This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway is joined by Sarah Key, founder of The Keys to Travel.

Sarah shares her journey from corporate life to building a travel business that supports both her professional growth and personal life. From taking the leap into entrepreneurship to switching host agencies and navigating motherhood with two young kids, she offers an honest look at what it really takes to grow a business that evolves with you.

They also talk about building a brand that attracts the right clients, the role of community in long-term success, and how Sarah is creating more meaningful experiences through long-term travel planning for her clients.

If you’ve ever wondered how to create more flexibility, grow with intention, and build a business that fits your life, this episode will give you a grounded and practical perspective.

The Keys to Travel website: https://thekeystotravel.com/

Sarah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahrosekey

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Roseann Coyle of Sun Drenched Travel. A travel advisor, mentor inside Gifted Travel Network, and former insurance industry leader, Roseann brings a perspective most advisors never get access to, but absolutely need.

In this conversation, she breaks down why travel insurance should never be an afterthought. From common misconceptions to the risks of supplier plans versus third-party coverage, Roseann shares how a clearer understanding of insurance helps advisors better serve their clients while also creating an additional stream of revenue.

Beyond insurance, this episode explores how thoughtful touches like gifting can strengthen client relationships, what it really looks like to scale before you feel ready, and why many advisors get stuck when they don’t know their next step.

This episode is a reminder that building a successful travel business is not just about booking trips. It is about protecting your clients, creating meaningful experiences, and making decisions that support long-term growth.

🔗Roseann's website: https://www.sundrenchedtravel.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Robin Cline, founder of Cline & Co Travel Consulting. A former entrepreneur turned luxury travel advisor, Robin has built a highly successful, referral-driven business rooted in clarity, service, and strong client relationships.

Robin shares what it really looked like to launch her travel business just before the world shut down in 2020, and how she used that unexpected time to build a strong foundation. With a background working alongside high-net-worth clients in previous industries, she brought a unique perspective into travel, one that shaped her approach to service, branding, and client experience from the very beginning.

Throughout the conversation, Robin offers a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to move from “taking any client” to building a business that aligns with your strengths, interests, and long-term goals. She also breaks down how she scaled intentionally by hiring early, refining her workflows, and focusing on relationships that naturally lead to repeat business and referrals.

They also explore:

• Transitioning into travel during an uncertain time
• The importance of understanding your ideal client early on
• Why saying yes to everything can slow your growth
• Building a brand that creates trust and confidence
• Hiring before you feel “ready” and why it matters
• Creating a client experience that drives referrals and loyalty

Whether you’re just starting out or refining an established business, Robin Cline’s story is a thoughtful reminder that success in travel doesn’t come from doing everything, it comes from doing the right things well.

Robin's website: https://clineandcotravel.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Jennifer Jacob, Co-Founder of Tique HQ and host of the Tique Talks podcast. After scaling a multi-million dollar travel agency, Jennifer shifted her focus to helping advisors build more structured, sustainable businesses.In this conversation, Jennifer shares how her journey in travel evolved and why so many advisors struggle to grow without the right systems in place. As her business expanded, she saw firsthand how quickly success can turn into overwhelm when operations are not built to support it.Together, Meredith and Jennifer unpack what actually drives sustainable growth, from hiring and delegation to documentation and workflows. It is a practical look at how to build a business that runs consistently, not one that relies entirely on you.They also explore:• Why systems are the foundation of sustainable growth• The difference between personalization and consistency• What advisors often misunderstand about hiring• Jennifer’s perspective on W-2 employees versus contractors• How documentation creates freedom• The shift from travel advisor to business ownerWhether you are feeling stretched thin or thinking about your next stage of growth, Jennifer offers a clear reminder that long-term success is built on structure, not just sales.

Tique HQ Website: https://tinyurl.com/3mm647v7Jennifer Jacob's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/yr3wmrrb

This week we had a special live recording of The Travel Business Unpacked podcast where we got to dive into one of the most powerful growth strategies in luxury travel: river cruise groups.

In this dynamic, candid panel conversation, host Meredith Calloway was joined by Gifted Travel Network advisors Carol Mckee (Mckee Travel), Patti Mills-Roy (Mills-Roy Luxury Travel), Emer Coughlin (Celtic Hearts Travel), and Sandy Lipkowitz (Sterling Journeys) where they shared how they have successfully built and filled profitable river cruise groups within their businesses.

They unpacked the real strategies behind their results, including:

• How they identified and developed special-interest group concepts
• Where they found the right audiences and how they positioned their offers
• The marketing approaches that actually filled their sailings
• The operational systems that kept their groups organized and profitable
• Lessons learned, pivots made, and what they would do differently

Whether you are new to group strategy or looking to refine and scale what you are already doing, this conversation will offer practical insight from advisors who have successfully integrated river cruise groups into sustainable, growth-minded travel businesses.

Celtic Hearts Travel: https://celticheartstravel.com/

Mckee Travel: https://www.mckeetravel.com/

Mills-Roy Luxury Travel: https://www.millsroyluxurytravel.com/

Sterling Journeys: https://sterlingjourneys.com/

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Sandy Saburn, Chief Communications Officer at Gifted Travel Network, steps in as host and is joined by Kristin Matthews, Vice President of Professional Development.

Together, they unpack one of the most overlooked but essential parts of running a travel business: crisis management.

From flight disruptions to global uncertainty, Kristin shares how advisors can prepare for the unexpected, communicate with confidence, and support clients through stressful situations. The conversation also explores the emotional side of navigating challenges as a solopreneur, and why having a strong community matters more than ever.

They also explore:
• Proactive steps advisors can take before issues arise
• How to stay informed using reliable, real-time sources
• Why travel insurance is a critical part of client care
• Communication strategies that build trust during uncertainty
• How to prioritize and support clients in real time
• The role of community in navigating high-stress situations

This episode offers a practical and honest look at the side of the travel industry that clients don’t always see, but that defines true professionalism.

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Gifted Travel Network’s Chief Communications Officer, Sandy Saburn, to unpack how travel advisors can make the most of industry events. From deciding which events are worth the investment to building meaningful relationships on-site and following up in a way that drives revenue, Sandy shares her practical 3R framework: Research, Relationships, and Revenue.Together, Meredith and Sandy talk through how to approach conferences, expos, and industry gatherings with a clear plan before you go, while you’re there, and after you get home. They also discuss why host agency and consortia events should often be top priorities, how to avoid common mistakes advisors make at events, and how to turn what you learn into content, client conversations, and real business growth.If you’ve ever wondered how to stop attending industry events passively and start using them strategically, this episode is packed with practical insight to help you do exactly that.

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lange Taylor, founder of Taylor Luxury Travel. A former advertising executive turned luxury travel advisor, Lange shares how he built a seven-figure business by combining business acumen, a love of food and wine, and a willingness to start before he had everything figured out.

In this conversation, Lange reflects on what it looked like to leave a successful corporate career and step into an entirely new industry during a season of uncertainty. He opens up about the early learning curve, the temptation to say yes to everything, and the mindset shift that helped him refine his niche, attract better-fit clients, and create more meaningful travel experiences.

Whether you are just starting out or thinking about how to grow more sustainably, Lange’s story is a thoughtful look at what it takes to build a travel business that reflects both your strengths and your values.

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is flying solo for a new style of episode centered around your most frequently asked questions. The theme is simple: starting from scratch.

If you’re still in the discovery phase, researching host agencies, wondering whether this is a legitimate career path, or quietly asking yourself if you could actually make real money doing this, this episode was created for you.

Meredith unpacks what a modern travel advisor truly does today and why the role looks very different than it did decades ago. She addresses the income question directly, including why so many new advisors unintentionally build hobby businesses instead of profitable ones. She also walks through the purpose of a host agency, whether certifications matter, what kind of commitment is required, and why luxury travel presents such a significant opportunity right now.

If you’ve been circling this profession and trying to separate fantasy from fact, this conversation will help you understand what it actually takes to build a six-figure earning travel business and whether you’re ready to commit to it.

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Margaret Critz, founder of For the Good Times Travel and a current Travel MBA student. After working 25 years in corporate IT for the insurance industry, Margaret made the bold decision to leave stability behind and reinvent her career through travel. 

In this episode, she shares what that leap really looked like. From becoming nomadic to spending months immersed in Ireland, Margaret didn’t just start a travel business, she built one rooted in storytelling, slow travel, and intentional growth. She opens up about the difference between simply becoming an advisor and building a real business, why industry-specific education matters more than general business knowledge, and how she moved from fearful first inquiries to confidently filling a curated small-group experience in Northern Ireland. 

Whether you’re considering a second chapter or looking to grow your business with more clarity and intention, Margaret’s story is a candid reminder that reinvention is possible when courage meets the right foundation.