Business Travel Insights

I paid ₹30K for a room and left with a Lesson worth ₹3 LAKH. But The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Bangalore reminded me what true customer experience feels like. From the moment I entered, it wasn’t just about luxury. It was about the thought behind every detail. → A pillow menu, yes. But not just options to see — they brought all 3 to my room so I could touch, feel, and vibe check my sleep.   → A personal butler, assigned just to me, not for housekeeping but an actual person readily available at the press of a button for anything i need. → An iPad that controlled everything — lights, AC, menu, even the mood lighting. All just one tap away. Now compare this to most top hotel chains — Taj, Marriott, ITC. Great rooms. Polished service. But the experience? It feels like copy-paste luxury. Same welcome drink. Same rehearsed smile. Same “Hope you had a pleasant stay” at checkout. Everything works. But nothing stands out. That’s the difference between good service and thoughtful experience. Most brands ask, “What more can we offer?” Oberoi quietly asks, “What can we remove so the guest never has to ask?” And that’s the business lesson I’m taking back: In a world obsessed with adding features— The real value is in removing friction. P.S. Would you pay extra for an experience that actually remembers how you want to feel? #CustomerExperience #BusinessLessons #Luxury #Entrepreneur #ContentAgency  

In the past 3 years, I’ve clocked 200+ flights and over 100,000 kilometers by road- all part of the hustle to grow our entertainment empire. At first, this on-the-go lifestyle nearly broke my routine. My work and health suffered, and I missed key family events while rushing to endless meetings. After months of struggle, I realized I needed to stop treating travel as an exception and start seeing it as my new normal. Here are the simple habits that now keep me grounded across cities, flights, and constant movement: → Protected deep-work hours: Whether it's from a hotel lobby or the backseat of a car, I carve out 3-4 uninterrupted hours of deep work to focus, because scaling parks and launching a global brand in India needs clarity, not constant motion. → Familiar habits in unfamiliar places: No matter the city, I anchor my day with small rituals, a go-to playlist, morning coffee, or a fixed hour to check performance numbers. These constants help me stay sharp even in shifting environments. → My approach to meals: I don't try to eat perfectly while traveling. I choose simple, energy-giving foods that help me stay sharp during long days of meetings. → My recovery strategy: After days of back-to-back travel, I take a full day to rest to prepare for what's next. → My digital boundaries: I've learned when to put my phone away between cities, making room to think clearly about new ideas for our parks. By following this approach in the last 3 years, our entertainment business has expanded to new cities. And personally, I now finish important work while traveling that once took me days at my desk. Most importantly, the constant change of scenery has sparked many of our best park concepts and marketing strategies over the years. The travel I once fought against has become my office, my school, and my edge in business. How often do you travel for your work? #Worklifebalance #Productivity #Entrepreneurship

3 days in Vietnam taught me more about business leadership than 6 years running my agency. I almost didn’t take the trip. I told myself I was too busy, that stepping away could risk everything I’d built. My business had become my entire identity. But then, Vietnam happened. Watching locals balance productivity with presence, I saw how limited my thinking had become. Their approach—community-driven, mindful, fully engaged in the moment—challenged my hustle-obsessed mindset. Every shared meal, every market negotiation, every conversation with strangers taught me more than any business book ever had. I realized leadership isn’t just about strategy and execution—it’s about adaptability, connection, and presence. The biggest lesson? Stepping away doesn’t mean stepping back. In fact, it’s often the smartest business decision you can make. Since returning, I’ve applied what I learned: ✔ Building real relationships, not just networking ✔ Adapting to change without stress ✔ Being fully present with my team and clients And the impact? Clearer decisions. Stronger creative work. More authentic client relationships. Sometimes, growth happens outside of work. What’s a lesson travel has taught you that shaped your professional life? #entrepreneurship #mindfulness #leadership #vietnam #worklifebalance

I traveled 18x for work in 2023. I'll travel 25+x for work in 2024. Here are my 6 top tips to stay sane, safe + productive while on the road ⬇️ 1. Buy the wifi but don't count on it - I try to reserve admin work, deep work, or writing for planes because let's be real... it's anything but reliable (am I right Brian LaManna???) 2. Get a loyalty program with an airline - I use United Airlines. All my points are there. Even when I use Navan for booking work travel I can attribute it to my MileagePlus account. Pick one, and stick to it. (**United did me real dirty, lost a bunch of my gear + refuses to reimburse me so maybe pick another airline-their customer service has been disappointing at best.) 3. Lounge access is worth it- see point 2. I used miles to buy an annual lounge pass and I have to say it was the BEST decision. If your work will pay for lounger access **hint- managers, this is an INCREDIBLE SPIF for your sales team** then more power to you, but it was worth paying for out of pocket for me to have a comfortable space with high-speed internet to chill before takeoff. 4. Find the cheapest 4-star hotel- sometimes 4-star hotels are cheaper than popular 3-star hotels. This has to do with a million factors but often comes down to superior amenities and customer service. Early check-in, a fitness center + room service are REALLY nice to have when you are on the road for work. *Having loyalty w/ a brand of hotels is also a good hack. 5. Do NOT share your hotel or room number with anyone- I was at a conference once and a drunk guy was insistent upon knowing where me and my teammate were staying. "Sorry, I don't tell people where I am staying when I am on the road." He got VERY upset about that. Tried to ask my teammate, she just said "I follow her lead." We walked out, he followed us. We needed up calling an Uber that met us at the corner and I literally just asked the driver to circle the block a few times since we weren't more than 100 yards from our stay. We got back safely. All was well. NEVER tell strangers where you're staying. 6. Invest in good/functional luggage- I use Away for my checked bags and a Cotopaxi Alpa backpack. I also have a lululemon belt bag. I take these EVERYWHERE. They don't break. They hold all my stuff. Whatever brand you go for, just pick something that is functional and will last you. Work travel had beat my luggage to h*ll but it all still works. I'd rather spend an extra $100 now than have to buy new luggage every 6-12 months. #fieldmarketing #worktravel *Bonus tip- any time you can book an extra night on your dime- do it. Worth it to explore. Samantha McKenna gave me advice to buy a journal and document my work travel adventures back in 2022 and I have done so every trip ever since. It's been awesome. Book the extra day, and document your adventures. You'll be grateful to have it all to look back on. ♻️ Repost if you have someone in your network who travels a lot. I want to know their hacks!

What have I learned in eight years of travelling to China? 🇨🇳 After countless flights, meetings, meals and moments of discovery, here are some reflections that continue to shape how I think about business, culture, and connection in China: ⸻ 💡 Business Insights • Long-term thinkers, but fast actors. Strategic patience pairs with rapid execution — an incredibly powerful combination. • Scaling is an art form. The pace and magnitude of scaling in China are on a level not often witnessed elsewhere. • Technology and product innovation move fast — and with purpose. It’s not innovation for innovation’s sake, but tightly focused on consumer needs and outcomes. • Authenticity is non-negotiable. Brand promises are tested every day in real-time on Xiaohongshu, WeChat, and Douyin — where customer voices truly shape reputations. • News travels fast. Whether it’s praise or criticism, word spreads quickly. Transparency and responsiveness are key. ⸻ 🌏 Cultural Insights • Language matters. Making an effort with Mandarin goes a long way — every journey starts with the first step. • Food is central to everything. It’s culture, connection, and business combined. (And yes, practice your chopsticks!) • Expect many toasts. Each one is meaningful — a moment of respect, celebration, or friendship. • Warmth and hospitality are genuine and unforgettable. The exchange of gifts often marks not just an occasion, but the deepening of trust and partnership. • History runs deep. China’s fascinating past shapes its people, perspectives, and pride. Take time to learn — beyond the boardroom. • See it through your own eyes. China is best understood by being there, meeting people, and forming your own perspective — not by headlines alone. ⸻ I’ve been genuinely touched by my experiences in China — by the people, the culture, the energy and the ambition. I look forward to returning again and again — for business, and for pleasure. Thanks to a great iQ touring team: Ollie Humphries Sam Lee Heather McKim Xiaoqin Niu Jingjing Xu - incredibly committed but a fun bunch to be around. 📸 Sharing a few personal moments below from meetings, meals and cultural visits that have made this particular journey so memorable.

✈️𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟑-𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 Geopolitical shifts, civil unrest, and sudden global events are making business and leisure travel more unpredictable than ever. You can't eliminate risk, but you can build resilience. My advice for navigating uncertainty isn't about avoiding travel—it’s about being an informed, prepared traveler who can pivot when the unexpected hits. 1️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨-𝐁𝐚𝐠 (𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐆𝐨) 🛡️ You have a physical Go-Bag, but what about your digital one? 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Store digital copies of your passport, visa, insurance policy (especially the emergency medical evacuation number), and key contacts in a secure, offline folder (like Google Drive or a password manager). 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬: If there is an option, utilize a tool like ISOS or Global Rescue to ensure that you receive vital security alerts and are easily located in an emergency. 𝐕𝐏𝐍: Use a reliable VPN, especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi, to keep your business communications secure from potential monitoring. 2️⃣ 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 (𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩) 🧭 Your best tool is not technology—it’s your instincts. 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬: Don't just rely on global news. Follow local, trusted media (in-language, translated if necessary) and sign up for official travel alerts. 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬: In a high-risk area, avoid protests, political gatherings, and large crowds, no matter how peaceful they seem. If you find yourself near one, calmly and deliberately walk away in the opposite direction. During a recent trip to Istanbul, a group of men approached me when I was walking back to my hotel on a desolate street. After asking an initial harmless question, they started to get a bit pushy asking for local currency. I had to diplomatically get out of the situation and hastily walk back to my hotel before things escalated. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧": At your hotel, a meeting venue, or a restaurant, take 30 seconds to identify two distinct exit routes. Knowing your way out keeps you calm under pressure. 3️⃣ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 & 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐭𝐬) ♟️ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐦, 𝐆𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐰-𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞: Panic clouds judgment. Breathe, assess, and move with purpose. Wear neutral, conservative clothing and avoid displaying expensive jewelry or electronics that draw attention. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦-𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤: Keep your phone fully charged and have a physical power bank. A dead battery is a communication failure when you need to contact your travel security provider or family. In today's travel environment, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥. Do you have any tips from your travels? Please share! #BusinessTravel #TravelSafety #RiskManagement #GlobalMobility #TravelTips

✈️ Packing Rules for Multi-Stop Executive Travel In the past few weeks, my itinerary looked like this: Lagos → UAE → Singapore → Japan → Abu Dhabi → London → Oxford → Los Angeles → New York. That’s investor meetings, panels, dinners, and flights; often within the same 48 hours. For executives who live on planes, packing isn’t about fashion. It’s about strategy, discipline, and conserving mental bandwidth. Here’s the system that works for me: 1. Black clothes only Black is the ultimate travel hack. It hides wrinkles, works across cultures, and transitions seamlessly from day to evening. When you’re in five cities in a week, you don’t want to think about matching. 2. Comfortable travel wear Flights are long, lounges are unpredictable, and connections are tight. Comfort doesn’t mean sloppy: it means clothes you can wear for 12 hours straight and still walk into a meeting looking polished. 3. Machine-washable fabrics At some point, your laundry will get lost. (Usually right before an important meeting.) Machine-washable fabrics mean you can hand them to any service, anywhere, without stress. 4. One hotel brand, everywhere Loyalty points are nice, but consistency is better. When your laundry disappears in Tokyo or you need an invoice reissued in New York, a familiar system makes it simpler. Less admin, fewer surprises. 5. Choose hotels with gyms Jet lag, back-to-back meetings, and late dinners take a toll. A reliable gym is not about vanity; it’s about keeping your energy and focus sharp through a long roadshow. 6. Dresses only, no two-pieces For me, dresses eliminate decision fatigue. No wasted time pairing items, just a polished, ready-to-go outfit every morning. 7. Stick to one airline alliance It’s not just about points. Familiar lounges, priority rebooking, and predictability make all the difference when the inevitable delays happen. 8. One big suitcase + one small The big one anchors me (often left in London/one America city that I will be flying back through), while the small one lets me hop around Europe/US with only essentials. It creates a sense of “home base”. 9. Flight socks Underestimated but essential. Long-haul flights mean circulation risks, swelling, and fatigue. A good pair of compression socks keeps you healthy enough to walk off the plane and head straight into meetings. 🔑 The bigger lesson: Packing is about reducing decisions and friction, so your mental energy is saved for the real work — negotiating deals, leading panels, and engaging with investors. When your calendar looks like a game of Tetris, you don’t want your suitcase to feel the same.

Corporate Travel Just Flipped — The Traveler Now Runs the Show 💥 Ten years ago, 80% of business travel bookings were offline. Phone calls, emails, and GDS commands ruled the day. Today, it’s flipped. 💥 Over 90% of managed travel bookings are now made online. The era of the agent typing codes into the GDS is over. Business travel has gone digital — and the traveler is now in control. OBTs (Online Booking Tools) like SAP Concur, Amadeus Cytric, Navan, Spotnana, Serko, Egencia & TravelPerk have become the universal gateway for corporate travel — where bookings happen instantly, policies are embedded, payments are automated, and hotel content is richer than ever. Across global programs, the numbers say it all: 💻 90–97% of bookings are online 📲 Travelers and arrangers book directly, in seconds 🧾 Real-time policy, payment, and folio integration 🏨 Hotel content from GDS, direct, and aggregator sources now sits right at the traveler’s fingertips 🧭 The Traveler Is Now in Control — So What Changes? 🏨 For Hoteliers The fight has moved from rate sheets to relevance. The traveler can now see everything — GDS, direct, aggregator, and OTA — side by side in their OBT. Winning visibility means: Investing in content quality (images, amenities, policies, loyalty). Moving from static RFPs to dynamic corporate pricing. Integrating loyalty and recognition directly into booking tools. Competing on experience, not just rate. 💡 You’re no longer selling rooms — you’re selling trust and digital presence inside the booking flow. 🤝 For TMCs (Travel Management Companies) The role has evolved from agent to architect. You’re no longer booking — you’re designing the ecosystem that powers self-service travel. This means: Owning data integration, policy automation, and traveler support. Managing multi-source content (GDS + NDC + aggregator + direct). Redefining success through adoption, satisfaction, and efficiency, not call volume. 💡 The modern TMC isn’t a call center — it’s a control tower. 🧳 For Travel Buyers Control has shifted — but influence has grown. Travelers have freedom, but programs need cohesion. Buyers now design experience ecosystems, not just policy decks. That means: Embedding policy into tools, not PowerPoints. Measuring experience, sustainability, and loyalty ROI. Using data to make compliance feel like convenience. 💡 The best travel programs will be designed around trust, empowerment, and transparency. ⚡ The Takeaway Adoption is solved. Now it’s about experience, content, loyalty, and payments — the new frontier of Business Travel. The traveler is in control. The ecosystem must evolve to match. Let’s make sure our content, partnerships, and platforms keep up. #BusinessTravel #CorporateTravel #HotelDistribution #OBT #TMC #SAPConcur #TravelManagement #HotelContent #Loyalty #Payments #RateParity #TravelTech #HotelTech #HEDNA #Hospitality #MultiSourcing #TravelerExperience #Innovation #DistributionStrategy

I used to think “living out of a suitcase” was just a saying. Consulting turned it into my lifestyle. From airports to hotel rooms to cafes that double up as temporary offices, my suitcase has seen it all - and taught me more than I expected. 1. You figure out what truly matters. Limited space forces clarity. Only the essentials - habits, tools, and routines that keep you grounded - make the cut. 2. You adapt quickly. New cities, new teams, new clients. Switching contexts becomes second nature, and you learn to stay centered amid constant change. 3. You understand people better. Travel exposes you to different work styles and cultures, and you become more empathetic and flexible. I have spent time in various corners of India and the US - and have seen the difference in cultures first hand. 4. You build your own version of balance. Home becomes a mindset, not a location. Small rituals and routines travel with you. 5. You grow without noticing. Somewhere between delayed flights and late-night decks, you become sharper, calmer, more resilient. The suitcase life isn’t always glamorous, but the lessons are definitely real.

By the end of this week, I’ll have been on six flights. So, I thought I’d share a few of my go-to strategies for making work travel a bit smoother (or at least how I try to do it). As a keynote speaker, travel is a big part of my job. Now that in-person events are back in full swing, so are my days on planes. (Side note: if you’re after a keynote speaker for your next event, DM me, and let’s chat!). So, here are my top tips for staying sane and productive while on the move: Prioritise good sleep. Hotel rooms never quite live up to the comfort of home, but I do everything I can to avoid a terrible night’s sleep. My non-negotiables? A pillow (yes, I travel light just to fit in my trusty compressed foam pillow that has its own travel bag), a sleep mask, and earplugs – because you never know when a noisy neighbour will strike. Duplicate your toiletries bag. Let’s be real, packing toiletries (especially as a woman) is a bit of a pain. There are cleansers, moisturisers, serums, makeup, and hair products – and it’s a lot of mental effort for a small bag. So, I’ve hacked it by creating a duplicate toiletries kit. Everything’s decanted into labelled travel containers, and for the items that don’t pour well, I’ve bought duplicates. It’s a bit of an upfront cost, but the time and mental load it saves me every time I pack? Absolutely worth it. Turn travel time into learning time. I bet you’ve got a backlog of podcasts, online courses, and bookmarked articles, just waiting for attention. Travel time is perfect for ticking those off. Think of all the “dead time” spent in Ubers, security lines, and departure lounges – turn that into learning time, and suddenly, travel feels a whole lot more productive (and dare I say, fun). Bring a parka for posture. As someone who’s 5’4, airplane seats are not my friends. The seat design puts me in a permanently hunched position, and my back pays the price. A tip from the amazing woman I see for remedial massage changed the game. She said: pack lower back support. I use a scrunched-up Uniqlo parka, and now, every flight is a bit less painful for my spine. Don’t forget snacks. There’s one emotion I cannot stand: hanger. And it strikes often when I’m travelling, especially with unpredictable meal times. My solution? Always overpack snacks. Right now, I’m obsessed with tuna pouches – they’re lightweight, healthy, FODMAP-friendly, and surprisingly not too smelly for tuna. Mask up. Here’s my unpopular opinion: I think masking up when travelling is the only way to travel. Yes, it’s annoying. But so is getting sick. Wearing a mask at the airport and on planes has, I’m convinced, saved me from days (or weeks) of illness. And honestly, that’s a trade I’m more than happy to make. Pack a portable charger. This one’s a no-brainer. Running out of battery when you need your device the most is a special kind of travel anxiety. So, there you have it – my top tips for travelling like a pro. I’d love to hear yours!