The Travel Business Unpacked
Episodes
Preparing for the Unexpected: Crisis Management with Kristin Matthews
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Sandy Saburn, Chief Communications Officer at Gifted Travel Network, steps in as host and is joined...
Unpacking Your Game Plan for Success in Attending Industry Events with Sandy Saburn
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Gifted Travel Network’s Chief Communications Officer, Sandy S...
From Corporate Advertising Executive to Luxury Travel Entrepreneur with Lange Taylor
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lange Taylor, founder of Taylor Luxury Travel. A former adverti...
Starting From Scratch: What It Really Takes to Build a Travel Advisor Career
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is flying solo for a new style of episode centered around your most frequent...
From Corporate IT to Curated Ireland: Reinventing a Career Through Travel With Margaret Critz
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Margaret Critz, founder of For the Good Times Travel and a curr...
From Driver to Designer: How Julien Nolan Became a Trusted Luxury Travel Advisor
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Julien Nolan, founder of Husseau, a travel advisory business de...
From Cruise Lines to Custom Journeys: Lee Lennon on Crafting a Business Around Luxury Travel
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lee Lennon, founder of Travel by Design and longtime Gifted Tra...
Rachael O’Brien: Raising Culturally Conscious Kids, One Country at a Time
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Rachael O’Brien, founder of How Far Adventures, for a deeply ...
Building Confidence and Credibility From Day One With Melissa Nagelberg
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Melissa Nagelberg, founder of MN Signature Escapes and a stando...
Finding the Right Host for Your Travel Business with Shayna Zand from Host Agency Reviews
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This year, Meredith Calloway is kicking off The Travel Business Unpacked podcast with a conversation every travel advisor needs - whether you’re bra...
The Difference Between Selling Travel and Running a 7-Figure Travel Business
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Angela Isherwood, founder of Olive & Atlas Travel, for an h...
Group Trips, Big Results, and Plenty of Fun with Patti Mills-Roy
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Patti Mills-Roy, founder of Mills-Roy Luxury Travel, longtime...
Turning High Professional Standards into a High-Touch Travel Business with Jackie Wammock
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Jackie Wammock, founder of Travelera Partners and a graduate of...
Heather Vergara: Building the Team Behind Show Them the World
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway sits down with Heather Vergara, founder of Show Them the World, to unpack h...
50 Episodes and One Year Later: Behind the Podcast with Meredith Calloway
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's special milestone episode of The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway takes the hot seat and is interviewed by guest...
Beyond the Highlight Reel with Julie Ann Hargett
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meredith is joined by Julie Ann Hargett, owner of H Luxury Travel and GTN Top Producer. Julie Ann shares how she went from planning a personal anniver...
Designing an Effective Luxury Travel Brand That Feels True to You
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's special episode of The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway was joined live at The 7-Figure Travel Business Sum...
From Fear of Flying to 40 Under 40 & the Future of Travel Advising feat. Caroline Hollar
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Meredith Calloway talks with Caroline Hollar, GTN’s Director of Marketing, about her journey from fresh college graduate to TravelP...
How Laney Sachs Turned Her Love for Italy into a Seven-Figure Travel Brand
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Laney Sachs, founder of Ortensia Blu Travel Adventures and GTN ...
A New Chapter: How Joan Qualls Built a Second Career as a Luxury Travel Advisor
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Joan Qualls of Tasteful Voyages, a longtime Travel MBA alum wit...
The Busy Besté: How Meghann Bjarnesen Thrives with an Extra Full Plate
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Meghann Bjarnesen, co-founder of Besté Travel Design. With a c...
Unpacking the 7-Figure Travel Business Summit
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Curious about the 7-Figure Travel Business Summit and whether it’s right for you? In this solo episode, Meredith Calloway pulls back the curtain on ...
Pinch-Me Moments and Million Dollar Milestones with Kim Esté
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Kim Esté, co-founder of Besté Travel Designs. A former high s...
Scaling Smart with Katie Crago: Team, Service, and Growth
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meredith sits down with Top Producer Katie Crago of KHC Grand Travel to explore how she turned a love for Disney into the foundation of a thriving lux...
Cruising, Kindness, and the Future of Travel with Industry Icon Vicki Freed
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International’s Senior Vice Pres...
Travel MBA Unpacked: Insights from the Inside with Stephanie Jones
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the difference between starting your own travel business and joining an existing agency as a booking member? In this episode, Meredith Callow...
How This Busy Mom Built a Luxury Travel Business Designed for Busy Moms
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Christina Vieira of Showcase the World Travel. What began as a ...
Family, Trust, and a Decade of Creating VIP Travel Experiences
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Tammy and Justin Murphy, the mother–son duo behind VIP Travel...
ASTA Unpacked: Advocacy, Education & Elevation for Travel Advisors featuring Zane Kerby
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Behind every travel advisor’s success is an organization fighting for the profession. Meredith chats with ASTA President & CEO, Zane Kerby, abou...
40 Ships and Counting: How Celeste Became "The Cruise Matchmaker"
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Travel MBA alum, longtime GTN mentor, and cruise expert, Celest...
How Stacey and Fred Baker Built their Travel Business On Purpose, With Purpose
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you blend a deep love for travel, a calling for community, and a background in ministry? This week on The Travel Business Unpacked p...
From Burnout to Brilliant Escapes: Erin's "Dive" Into Luxury Travel
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Erin Camin of Brilliant Escapes. After a decade in the New York...
From IT to IT-ineraries: Alex's Strategic Shift into Luxury Travel
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After 30 years in IT, Alex Worlow made a bold career pivot into luxury travel -and never looked back. In this episode, he shares how a foundation in b...
Motherhood, Mindset, and Mer Bleue: A Journey into Purposeful Travel Design
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Dianna Hetzel, founder of Mer Bleue Travel, to explore ho...
Tracy Husted’s Intentional Journey From Educator to Entrepreneur
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Host Meredith Calloway welcomes Tracy Husted of Legacy Travel Designs for a heartfelt conversation about building a travel business with intention. Tr...
Designing a Life You Love-Erica Davies on Building The Well Traveled Soul
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Erica Davies, founder of The Well Traveled Soul, to explo...
Mastering the Art of Travel Advising: Insights from the CEO of Virtuoso
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Matthew Upchurch, CEO and Chairman of Virtuoso, to explor...
Inside the Industry: Lisa Fletcher on Coaching, Community, and Growth
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this heartwarming and wisdom-filled episode, Meredith Calloway sits down with GTN's beloved Lisa Fletcher — affectionately known as “Mama B...
How a Legal Career Led to Planning Luxury Travel Around the World
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway sits down with Kerry Mooneyham of Midwest Travel Solutions to explore her uni...
From Teacher to Travel CEO: How Bryant Wood Built The Travel Boutique
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From classroom to concierge—Bryant Wood’s journey into the travel industry is anything but traditional. In this episode, we sit down with the foun...
Love, Luxury, & Logistics: How Cathy Built a Career from her Passion For Travel
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do doll sculpting, million-dollar sales, and helicopter landings on glaciers have in common? Cathy Rowland. In this inspiring episode of Travel B...
The B Luxe Blueprint: Business, Balance & Branding
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of Travel Business Unpacked, we sit down with Brittani Robertson, the powerhouse behind B Luxe Escapes. From growing up in a...
Guides, Gurus, & Game-Changers: A Tribute to the Travel Advisor Profession
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with GTN’s Director of Engagement, Shannon Cunningham, to cele...
Why Every Travel Advisor Needs a Mentor (Even at 7 Figures)
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith sits down with the powerhouse duo behind Travel Business University—Amy Pearson-Jensen and Amy...
Luxury, Curated: Robin Hutson’s Journey as a Magazine Publisher and Travel Advisor
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to succeed in luxury travel? In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Callaway sits down with Robin Hutson ...
Unfiltered & Unstoppable: How “SGG” Became GTN’s #1 Top Producer for 2024
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith sits down with Stephanie Goldberg Glazer—aka SGG—the 2024 #1 Top Producer at Gifted Travel N...
Work Smarter, Not Harder - Travel Tech Every Advisor Needs in 2025
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Callaway is joined by tech-savvy Sandy Saburn, Chief Communications Officer at Gifted Trave...
Wall Street to the World - How Stuart Marra Built a Luxury Travel Empire
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this inspiring episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Stuart Marra, founder of The Opulent Explorer, who ma...
From Budget Traveler to Luxury Expert-Anna Harrison’s Mindset Shift
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Anna Harrison of Travel Observations to discuss her incredible ...
Prescribing Luxury: How an Oncologist Built a Multi-Million Dollar Travel Business
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with MJ Markham of M Markham Travel to discuss her remarkable transi...
An “Up Close” Look at Jerzy Poznar’s Path to Success as a Luxury Travel Advisor
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Jerzy Poznar of Up Close Travel, a 2025 Top Producers Club indu...
Travel (Advising) Julia's Way: How Julia Matheson Built a Thriving Luxury Travel Business On Her Terms
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Julia Matheson, founder of Travel Julia’s Way, to explore her rem...
The Far From Average Formula: How to Crush the Odds as a Travel Advisor
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway reveals The Far From Average Formula—a game-changing approach to buildi...
Building a Splendid Life: How Eysa Portugues Created a Thriving Travel Business
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a high-powered corporate professional finds herself at a career crossroads? For Eysa Portugues, the answer was unexpected—but life...
From Travel MBA to Top Producer: Soldi's "Fabulous" Fast Track to Success
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Soldi Foster, a Travel MBA alum, to explore the healing power of tr...
Boarding Passes & Bedtime Stories: How Sarah and Nicole Balance Motherhood and Travel Entrepreneurship
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway dives into the world of balancing motherhood with building a successful travel...
Banking on Bliss: Heather Parker’s Journey to Luxury Travel Success
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Heather Parker of Bliss Travel Experiences. Heather shares her ins...
Pickleball in Paradise: How Debbie Turned Her Favorite Pastime into Group Travel Success
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway welcomes Debbie Ellis of Good Life Travel to discuss her inspiring journey of trans...
Scaling Up: The J5 Travel Approach to Building a Team
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a hedge fund manager turns his passion for travel into a thriving luxury business? In the latest episode of Travel Business Unpacked...
Mother-Daughter Duo & Luxury Travel Powerhouse: The Sterling Journeys Success Story
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this heartfelt episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Lise-Marie Wertanzl and her daughter, Sterling Wertanzl, ...
Building a Million-Dollar Travel Business: Erica Carr’s Journey with bookitbox TRAVEL
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Erica Carr, founder of bookitbox TRAVEL and a standout member of t...
Unpacking the Leap with Jen Campbell Boles on Career Change and Travel Entrepreneurship
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the world of corporate finance to crafting unforgettable vacations, Jen Campbell Boles, founder of Explore More Family Travel, shares her inspir...
From Dublin to Destination Experts - The Story of Celtic Hearts Travel
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Emer Coughlin and Dervila Stivers, the inspiring duo behind Celtic Hearts Travel. From friends to business partners, they’ve built a thriving ...
From Corporate Climb to Travel Dream-How Deana King Turned Her Passion into Profit
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with Deana King of King Travel Design to explore her inspiring journey f...