TIQUE Talks: The Business Podcast for Travel Advisors

Your clients don’t need five ways to reach you. They need one reliable way to get a response. Jennifer and Robin discuss why handing out your personal cell phone number can create more opportunities for missed requests, scattered communication, and expectations you never meant to set. From redirecting longtime clients to keeping urgent travel support separate from everyday inquiries, they share how to stay accessible without being constantly available. Great service means following through, and that’s harder when the details are spread across texts, DMs, and emails.Mark your calendar for TIQUE’s Black Friday Sale! → November 23-30 | Get 25% off everything in the shop! TIQUE Resources Mentioned• How We Work & Investment Guide • Scaling With Systems• Join The Niche Community Additional Resources Mentioned• WhatsApp: Private messaging and calling, available all over the world.Related Listening• 238: Summer Series: Phone Boundaries• 243: Hot Take: How to Get Clients to Read Your EmailsConnect with TIQUE• tiquehq.com• instagram.com/tiquehq• facebook.com/tiquehq• Inquire About Speaking• TIQUE Contact Form

Thank You To Our Sponsors:Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisorsTravel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCsWhat you needed from a host agency when you started may look different from what you need today. Jennifer talks with Jay Johnson of Coastline Travel Advisors to discuss how advisors can evaluate the support, technology, and relationships behind their commission split. Jay explains why one-size-fits-all models fall short, how to get more from your existing tools, and what to address with your current host before considering a move. Plus, he shares why a simple post-trip conversation can lead to better client experiences and future bookings!In This Episode:• Looking beyond commission splits when evaluating a host agency• Finding operational support that gives you more time to serve clients• Maximizing your current technology before switching platforms• Using post-trip conversations to improve recommendations and encourage future bookings• Recognizing when your host agency no longer fits your business needsTIQUE Resources Mentioned• Join The Niche Community Additional Resources Mentioned• Automate to Accelerate with Callan FaulknerRelated Listening• 79. Host Agency Culture: Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Travel Business with Stephanie Lee• 116. How to Handle Changing Host Agencies with Ashley Theis• 140. Behind the Scenes of a Host Agency with Keith WaldonAbout Jay Johnson:Jay began working at his family’s travel agency while in college. What started as a part-time job to help pay his way through school became a long and rewarding career. About 10 years ago, Jay recognized that continuing in the industry meant scaling the business or risking being left behind. When COVID shut down the world, he used that time to strengthen the company’s foundation. Coastline invested in TravelPro 365, a booking technology that helped advisors work more efficiently, opened new storefront offices, and acquired several agencies within a short period. Jay is deeply proud of Coastline’s employees and advisors and credits the team with driving the company’s continued growth. He believes the best is still to come.coastlinetravel.com@jayjohnson_cta Connect with TIQUE• tiquehq.com• instagram.com/tiquehq• facebook.com/tiquehq• Inquire About Speaking• TIQUE Contact Form

Your clients are excited about their vacation. Your inquiry form? Probably less exciting. Jennifer and Robin discuss how to get the information you need without making the first step feel like an administrative chore. From giving the talkers a chance to talk to asking questions that actually tell you something, they share ways to make your inquiry process feel like the beginning of a personalized travel experience. Luxury service starts well before the itinerary!TIQUE Resources Mentioned• Client Communication Templates• Join The Niche Community Additional Resources Mentioned• Wispr Flow: A voice dictation tool for talking through your answers instead of typing them• Calendly: A scheduling tool discussed as an option for combining appointment booking with a few initial questions• Oprah Winfrey on The Mel Robbins Podcast: The conversation that inspired Jennifer’s take on serving clientsRelated Listening• Tique Talks’ 2025 Client Experience Series• Hot Take: How To Get Clients To Read Your EmailsConnect with TIQUE• tiquehq.com• instagram.com/tiquehq• facebook.com/tiquehq• Inquire About Speaking• TIQUE Contact Form

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisorsTravel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCsMoving back to your hometown can feel like going backward, but for Emily Hegenberger, it opened new doors. Jennifer chats with the founder of GCG Travel to discuss how trading Los Angeles for Chicago’s North Shore helped her find balance and grow her travel business. From turning personal connections into referrals to setting clear fees with friends and family, she talks about how putting down roots can help you grow a business while making room for a life you love.About Emily Hegenberger:Emily is the founder of GCG Travel, a luxury travel advisory specializing in culturally immersive, experience-rich travel for families, couples, and milestone celebrations. A lifelong traveler who has visited 37 countries and 45 states, Emily has split much of her life between South Bay Los Angeles, where she and her husband raised their two children, and Chicago’s North Shore, where she grew up and returned four years ago. Today, she’s a mom of two teens, one in high school and one studying in Paris, and a devoted pet mom. Emily is also part of the founding team at URLife Media. Today, she brings together decades of personal travel, travel-industry experience, storytelling, and curiosity to create highly personalized journeys for her GCG Travel clients.instagram.com/globecoloredglassesToday we will cover:(04:00) How putting down roots can create new opportunities for your travel business(09:00) Building trust and referrals within your existing network(13:00) Setting clear fees and boundaries with friends and family(17:30) Offering paid itinerary reviews as an introduction to your services(26:30) Using AI to refine workflows and lighten your mental loadJOIN NICHE → Join the Niche community and get access to the prompts and tools to map your client experience, build SOPs, and tailor your process to your brand voice! FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ

Your bank balance may look healthy, but that doesn’t mean every dollar is yours to spend. Jennifer and Robin talk about budgeting, client funds, and setting aside money for upcoming expenses so a future bill doesn’t catch you off guard. They also share how AI can help you make sense of your business numbers, even if you’re starting with bank statements and a lot of questions.Want help making sense of your business numbers? Be sure to attend the November 5th AI session inside the Niche community! → JOIN NICHEFOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ