Trade Secrets Podcast
Trade Secrets is a podcast from the editors of Travel Weekly where travel advisors ask and answer questions about the industry. Each episode features a veteran travel advisor fielding listeners' questions on topics ranging from business advice to industry trends and history. The show is hosted by Jamie Biesiada and Emma Weissmann, both experienced travel journalists.
Episodes
Mastering supplier relations with ‘the travel advisor’s travel advisor’ (feat. NoteWorthy’s Nicola Butler)
What does it take to build and maintain a thriving and mutually beneficial relationship with travel suppliers? In this episode, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada break it all down with NoteWorthy owner and managing director Nicola Butler, who describes herself as “the travel advisor’s travel advisor.” Hear Butler’s thoughts on curating a portfolio of suppliers and
The newbie travel advisor’s playbook: Education, organization and selling the unknown (feat. Fora’s Henley Vazquez)
Starting a career as a travel advisor is exciting, but it can also feel like drinking from a fire hose. From picking the right education programs and mastering daily organization to sending clients to a destination you’ve never set foot in — where do you even begin? On this episode of Trade Secrets, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada sit down with Henley Vazquez, co-founder of
Trade Secrets on the road: Ask a lawyer at Future Leaders in Travel (feat. Stephanie Hankins of Ment Law Group)
As a travel advisor or supplier, what are your most pressing legal questions? That was the question posed to attendees at Future Leaders in Travel, an event for young travel advisors and suppliers powered by Travel Weekly’s sister publication, TravelAge West. Co-host Emma Weissmann was on-site at the event, held in late August in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, and sat down during the general s
To niche, or not to niche? Finding your agency’s sweet spot (feat. Mickey McBride and Dana Dziegiel)
Picking a niche – or two – is a solid strategy for any agency business. This week on Trade Secrets, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada break down the benefits of specialization with Avoya’s Mickey McBride and top producer Dana Dziegiel. They cover everything from finding the right specialties to identifying great supplier partners and up-and-coming markets. Thanks to our
Is fall the new summer? Unpacking luxury travel trends with Virtuoso (feat. David Kolner & Misty Belles)
This week, Trade Secrets is coming to you from the halls of the Aria Resort & Casino at Virtuoso Travel Week. Co-host Jamie Biesiada is joined by guest host Johanna Jainchill, Travel Weekly’s editor in chief, and Virtuoso’s own David Kolner and Misty Belles. They cover the latest luxury travel trends, from the hot fall season to “maxxing” and beyond. This episode was sp
“Breaking the glass:” From family-owned Valerie Wilson Travel to a new homegrown initiative (feat: Kimberly Wilson Wetty)
This week on Trade Secrets, Kimberly Wilson Wetty discusses her transition from being the longtime co-owner and co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel (VWT) to her newest venture, Keep Wondering Why. Wetty reflects honestly on the decision to sell VWT – which was first acquired by another family-owned business before transitioning to ownership by Chase Travel Group – and making the choi
Are travel bookings slowing down right now? (feat. Michelle Fee and Ryan Ranahan)
Inspired by a listener question from travel advisor Megan Vatnsdal, owner of Onyx & Evergreen Travel, Trade Secrets explores what’s going on with travel agency bookings. Join co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada in conversation with Cruise Planners’ Michelle Fee and Oasis Travel Network’s Ryan Ranahan, who offer a birds-eye view of what their advisors are experiencing r
When the answer is never ‘no’: The world of entertainment travel (Global Travel Collection, part 2)
The world of entertainment travel can be similar to both luxury leisure and corporate travel, but don’t be fooled: it’s really a beast of its own. This week on Trade Secrets, delve into the world of entertainment travel and everything it entails, from multimillion-dollar contracts and high security clearances to catering to multi-page hotel riders and booking transfers for dogs. Co-hos
An inside look at Global Travel Collection, the $2.4 billion powerhouse host agency (part 1, feat. Angie Licea)
In this episode of Trade Secrets, recorded in person at Global Travel Collection’s Arrive conference at the Fairmont Austin in June, get an update on all things GTC from president Angie Licea. From the labor of (mostly) love that was the GTC brand unification, uniting several agencies that sell $2.4 billion annually, to the Legacy in Motion program, which helps advisors both grow and sell th
Checking in on 2026’s top travel trends
Six months into the year, Trade Secrets co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada look at the trends dominating 2026 so far, including shorter booking windows, a younger demographic for all-inclusives and the state of domestic travel. Plus, the hosts share a sneak peek at what’s in store for the rest of season seven. This episode was sponsored by Brendan Vacations. Further resources
Should travel advisors be worried about hantavirus? (Feat. Urvshi Marwah)
The hantavirus outbreak onboard MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, has been in the headlines for the past few weeks. Should travel advisors be talking to their cruising clients about the outbreak? How should they address concerns, and should they be worried about a real threat to public safety? Find out all of this – plus, why cruise lines in particular tend to get an increasing
Trade Secrets After Dark: Growing up in travel and AI competition with Mr. Honeymoon (feat. Jim Augerinos)
In this episode, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada chat with Jim Augerinos of Perfect Honeymoons (aka Mr. Honeymoon) about his start in travel, keeping up with the latest on agentic AI and being a SMIT (IYKYK). While Trade Secrets usually invites listeners to ask questions that are answered on the show by industry experts, enjoy the occasional “After Dark” episode, featuring c
Why make $5 when you can make $500? Breaking into the world of ultra-high-net-worth travel (feat. Jack Ezon)
How can advisors break into the world of ultra-high-net-worth travel? Embark Beyond’s Jack Ezon addresses the connection economy, how to speak to this discerning group of clients and why, as he says, “All my success is made up of failure.” This episode was sponsored by AmaWaterways. Further resources Find Jack Ezon on Instagram or via email Embark Beyond on the web Mention
Encore: Trading social media for Substack: Using content to build a brand (Feat. SmartFlyer’s Kayla Douglas)
Trade Secrets is on a quick break this week, so please enjoy this encore episode. Here’s the article Jamie mentions in her updated intro, “How Substack became the hottest social media platform.” In this 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
Honest to blog: How one agency turned blogging into river cruise gold (feat. Hank Schrader)
River cruising is one of the fastest-growing verticals for many travel agencies. In this episode, listeners will hear from Hank Schrader, who owns Dream Destinations with his wife, Anne, about their success in the space — all thanks to blogging. This episode was sponsored by AmaWaterways. Further resources Hank Schrader's website, blog and email Mentioned in this episode: Jamie&rsquo
Trade Secrets After Dark: Bourbon, editorial strategy and cross-border incidents (feat. Johanna Jainchill)
This week on Trade Secrets After Dark, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada welcome Travel Weekly’s own Johanna Jainchill, the publication’s newly minted editor in chief. Get to know Jainchill, her vision for Travel Weekly’s editorial strategy and why the Bolivian military once picked her up after inadvertently crossing a border on foot (no, really!). While Trade Secrets us
Succession planning for travel agencies, part 2 (feat. attorney Tom Carpenter)
What’s your plan for your business when you retire, or you’re unable to run it anymore? In this episode, the second in a two-part series on succession planning, hear from industry attorney Tom Carpenter. He discusses some of the varying ways agency owners prepare their businesses for the next step, and gives practical advice on how to make the transition smoother. This episode was spon
Succession planning for travel agencies, part 1 (feat. Stacey and Sami Ray)
What’s your plan for your business when you retire, or you’re unable to run it anymore? In this episode, hear from mother-and-daughter duo Stacey and Sami Ray of Sisterhood Travels as they discuss their personal paths on the vital, albeit often overlooked, process of succession planning within a successful travel agency. Next episode, tune in to hear from a travel industry attorn
Don’t get burned: Navigating host agency red flags (feat. Marcie Muensterman)
How closely have you read your contract with your host agency? Does it have a non-compete clause? How about a detailed plan for termination? In the season seven premiere of Trade Secrets, we’re digging into the fine print that every travel advisor needs to watch out for. We’re joined by Marcie Muensterman, travel advisor, coach and host of the No BS Travel Advisor Podcast, to identify
Encore: How can new travel advisors build a successful career? (Feat. Bill Coyle of KHM Travel)
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
Encore: Travel advisors, what’s your elevator pitch? (feat. Jackie Friedman)
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
Encore: How do you grow your travel agency — and trust your new advisors?
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
Encore: Oh, the places you’ll go! Destination weddings, honeymoons & beyond, feat. Jennifer Donscesz
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 trav
Event-based travel, ‘kidfluence’ and beyond: What’s in store for 2026?
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
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Travel Industry Solutions (feat. Sheila Folk)
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
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: VacationCRM (feat. Stephen Kelly)
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’
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: VacationPort (feat. Sarah Bauman)
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’
How did Brownell, America’s oldest travel agency, modernize its tech stack? (feat. Rene Alldredge)
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 oth
Trade Secrets After Dark: The latest trends in luxury, reality TV travel and all the good vibes (Feat. Virtuoso’s David Kolner)
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: Travelport (feat. Andrew Jordan)
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’
Beyond the algorithm: Keeping travel personal in a tech-driven world (2025 HAR*Wired Week)
With AI, automation and new platforms emerging every day, how can travel advisors ensure their businesses remain personal, authentic and human? Explore that question and more during this episode of the Trade Secrets Tech Summit, which is a recording of a panel moderated by Trade Secrets co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada. During the panel, which features Jenn Lee of Travel Planners Interna
Trade Secrets After Dark: Expedition cruising, morning hikes and the best travel movies (Feat. Lindblad’s Rachel Woodward)
This week on Trade Secrets After Dark, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada dig into expedition cruising with Rachel Woodward, Lindblad Expeditions’ vice president of field sales. They’ll also share their favorite travel movies (“Titanic,” anyone?), who’s getting up early to go for a hike and what caffeinated beverage they’re drinking. While the Trade Secr
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Viator (feat. Sarah Dines)
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’
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: TravelJoy (feat. Dayo Esho)
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’
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: FamGuru (feat. Carrie Wallace)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: LUXPages (feat. Dora Karanikas)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Expedia TAAP (feat. Robin Lawther)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Tres Technologies (feat. Lee Rosen)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Brava (feat. Jeremy Sulek)
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 f
Trade Secrets After Dark: Travel advisor resilience, mai tais and upgrades gone wrong (Feat. Northstar Travel Group’s Mary Pat Sullivan)
This week on Trade Secrets After Dark, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada tackle the evolution of the travel agency community, the best mai tais in Hawaii and more with Northstar’s Mary Pat Sullivan, executive vice president of marketing and partnerships. While the Trade Secrets Tech Summit is still ongoing, enjoy the occasional “After Dark” episode, featuring casual chat
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: The Trip Boutique (feat. Fernanda Barrence Mutz)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Magic Made Simple (feat. Christina Vieira)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: TravelWits (feat. Arman Bimatov)
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 f
Trade Secrets After Dark: Travel advisor advocacy, travel mishaps and favorite cocktail recipes (Feat. ASTA’s Jessica Klement)
Welcome to Trade Secrets After Dark, a new series from Trade Secrets co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada. 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 week, ASTA’s vice president of advocacy, Jessica Klement, joins the show
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Approach Guides (feat. Jennifer Raezer)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: FyndTravel (feat. Lisa Watson)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Travel42 (feat. Larissa Worley)
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 f
Encore: How do I find and maintain work-life balance as a travel advisor? (Feat. Stephanie Lee)
The Trade Secrets Tech Summit (season six of the podcast) is taking a quick summer break. In the meantime, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada are sharing some of their favorite past episodes. Join them this week for a look back at last season’s episode about finding and maintaining a good work-life balance. Enjoy! This episode was sponsored by Globus family of brands. -- Balancing wo
Bonus: Inside Tern’s acquisition of Lucia, plus an encore episode about finding your brand identity
The Trade Secrets Tech Summit (Season 6 of the podcast) is taking a brief summer break, but we're partially interrupting that pause to bring you a special episode highlighting some of the latest tech news in the travel industry: Tern’s acquisition of Lucia. Co-host Jamie Biesiada sits down with Tern’s David Shull and Lucia’s Grace Van Hollebeke to discuss what led to the acquisit
Encore: Demystifying DMCs: What are destination management companies, and how can travel advisors best work with them?
The Trade Secrets Tech Summit (season six of the podcast) is taking a quick summer break. In the meantime, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada are sharing some of their favorite past episodes. Join them this week for an update on the Tech Summit — which will return toward the end of June — then a look back at last season’s episode all about destination management companies
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Travel Pro Theory (feat. Kate Thomas)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Tique (feat. Jennifer Jacob)
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’
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: TripSuite (feat. Jacey Jones)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Safari Portal (feat. Rachel West)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: AtlasGuru (feat. Kim Bennett)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Travefy (feat. Stephanie Gries)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Lucia (feat. Grace Van Hollebeke)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: WeTravel (feat. Ted Clements)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Axus (feat. Gregory Wilshire)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Sabre (feat. Kathy Morgan)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: VAX VacationAccess (feat. Josef Shomperlen)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Sion (feat. Irving Betesh)
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 f
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: The Hive (feat. Whitney Shindelar)
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’
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Tern (feat. David Shull)
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 f
Guess what’s coming on March 3? A brand-new season of Trade Secrets!
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 Secret
Trading social media for Substack: Using content to build a brand (Feat. SmartFlyer’s Kayla Douglas)
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
Encore: How should travel advisors manage client expectations?
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 ha
Encore: How can new travel advisors build a successful career? (Feat. Bill Coyle)
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 Jami
Encore: Travel advisors, what’s your elevator pitch? (feat. Jackie Friedman)
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&rdquo
Encore: Why can't we be friends? Forming productive travel advisor-supplier relationships
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
Season 5 finale: Emma and Jamie’s top 25 predictions for travel in 2025
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 a
2024 rewind: What trends shaped the travel industry — and impacted agents — this year
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 f
How do I find and maintain work-life balance as a travel advisor? (Feat. Stephanie Lee)
Balancing work responsibilities with the needs of personal life has become exponentially more difficult for travel advisors as workloads have increased. But it’s also critically important to find time for friends, family and hobbies outside of work, and to develop systems at work that improve efficiency and allow you to step away. What kind of boundaries should you set, and how can you enforce the
Demystifying DMCs: What are destination management companies, and how can travel advisors best work with them?
What’s the difference between a tour operator and a destination management company (DMC)? How can advisors find DMCs to work with, and what are the top do’s and don’ts of working with them? What if a contact at a DMC ghosts a travel advisor? Hear the answers to these questions and more in this week’s episode of Trade Secrets, where co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada chat about all things D
Oh, the places you’ll go! Destination weddings, honeymoons and beyond, feat. Jennifer Doncsecz
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 benef
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, part 3: How can travel advisors get ‘commissions with a comma'? (Feat. Dondra Ritzenthaler)
In this episode, the final in a three-part series of Trade Secrets recorded on the road at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada welcome Azamara CEO Dondra Ritzenthaler. She discusses leaving her retirement to helm the small-ship luxury cruise line, the importance of suppliers listening to trade partners, luxury travel sales techniques and what sets luxury c
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, part 2: As a travel advisor, how do I break into the world of luxury travel sales?
Trade Secrets is on the road again, this time at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas. In the second episode of a three-part series recorded on-site in Las Vegas, Megan Vatnsdal, owner of Onyx & Evergreen Travel and affiliate of Four Hundred, talks about how she’s spent the past few years building her luxury-focused agency. She and co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada cover everything from
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, part 1: What are the latest trends in luxury travel? (Feat. David Kolner)
Trade Secrets is on the road again, this time at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas. In the first episode of a three-part series recorded on site, Virtuoso executive vice president David Kolner shares updates on Virtuoso’s annual event, how advisors are selling so much right now, the different habits of each generation and what the term “luxury” means to him. Kolner also talks about Maui recovery a
Inside the Trade Secrets mailbag: Answering your most pressing questions (Feat. Chad Burt of Outside Agents)
This week, Chad Burt of Outside Agents joins Jamie Biesiada and Emma Weissmann of Trade Secrets for our annual “mailbag” episode, featuring travel advisor listener questions on a variety of topics. During the episode, we’ll dig into advanced use cases of generative AI, airline loyalty, host agency affiliations, picking a travel advisor specialty and more. This episode is sponsored by Allianz Part
How can new travel advisors build a successful career? (Feat. Bill Coyle of KHM Travel Group)
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 is sponsored by Iberostar Hot
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