Gifted Travel Network Conference at the Conrad Orlando, and I will (hopefully) already be elbow deep in a bag of cotton candy while waiting in line for Space Mountain after Professional Lybbi clocks out and Leisure Lybbi spends a few days at Walt Disney World.

I’ve spent many years talking about the “accidental hobbyist” trap that many travel advisors fall into, but when Stephanie Goldberg-Glazer of Live Well, Travel Often joined me on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, she summed it up perfectly with that one statement.  

Many years ago, on the first day of school, my science teacher gave us this homework assignment: Write down the instructions to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

If you haven’t ever heard of this exercise, take a moment to think about what you would write down. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

This week, five GTN team members and around 50 of our advisors are in Las Vegas attending Virtuoso Travel Week. This is one of the top events in the luxury travel space, bringing together top luxury travel professionals from around the world.

Instagram and other social media platforms show us the glossy side of business: a client’s dream trip, a perfectly branded logo, a glimpse of “success.” But what doesn’t often make it to the feed? The behind-the-scenes work that makes that success sustainable. At Gifted Travel Network, we believe the strongest businesses are built from the inside out. That’s why professional development isn’t just a bonus: It’s our foundation.

Imagine spending your career making split-second decisions with millions on the line. While Stuart Marra’s twenty years in the high-stakes world of equity derivatives and risk arbitrage gave him financial success, he felt the absence of what was missing from his life. Things like freedom, creativity, and a sense of purpose that went beyond profit margins.

Life's been a whirlwind ever since we welcomed our little guy, Rowan, this past New Year's Day! I've always been someone who loves to travel, and honestly, I wasn't about to let having a baby change that. So far, we've done a few flights and road trips as a family of three, and I'm here to tell you that it's totally doable.

Here's the deal: As of today, Instagram officially launched the feature that lets Google and other search engines index content from business and creator accounts. Translation: Your Instagram posts can now show up in organic Google search results alongside all the other videos, news articles, and blog posts. Not just your profile but your actual posts, Reels, carousels, all of it.

We often talk about the mechanics of building a successful travel business: the marketing strategies, the sales techniques, the operational systems. But my conversation with Anna Harrison of Travel Observations on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast recently reminded me that the real foundation of success lies somewhere deeper - in our willingness to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for transformation.

In luxury travel, experience counts. The destinations you've explored, the relationships you've cultivated, the complex itineraries you've managed, these all shape how well you serve your clients. Yet even the most accomplished travel professionals can encounter unexpected challenges when they decide to build and scale their own business. What they may not realize is that selling travel and running a travel business aren’t the same thing.

Jerzy spent years switching between corporate roles, searching for that elusive sense of fulfillment. Sound familiar? Sometimes we need to acknowledge that the disconnect isn't coming from the specific job or company; it's the path itself.

Every time I open social media, there's another post/reel/carousel about AI. Some are helpful, introducing me to new tools and techniques. Others are silly and fun, sharing creative prompts like generating an image of what my dog would look like as a Muppet. But there's also a lot of doom and gloom about how AI will replace jobs and destroy creativity. I’ve heard a lot from travel advisors in particular, nervous that clients can just tell AI where they want to go and generate their own "perfect" itinerary.

The hardest part of any project is naming it. It seems so simple, doesn't it? Just pick some words that capture what you're trying to say. But anyone who's ever stared at a blank document, wrestling with what to call their creation, knows the weight that sits behind those few syllables.

Have you ever had one of those moments where life hits you from every direction? That was Eysa Portugues in early 2020. After building a solid career in telecommunications and luxury goods, she suddenly found herself laid off.

LinkedIn is a great tool for some advisors, especially those who came into this industry from other careers. If you’ve spent years in a corporate role and already have a strong professional network, there’s a good chance at least some of your ideal clients are already on LinkedIn. So, it makes sense to meet them there.

Gifted Travel Network (GTN) distinguishes itself by its deep-rooted commitment to education and mentorship, a philosophy powerfully demonstrated at its third annual Symposium, held March 26 – April 1, 2025. This year's immersive experience took place aboard the Avalon Poetry II river cruise along the Rhône River, beginning and ending in Arles, France.

Gifted Travel Network (GTN) announced the launch of "The Swirl: Insights & Inspiration for Luxury Travel Advisors," a weekly newsletter dedicated to supporting travel entrepreneurs and industry partners in the luxury travel space.

In the world of travel entrepreneurship, success stories come in all forms, but few are as inspiring as that of Merry Jennifer “MJ” Markham. A practicing oncologist, MJ discovered that travel was more than just a personal passion - it was a necessity for balance and well-being.

Motherhood and entrepreneurship—two of life's most demanding yet rewarding paths. For many women, the thought of combining these two paths may seem overwhelming. But for those who take the leap, the rewards can be life-changing.

What happens when a 20-year veteran of the banking industry takes a leap of faith to follow her heart? For Heather Parker, the answer is a successful career as a luxury travel entrepreneur.