My guest this month is Jake Pickering, from the ultra-high-end travel and yachting brand, Pelorus. He’s worked with some of the planet’s most innovative experiential travel curators and luxury brands. I wanted to sit down and hit record with him because our conversations are interesting, different, they take unexpected turns, and are always, I find, insightful. In this conversation, we talk about personal confidence, taking risks in business, generosity of thought with peers, social media, AI… topics that are current, relevant, and I’d imagine close to mind across locale & industry.

Hello, welcome. This is your host, Lila. It’s good to be back. I took a little break from the podcast this past month to do some traveling and get some separation from the podcast to think about the future of it what I want it to be and how it can fit into my work and schedule. Update on the future of the podcast + recent travel & business of travel take-aways.

My guest today is Kemi, originally from the UK but residing in Vancouver Canada for the past 12 years. In the height of COVID, she decided to launch her own travel agency, Wells Luxury Travel, a boutique collective for advisors specializing in four key pillars: adventure, celebration, sustainability and wellness travel. In our discussion we go into her very candid business thinking behind starting an independent agency versus the more popular route of joining a larger host agency. Kemi is a member of the Travel + Leisure Advisory Board, is a featured A-Lister in their annual awards and sits on Virtuoso’s Global Member Advisory Board and the Canadian Board. She also sits on the advisory board for Lindblad Expeditions - National Geographic.

This conversation is most suited for those who are travel advisors, who may be wondering what’s next. Who may look at those running the host agency they’re beneath, wondering could I do that too? Or perhaps there’s a lot of noise, distraction, hard to know what is real or right, can I opt out? Or those like me, who felt like a host agency served them very well for a period of time, who may be looking around saying hey I’ve been here, I’ve given to them, they’ve given to me, it’s time for me to move up and on, and for someone else to fill my spot. 

I hope you all enjoy this conversation, this will be the last one for a bit as I head out on some travel abroad of my own. I plan to do a solo episode for you all, recapping my experience with this first collection of conversations, what I’ve learned, what I’ve loved, what topics may continue, what may change. 

My guest today is Sue Kasmar, from Santa Barbara California. She’s been in the travel industry since 1979, starting her career as a ticket agent for a local airline. Then she moved on to Corporate Travel for an agency in her hometown, then on to leisure advising. After battling over one too many $12 differences in Mexico or Hawaii packages, she began to feel like at that time it would be impossible to make a good living at being a travel agent. Then in 1994 she answered an ad from a Travel Executive looking for a Personal Assistant. It was as if the ad was written for her. That’s when she joined forces with a Virtuoso agency and learned the nuances of arranging travel for the very affluent From there, everything changed … and for the last 20 years, Sue has enjoyed a very nice living doing exactly what she loves, orchestrating her client’s travel dreams. 

Today Sue’s agency, by the same name, is a full member agency of the preeminent luxury travel consortium, Virtuoso. As is my agency. We're not tethered to a larger host agency. We each operate independently, with our own credentials, our own IATA numbers, our own metrics of success, and our own ways of doing business … uninfluenced. It’s a topic that isn't discussed nor encouraged in our industry. When is it time to leave from an employee position within a larger travel agency, or a hosted Independent Contractor sat beneath a host agency tiered umbrella, and obtain your own credentials your own IATA #, and fly independently on your own.

I hope you all enjoy this conversation, Thank you for being here.

My guest today is Lili who lives in Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana.  She’s many things, but I would say soul aligner sums her up best, for a mostly female clientele. She’s studied in the realms of Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Massage, Reflexotherapy, and yoga. Over the past decade, she’s delved even deeper into the tapestry of somatic work, release, energy healing, the intricate dance of mind and body, the enchanting power of voice and sound therapy, and the transformative art of breathwork. To guide individuals on a profound voyage of self-discovery. Lili’s genius shines brightest in the creation of her signature retreats, which are nothing short of intuitive and potent sanctuaries grounded in authenticity and presence. Here, individuals are invited to rediscover their essence and rekindle their soul’s mission. Emerging with a better understanding of themselves, their purpose, their strengths, more ready & confident to embrace their fullest potential. 

This conversation is deep, can be said a little heavier than the others thus far.

This conversation is probably most suited for those interested in alternative wellbeing modalities. Those who are either already familiar with or at least intrigued by astrology and body work. And those in particular who are private travel designers and retreat leaders in the wellness space. It’ll also be of interest to those, like Lili & me, who believe there should still be a larger conversation around what actually happened during Covid.

My guest today is Judith Volker, from Holland originally but residing in Vienna. She’s a hospitality and gourmet expert, who has worked throughout Europe in many different capacities from hotel management and hotel construction management, to event organization, marketing, and communication. Her focus is to create uncommon hospitality experiences and concepts that are interesting, inspiring, and against the norm. 

This conversation is probably most suited for those who are travel designers, arranging travel for a clientele who have high expectations, where you as the advisor may be running up against challenges within the traditional hotel framework, of not finding exactly what your guests are needing. For those high-end retreat leaders, again, not finding exactly what you’re needing for your group. Compromising, but at the detriment to the essence of the program, or the guest. Because there is not another solution in the market currently. It’ll also be of interest to those travel advisors who seek authenticity & serendipity in itinerary, but are always balancing that with the expectation of curating perfection.

Welcome. This is Lila and my guest today is Kornelia, the developer of naturopathic wellness treatments and wellness products, more specifically the creator of the SilberQuartzit Experience, shaped by nature, the mountains and forests of Northern Italy, where she’s from and still lives. Since her childhood she’s been fascinated by the hidden treasures of the Alps and the mysterious knowledge of the effects of plants and stones. Knowledge in rural healing traditions that have all been passed down for centuries through her family, and on to her.

This conversation is probably most suited for those interested in alternative wellbeing modalities. Those who aren’t freaked out by them, but intrigued. The tell me more types. And those in particular who are private travel designers and retreat leaders, who know their clientele, their guests very well, and with a specialty in sourcing unique and powerful wellbeing experiences that go beyond. It’ll also be of interest to those who are contemplating a change.

My guest today is Anne Biging, the visionary and CEO of Healing Hotels of the World, a collection of nearly 100 hotels in 36 countries and on 5 continents. She is also a co-founder of the HEALING SUMMIT, an annual conference for like-minded individuals to collaborate, raise awareness and inspire change for the better. This conversation is probably most suited for those interested in wellness, in healing modalities. And those in particular who are interested in them in the context of hospitality and programming – within hotels, resorts, private villas, and vessels that receive guests.

Travel, entrepreneurship, health, culture, spirituality. Life.

I started this podcast to interview friends, peers, practitioners of modalities, and people that I meet during my time on the road with whom I fall effortlessly into deep conversation. Those whose choices born from intellect inspire us to find more balance, joy, and success. I don’t do small talk. We go deep, layers. Every one of these people I find intriguing in their thought and path, their choices if you will. And it’s ultimately about the choices we make that determine our energy and ease with which life flows. We’re always choosing, how are you choosing?