TIQUE Talks: The Business Podcast for Travel Advisors

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26! Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

Forget the "just start." While waiting for perfection will keep you stuck, jumping in before your business is ready can cost you far more than lost time. In this Hot Take, Jennifer and Robin challenge the idea that taking action without preparation is always the right move. They discuss what being "ready" really means, from building repeatable systems and pricing with intention to creating a client experience that earns trust from day one. If you're building a business designed to last, this episode will help you start smarter…not just sooner.

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Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:

• Travel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs
• Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisors

"Charge fees, please." That's the entire episode in one sentence, according to Robin. But if it were that simple, every travel advisor would already be doing it. In this third episode of the Summer Boundaries Series, Jennifer and Robin dig into the money conversation many advisors avoid: minimum budgets, planning fees, and the contracts that back them up. They break down why a per-day minimum protects your profit margin better than a flat trip minimum, why "deal" and "discount" quietly train clients to negotiate you down, and how your marketing sets budget expectations before a client ever fills out an inquiry form. Plus, the math behind a sustainable minimum and how to word an inquiry form so low-budget leads self-select out. If you've ever resented a client for how little they spent, or you're not sure how to introduce fees without losing longtime clients, this episode gives you the framework and the exact language to fix it!

Today we will cover:

• (03:25) Why set a minimum budget
• (11:35) How to find your starting minimum budget
• (16:05) Structuring inquiry form questions
• (22:35) Planning fees vs. minimum budgets: which matters more
• (29:30) Service suites and itemized packages to prevent scope creep
• (36:30) Why contracts matter; making promises mutual and enforceable

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• Scaling With Systems – Learn the systems Jennifer and Robin use to create boundaries, streamline operations, and scale a travel business without sacrificing client experience.

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26. Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26! Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

Think having processes makes your business feel too rigid? Think again! In this Hot Take, Jennifer and Robin explain why clear workflows, written policies, and firm boundaries create a better client experience while protecting your time, profitability, and sanity. They share real-world examples of planning fees, cancellation policies, inquiry forms, and business boundaries to show how having a standard makes your exceptions meaningful instead of expected. Plus, they discuss why documenting exceptions, communicating them clearly, and resisting the urge to make decisions based on "vibes" are essential for building a business that scales without sacrificing the personal touch.

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:

• Travel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs
• Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisors

If you're constantly answering calls, responding to texts, and making yourself available 24/7, you're probably losing more time and money than you realize. Jennifer and Robin continue their Summer Boundaries Series with a deep dive into phone habits. Building on the email boundaries conversation from the last episode, they make the case that being accessible and being constantly available are two different things, and that real growth requires protecting your time from an always-on phone. They walk through scheduling systems, voicemail scripts, call pricing, and where agentic AI is already starting to change how advisors capture and manage phone inquiries.

Today we will cover:

• (02:30) Meetings that should have been emails
• (09:00) The voicemail script every travel advisor needs
• (15:10) How AI can qualify leads and schedule inquiries
• (22:55) Protecting your deep work time
• (29:00) When and how to charge for additional calls
• (33:30) Setting clear expectations with every client

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• Scaling With Systems – Learn the systems Jennifer and Robin use to create boundaries, streamline operations, and scale a travel business without sacrificing client experience.
• How We Work & Investment Guide – Set clear expectations before discovery calls and help qualified leads understand your process before they book.
• What To Do When Guide – Give clients a single resource that explains what to do before, during, and while traveling to reduce unnecessary emails.
• Sales Call Roadmap Freebie – A 15-page roadmap to rock your next intake call with niche specific questions & more.
• Episode 209. Hot Take: Stop Avoiding Loom

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26. Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Would you rather spend $35 a month on a CRM, or $3,000 on a FAM for the one Turkey lead you'll get in four years? If you flinched at the CRM number, we need to talk. In this Hot Take, Jennifer and Robin call out one of the travel industry's favorite delusions: advisors happily investing in FAMs but hesitating to invest in the systems, education, and expertise that grow their businesses. They share the biggest investments they've made (including a whopping $20,000 website and $10,000+ in AI education), why those purchases have paid for themselves many times over, and the simple question you should ask before spending another dollar on your business.

Ready to actually invest in your business instead of your carry-on? Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26! Three days, nine sessions, and practical strategies you can implement immediately to build a more profitable, efficient travel business. Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:

• Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisors
• Travel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs

In this first episode of the Summer Boundaries Series, Jennifer and Robin explain why your inbox might be running your business instead of supporting it. They share strategies for setting office hours, creating autoresponders that improve the client experience, using email signatures to reinforce boundaries, and building forms and automations that eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth. They also discuss the mindset shift every business owner needs to make: being constantly available isn't the same as delivering exceptional service. When your communication systems create clarity, your clients feel more confident, your business becomes more scalable, and you finally have the space to work on your business instead of spending every day reacting to your inbox.

Today we will cover:

• (02:45) Why your inbox shouldn't be your task manager
• (09:15) What every travel advisor should include in an autoresponder
• (16:15) Using your email signature to reinforce boundaries and reduce liability
• (26:35) Simple automations that save time without sacrificing personalization
• (35:15) How proactive communication dramatically reduces incoming emails
• (42:50) Why CEOs prioritize deep work over constant inbox management

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• Scaling With Systems – Learn the systems Jennifer and Robin use to create boundaries, streamline operations, and scale a travel business without sacrificing client experience.
• How We Work & Investment Guide – Set clear expectations before discovery calls and help qualified leads understand your process before they book.
• What To Do When Guide – Give clients a single resource that explains what to do before, during, and while traveling to reduce unnecessary emails.
• Client Onboarding Guide – Create a seamless onboarding experience and answer common questions before they arise.
• Client Experience Templates – Ready-to-use email templates, forms, workflows, and client touchpoints designed to create a consistent, scalable client experience.

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26. Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26. Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT!

Think you're annoying your audience? You're giving yourself way too much credit. Most people aren't seeing your content in the first place. In this Hot Take, Jennifer and Robin explain why the fear of "posting too much" is costing travel advisors potential clients, why confidence converts, and why the businesses that win are the ones willing to show up long after everyone else gets uncomfortable. And don't stop when the episode ends - stick around for the blooper reel, where things go completely off the rails!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:

• Travel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs
• Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisors

New levels, new devils. The strategies that get you to $1 million in sales aren't necessarily the same ones that will get you to $3 million. Angie Licea of Global Travel Collection shares the mindset shifts, systems, and leadership habits she sees among top-performing advisors, along with advice for building a business that grows with you instead of consuming you. From delegation and team structure to defining your value and avoiding burnout, this episode is full of actionable takeaways for advisors who want to scale with intention.

About Angie Licea:

Angie is President of Global Travel Collection (GTC), a division of Internova Travel Group and a $2.3 billion travel agency representing more than 1,500 independent advisors. With over 36 years in the travel industry, Angie has held leadership roles at US Airways, American Express/Rosenbluth International, and Travel Leaders Group. Today, she is passionate about helping travel advisors grow thriving businesses while championing the value of personalized service and the human touch in travel.

instagram.com/globaltravelcollection

joinus.globaltravelcollection.com

Today we will cover:

• (01:30) Meet Angie Licea
• (03:10) Why the jump from $1M to $3M is different
• (09:00) Infrastructure, processes, and avoiding shiny objects
• (20:00) Work-life balance and avoiding burnout
• (29:20) What Highly Successful Advisors Do Differently
• (34:50) There is no wrong way to build your business
• (43:05) Diversifying without diluting your niche

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

How We Work & Investment Guide

Join the Niche Community

→ Grab Your Ticket to The Travel Business Intensive! Early bird pricing of $295 available through July 14!

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You can't build a business around a blurry goal! In this Hot Take, Jennifer and Robin explain why every successful travel advisor needs a long-term vision before setting goals. They share the mistakes they made early in business, unpack the difference between vision and goals, and discuss how your pricing, offers, team, and daily decisions should all support the business (and life) you ultimately want to build. If you're ready to stop making reactionary decisions and start growing your travel business with intention, don't miss Jennifer's closing session at the Travel Business Intensive (August 24-26), where she'll help you turn your vision into a practical plan for growth! → Grab Your Ticket - Early bird pricing of $295 available through July 14!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:

• Travel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs
• Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisors

Building a successful travel business shouldn't come at the expense of your life. Mimi Lichtenstein, Founder of Truvay Travel, has created a thriving referral-only boutique advisory by putting her health, family, and priorities on the calendar before work ever begins. In this episode, she shares how intentional planning, time blocking, client boundaries, and smarter systems have helped her grow a profitable business without sacrificing the freedom that drew her to entrepreneurship in the first place. If you're ready to stop reacting to your calendar and start designing your business with intention, this episode is full of actionable ideas you can implement immediately!

About Mimi Lichtenstein:

Mimi didn't set out to become a luxury travel advisor. She set out to live a really good life - and somewhere along the way, helping others do the same became her work. After a year-long family sabbatical in Spain, she founded Truvay Travel, a referral-only boutique advisory based in Hanover, NH - and has been recognized as a Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist for four consecutive years. Her approach is built on real connection, intentional contrast - street food and Michelin stars, refugios and five-star lodges - and a life designed the same way: health, family, and play first. Work built around them.

truvaytravel.com

linkedin.com/in/mimi-lichtenstein

instagram.com/truvaytravel

Today we will cover:

• (02:30) Mimi's journey to becoming a travel advisor
• (05:10) Why scheduling your priorities first leads to greater productivity
• (09:00) Time-blocking and weekly planning strategies
• (14:00) How to reduce decision fatigue and avoid burnout
• (19:55) The importance of setting boundaries with clients
• (34:45) Why saying "no" can help you build a more profitable business

→ Grab Your Ticket to The Travel Business Intensive! Early bird pricing of $295 available through July 14!

FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ