Keeping in Touch

Issue 4- October 8, 2024

Written by Kevin O'Brien | Oct 22, 2024 2:52:05 PM

Hi Travel Edgers,
 
Whew—my first blog with you! Where to start… it’s been a whirlwind!

I’ve had the chance to meet many of you, and some of you may have seen my “Hello” video. But for those who haven’t, I’m excited to officially introduce myself!

I’m delighted to be back in the world of travel. I started here at the beginning of July and have been in full learning mode ever since (proud moment: I led my first ADX demo for an external prospect a few weeks ago!).

Right after I joined, I took a little time off for some pre-planned trips—first to Tel Aviv, and then on a road trip with my wife, Andrea, from Toronto to Prince Edward County, Montreal, Maine, and the Eastern Townships. If you’re looking for a couple of gems from that trip, check out Mirazule near Picton (Prince Edward County, Ontario) and Manoir Hovey in the Eastern Townships (Quebec). Both are truly special.

A big priority for me is spending time with all of you and continuing to learn. Andy shared the insights from his listening tour with me, and I’m continuing that “tour” myself. So far, I’ve visited Bermuda, New York, Atlanta, and Toronto, as well as Limitless Live / Horizons in Vegas and ILTM NA in the Bahamas.There’s been no shortage of feedback (a lot of it positive!). But there are also areas we can improve. Andy has already tackled issues like commission chasing, leveraging our air desk to book air for you, and dialing up our sense of community. We’ll keep adding to that list and chipping away at it. And remember—don’t be shy about letting me know what’s on your mind. I can’t promise we can fix everything, but if we don’t know about it, it’s even harder to address! If you need any tips on giving direct feedback, I can recommend a few pros (looking at you, MaryDee and Zale). I love it!

A few things on my radar right now: air desk availability, rewarding mentorship, regional connectivity, tour nets, and unlocking growth opportunities.

From now until the end of the year, I’ve got a lot more travel lined up for work: Istanbul, a California listening tour, Southern BC, an Advisory Board meeting, and ILTM Cannes. If I’m in your area, I’d love to connect!

By the way, I’ve started a business book club within Travel Edge. We’ll read 3-4 books a year and hold discussions. If that sounds interesting, let me know! The first book is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, and I’d love to have some of you from TEN join the conversation.

Kevin