Trade Secrets is on a winter break but will return with new episodes in just two weeks, on Monday, Feb. 16. Until then, please enjoy this old favorite.

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.

This episode was sponsored by the Globus family of brands. 

Further resources

Connect with KHM Travel Group online, on Facebook, on Instagram, on YouTube and on LinkedIn

Encompass the World Travel, Bill Coyle’s family agency

Mentioned in this episode and related reading:

• From Travel Weekly, stories on card mills and the history of host agencies
• Travel Weekly’s Legal Briefs column by industry attorney Mark Pestronk (many articles talk about terms and conditions)
• From TravelAge West, an article on terms and conditions by industry attorney Jeffrey Ment
• The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) and its educational offerings
• The Travel Institute 
• The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and its educational offerings
• Trade Secrets episode on fam trips

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 but will return with new episodes in early 2026. For now, enjoy some old favorites.

Welcome to season five of Trade Secrets. In this episode, 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.

This episode was sponsored by the Globus family of brands. 

Further resources

Nexion Travel Group on the web

Reach out to Jackie Friedman via email

Mentioned in this episode:

• Erica Carr’s bookitbox Travel
• Christine Potthoff’s travel beCAUSE
• Courtnie Nichols’ client gifting strategy

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 but will return with new episodes in early 2026. For now, enjoy some old favorites.

When it’s time to expand your business, what’s the best way to do it? Should you hire independent contractors, employees or assistants? Then, once they’re onboarded, how do you effectively train — and, subsequently, trust — your new people? All that and more is covered in this week’s Trade Secrets, when co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada talk business expansion with Julie Lanham, president of Vacations to Remember in Augusta, Ga.

This episode was sponsored by the Globus family of brands. 

Further resources

Julie Lanham on Instagram 

Mentioned in this episode:

• From TravelAge West: Why you should consider hiring an international virtual assistant
• From TravelAge West: Travel agencies are struggling to hire qualified advisors, according to a new survey
• Lucia

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 but will return with new episodes in early 2026. For now, enjoy some old favorites.

This week, Trade Secrets takes on the world. Jennifer Doncsecz of VIP Vacations returns to the podcast to discuss her specialty: destination weddings and honeymoons. She talks about everything from getting started selling destination weddings and honeymoons, to turning those travelers into clients for life. Then, she answers a number of listener questions about destinations, ranging from the benefits of visiting a spot before selling it, qualifying for fam trips and where to send clients headed to Europe for the first time.

This episode was sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Further resources

VIP Vacations on Facebook 

Jennifer Doncsecz’s email 

Jennifer’s previous Trade Secrets episodes:

• All things branding
• Destination weddings and honeymoons

Mentioned in this episode:

• Death of a Travel Advisor by Dori Saltzman
• The Travel Institute’s course on destination weddings and honeymoons
• From Travel Weekly: Getting into groups

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.

What does the new year have in store for travel advisors? On this week’s episode of Trade Secrets, the last of season six, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada give an overview of 2025 trends and break down their predictions for 2026. Will 2025’s bumpy road continue? Who will most influence travel decisions? What type of travel will continue to explode in popularity? Find out the answers to those questions — and more — on this week’s episode.

Trade Secrets will take a break after this episode, sharing some old favorites until season seven begins in early 2026. Happy holidays!

This episode was sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Further resources

From Travel Weekly: Travel that spans the generations

From Travel Weekly: A gift that keeps on giving (Signature’s family travel magazine)

DMCs:

• DMCs help bring the ‘wow’ (story)
• DMCs: Your travel advisor’s (not-so-secret) travel-planning partner (podcast)
• Demystifying DMCs (Trade Secrets podcast)

Brand USA’s America’s 250 events

Phocuswright social media panel with representatives from Reddit, TikTok and YouTube

Family Travel Association research on “kidfluence”

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 is the final episode of the Trade Secrets Tech Summit. Every Monday, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada 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. Trade Secrets used Host Agency Reviews’ list of technology providers as a basis for this season.

This week’s featured company is Travel Industry Solutions, represented by CEO and founder Sheila Folk.

Trade Secrets will be back next week with a look back on 2025 and 2026 predictions before taking a holiday break. Season seven will return in early 2026 with Trade Secrets’ traditional question-and-answer format.

This episode was sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Further resources

Travel Industry Solutions on the web

Travel Industry Solutions on Host Agency Reviews

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 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 VacationCRM, represented by general manager Stephen Kelly.

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 Windstar Cruises. 

Further resources

Email VacationCRM

VacationCRM on Host Agency Reviews

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 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 VacationPort (formerly Passport Online), represented by Sarah Bauman, vice president of product management for the company.

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 Windstar Cruises. 

Further resources

VacationPort on the web

From Travel Weekly, VacationPort acquires Voyager Websites

VacationPort on Host Agency Reviews

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, the aptly named Trade Secrets Tech Summit is all about technology. But this week, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada delve into how Brownel in Birmingham, Ala., completely modernized its tech stack with Chief Operating Officer Rene Alldredge. Learn about identifying the gaps that technology can fill, the “pit of despair” many agencies face and coming out on the other side of a major tech overhaul.

This episode was sponsored by Windstar Cruises. 

Further resources

Visit Brownell on the web

Email Rene Alldredge

Trade Secrets Tech Summit episodes with Sabre, TripSuite and TravelWits

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 week on Trade Secrets After Dark, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada dig into all things luxury travel with David Kolner, Virtuoso’s executive vice president of strategic communications. From wellness and ultraluxe travel to reality television-inspired trips, they cover a lot of ground — including where to find the best chocolate martinis, tiki drinks and ciders. While the Trade Secrets Tech Summit is still ongoing, enjoy the occasional “After Dark” episode, featuring casual chats — and drinks — with guests from around the travel industry.

This episode was sponsored by Windstar Cruises. 

Further resources

Virtuoso on the web

David Kolner on Instagram

David’s previous appearance on Trade Secrets

Turning bad TikToks into songs 

Get in touch!

Email us: [email protected]

 

Theme song:

"Sweeter Vermouth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.