An incredible read as always, and one that I resonate deeply with. Thank you for the window into your side of the business and the vulnerability with balancing family life that many of us can relate to 🤍 I love the Ritz DND sign detail especially!
Great read! It truly is so much to juggle running your own business and trying to live everyday life alongside it, I cannot imagine having kids in the mix quite yet. I’m always so impressed how moms make it all happen!
I remember my mom working so much when I was a kid and we would ask why she always had to work. Her response was that it paid for all of our music lessons, horseback riding, vacations, etc. aka all of the fun! And that helped our little brains understand. Love that your kids get to experience such incredible travel experiences :)
Thank you for sharing this! I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece. Kids make everything more challenging for sure. My mom didn’t work by the time I was born, so it’s been an adjustment for me to model this
Women make most travel decisions and much of the industry runs on their labor, yet hospitality’s leadership structures were largely designed without them. That recent White House photo of 11 travel and hospitality executives, all men, made the disconnect impossible to ignore.
When the people shaping the guest experience don’t reflect the people buying it or delivering it, that isn’t only a representation problem. It’s a commercial blind spot.
This resonates with every high-achieving millennial mother. The dearth of women in administrative and executive positions in medicine is equally as startling and disappointing. I oscillate between immense guilt for missing big and small moments in my daughter’s life for patient care and call and thriving in the fulfillment of a career I’m passionate about. I do know my daughter is extremely proud of me and my work, but she’s also stated she doesn’t want to be an OB/GYN because I’m at the hospital too much. The older I get (and she gets), the more I prioritize my family, but it’s difficult! Keep up the great work - you’re a phenomenal representation of females in the travel industry!
I appreciate you speaking so honestly about this! I worked at an ultra-luxe tour operator for 7 years, and ultimately left because I was sick of pushing up against that ceiling. In an office that was overwhelmingly female, our boss would call us "girls," which I think says a lot. I left to do my own thing, but that (as you talk about a lot in this piece!) comes with its own set of complications and tradeoffs. Ultimately, for me I think it will be better even though it's still a work in progress.
One memory for me really stands out - I was working with one of our top advisers and had to deliver some bad news to her client. She literally said, Hate that this is the world we live in, but you need to get your boss/male colleague on the phone, otherwise he won't accept what we have to tell him.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Ugh, the “he’ll have to hear it from your male boss” thing is so terrible. I met with some sales reps for a large cruise company once when I was running the Experiences department. First they asked me for coffee in the office. Then, they asked when my male boss was going to join as at lunch.
This really resonated with me because I’m not sure balance ever truly exists. I think we’ve been fed this idea that we can do everything, have everything and give every part of our lives the same amount of attention and thats just. bs. I’m not married and don’t have children yet, but I very much want both.
And now I constantly find myself wondering about the “what ifs.” What if I hadn’t gone SO intensely in one direction? Would things have been different? (Not a particularly fun “the grass is always greener” exercise 😂 do not recommend) obviously i know its not "too late" but I do think the trade-offs exist on both sides, and THAT is something we don’t talk enough about.
I think I gave up on the idea of balance when I quit corporate, but I didn’t realize that I’m terrible at part time jobs? Apparently I don’t do things half way
This is fascinating and insightful even if I have no intention of being a travel agent. I think your points resonate with many females who work in big organisations
I am obviously not a travel advisor but I also want to involve my children in the work. We have brought our kids on site visits, had discussions about how plumbing works and my daughter is always proposing design ideas for our yard. She also suggests when a design doesn’t work. I think there is a huge insider advantage at understanding a family business and I hope that spirit is relayed to my kids. Great piece.
Really insightful piece! I also left corporate and tech life for travel (and frustration with the glass ceiling!), but am always bamboozled that travel conferences too always manage to have more men than women keynotes and presenters, when women are the buyers and executors of this industry. Here's to more representation for your children's gen, you're setting a great example!!
Yes! So many male keynote speakers. I wonder if we could track that over the past couple years at the major conferences? Would be an interesting data project.
The Ritz “Do Not Disturb” sign on the home office door made me laugh. Of course the kids ignore the one hotel convention you most need them to respect haha
An incredible read as always, and one that I resonate deeply with. Thank you for the window into your side of the business and the vulnerability with balancing family life that many of us can relate to 🤍 I love the Ritz DND sign detail especially!
Thanks so much, Kelly! I think the more we normalize talking about this as women leaders, the less likely we will feel like we are failing
Great read! It truly is so much to juggle running your own business and trying to live everyday life alongside it, I cannot imagine having kids in the mix quite yet. I’m always so impressed how moms make it all happen!
I remember my mom working so much when I was a kid and we would ask why she always had to work. Her response was that it paid for all of our music lessons, horseback riding, vacations, etc. aka all of the fun! And that helped our little brains understand. Love that your kids get to experience such incredible travel experiences :)
Thank you for sharing this! I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece. Kids make everything more challenging for sure. My mom didn’t work by the time I was born, so it’s been an adjustment for me to model this
Women make most travel decisions and much of the industry runs on their labor, yet hospitality’s leadership structures were largely designed without them. That recent White House photo of 11 travel and hospitality executives, all men, made the disconnect impossible to ignore.
When the people shaping the guest experience don’t reflect the people buying it or delivering it, that isn’t only a representation problem. It’s a commercial blind spot.
Exactly! That photo was wild
This resonates with every high-achieving millennial mother. The dearth of women in administrative and executive positions in medicine is equally as startling and disappointing. I oscillate between immense guilt for missing big and small moments in my daughter’s life for patient care and call and thriving in the fulfillment of a career I’m passionate about. I do know my daughter is extremely proud of me and my work, but she’s also stated she doesn’t want to be an OB/GYN because I’m at the hospital too much. The older I get (and she gets), the more I prioritize my family, but it’s difficult! Keep up the great work - you’re a phenomenal representation of females in the travel industry!
I appreciate you speaking so honestly about this! I worked at an ultra-luxe tour operator for 7 years, and ultimately left because I was sick of pushing up against that ceiling. In an office that was overwhelmingly female, our boss would call us "girls," which I think says a lot. I left to do my own thing, but that (as you talk about a lot in this piece!) comes with its own set of complications and tradeoffs. Ultimately, for me I think it will be better even though it's still a work in progress.
One memory for me really stands out - I was working with one of our top advisers and had to deliver some bad news to her client. She literally said, Hate that this is the world we live in, but you need to get your boss/male colleague on the phone, otherwise he won't accept what we have to tell him.
It runs deep.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Ugh, the “he’ll have to hear it from your male boss” thing is so terrible. I met with some sales reps for a large cruise company once when I was running the Experiences department. First they asked me for coffee in the office. Then, they asked when my male boss was going to join as at lunch.
This really resonated with me because I’m not sure balance ever truly exists. I think we’ve been fed this idea that we can do everything, have everything and give every part of our lives the same amount of attention and thats just. bs. I’m not married and don’t have children yet, but I very much want both.
And now I constantly find myself wondering about the “what ifs.” What if I hadn’t gone SO intensely in one direction? Would things have been different? (Not a particularly fun “the grass is always greener” exercise 😂 do not recommend) obviously i know its not "too late" but I do think the trade-offs exist on both sides, and THAT is something we don’t talk enough about.
I think I gave up on the idea of balance when I quit corporate, but I didn’t realize that I’m terrible at part time jobs? Apparently I don’t do things half way
This is fascinating and insightful even if I have no intention of being a travel agent. I think your points resonate with many females who work in big organisations
Thank you! It’s such a challenge
I feel this on soooo many levels! Thanks for posting about this paradox (and then some).
I’m so glad it resonated with you!
And also I used to live by Hotel Bossert and my husband and I always said it would be a great hotel.
I am obviously not a travel advisor but I also want to involve my children in the work. We have brought our kids on site visits, had discussions about how plumbing works and my daughter is always proposing design ideas for our yard. She also suggests when a design doesn’t work. I think there is a huge insider advantage at understanding a family business and I hope that spirit is relayed to my kids. Great piece.
I love that! I think it’s so great for our kids to see that work can be interesting and fulfilling. I’m so glad you liked my article!
Really insightful piece! I also left corporate and tech life for travel (and frustration with the glass ceiling!), but am always bamboozled that travel conferences too always manage to have more men than women keynotes and presenters, when women are the buyers and executors of this industry. Here's to more representation for your children's gen, you're setting a great example!!
Yes! So many male keynote speakers. I wonder if we could track that over the past couple years at the major conferences? Would be an interesting data project.
Oh I love this idea! A great journalistic rabbit hole, and something that could make change.
The Ritz “Do Not Disturb” sign on the home office door made me laugh. Of course the kids ignore the one hotel convention you most need them to respect haha
The Ritz sales rep gave it to me after hearing about my home office woes. She said “I think you need this.” Next step is a lock ha
Love you bring your kids to hotel property tours and the frog pun!
🐸 I love a good pun, especially hotel based ones!