This season, Trade Secrets is hosting the Trade Secrets Tech Summit. Every Monday, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada will feature a different travel technology company that works with travel advisors. A representative from the featured company will begin with a five-minute elevator pitch to tell advisors about their product, followed by a 15-minute Q-and-A with the hosts.

This week’s featured company is the Hive, represented by founder and CEO Whitney Shindelar.

Trade Secrets is using Host Agency Reviews’ list of technology providers as a basis for this season. If a technology company doesn’t have a profile, advisors are encouraged to send a link to the hosts to be added to the list. 

This episode was sponsored by the Travel Corporation.

Further resources

The Hive online and on Instagram

The Hive on Host Agency Reviews

Whitney Shindelar’s previous appearance on Trade Secrets, talking about mentorship in the industry

Get in touch!

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This season, Trade Secrets is hosting the Trade Secrets Tech Summit. Every Monday, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada will feature a different travel technology company that works with travel advisors. A representative from the featured company will begin with a 5-minute elevator pitch to tell advisors about their product, followed by a 15-minute Q-and-A with the hosts.

This week’s featured company is Tern, represented by co-founder and CEO David Shull.

Trade Secrets is using Host Agency Reviews’ list of technology providers as a basis for this season. If a technology company doesn’t have a profile, advisors are encouraged to send a link to the hosts to be added to the list. 

This episode was sponsored by the Travel Corporation.

Further resources

Tern’s website

David’s email

Tern’s Facebook group for users

Get in touch!

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Secrets is back for its sixth season, but with a twist: Welcome to the Trade Secrets Tech Summit. Every week — you read that right, Trade Secrets is going weekly in season six — co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada will invite a travel agency technology provider on the show. They’ll discuss their tech and how it can help travel advisors’ businesses.

Trade Secrets is using Host Agency Reviews’ list of travel agency software as a jumping-off point for the companies to feature, but listeners are invited to submit any other companies by emailing [email protected].

The new season will premiere on Monday, March 3.

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special bonus episode, Trade Secrets is all about content — and why travel advisors should get theirs off social media and into an email newsletter. Kayla Douglas, director of content for SmartFlyer in New York, delves into the world of Substack with co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada. And, stay tuned after the episode for some exciting announcements about season six of Trade Secrets.

This episode was released in conjunction with a Humans in the Hot Seat episode (part of TravelAge West’s Humans of Travel podcast), featuring Erina Pindar, COO and managing partner at SmartFlyer.

This episode was sponsored by Riverside Luxury Cruises. 

Further resources

Kayla Douglas’ email, Instagram and Substack

SmartFlyer Core coverage

• From TravelAge West: Five things we learned at SmartFlyer’s 2025 Core Conference
• From Travel Weekly: Will luxury travel slow down? One expert expects a dip in hotel rates

Mentioned on this episode:

• Substack
• Emma’s substack
• Flodesk
• Mailchimp
• Stephanie Lee’s most recent appearance on Trade Secrets
• Host Agency Reviews’ travel agency software profiles

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Secrets is on a winter break. We're sharing some of our favorite episodes until we return.

Travel advisors, how do you handle it when a client has unrealistic expectations? What if they ask to stay at a property you wouldn’t recommend (especially if they serve truly lackluster midnight hotdogs)? What do you do when their budget is unrealistic for the trip they want? Or, what if they have a really bad experience while they’re in-destination? Get advice on all that and more in this week’s episode of Trade Secrets, where co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada are joined by Abbey Meyer, CEO of Sky High Travel in St. Louis, Missouri.

This episode was sponsored by Collette.

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Secrets is on a winter break. We're sharing some of our favorite episodes until we return. 

This week, we're featuring one of our most popular episodes from season five. New travel advisors, look no further than this episode of Trade Secrets for advice on everything from setting up your business, to finding clients, to prioritizing fam trip destinations. Co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada are joined by KHM Travel Group’s Bill Coyle, vice president of agent engagement, to tackle listener questions on that and more.

Trade Secrets will return with season six in early 2025.

This episode was sponsored by Collette.

 

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Secrets is on a holiday break. We're sharing some of our favorite episodes until we return.

This week, we're featuring our first episode of season five. Hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada welcome Nexion Travel Group president Jackie Friedman on the show to talk about the value of travel advisors. They discuss the modern history of the profession and the evolution from “agent” to “advisor,” then answer listener questions about standing out from the crowd, how advisors can sell their own value and what makes a good elevator pitch.

Trade Secrets will return with season six in early 2025.

 

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Secrets is on a holiday break. We're sharing some of our favorite episodes until we return.

This week, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada welcome Royal Caribbean’s Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service, and Jamie Margolis, owner of the Dream Vacations franchise Moms at Sea. During the episode, Freed and Margolis talk about the importance of forming — and maintaining — a good agent-supplier relationship, the “unicorn” cabins onboard Royal Caribbean ships that offer more space for less money, the value proposition of cruising and more.

Trade Secrets will return with season six in early 2025.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the season finale of Trade Secrets, co-hosts Jamie Biesiada and Emma Weissmann share their top 25 travel predictions for 2025, covering everything from trends in the travel agency and tech landscape to destinations and travel styles they have their eyes on for the coming year. They also share some exciting news – Trade Secrets recently took home an award for Best Travel/Leisure Podcast in the annual Eddie and Ozzie Awards!

The sixth season of Trade Secrets will debut in early 2025.

Further resources

Mentioned on the show:

• From TravelAge West, The top 5 trends for 2025

• From TravelAge West, This cruise expert reached $3 million in annual sales using TikTok

• From Travel Weekly, Women-only tours: A niche that is going mainstream

• From Travel Weekly, Summer of the destination ‘dupes’

• From Travel Weekly, A host of problems

• Host Agency Reviews’ Travel Agency Software Profiles

• Tern

• Approach Guides

• Epic Universe

• From Travel Weekly, more about Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas

• Travel Weekly’s 2024 Travel Industry Survey

• From Travel Weekly, some reading on different aircraft designs being developed

• The new autonomous wheelchairs at Miami Airport

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From ASTA’s fight against American Airlines’ distribution strategy to the Taylor Swift effect on the travel industry, 2024 was bursting with headlines that affected travel advisors. This week on Trade Secrets, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada talk about the major travel trends and events that shaped the agency landscape.

Further resources

Mentioned on the show:

• Trade Secrets episode featuring Andrea Grisdale and a discussion on Italy

• Trade Secrets episode featuring David Kolner and a discussion on generational travel

• Emma on the Taylor Swift cruise

• SNAP, an air booking tool developed by Internova Travel Group and Sabre
• Omar Banihani's TravelAge West op-ed about the evolution of home-based advisors
• Some reading on American Airlines and its distribution strategy, including the fallout
  • A win for travel advisors: American Airlines scraps controversial NDC strategy
  • A victory for travel advisors was cause for celebration at the ASTA conference
  • Alienating travel agencies could cost American Airlines $1.5 billion
  • American Airlines unveils revised NDC plans, returns fares to GDSs
  • American rebuilds sales staff, trying to win back agencies and corporates
  • American Airlines says it is gradually winning back corporate business
• Travel Weekly's 2024 Power List
• Some reading (and listening) on Jenn Lee's Vacation Planners

Need advice?

Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.