Welcome to TIQUE Talks Podcast - a live-workshop style travel business podcast packed with actionable step-by-step tips that are helping hundreds of travel advisors redefine success, grow their bottom line, and find balance in their business. Join us, Florida-based business partners Robin Bradley and Jennifer Jacob, for value-packed, hilarious conversations and impactful interviews with other industry leaders. With every episode, our mission is to empower you with information, expand what you think is possible for your travel business, and hopefully make you laugh along the way! We are honest, open, and above all, human. We are committed to learning right alongside of you so that we can all find more balance, joy, and peace while pursuing those big, scary business goals. Whether you are brand new to the industry, have a side-hustle, or you are growing a travel booking empire, this is the show for you. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday!
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September 4, 202615 min
249. Hot Take: Stop Making Training Programs
Jennifer and Robin torch the idea that every agency needs its own homemade curriculum, pointing out that IATA rules and DMC basics don't change agency to agency no matter how "unique" you think your brand is. They call out the ego and scarcity mindset behind DIY training, explain why refusing to invest $500 in proper onboarding may be a sign you’re not ready to hire, and reveal the hidden cost of maintaining your own curriculum. If you want to scale, retain great advisors, and escape the hiring hamster-wheel, it’s time to invest in education that already works. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Tique’s Course Suite Buying for an Agency or Team? Explore Enterprise Pricing Have A Question → Email hello@tiquehq.com or Submit a Contact Form FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
September 1, 202643 min
248. Understanding Your Liability in Transactions with Megan Mack
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 You may think collecting a client’s payment is simply another step in the booking process, but how that money moves could dramatically change your responsibility when something goes wrong. Megan Mack, founder of Heirloom Adventures, talks about the critical difference between receiving a credit card authorization and collecting a direct payment. She explains when an advisor may unknowingly begin operating like a tour operator, what becoming the merchant of record means for your business, and why your host agency’s insurance may not offer all the protection you assume it does. From PCI compliance and supplier terms to chargebacks, travel insurance, and client agreements, this conversation will make you take a much closer look at every point where money changes hands in your business. If you collect client funds, process payments, or rely on a platform to protect sensitive information, this is one episode you cannot afford to skip! This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult the appropriate professionals about your specific business, contracts, and state requirements. About Megan Mack: Megan was drawn to travel from a young age. Never one to sit still, she dreamed of seeing the world and connecting with people along the way. She discovered the world of travel advising after a friend told her, “I would totally hire you to plan a trip for my family.” Inspired by that moment and by her desire to help other families explore the world with their children, Megan set out to learn everything she could about travel advising. heirloom-adventures.com Today we will cover: (02:40) Meet Megan; what made her question how she collected payments (05:55) Vetting your technology for PCI compliance (09:10) Credit card authorizations versus direct payments (17:55) When collecting funds makes you a tour operator (27:10) Building liability protection into client agreements (35:45) Retainers versus flat planning fees (38:50) Auditing every point of liability in your payment process Resources Mention In This Episode: #150. What Every Advisor Needs To Know About Protecting Client Data with Kacie Darden #216. Don’t Assume A DMC Will Break Your Client's Budget with Jonathan Epstein The Legal Paige - Travel Advisor Templates NICHE is Tique’s membership community for travel advisors who want support refining their business, strengthening their positioning, and learning alongside other advisors who are serious about growth. Vanessa is a member herself, and many of the strategies discussed in this episode are the kinds of conversations happening inside the community. Learn more and Pick Your Membership Tier → NICHE COMMUNITY FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 28, 202619 min
247. Hot Take: You Need Niche
Jennifer and Robin introduce Niche’s new community manager, Maddy McCutchen, and reveal what’s changing inside the community. Maddy shares how she went from listening to Tique Talks as a travel advisor to helping shape the future of Niche through weekly office hours, improved member support, recognition programs, and more opportunities for advisors to learn from one another. They also preview the new AI training series designed to help advisors streamline their workflows, strengthen their systems, understand their finances, and turn their 2026 metrics into meaningful momentum for 2027. There’s no doubt about it - you need Niche! Join today and get the education, resources, and no-gatekeeping support you need to build a stronger travel business. Learn more and Pick Your Membership Tier → NICHE COMMUNITY FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 25, 202632 min
246. What Shifted When I Went All In on Luxury Branding with Vanessa Kromer
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 What changes when you stop trying to appeal to everyone and start building a brand designed to attract the clients you actually want? Vanessa Cromer had already spent years building a successful travel business when she decided to go all in on luxury branding. She elevated her imagery, tightened her messaging, and became much more intentional about what she was putting in front of potential clients. And people started paying attention. Suddenly, luxury clients were reaching out, brands and magazines were taking her more seriously, speaking opportunities were landing in her inbox, and she had the confidence to turn down business that no longer fit where she was headed. In this episode, Vanessa shares what shifted when she stopped trying to market everything she could book and started building a brand around the business she truly wanted. If your current brand doesn’t reflect the level of client you’re trying to attract, this conversation might make you rethink what you’re putting out there! About Vanessa Kromer: Award-winning luxury travel advisor, Italy specialist, publisher of Maison Voyage Magazine, and creator of The Private Edit. For more than 16 years, Vanessa has designed unforgettable journeys across Europe and beyond, blending insider expertise, trusted relationships, and personalized service to create seamless, one-of-a-kind travel experiences for discerning travelers. theelegantexplorers.com instagram.com/vanessakromermmv Today we will cover: (04:00) From a “hot mess” brand to finding her niche (08:10) The post-COVID shift toward Europe and Italy (14:00) Going all in on her travel business; investing in branding and professional photography (17:25) Creating a client experience that matches your branding (24:20) Advice for newer travel advisors; why your brand should speak to your dream client NICHE is Tique’s membership community for travel advisors who want support refining their business, strengthening their positioning, and learning alongside other advisors who are serious about growth. Vanessa is a member herself, and many of the strategies discussed in this episode are the kinds of conversations happening inside the community. Learn more and Pick Your Membership Tier → NICHE COMMUNITY FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 21, 202622 min
245. Hot Take: When To Say "No"
Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26! Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT! Saying yes might feel like good business, but the wrong yes can cost you more than you realize. In this Hot Take, Robin and Jennifer break down why travel advisors need to get more comfortable saying no; to misaligned clients, FAMs, meetings, expenses, and opportunities that look exciting but don’t actually support where you’re trying to go. They share how to gut-check opportunities against your bigger vision, protect your time and client experience, and recognize when a “great opportunity” might be pulling you off track. Plus, they share how they use AI and the Crucial Conversations framework to make clearer decisions and communicate a no without over-explaining or burning the relationship. FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 18, 202641 min
244. Attracting Clients Who Travel Like You with Kat Morga
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 Kat Morga, founder of Adventure Smarter, talks about creating a travel business that feels authentic to you and naturally attracts clients who value the same things. She shares how her own travel experiences shaped her “splurge when it makes sense” philosophy, why she stopped trying to fit into the industry's version of luxury, and how she found a profitable niche without limiting herself to one destination. She also talks about why she loves local networking, finding your “cheerleaders,” using your website and email list to generate stronger leads, and knowing when to lean on other advisors and trusted DMC partners. This conversation is a reminder that growth doesn't have to mean becoming a different kind of advisor. Sometimes the smartest strategy is getting clearer about who you already are and building your business around it. About Kat Morga: Kat is the founder of Adventure Smarter, a travel advisory based outside of Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in FIT travel, safaris, river cruises, and multigenerational family travel - "Trips Done Right." She built her business from scratch, with no inherited client list and no background in luxury travel, which meant figuring out early on that she'd have to find clients the industry wasn't already handing her. Along the way she realized the field's default script - sell aspirational, sell ultra-luxury - didn't match the kind of travel she actually believed in or the clients she actually wanted. So she built her own positioning instead: direct, specific, grounded in firsthand experience rather than imagery. Kat is married with 2 young kids and has a Rick Steves autograph on her bookshelf. AdventureSmarter.org @AdventureSmarter Today we will cover: (04:30) Why “splurge when it makes sense” became Kat’s travel philosophy (07:20) Building a client base when you don’t have a wealthy network (13:30) Why your niche doesn’t have to be a destination (21:00) Where Kat gets her best travel leads (24:30) Rejecting the travel industry’s obsession with ultra-luxury (35:00) Creating messaging that attracts clients who travel like you 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
August 14, 202623 min
243. Hot Take: How To Get Clients To Read Your Emails
Don't miss the Travel Business Intensive, happening August 24-26! Learn more and grab your ticket here → RESERVE MY SPOT! You can’t force your clients to read your emails. But you can make it a whole lot more likely. In this week’s Hot Take, Robin and Jennifer chat about why clients skim, skip, and straight-up ignore important information. From punchier subject lines and TLDRs to giving every email one clear job, they’re sharing how to communicate in a way your clients will actually consume. Turns out, getting clients to pay attention might have less to do with them and more to do with how you communicate. FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 11, 202638 min
242. Summer Series: Client Experience Boundaries
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 A great client experience shouldn’t require a travel advisor to be available 24/7. In the final episode of their summer series on boundaries, Robin and Jennifer break down the systems that allow travel advisors to deliver exceptional service without making themselves the center of every client interaction. From guides and forms to email templates, terms and conditions, and CRM automation, they share the systems they’ve implemented in their own businesses to create a more consistent client experience, reduce reactive communication, and protect their time. Because clients aren’t hiring a travel advisor for unlimited access. They’re hiring them for their expertise and a seamless travel experience. Today we will cover: (03:30) Why a structured client experience creates stronger boundaries (09:25) How forms can reduce back-and-forth communication and better organize important client information (18:20) Why travel advisors should have templated client emails (23:50) The role terms and conditions play in protecting a travel business (30:35) Why a CRM should serve as the central hub for client communication and documentation (35:00) Why clear processes can help filter out clients who aren’t aligned with the way a business operates 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. 5 Free Email Templates – 5 plug-and-play email templates that are totally customizable to your travel business Travel Advisor Contract from The Legal Paige 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
August 7, 202626 min
241. Hot Take: "Start Before You're Ready" Is Terrible Advice
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. FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ
August 4, 202641 min
240. Summer Series: Financial Boundaries
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
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