Episode Overview:

 In this episode, the Tern team kicks off the first Flight Path episode of 2026 with a holiday recap and a look at what’s already shipping in the product. David Shull (CEO and co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) dive into dashboard time zone fixes, a new beta tool for merging duplicate bookings, and recent quality of life improvements. From doubling product velocity to focusing on advisors, agencies, and supplier integrations, it’s a clear look at where Tern is headed this year.

Episode Topics:

 (00:00) Welcome back to Flight Path

 David introduces the podcast, the team, and what listeners can expect in 2026.

(01:17) Holiday and life updates

 Molly shares Theo’s first birthday, Brad talks about starting the surrogate journey, and David reflects on preparing for twins.

(04:31) Dashboard time zone fixes

 Reporting numbers now reflect your local time, with prompts to confirm or update time zones when needed.

(06:53) Duplicate bookings tool beta

 Admins can now view and merge potential duplicate bookings, helping clean up data after imports or migrations.

(10:39) Why deduping matters

 The team explains how this unlocks better integrations and smoother agency and host migrations.

(13:11) Quality of life updates

 AISIS no longer creates extra empty flight legs, and property search now highlights enhanced listings.

(15:03) 2026 operating goal

 Tern aims to double shipping velocity using better structure, tooling, and AI.

(24:41) Engineering structure changes

 Engineers now work in focused pairs to increase parallel progress and weekly shipping.

(32:00) 2026 product pillars

 The team outlines three focus areas: best platform for advisors, winning with agencies of any size, and deeper supplier integrations.

(39:31) Supplier integrations ahead

 Momentum continues with insurance and other supplier integrations to help advisors sell faster.

(42:47) Week ahead

 Brad heads to South Africa, Molly works on agency lead tracking, and David focuses on the new website and marketing improvements.

Show Highlights:

 Local time zone reporting is now live on the dashboard

New beta tool helps merge duplicate bookings

AISIS flight creation issues resolved

Enhanced property listings are easier to identify

Clear 2026 roadmap focused on speed, quality, and scale

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team wraps up 2025 with a special year-end reflection. David Shull (CEO and co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share recent product updates, then look back on the biggest wins, hardest lessons, and most memorable moments of the year. From the redesigned client mobile app and commission reconciliation progress to honest lowlights and powerful advisor stories, it’s a fast-paced look at how Tern evolved in 2025. Plus, a preview of what the team is excited about heading into 2026.

Episode Topics: (00:00) End of Year Flight Path and What’s Ahead David introduces the year-end format and previews product updates, highlights, and learnings.

(01:16) Project Expedition Integration Improvements Brad covers updates to saving tours and option blocks in the library.

(03:02) Booking Automation and Auto-Attached Vouchers Authorized bookings now automatically include confirmations, commissions, and vouchers.

(03:55) Quality of Life Updates Improvements to website image importing and auto-filled document titles.

(05:15) Favorite Feature of 2025: Client Mobile App Molly shares why the redesigned app stands out, including offline mode and client actions.

(08:27) Favorite Feature of 2025: Commission Reconciliation Brad explains how reconciliation workflows now save agencies hours of work.

(10:18) Booking Integrations and Content Organization David highlights progress toward integrated booking workflows and better content organization.

(12:26) Learnings and Lowlights: Agency Implementations Brad discusses the complexity of migrating agencies from legacy systems.

(16:51) Community Feedback That Changed Priorities David reflects on feedback that reshaped Tern’s focus on simplicity.

(19:05) Trust and Transparency Lessons A candid look at a pricing miscommunication and what the team learned.

(19:39) Editor Migration Challenges Molly shares lessons from migrating legacy editor data and improving future rollouts.

(22:46) Memorable Advisor Moments Highlights from the user conference and industry events.

(25:31) Cancun Retreat and Poolside Training Brad recounts agency training sessions and unexpected moments.

(28:56) Cookies, Clicks, and Community Energy Molly shares lighthearted moments and advisor culture highlights.

(30:18) Emotional Moments on Stage Brad reflects on live reactions during the user conference keynote.

(32:19) Real Impact on Advisors’ Lives Molly shares powerful stories of time saved and lives changed.

(33:33) Team Gratitude and Reflection David reflects on the team retreat and building alongside an exceptional community.

(35:02) What’s Next in 2026 Molly previews an ambitious roadmap and a fully ramped team.

(36:08) Moving Faster and the Next User Conference David looks ahead to increased execution speed and New Orleans.

(37:40) Improving the Hardest Workflows Brad previews upcoming workflow improvements.

(38:08) Closing Thanks and Holiday Send-Off The team thanks the advisor community and closes out the year.

Show Highlights: Project Expedition tours can be saved individually or as reusable option blocks. Bookings now auto-attach confirmations, commissions, and vouchers. The client mobile app became a defining launch of 2025. Commission reconciliation now saves agencies significant time.

Episode Overview:

In this episode, the Tern team recaps an action packed week featuring their final 2025 webinar, major product milestones, and behind the scenes reflections from the entire R and D org. Hosts David Shull (CEO and Co founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) dive into the chaos, adrenaline, and community love surrounding the event. From faster trip planning improvements to the first ever fully automated booking flows in Tern, it is a fast paced look at how the platform is evolving to better support travel advisors. Plus, a peek into upcoming host agency tools and the future of AI powered trip building.

Episode Topics:

(00:00) Kicking Off and Community Appreciation

The hosts return after a short break, sharing gratitude for listeners and reacting to jaw dropping Spotify Wrapped stats.

(01:31) Post Webinar Hangover and Team Reflections

Brad and Molly talk about the energy and exhaustion of shipping a massive release, plus the emotional impact of seeing real time chat reactions from advisors.

(04:49) Webinar Recap and Behind the Scenes

David walks through the tightly timed final hours leading up to the event, engineering pushes at 1:30 AM, and the surreal moment of booking something live for the first time.

(07:40) Faster Trip Planning

Molly reveals a last minute surprise feature: drag and drop day swapping powered by AI assisted coding and quick engineering refinement.

(10:39) AI Assist Improvements

The team explains the move from 4.0 to 5.1 models, new agentic workflows, and the groundwork being laid for smarter, more interactive trip building.

(12:56) Your Photo Library in Tern

Brad breaks down why the new personal photo library is a game changer for advisors who rely on their own site visit media, and David explains how licensing and sharing permissions work.

(18:45) Upgraded Out of the Box Photos

Molly introduces the switch to Unsplash for higher quality default images and previews how AI will eventually auto suggest or auto insert relevant photos.

(22:03) The New Era of Booking in Tern

Brad and David outline the first integrations with Project Expedition and insurance partners, the philosophy behind eliminating admin heavy booking work, and the long term vision for a fully automated booking ecosystem.

(27:17) How Advisors Can Influence Integrations

A call to action for advisors to nudge their preferred suppliers toward integrating with Tern.

(29:56) Insurance Partners and Choice

David clarifies how Tern evaluates partners and why user demand and flexibility matter more than dictating supplier relationships.

(30:23) Host and Sub Agency Updates

Molly previews the forthcoming host agency model with multi layer accounting support, while she and David address unexpected community concerns around MLM terminology.

(34:08) Company Retreat and What’s Next

The team prepares for their annual retreat, outlines support expectations for the upcoming week, and previews a special year in review episode.

Show Highlights:

Major AI Assist improvements powered by the 5.1 model

New personal photo libraries that bring itineraries to life

The first ever live booking flow demonstrated in Tern

Stronger insurance and activity integrations that reduce admin

A new architecture for host and sub agency models

Upgraded Unsplash photo sourcing for beautiful itineraries

A surprise “swap days” feature that kills a thousand clicks

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team recaps a packed week leading into the upcoming December webinar. David Shull (CEO and Co Founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) dive into advisor training moments from the Cancun retreat, major improvements to agency contact ownership, new group trip signup enhancements, and fresh reporting filters that make sales insights cleaner. From behind the scenes of product architecture to Thanksgiving plans and annual strategy prep, it’s a lively look at how Tern is leveling up for advisors. Plus, a hint at Molly’s secret feature challenge for the webinar.

Episode Topics:

(00:01) Welcome and Episode Kickoff The team sets the stage for the pre Thanksgiving episode and previews the big December webinar.

(00:50) Brad’s Advisor Retreat and Integration Progress Brad shares highlights from live advisor training in Cancun and updates on booking flow integrations.

(03:17) Molly’s Annual Planning Deep Dive Molly walks through early 2026 planning, user conversations, and progress on agency structure architecture.

(05:15) David’s New Orleans Site Visit David recounts his first event site visit and previews how Tern is leveling up the 2026 user conference.

(09:24) What We Shipped: Agency Contact Ownership Molly explains new contact management controls that support different agency models and protect key relationships.

(14:19) Quality of Life Updates with Brad Brad shares improvements to the group trip signup flow, task contact shortcuts, and fixes to scheduling emails.

(19:03) Sales Reports and New Filters Molly announces a new filter to exclude noncommissionable bookings from reporting views.

(20:02) Looking Ahead: Webinar Prep and Holiday Chaos The team previews Thanksgiving plans, leadership offsite sessions, and final pushes toward the December webinar.

Show Highlights: Better agency tools that honor different contact ownership models Clearer group trip signup flow that reduces traveler confusion New reporting filters for cleaner, commission focused sales insights Fun behind the scenes previews of annual planning and webinar prep

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team kicks off with a warm welcome to Abby, Tern’s new Head of Customer Experience, as she joins David Shull (CEO and Co founder) and Molly Johnson (Head of Product). Together they dive into the past two weeks of conferences, new learnings from advisors, and the evolution of Tern’s CX strategy. From major AI Assist upgrades to improvements in agency workflows, it is a fast paced look at how Tern is building both smarter tools and a stronger customer support foundation. Plus, a sneak peek into the big reveals planned for the December 4 webinar.

Episode Topics:

(00:00) Week in Review

The team recaps CruiseWorld and the Signature Conference, Abby’s first trade show experiences, and life on the road during event season.

(06:37) What Customer Experience Means at Tern

Abby introduces her role and outlines how support, success, implementation, and training will now operate together to improve advisor outcomes.

(09:42) Topic Based Office Hours and Tern and Learn Improvements

How new flexible training formats help advisors join sessions when they actually need support.

(12:11) Balancing Learning Styles Across Agencies

The team discusses different user personas and how Tern is designing resources that work for Loom lovers, deep dive learners, and AI first advisors.

(17:31) Major AI Assist Upgrade Molly breaks down the new ability to automatically match hotels from PDFs to Tern’s verified database, enhancing itineraries with photos and structured details.

(23:30) Quality of Life Updates

From media tab improvements to commission payout logic and better group trip workflows, the team walks through the latest usability fixes.

(34:11) Additional Enhancements

Refreshed team management pages, display improvements for cruise room categories, and ongoing refinements based on Facebook group feedback.

(36:52) Looking Ahead

Planning for Tern’s next users conference, huge architectural upgrades, and big reveals coming in the December 4 webinar.

(39:15) CX Team Focus for Next Week

Support metrics, onboarding guides, agency training for year end commissions, and coverage planning for holidays and offsites.

Show Highlights:

New AI Assist enhancements that automatically match hotels to Tern’s database

Upcoming training improvements including topic based office hours

Better commission payout logic tied to overall trip dates Upgrades that make group trip collaboration more seamless Design refreshes that set the stage for large host agency tooling

Early hints at major December 4 webinar announcements

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives deep into what’s been happening across product, design, and strategy. Hosts David Shull (CEO and Co-Founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share updates from Cruise World, new supplier integrations, and major reporting improvements. From a peek at Tern’s long-term vision to how they’re scaling customer experience, it’s a jam-packed conversation on the evolution of Tern and what’s next.

Episode Topics: (00:52) Supplier Integrations and Insurance Partnerships

Brad shares behind-the-scenes work on new supplier and insurance integrations and what it takes to get them right.

(02:31) Host Agency Improvements

Molly breaks down the complexity of supporting multi-layer agency structures and how Tern is designing scalable solutions.

(06:05) Cruise World Highlights

David recaps Cruise World, including advisor feedback, sales training insights, and community takeaways.

(09:03) Addressing “Will Tern Sell?”

The team discusses long-term commitment, mission alignment, and why Tern’s here to stay.

(15:03) Project Expedition Tour Library

A new supplier integration goes live, saving advisors time with drag-and-drop tours and media-ready itineraries.

(25:24) Reporting Revamp and Legacy Cleanup

Molly unveils a fully updated reporting system with better filters, export options, and saved views.

(34:06) Quality of Life Updates

Brad outlines smaller but impactful changes, from workflow tag automation to improved contact import reliability.

(38:49) Looking Ahead: Customer Experience and AI Enhancements

David previews new leadership in customer success and Molly teases upcoming AI-powered itinerary improvements.

Show Highlights:

• New tour integrations through Project Expedition now in beta

• Smarter reporting with filters, exports, and saved views

• Tern’s leadership reaffirms its long-term vision and independence

• Big strides in support structure and user experience

• Upcoming AI photo and content enhancements to speed up trip planning

Episode Overview: In this Halloween edition of Flight Path, the Tern team including David (CEO and Co-founder), Brad (Head of Design), and Molly (Head of Product) share major platform updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the rollercoaster week that brought them to life. From launching Tern’s first tour integration with Project Expedition to fresh reporting enhancements and email system recovery, this episode is packed with insight, innovation, and a little Halloween spirit.

Episode Topics:

(00:00) Halloween Kickoff and Weekly Check-In

The team shares their Halloween plans, family costumes, and a few funny moments before diving into the week’s highlights.

(05:34) Global Search Enhancements

Molly outlines improvements to Tern’s new Global Search, including faster load times, clickable confirmation chips, and refined keyboard shortcuts.

(10:47) Introducing Project Expedition Integration

Brad demos Tern’s newest integration with Project Expedition, enabling advisors to search, add, and share 34,000+ tours directly within Tern itineraries.

(22:06) Analytics and Reporting Updates

Molly unveils big upgrades such as saved views, sticky filters, new location-based reporting, and property insights by nightly volume, making analytics smarter and easier to use.

(28:26) Quality of Life Improvements

Brad and Molly highlight cleaner traveler preference lists, insurance confirmation fixes, UI improvements, and the full migration to Tern’s new payments model.

(32:34) Behind the Scenes: The Email Incident

David and the team pull back the curtain on a major spam-related incident, how it was detected, the emergency response process, and the steps taken to strengthen Tern’s email systems.

(43:21) Wrap-Up and What’s Ahead

The team signs off with thanks, a reminder to subscribe, and a teaser for exciting new updates coming next week.

Show Highlights:

• A first-of-its-kind integration with Project Expedition for in-platform tour discovery and booking

• Smarter reporting tools with saved filters and new location-based insights

• Major performance upgrades to Global Search and payment systems

• A transparent look at Tern’s real-time incident response process

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team reunites after a few busy weeks of travel, product launches, and webinars. David Shull (Co-founder & CEO), Molly Johnson (Head of Product), and Brad Turner (Head of Design) dive into the whirlwind of events that kept them on the move, from industry conferences and advisor meetups to a founder retreat in Utah. They share insights from Tern’s latest webinar, unpack the brand-new Global Search feature, and tease upcoming integrations and updates designed to help advisors plan trips even faster.

Episode Topics:

(00:01) Catching Up

David, Molly, and Brad share highlights from their travels, including cruises, conferences, and advisor meetups across the country.

(08:20) Webinar Recap

The team reflects on their latest product webinar, from unveiling the Project Expedition integration to discussing Tern’s five-year vision for transforming the travel industry.

(15:34) Product Deep Dive: Global Search

Molly and Brad walk through the launch of Tern’s powerful new Global Search feature, explaining how it helps advisors find trips, contacts, and more in seconds.

(31:22) Quality of Life Updates

Rapid-fire updates include improved multi-currency visibility, new document tabs, a smarter text editor for small screens, and time-saving payout email automation.

(37:15) The Week Ahead

Brad preps for the first Project Expedition integration release, Molly works on host sub-agency hierarchies, and David gets ready for CruiseWorld and a Tern community happy hour.

Show Highlights:

• Global Search: lightning-fast navigation across trips and contacts

• Project Expedition integration: seamless tour booking directly in Tern

• Behind the scenes of Tern’s one-week product shipping cycle

• Quality of life updates that make everyday workflows smoother

• Upcoming CruiseWorld event and community celebration

Episode Overview: In this episode, Brad hosts while CEO David is away, joined by Product Manager David Tilly and Designer Ursula. The trio dives into Tern’s latest updates for agency admins, including the brand-new agency dashboard, automated payout emails, and design refinements that make the platform faster and more intuitive. They also tease upcoming features like global search and next-level trip planning powered by smarter design patterns and AI.

Episode Topics: (00:01) Welcome and Webinar Reminder Brad shares details on next week’s “Vision for 2030” webinar and reminds listeners to subscribe for updates.

(02:11) Meet David Tilly New Product Manager David Tilly reflects on joining Tern, working across squads, and helping deliver the new agency dashboard.

(04:07) Design Team Insights Ursula talks about dashboard design details, shaded icons, and how real-world inspiration drives Tern’s product aesthetic.

(06:53) Agency Dashboard Launch The team explains what’s new for agency admins, from graphs and analytics to performance improvements and future payment integration.

(13:17) New Payout Email Feature Ursula introduces automated agent payout emails with customizable messages and saved templates for recurring notes.

(15:26) Itinerary PDF Improvements Brad and the team discuss better formatting, spacing, and styling in exported itineraries, making them more client-ready.

(19:39) Quality of Life Updates Smaller but impactful updates to folders, calendar filters, and analytics calculations make the platform smoother for advisors.

(23:09) Coming Soon: Global Search David shares progress on Tern’s upcoming global search, allowing advisors to find trips and travelers faster than ever.

(27:48) Designing for 10x Faster Trip Planning Ursula previews design exploration toward AI-enhanced workflows and more visual, chip-based navigation.

(29:57) What’s Next Brad teases the upcoming partner integration and next week’s major vision webinar.

Show Highlights:

• Launch of the new agency dashboard with admin-level insights

• Automated “Woohoo, you’re getting paid!” payout emails • Updated itinerary PDFs that look great and save space

• Improved calendar syncing and analytics accuracy

• Sneak peek at global search and faster trip planning tools

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team takes listeners behind the scenes with guest host Brad Turner, filling in for CEO David, joined by Head of Product Molly Johnson and Product Designer Ursula. From Cancun conferences to dashboard polish, the trio covers new product updates, design wins, and the hilariously named “chips and subs” projects. Expect insights on UI improvements, mobile responsiveness, and the latest in Tern’s ongoing quest to streamline workflows for travel advisors.

Episode Topics: (00:01)

Welcome and Introductions

Brad steps in as guest host while David is away and introduces designer Ursula for her podcast debut.

(01:20) What Are “Chips”?

Ursula explains how interactive UI chips make navigation smoother across Tern’s dashboard and global search.

(03:06) “Subs” and the Host Agency Hierarchy

Molly dives into the new sub-agency model, nicknamed the “sub sandwich,” and how it will better reflect real-world agency structures.

(05:06) Industry Events and Advisor Insights

Brad reports from Cancun’s Classic Vacations Save the Date Live, sharing advisor feedback from destination wedding specialists.

(06:39) Folders for Workflows Launch

Molly and Ursula celebrate the final piece of Tern’s folder rollout, bringing organization across every type of library item.

(08:52) Document Organization Overhaul

The team ships an improved document system that reduces clicks and merges activity and trip-level documents for easier access.

(11:35) Quality of Life Updates

Ursula shares UI polish and mobile responsiveness improvements, including redesigned settings layouts and refined dashboard icons.

(17:27) Payments Improvements

Molly simplifies how $0 items display in the new payments model, removing unnecessary “unpaid” statuses for cleaner management.

(20:23) Looking Ahead

Brad previews a PDF itinerary style refresh, Molly teases a secret advisor conference, and Ursula outlines the next wave of sub-agency design work.

Show Highlights:

• Folders for workflows officially complete Tern’s organization suite

• Improved document handling eliminates redundant uploads and extra clicks

• Dashboard icons and settings layouts receive thoughtful design updates

• Payments tab cleaned up for easier viewing of $0 items

• Preview of refreshed PDF itineraries and upcoming AI trip building tools