And Speaking Of... The Power of Collaboration

I just returned from one of my favorite meetings we host at Gifted Travel Network :?the Top Producer’s Club (TPC) mastermind meeting. This is a two-day meeting where we facilitate discussions relevant to our TPC member's businesses.

For context, we determine who qualifies for the current year's Top Producers Club by taking a look at sales from the previous year. In 2023, all 40 TPC members had over $1M in sales for 2022, and the top 10 averaged over $2M. Many members in this group are on track to hit $4M to $5M in total sales for 2023 as, collectively, the bar for their sales keeps growing and growing, and new goals continue to be established.??

As part of the Top Producers Club benefits at GTN, we host a meeting where TPC members can collaborate and connect with their peers at the same stage of the travel business journey. The energy of this meeting was one of true authentic collaboration as the connections between our top members extend far beyond their travel businesses.

One of the most significant rewards in my journey of starting, growing, and running a host agency has been to watch these connections form and develop over the years.

Our members are entirely subscribed to?the theory that a?rising tide lifts all boats. Although I know I am biased, we truly have the best advisors and a company culture of forward-thinking travel advisors in the industry.

Community Culture

Stuart Marra of The Opulent Explorer calls our company culture a “a 10 out of 10.” To me, that is the best compliment we can receive.

All host agencies can offer booking platforms, preferred partners, top-tier commissions, access to hotel elite programs, and “all the things” host agencies provide.

But not everyone can offer a culture with a strong spirit of collaboration that is unmatched and necessary for travel entrepreneurs to grow to the next level of their businesses.

Every business owner needs a group of like-minded business owners who will stretch them, support them and challenge them in ways that keep them tapped in and inspired. I often say that travel advisors come to GTN for the content, and they stay for the community.

Collaboration Over Competition

Our community is unmatched. We foster a non-competitive environment because we believe there is plenty of business for everyone.

In fact, the demand for luxury travel far surpasses the number of travel advisors to support it. Stuart Marra and GTN member Elizabeth de Quillacq of Souvenir & Far ?practically live in the same town as one another in New Jersey; they share an Assistant, attend travel events together, and have the best relationship that has helped them grow their businesses. They are stronger business owners because they collaborate and share best practices.

Katie Crago of KHC Grand Travel ?and Keely Culpepper of Blue Venture Travel?both live in Birmingham, AL. They constantly share best practices, and collaborate consistently. They both came to GTN from a mass market host agency focused on Disney and have transformed their businesses on a similar path to focus on luxury.

Their books of business are separate, despite their geographic proximity. They even drove together to our meeting at Virgin Hotels Nashville?and continued their mastermind session during their 6-hour drive.

Katie shared in our TPC private Facebook group:

"My biggest takeaway each time I am together with this group is how grateful I am to be a part of it. The kindness and thoughtfulness are so impressive!"

The Art of Collaboration

How do you foster and sustain positive collaboration?

For starters, there isn’t a formula to follow or a step-by-step guide you can review and implement. Collaboration is a heart-centered approach to your business; we often get stuck in our heads.

Collaboration requires you to subscribe to an abundance mindset. You must want everyone to win and know that your success doesn’t take away from others and vice versa.

Collaboration allows you to get out of your own way, and as Jen Campbell Boles of Explore More Family Travel ?realized last week: Stop being so hard on yourself.

Collaboration is an art, not a science. Tapping into the power of collaboration means honoring the journey and not thinking you have all the answers. Life is so much better when you can tap into the collective wisdom of like-minded individuals.

It feels sad to me when I hear entrepreneurs say, “I will just figure this out on my own.”

Why? You are setting yourself up for failure when you think you can white-knuckle a solution or do things on your own.

We can only go so far on our own, and opening ourselves to the brain trust of people you respect, admire, and support unconditionally is magic.

We count our blessings at GTN for the magic of our community vibe. Our meeting in Nashville was magic, and those who could make the trip left recharged, inspired, and reminded of how powerful the GTN community vibe is, and we all felt grateful to have been part of the experience.

Are you part of a group where collaboration is strong? Share your thoughts on the power of collaboration below!?