Shows
Office HoursWant Press? Travel Weekly’s Jamie Biesiada Tells You How to Get ItIn this episode, Grace sits down with Travel Weekly senior editor Jamie Biesiada to talk about what actually gets a travel business covered in the press. If you've ever wondered why your pitch didn’t land—or what editors are really looking for—this conversation breaks it down.Jamie shares how the retail travel press works, what makes a story newsworthy, and how travel advisors and business owners can pitch with purpose. They cover the dos and don’ts of media outreach, the difference between trade and consumer coverage, and why a little research goes a l...2025-06-2739 min
Trade Secrets PodcastBonus: Inside Tern’s acquisition of Lucia, plus an encore episode about finding your brand identityThe 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 acquisition, what travel advisors can expect moving forward, and more. Then, stick around for one of Jamie’s favorite episodes from last season, featuring travel advisor Christina Viera in a deep div...2025-06-1655 min
Flight Path by TernTern Acquires Lucia + Flexible Dates, Subfolders & MoreWelcome back to Flight Path, your weekly behind-the-scenes look at what we’re building at Tern! This week is packed with major news, impactful product updates, and a special guest interview you won’t want to miss.Listen to Office Hours Here https://open.spotify.com/show/5VoYI891SDJkhlQFpuwuip?si=nIBeINnSQVKo4aJR5IpWFg00:00 – Intro & chaos avoidedDavid nearly live-streams the episode by mistake. Molly shares sleep deprivation updates (thanks to a teething baby), and we all express gratitude to Faith, Molly’s mom and Tern hero.03:08 – A feature that brought tearsM...2025-06-1344 minOffice HoursLucia is Acquired by Tern: The Behind-the-Scenes StoryIn this episode of Office Hours, Grace Van Hollebeke welcomes David Shull, CEO and co-founder of Tern, for a candid conversation about his journey from Michigan Tech to building a transformative travel technology platform. David shares how his early days at Handshake inspired his passion for creating impactful technology, and how a travel mishap in Greece sparked the idea for Tern.Grace and David discuss Tern’s recent acquisition of Lucia (Grace's company) and why pairing great technology with high-quality services is essential for empowering travel advisors. They also unpack the importance of choosing the right VC pa...2025-06-1126 min
Office HoursHow $1M+ Travel Advisors Use SOPs to Scale and Simplify Their BusinessIf you're a travel advisor running a $1M+ business or building toward it, this episode is a tactical guide to using SOPs to scale your operations without losing your personal touch.Grace shares the real processes top-performing advisors use to run their businesses more efficiently. From qualifying high-value leads to pre-trip QA and post-trip rebooking, you’ll hear practical examples, tools, and frameworks that help you delegate with confidence and create a more repeatable, profitable business.In This Episode:What SOPs (standard operating procedures) actually look like for travel advisorsFour essential processes to document no...2025-05-2833 min
Office HoursDesigning Luxury Travel for the Next Generation: Insights from Skylark’s CEOIn this Office Hours episode, Grace sits down with Mike Greene, CEO of Skylark, to talk about how technology, spontaneity, and personalization are reshaping the future of luxury travel.After years of working with top innovators and luxury travelers, Mike saw a gap in the market: travelers wanted high-end experiences—but booked at the pace of their fast-moving lives. He shares how Skylark is meeting that demand, why modern luxury is about flexibility, and how his team is blending human expertise with smart tech to deliver unforgettable trips.Grace and Mike dive into what today’s lu...2025-04-3035 min
Trade Secrets PodcastTrade 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 featured company is Lucia, represented by founder and CEO Grace Van Hollebeke. Trade Secrets is using Host Agency Reviews’ list of technology providers as a basis for this season. If a technology company doesn’t have...2025-04-2124 min
Office HoursServing the Ultra-Wealthy: Lila Fox on Attracting UHNW ClientsIn this Office Hours episode, Grace sits down with Lila Fox, founder of Lila Fox Travel Company, to talk about the unconventional path to success in luxury travel: doing less on purpose.After a fast-paced career in engineering, Lila built a high-touch, high-impact business rooted in creativity, discretion, and calm. She shares why she turned down more clients, cut her list by 75%, and walked away from a top-producing role—all to build a business that felt more like hers.Grace and Lila dive into what it actually means to serve ultra-high-net-worth clients, how to succeed wi...2025-04-1837 min
Office HoursDelegate or Die: Why You’re Stuck in the Weeds with George Munguia of Coconut VAIn this Office Hours episode, Grace Van Hollebeke sits down with George Munguia, co-founder of Coconut VA, to talk about the silent killer of most growing businesses: operator mode.Most founders are stuck in the weeds, working in the business instead of on it. George shares exactly how he broke out of the cycle by building systems, creating SOPs, and delegating with intention — even on a scrappy budget.Grace and George break down the subtle signs that you’re stuck in operator mode without even realizing it, how to delegate without sacrificing quality or control, and...2025-04-0922 min
Office HoursEA vs. Ops: How to Hire the Right Help (Before You Burn Out)In this Office Hours episode, Grace Van Hollebeke shares the real difference between hiring an Executive Assistant and an Operations hire—and why getting this wrong is one of the most common (and expensive) mistakes founders make.Most founders default to “I need ops” when they’re overwhelmed, but what they really need is someone to take the day-to-day off their plate. Grace walks through what each role actually does, how to figure out which one your business needs right now, and the self-awareness questions every founder should ask before posting a job. From delegation style to business...2025-03-2618 min
Office HoursThe Secrets to a Magnetic Travel Brand with Arianna SartzetakisIn this Office Hours episode, Grace Van Hollebeke sits down with Arianna Sartzetakis, founder of Uncover More, to dive into how she built a trusted digital brand uncovering the world's hidden gems. What started as a side project in New York City has grown into a global platform, earning Arianna a Forbes feature and a devoted following of curious travelers.In this episode, Arianna shares how she built a community-first brand and how she grew it into a full-time business. If you want to build a travel brand, grow your audience, and create content that stands out...2025-03-1226 min
Office HoursStop Waiting for Referrals—Use This Simple System to Get More ClientsIn this Office Hours episode, Grace Van Hollebeke shares why most travel advisors struggle with referrals—and how a simple system can change everything. Instead of hoping clients will refer them, top advisors engineer referrals consistently and effortlessly. Grace breaks down:Why referrals don’t happen on their own (even from your happiest clients)The exact steps to turn one happy client into five new onesHow to make referrals feel exclusive without offering discountsA proven, non-pushy script for asking for referralsThe small changes that make it easy for clients to send business your wayIf you want a pr...2025-03-0509 min
Office HoursInside Valerie Wilson Travel: The Future of Luxury with Karen MageeIn this Office Hours episode, Grace Van Hollebeke sits down with Karen Magee, President of Valerie Wilson Travel, to discuss leading a legacy luxury travel brand into the future. Karen shares her journey from finance to travel, the values that define exceptional hospitality, and how travel advisors can stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape.They explore what it takes to scale a high-touch luxury brand while staying true to its roots, the power of strong client relationships, and how evolving technology is shaping the industry. Plus, Karen shares candid insights on leadership, balancing career and family...2025-02-2637 min
Office HoursPersonal Brand vs. Business Brand: How to Nail Both with Nikita LecaIn this Office Hours episode, Grace sits down with Nikita Leca, a branding and content strategist specializing in travel and hospitality. Nikita shares her journey from working a 9-to-5 to launching her own business, overcoming the fear of putting herself out there, and building a personal brand that attracts ideal clients.They discuss the importance of branding, storytelling, and content strategy—plus, practical ways to engage your audience, leverage UGC, and optimize your online presence. If you've ever struggled with what to post or how to stand out, this episode is packed with actionable insights....2025-02-0542 min
Office HoursLet's Get You to Stop Overthinking & Post on Socials with ConfidenceIn this episode of Office Hours, Grace Van Hollebeke talks about overcoming the fear of posting on social media and how personal branding can help grow your business. Drawing from her own experiences, she shares thoughtful tips and practical strategies to help you show up authentically, create content that resonates, and build trust with your audience. Whether you're just starting out or looking for fresh ideas, this episode offers a supportive and approachable guide to feeling more confident online.Key Moments:(00:01) Welcome & Why This Matters: Why your personal brand is your business brand — an...2024-12-1815 min
Office HoursAn Honest Friday Afternoon Session with Grace: How to Really Market Your Small BusinessGrace sits down for a spontaneous Friday afternoon chat about how to actually market a small business. Drawing from her experiences working with entrepreneurs in travel, tech, and hospitality, Grace shares creative, no-nonsense strategies that go beyond the usual “post on social media” advice. This solo session is packed with practical tips on email marketing, content creation, partnerships, and more—all focused on getting results without breaking the bank.Key Moments:(02:15) Social Media Isn't the Fix-All: Why social media shouldn’t be your first marketing move—and how to use it as a credibility tool instead.(05:48) Email Mark...2024-12-1324 min
Office HoursBreaking Rules and Building Values with Ellen YuiIn this Office Hours episode, Grace sits down with Ellen Yui, founder of Yui+Company, a trailblazing communications consultancy celebrating 33 years of success. Ellen shares her journey from a young leader in a big Irish family to launching her own company while pregnant and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Ellen discusses the importance of values, joy, and authenticity in business and life with candor and humor.Key Moments:(03:54) The Pregnancy That Sparked a Business: Ellen shares how starting her company while pregnant catalyzed her entrepreneurial success.(09:01) Client Loyalty That Built a Legacy: How Ellen’s...2024-11-1854 min
Office HoursUnlocking Success Through Grit and Passion: Irving Betesh’s Journey from Travel to TechIn this Office Hours episode, we sit down with Irving Betesh, the Co-Founder & CEO of SION, who defied the odds to build a successful business in the travel and tech industries. Known for his passion, straightforward approach, and ability to thrive under pressure, Irving shares his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a respected name in his field. From attending a life-changing Tony Robbins seminar in his 20s to selling a watch to pay rent in his early days, Irving has consistently demonstrated that hard work and resilience can open doors.Key Moments:2:30: The Early Influence...2024-11-111h 05
Office HoursDavid Chait - Founder & CEO of TravefyEpisode Summary:In this episode of Office Hours, Grace hosts an engaging conversation with David Chait, CEO and Founder of Travefy, the go-to platform for travel advisors who need a powerful way to streamline trip planning, communication, and client engagement. David walks us through his journey from corporate strategy consulting at McKinsey to a pivotal role at the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he was immersed in the challenges of small businesses during the Great Recession. Inspired by these experiences, David caught the entrepreneurial bug and set out to create Travefy, a platform initially aimed at...2024-11-0145 min
Office HoursCaroline Casson - Partner at VITALIZE Venture CapitalIn this episode, Grace interviews Caroline Casson, Partner at VITALIZE Venture Capital, a seed-stage fund investing in the future of work. Caroline shares her unconventional path into venture capital, starting from a corporate finance role at GE to helping incubate a startup in the drone industry with GE Ventures. She discusses her transition to VITALIZE, the evolution of the fund’s thesis, and the importance of having a focus when sourcing deals. Caroline dives into the qualities she looks for in founders, from attention to detail to passion for solving specific problems. She reflects on navigating the VC landscape wh...2024-10-2334 min
Masters in TravelEp 194 Finding candidates, hiring, training, delegating...and everything in betweenIt's a topic many travel business owners can't get off their minds – hiring. This week, Grace Van Hollebeke of Lucia joins Whitney to talk about how to find the right fit for your team, delegate, train, and continue to fit employees and ICs into the right parts of your workflows. So whether you have hired and looking to improve your team workflows, or are thinking about finding help, this episode gives actionable insights to guide any travel business owner. 2024-10-0854 min
Office HoursMatthew Upchurch - CEO of VirtuosoIn this episode, Grace interviews Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, a global luxury travel network with over 1,000 agency locations and 20,000 advisors across more than 50 countries. Matthew shares his journey, beginning with his family's travel legacy, to leading Virtuoso and growing it into a network that recorded more than $26 billion in annual sales. He discusses the company’s founding principles, its evolution through technological changes, and his insights into building a human-centric business. Matthew delves into how Virtuoso has embraced technology to amplify human connections, maintained its focus on personalized travel experiences, and navigated market changes. He also offers valuable ad...2024-10-0229 min
Office HoursAshwin Kamlani - Co-Founder of JUICERIn this episode, Ashwin Kamlani shares his dynamic journey from an e-commerce pioneer at Melia Hotels to becoming a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of Juicer. Ashwin dives deep into the critical moments that shaped his career, including how he transformed Melia’s e-commerce strategy from the ground up, his leap into entrepreneurship after a bold offer from a Danish entrepreneur, and his decision to bootstrap his first company.Ashwin highlights the lessons he learned from bootstrapping versus raising capital and shares his unique perspective on transparency, leadership, and balancing the personal with the professional. From walking in...2024-09-2341 min
Office HoursDmitry Koltunov - Co-Founder of ALICE (Acquired by Expedia) and ArborIn this episode, Dmitry Koltunov shares his inspiring journey from a software engineer in Ukraine to becoming a successful entrepreneur, founding two companies, ALICE and Arbor. He emphasizes the power of storytelling in both the hospitality and nonprofit sectors, explaining how emotional connections can drive impact and engagement. Dmitry explores the qualities that define successful founders, including resilience, curiosity, and self-awareness, and he stresses the significance of customer feedback in driving business growth. Reflecting on his experiences in the Startup Leadership Program, Dmitry offers valuable insights on entrepreneurship, creativity, and collaboration.Dmitry also draws parallels between the...2024-09-1633 min
Office HoursTed Teng - Former CEO of Leading Hotels of the World and COO of Wyndham InternationalIn this episode, Ted Teng, a renowned leader in the hospitality industry, shares his remarkable journey from an unexpected entry into Cornell’s hotel school to becoming the CEO of Leading Hotels of the World. Ted recounts his early career, highlighting his rapid rise at Sheraton and his influential roles at Disney, Westin, and Wyndham. He underscores the importance of hard work, embracing new challenges, and the power of building meaningful relationships. Ted also discusses the value of networking and selflessly helping others, which has been a cornerstone of his success.As CEO of Leading Hotels of th...2024-08-2749 min
Office HoursMelissa Krueger - CEO of Classic VacationsIn this episode, Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations, shares her inspiring journey from a small town in the Northwest to leading a significant luxury travel company. She reflects on her early experiences at Club Med and Travel Impressions, providing valuable insights into the role of wholesale companies in the travel industry. Melissa emphasizes the significance of embracing new challenges, particularly the importance of managing a P&L, as a key to career growth. With a focus on leadership, she discusses the value of resourcefulness, curiosity, and making meaningful contributions to her team. Melissa also touches on the importance...2024-08-2753 min