Intentional Travel in Uncertain Times with Brenna Girardi

Travel isn't spending. It's investing.

This week, we're sitting down with Brenna Girardi, the Co Founder of Olivette Travel Design, a boutique luxury travel advisory specializing in bespoke journeys around the world. She designs tailored, high touch travel experiences for couples, families, and private groups, partnering with the world’s most respected hotels and trusted global experts to unlock exclusive access and seamless service. 

Brenna breaks down why now, more than ever, getting out of your bubble and experiencing other cultures is not a luxury. It's a necessity. She shares the real financial and emotional cost of DIY travel gone wrong (yes, we're talking Airbnb horror stories), why ChatGPT should never be your only travel planning tool, and what "memory dividends" actually mean for your life and your kids' lives.

08:00 Traveling Smart in Uncertain Times

10:00 Why You Need a Travel Advisor Right Now

13:00 The ChatGPT Itinerary Problem

15:00 Travel Is Intentional Investing

16:00 Memory Dividends: The Book Die With Zero

20:00 Common Money Mistakes Travelers Make

22:00 Airbnb vs. Vetted Hotels

Brenna's reminder is a good one: your health, your time, and the people you love aren't guaranteed forever. The best memory dividends start now. Traveling more in 2026? Join us for next week’s Money Talks “Traveling more in 2026? Here’s What You Need to Know About Your Taxes”. Click here to register for FREE and bring your questions!  

This episode is supported by Meredith Schnepp, VTA, CCC, founder of Sunkissed Bliss Travel. Meredith designs deeply personal, seamless travel experiences for busy women, couples, and families who want beautifully executed trips without the time, stress, or guesswork of planning it themselves. Through carefully vetted global partners and high-touch, full-service planning, she makes sure every detail is handled so you can show up and actually enjoy your trip. If you're ready to invest in travel that feels as meaningful as it is memorable, book your complimentary consultation at www.sunkissedblisstravel.com and follow her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Want to take this conversation one step further? Join us for our next Money Talks, a free 30 minute live session where we’ll dig into a question we hear all the time from women business owners: Budgeting for Businesses to Offer Benefits. Click here to register for FREE and bring your questions! 

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Transcript

PS: Brenna Girardi (MP3)

Dr. Barb: [00:00:00] You know, just yesterday we were in a conversation where a couple of people said they take money out of their 401K to travel and they say, "I save so much money there and just stuff it away."

Maggie: Oh, like retired people.

Dr. Barb: Semi, semi-retired. People take their money out for lots of things but they're like, "Hey, no time like the present. I'm going."

Maggie: I agree 100%. I need to get a trip on the books. Do you guys wanna hear about my favorite trip?

Not my favorite, but, like, this is why no one should overbook, right?

Dr. Barb: Go for it. 

Maggie: My girl finished up my MBA, you know, so I took myself to Europe because I had a lot of college debt, so why not just add a couple thousand more?

But you know, when in Italy, my friend and I went to go get these leather jackets, and we are just yakking it up with the woman, and she's like, "Where are you guys from?" All this stuff. So she's like, "Oh," we took, like, some train to get to this town. She's like, "Let me drive you home, and I'll show you this area that has this really pretty [00:01:00] overview."

 So we did that. Sweetest woman, and then she's like-- But this was during Christmas-ish time, so she's like, "Come to Christmas Eve with our family." I was like, " Okay." So we went, and there was kind of like, I guess like a big property of land that grandma had that she passed down to her kids.

They had eight kids, so each house there was one of the kids. And so this woman we met would be, like, the granddaughter, right? And so all these families now have their own families. And so we went to house to house of all these Italian people just giving us food. They spoke, like, Neapolitan, so we didn't really know.

Dr. Barb: What's Neapolitan? Are you saying that right?

Maggie: I think so.

Dr. Barb: That's ice cream.

Maggie: I know it's ice cream. Either way, it was, like, some different version of Italian that they're like, "Even if you knew Italian, you probably wouldn't know this." Not like we knew Italian anyways. But either way, bunch of Italian women giving us these foods. We're going house to house just meeting all these people.

Don't know what's going on. [00:02:00] Then we went back to their, like, main house there, had this seven-course different meal, which was all fish. I didn't like it, sorry, but I don't eat seafood. But my friend ate it all, which was great. Homemade wine, and then at midnight, they all open their gifts, so they did, like, Christmas at midnight.

 And they each got us, like, a scarf 

Dr. Barb: How did they do that? They just met you.

Maggie: They're just the sweetest people, and the thing was is, like, the one sister was there with her boyfriend Okay. What she asked for Christmas was a couple packs of forks and a nice face lotion, and that's what she got. Like, nothing was to the extreme like we do here, you know?

It's like, the one was living in Milan, so he's like, "Ah." He was the youngest brother. He's like, "I can't afford it." So he just sent an envelope around with everybody to put in some cash for his, like, Christmas gift "

'cause he's like, I, I can't pay my rent," you know? And I always think, like, if we didn't go, if I didn't go and buy a leather jacket that I never wear, how would I ever have this memory of doing Christmas with this Italian family?

And 

like, you could never plan that. It was so [00:03:00] fun, and 

Dr. Barb: that they just invited you in like that.

Maggie: Oh my God. And so the next night she was like, "You guys can come to Christmas night too," where they were doing, like, spaghetti and meatballs. Moi. We missed that. But it was just it was amazing. I mean, we're still connected on Facebook.

Now she has two kids, which is crazy. You know, when we met her they were just engaged. But it was just so much fun, and those are the things where it's like, if people have such a booked trip, they're not as like, "Let's just talk. Let's just do this," you know? And it was really living on a vibe of like, "Sure, we'll get in your car and you can drive us to this spot in the dark that we don't know."

But like, that's that's kind of what we did. But it was just one of the most amazing experiences and you can't book it, you know? 

Dr. Barb: Yeah, You learn so much about people, about culture, about how welcoming some people are and warm and I love it. And so I'm so glad we talked about travel today on our podcast because this is exactly what we're talking about, you know, getting out there and meeting people.

Maggie: Well, this is why we earn the money, right? It's [00:04:00] not just to die with a bunch of money or have your legacy plan and pass it down. I mean, that can be part of it, but like, it's to live. It's to live our best lives, whatever that looks like for you. And so I think I just don't want to lose sight of that when we talk about all these different investment vehicles and getting divorced and running a business.

It's like, okay, but 

 what about travel? Yeah, what about living?

Dr. Barb: Yeah. So fantastic guest today talking about ways to really create a beautiful travel dividend, which I love, memory dividends, which we have in our own family, Maggie. I know when we went to Italy as a family, even when we went to Disney, we went on a Disneyland and cruise, we still laugh and talk about that today.

So let's make some memory dividends.

Maggie: Oh, we laugh all the time. Let's get started.

Brenna, welcome to the show today. We are so excited to have you on. When I met you through our great friend Lauren, I was like, Ooh, she's gonna be a great guest. Because we talked so much about like [00:05:00] budgeting and saving and investing. Let's talk about spending some of that money, you know what I mean, on some good travel.

 So before we dive in, can you share a little bit about who you are and what you do? 

Brenna: Sure. So my name is Brenna Girardi. I am the co-founder of Olivette Travel Design a luxury travel agency. We are based in Michigan, but serve clients all over and we primarily focus on, high net worth, ultra high net worth travel. So we primarily plan trips for individuals, couples, families, and small boutique groups, which is usually either friend groups or a multi-gen experience.

And we handle everything from, we can get you from your driveway and back or we handle all the logistics on the ground. So you can literally just show up. We have a nice little slogan that we like to say is be a guest on your own vacation. And that is our [00:06:00] ultimate goal with the trips we plan on for clients. 

Maggie: It sounds so luxurious.

Dr. Barb: It does sound wonderful. Yeah. 

Brenna: That's the deal.

Maggie: where's like the, your favorite place you've been traveled to?

Brenna: So I grew up in Southern California, so I am a beach girl through and through. So this past November, I was just in Bora Bora and at a private island resort called the Brando, and I could have stayed there for the rest of my life. The water is incredibly clear and calm, and it's like Hawaii on steroids.

So you have like the great food and culture. It's very similar culturally to Hawaii. But it's, the water is just incredible? For swimming. And I think it gets this wrap that it's. Super romantic, and it can be for sure, but it's also a great place for, to take your kids because like I said, the water is so clear and calm.

[00:07:00] You can literally just lounge in it all day long. I will go back there year after year. There's nothing like it and it's not even, so Hawaii's you know, connect through LA it's five to six hours getting to French Polynesia. It sounds really far, but it's only a lot about a two hour additional time in the air.

So you're still connecting in LA or Seattle or wherever. So it's so much more accessible than, than people think.

Maggie: Should we go? 

Dr. Barb: Let's put that on our list.

Maggie: you've gotta test out these places. It's purely for business. 

Brenna: Yes. 

Maggie: Alright, so, Brenna, with everything happening in the world right now, inflation uncertainty, chaos. I feel like this is how I'm starting all my podcasts recently, but God, what else is new?

 How should women be viewing spending on travel and experiences? Because I feel like this is the time where everyone just

pulls back and freezes up. 

Brenna: Yeah. The concern is valid? And we should all take a [00:08:00] pause, but I think it shouldn't stop travel because I think now more than ever with so much uncertainty. And like economically as well as politically, and it's so important to get out of our own bubble and see the world and experience other cultures.

It just makes us well-rounded human beings and I just think that's such an important piece, especially for taking your kids as well. As they're growing up, they should see all of these different cultures and it really just makes 'em appreciate one, who they are and their, their current surroundings, but also just make, makes for well-rounded people.

And I think now more than ever, it's also important to work with an advisor. And that's because one, we're. Constantly tracking all of these different changes. You know, we had clients affected by the, the Venezuela strike. We've had clients affected by the Mexico and now by the, the Middle East.

So we are staying on top of [00:09:00] it you know, with our partners as well as, you know, covering everything the government is doing to ensuring our clients are set up for the safest and most successful trip. And that also leads to, we have incredible partners on the ground in every country in the world.

So it's that added safety net of we have the local knowledge and backup when we can't be there in person with our clients, we have somebody our clients can rely on. When they're in travel and they're in country. So I think those are the biggest things. I would say the biggest takeaway is don't be scared, but be smart.

You know, rely on experts like travel advisors or our thoroughly vetted partners that we work with and travel insurance. You should always get travel insurance you know, to protect your investment. It's not only cancellation insurance in case something happens but it's also medical coverage while you're traveling.

 There's so many nuances with it. And after the COVID Pandemic, we saw [00:10:00] how? Important it is for travelers to, to purchase travel insurance. I know it's not the most sexy thing to, you know, you're spending all this money on this incredible trip and then you have this other chunk that you have to pay for travel insurance.

That's not always the cheapest, but it is so worth it in the long run.

Dr. Barb: You know, I think when people wanna go on a really lovely vacation, right? Someone's gotta plan it. So let's say it's the mom, right? Or the one person who's the type A personality. But then everyone depends on that person for all their questions and all their tickets, and where are we going next?

And is there a map? And I think that one person Why should they have to take that on? Right? Why should that be their job when they're, it's their vacation too. So do you find that when people are trying to create a great vacation for their family, there's usually somebody who has to be like the go-to person, and why should [00:11:00] they have to take that on?

Why not work with someone like you?

Brenna: Yeah. Well, and I think as women I had a client one time tell me, I was telling her about I was, I was thinking I need to hire an assistant and she told me, find a mom because moms do everything. They manage their kids' calendars, they manage their own calendars, they manage their husband's calendars, they manage their dog's calendars, and then they're also managing the home.

And they also work a full-time job, but they get it done. And so we are such multifaceted women that you are capable of managing all these things. Should you though? Is where you know, the, I think the question is because you're right, you're never fully turning off. Travel should be restorative and give you the opportunity to reconnect with your family and with your kids.

Especially for women who are working full-time. Full-time jobs. This is your opportunity to really turn [00:12:00] off. And when you're the one doing the planning, you're right, you're the one who is responsible for everything under the sun when not only leading up to the travel, right, but also during travel.

So you know what happens when your flight is canceled or your train is delayed, or you know, you've overbooked yourself. You know, that's one of the things we see with. ChatGPT these days, it's, it's great as a tool, but it should not be your only resource in planning an itinerary because if you'll go and ask ChatGPT what you should do, he'll tell you everything under the sun.

 And it's just not physically possible. But and so we see a lot of people plan super aggressive trips and then travel ends up not being restorative. It was another job. 

Let's take a quick pause to hear from this week's episode. Sponsor travel should feel exciting, not overwhelming, but for many women, couples and families, planning a truly meaningful trip can quickly turn [00:13:00] into hours of research, decision fatigue, and second guessing. Hi, I'm Meredith Schnapp, founder of Sunkist Bliss Travel.

I designed deeply personal seamless travel. Experiences for busy discerning clients who want beautifully executed trips without the time or guesswork of planning it themselves. I don't just plan travel, I act as your trusted confidant. I take the time to understand your preferences, your pace, and what truly matters to you.

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Maggie: Yeah, it can easily turn into a full-time job, especially. I mean, if you had kids there and a flight got canceled, I mean that's just so much to manage. And it's so funny 'cause I see all these people young, I would say more younger people in my age group who go on these trips and like, they have this thing where I've been to 20 countries.

I'm like, you have spent. 18 hours in each country though, like you have been running

spot to spot and you've never enjoyed it. Where like my friend and I, when we would go on a trip, like, I was like, let's spend like five days here. Like let's see the place and enjoy it. 'cause I would rather go somewhere and really enjoy it than just be like running to the airport, running to the hotel, checking in trying to get in all the tourist traps in the quickest time.

And it's like, oh God, that's not even fun anymore. 

Brenna: Yeah, I think that's so, you know, accurate. Everyone wants to see everything all at once, and you're not allowing yourself to immerse in the [00:15:00] culture. There's nothing I love more than having like a free afternoon and going and finding a cafe and just people watching and drinking wine.

And those are the moments that are unplanned, but you have to leave? Time for that. And so that's part of the thing that we're doing is advising clients. Like, this is where you need to leave open time. You know, let's maybe cut out a destination so you can be longer in a certain spot. So definitely we have those conversations all the time, but it pays off.

In the end because they've had these small moments and those end up being what's the most memorable is these, these little tucked away cafes that you found and you're just sipping wine and maybe you've met a local and you're chitchatting and it just makes it such a special experience. And those are the unplanned ones.

Maggie: It is those like people you meet in the park, people you know, you just meet out and those make all the difference. And that like ChatGPT doesn't be like, go meet Betty at the at the shop, you know, like it doesn't tell you that so it's not as personal. And so Brenna, I've [00:16:00] heard you say before that travel isn't indulgent spending but it's intentional investing.

Let's dive into that. What do you mean by that?

Brenna: So I'm sure you guys have either read it or heard of the book, but I just started reading it. Die was Zero. Have you guys read it? And obviously it is all about memory dividends. That I think is such an profound concept that, you know, yes, it is a large investment, but it pays off years and years and years down the line.

You're talking 20 years from now and you, your kids are grown and they're still talking about this incredible trip they took to Italy. Remember that pasta class we took. 

Maggie: Don't even get me 

started on 

that. 

Dr. Barb: we actually did that. 

Maggie: Yeah. It's a story we talk about all the time.

Brenna: Okay. And so, but like, that's the thing. It's these memories that you've created and time is finite where you dunno how long you have on this earth. And it's [00:17:00] so important to spend it with the people you love and, and experiencing these monumental moments in life that may seem little like drinking the wine at the cafe, but it's something that stays with you forever and ever past the point of purchase.

And so I think. You're investing in so many things when it comes to travel. You're investing in the, the well-roundedness of your children. You're investing in the memories you're creating of them. There's so many positives that come out of travel that you know, is that pay off for years and years and years.

Dr. Barb: I have to just say that so absolutely true. I mean, when we, even when we took the kids to Disney and we had some experiences there that even today we talk about that were so funny and the kids were young but we had a lot of fun and we still just laugh out loud about it. And we also did the Italian trip and we, we did the, the little local pizzeria where we made our own pizzas and stuff.

It was really a beautiful memory and it was such an [00:18:00] investment in spending time together. So, you know, Bravo, that's exactly why you need to invest in your travel, especially with your children. But I would say make sure your children are old enough to walk on their own and, you know, go potty and all that. I'm not a big believer on Dragon a lot of baby bottles and stuff, but when they're on their own and they can walk alongside you and and engage with your activities, that's really, really fun. 

Maggie: That intentional investment and kind of like what you were saying before, Brenna is like learning other people and how they live and what that community is because I think. In this world right now, there's so much polarity and you learn so much.

Just seeing like, oh, that's how they go to school. That's how they do these things. 'cause we're so used to just what we know it seems. Yeah. Everyone gets on the yellow bus and does the thing all day where it's like, no, we all come home. We have a big lunch, we have a siesta. You know, we go back, whatever it may be.

And so I think that dividends of being culturally aware and it's not like, oh, I went to [00:19:00] that school and I know it and I'm so immersed. But it's like, ah, that's interesting, that's different. I remember just like going and I was like, oh, those are their mailboxes. Like, wow, those look so different.

Like, it's like these little things and all of those add up. And so you become this person who is so diverse and understand like why I came here, what their experience might have been, or how it is different. You know, I wasn't in your shoes, but I understand that it's different and I think that's such. An important message right now.

 ' Cause America's huge, right? Like we have so many different populations within America, and some people just travel in the country. But even getting out and being in some place where you're like, they don't speak English, and so you have to learn how to communicate in different ways.

It's like, great. So this is depth deepening those communication skills. You know what I'm trying to say, how important it is, all these different things. I mean, you can't learn that in school.

Dr. Barb: Exactly, and, and sometimes it gives you patience for people who come to your own country. You know, my niece who traveled to lives in Japan and Asia and all that, that she [00:20:00] said the first month she felt like she was underwater because nothing was in the, our proper alphabet and our language and all of that, and it's just learning to navigate and you're like, wow.

So many people come to our country, don't know it either, and look how well they do. You know? And it really gives you patience for other people that are traveling throughout our own country.

Brenna: Yeah, and I think not only are your children getting these experiences, but you're now seeing it through their eyes. And so it makes you kind of look inward. And because they're so innocent and this is the first time they're seeing it, but sometimes we get a bit jaded and and how we view the world that when you have the opportunity to have these conversations with your kids and see it through their eyes, it.

It opens your eyes too. And makes you rethink the biases we might have internally and that we're not even aware of. So it is just all around travel is just, you know, it unites people and makes you more understanding and patient and it's, it's, it's important.[00:21:00] 

Dr. Barb: So what's the most like common mistake? That you know, really actually costs women money when they're traveling. You know, I'm sure we have all made 'em. So what can you share so we can be more aware? 

Brenna: Yeah. Well, I think one of the biggest I would say is probably the, the Airbnb VRBO markets. Yes. And that is because there are hundreds of thousands Airbnbs VRBO rentals, and there it is just impossible for Airbnb or you know, whatever platform to vet all of them. And so we'll find clients who decided to book an Airbnb as opposed to going through the hotel because it was a bigger upfront cost.

But. It didn't account for the Airbnb pictures were 10 years old and AC is broken and, or you've been double booked. Imagine being double booked on an Airbnb during the Olympics or something like that, and [00:22:00] there's nowhere for you to go. And so now you are scrambling so it's causing emotional and mental distress, but it's also costing you even more because now you're paying.

Even premium, more premium prices because you're last minute and you're desperate. You know, there's a lot of little things like that. That's why it's so important to ensure you're working with vetted partners and vetted hotels and properties. We do have a small, collections of villas and apartments that we work with in various countries, but everything is thoroughly vetted.

You know, our teams are going there and seeing the apartments and making sure that they're meeting the same standards because we'll never recommend something to our clients that we can't get behind. And so that we, we don't actually work with Airbnb or VRVO. Because of that it's just impossible for us to vet all of them.

And then one of the other things I think, going back to relying on chat GPT to put together your schedule and your itinerary and how aggressive it can be. You don't [00:23:00] realize how exhausted it's, this travel's going to make you, so maybe you miss a dinner reservation, maybe you have to cancel a tour.

 You know, those are the things. If you came to an advisor, we would advise you on in advance. So you're not making, you know, this 7:00 PM dinner reservation when you finish your tour at six or, or things like that. And nowadays, all of the restaurants need your credit card to make, to make a reservation because they'll charge you a fee if you don't, if you don't cancel within a certain window.

 But how are you gonna know that you're gonna be so exhausted that you're not gonna wanna make the reservation? And so there, there are these little things that totally add up. Or waiting to buy museum tickets until you're there and you know, you're going to through like multiple third parties.

And so there's premiums on all of these things that if you would have just worked with an advisor from the get-go, we would either have told you avoid this or we'll purchase this through this, this partner everything we do is, is thoroughly vetted. It also comes down to the mental, cost and [00:24:00] emotion and getting back to not being fully present in your trip because you're the one managing all of those details. There's just so many different costs that like, you should delegate, delegate to us to manage those costs. And when things do come up or there are issues, we have recourse that we can take so that you're not feeling the brunt of whatever the issue may be. 

Dr. Barb: Wow. And here I thought you were gonna say Overpacking was a big mistake, which I think is one of the mistakes I made the first time I went to Europe. Too many 

Brenna: I'm the queen of Overpacking. 

Dr. Barb: God, it's not just me.

Brenna: No. 

Maggie: like having one of those bad Airbnbs before and like just trying to suffer through it and buy a different place. I mean, it is just such a pain. And it used to be great I think there was a peak there but now it's like, well you didn't strip the be so it's $60. It's like, why am I stripping the bat and taking out the trash?

Like I thought I'm my guest here. You know, like there's all these kind of list of chores now when you're there as well. So I [00:25:00] think those are all really good tips because it, it does get to be a lot, especially time zones traveling and even those dinners sometimes you gotta remember like their dinner is not maybe 90 minutes like ours.

Like it's a three hour thing, so you can't have things back to back. I mean, you have to kind of look at how the culture is created there as well.

Brenna: Yeah. And I think with the Airbnb thing, when you're booking a hotel instead if there's something wrong with your room, they're going to move you to another room, right? The AC doesn't work. You have recourse to go to another. room. And especially if you book through us we have very important partnerships with all of these properties with nearly every luxury hotel in the world that they are going to ensure you enjoy your trip.

So whether that means they need to put you up and spend. At a different property that's nearby. Like they will go above and beyond to ensure you are well taken care of. And that's through our partnerships. And there, those are the little things that I don't necessarily like share in the first [00:26:00] time, call with a client.

But it's there. You have so many more protections by going through Austin, through our partners.

Maggie: I love that. And so, when we kind of met it was, you know, you work with a lot of financial advisors because they have clients who understand that delegating those investments to somebody else is kind of worth their time. They don't wanna spend, they can do the investments if they want to, but like that's not a value to them.

They would rather, you know. Go do family or go do travel or do those other things. And so it's same with you kind of delegating the vacation to somebody else. So what does that kind of say about how you value your time?

Brenna: Well, I think with dealing with a lot of these financial advisors and with a lot of my own clients, most of our clients are founders, executives, c-suite level type of clients, and their time is valuable. And again, time is finite. You only have so many hours in a day and you have your own. Full-time job, oftentimes more than just [00:27:00] full-time, right?

That you are managing. And just like you would delegate to one of your subordinates or someone your assistant or your accountant or your financial advisor, you should be delegating your travel. We say to clients all the time that you have a financial advisor, you have a lawyer, you have a CPA.

You should have a travel advisor because we are the experts in our fields. You know, I think the internet is great, but it's also a black hole. And you don't know which, which reviews you can trust or which sites are good and were they paid to put those reviews up. So there's that aspect of delegating to us as well, that you have those protections.

But I think it really truly comes down to. A little fun slogan of being a guest on your own vacation. Because by working with us, it truly allows you to disconnect. And that's what these high level women and these very important business roles need, they need to disconnect. They need to reconnect with their [00:28:00] families.

And if you have a weak trip. You're constantly, you know, mom, where are we going next? What's next? What's next? What's next? We have a great little app that everyone gets access to and they just look, okay, here's what we're doing tomorrow. So not everyone's asking, mom, what's next? And then if something comes up, mom is sending me a text or sending our partner a text and we're handling it.

You guys go out and have a, have a nice lunch we'll take care of it and everything will be ready by the time you're done with lunch. So. It's giving you the freedom to you know, en fully disconnect and enjoy and it's travel. Things come up like even if you're not, even if you are planning through advisors, but it's who's handling those things, those issues that come up.

 Is it you when you're supposed to be disconnecting and reconnecting or is it me and my team who have all of these like insider partnerships that can move quicker than what, what you have access to? 

Dr. Barb: And let me ask you this question. Brenna, who pays you? Do you get [00:29:00] paid by the client that hires you or do you get paid by the different associations and groups that you work with?

Brenna: Yeah, that's actually a great question and I think it's very important for financial advisors, right? So we do charge a planning fee upfront. On average, it's about $500 just depending on how complicated the trip is. But, and that really is to protect our time. Our time is very front loaded in the planning process of building the proposal.

 And then. How we are compensated. Other than that, is through commissions from the hotels, from our partners on the ground. The example I like to use a lot is if a client goes to Four Seasons, you know, their website and the room is a thousand dollars, they'll come to us in the same room as a thousand dollars, but they get all these extra perks like.

Breakfast resort credits, upgrades through our partnership, and then the hotel pays me a commission on the backend. So it's not necessarily more expensive to book through an advisor. The one thing I will say is [00:30:00] it's not comparing apples to apples if you're going on like a Via tour or you know, trip Advisor because.

The people, the partners that we are working with are primarily, you know, B2B, so only working directly with travel advisors, but that's because they're small group of guides, their career guides, their career drivers. They're people who have been thoroughly vetted. So it does come at a premium cost compared to going online and finding a local guide or a local driver.

 just like to be upfront with that. But it pays off like we were going back to investing in, in travel, and you know why it's important because there are You know, other costs associated when things don't go right the first time. So yes, it's a higher upfront cost.

Typically if you're comparing apples to apples to what's published online, but you're paying for the experience that you're getting.

Maggie: Yeah, I mean, it makes sense. It seems like it can really become a wash after a while if you save money on buying those tickets in advance and having these tips and those kind of [00:31:00] other things. But also just kind of being able, because there is a point where you're like. God, I've worked out 10 grand for this trip and I didn't even get to unplug.

So it's kind of like, was it even worth it where it's like if I paid 11 grand, I could have totally unplugged and it could have been on somebody else's thing, you know? And it's like how much more are you willing to pay just to actually get its value out of it? 

Dr. Barb: And peace of mind.

Maggie: yeah.

Brenna: I find too, the clients that I work with that are at this level of the, you know, the C-suite executive level, they have no issue. You know, they don't want to deal with it. and so they understand delegating, you know, things. I mean, it's the age old saying, right?

Jack of all trades, master of none. You know, it, I think it's important to a certain extent for all of us to stay in our, our quote unquote lane. Because. And then all work together cohesively. there are reason you know, you hire your lawyer, your CPA, and I hire my own financial advisor because I can never know how to invest in the stock market and things.

And [00:32:00] so I think at this level people understand the, the need for delegating.

Maggie: And then I think the other thing, when we, for one time went to Italy, mom took us and it was me and my brother and we met a lot of different family there, but there was, my aunt hired a travel agent who helped to book a lot of things and she. Had us book these things that were just not, like the top 10 Googled things.

You know, it wasn't what every tourist and their brother has done. It's not there with all these other Americans all taking their Instagram videos. You know, it was like, wow, we are the only kind of Americans here. I feel like this is super authentic. It's this real hole in the wall, which was so different and so much more worth it because sometimes it's like.

Dude, I left the country to get away from this. Like I wanted to experience something new and now I'm with all these dockers, like that's not 

my mo. And so I think that's just such a great thing is like no matter how many pages deep you go on Google, you might never know like this little grandma who does this thing that's so unique.

But you guys [00:33:00] do, 'cause you guys have a thousand people around the country is doing these different things, which I think is so amazing. Are there any like super unique things that you've had clients wanted to do or like you've suggested to clients?

Brenna: Sure. Well, I think it, so it definitely depends on spend. 

Maggie: Of course. 

Brenna: We can, make anything happen.

Maggie: Brenda's like, whatever money you give, we can use it.

Brenna: Yes, no, we've privatized the Vatican for clients after hours. 

Dr. Barb: Oh my God.

Brenna: into the, 

Maggie: Okay. 

Brenna: You can go into the Louvre before hours with one of the curators. There are, oh gosh, there's so many like, unique things.

You can pretty much privatize any cathedral you want with the right connections. But I think a lot of, what I appreciate are those little moments, those little hole in the walls that you know, a lot of the times when clients come to us, wanna go somewhere.

And a lot of the times clients wanna book all their dining reservations in advance, and typically that is because of what [00:34:00] they've seen on TikTok or Instagram and stuff. But you know, I think it's important to book a few key meals. But I think one of the other thing is relying on your guides, your drivers or your hotel that you meet or when you're there because your guide knows the hole in the wall, a local spot that you should be going, and so does your driver. And so does the front desk person I love chatting with, like bartender at the hotel that I'm saying, what's your favorite place? And so finding those little things I think is really important. But you have to be in the position where you're working with those types of guides and drivers and staying at those particular hotels.

 One of my clients also reached out. And this I guess just speaks a little bit to me how I differ maybe from other travel advisors is I'm kind of pushy 

And a little impatient. My husband really loves it too. But I had a client reach out to me and he wanted to go to Snow Polo in St.

Maritz's, which I do, you know, do you know what that is?

Maggie: No.

Dr. Barb: No. [00:35:00] 

Brenna: So nor did I. And it is literally, they play polo on the frozen lake in St. Maritz. 

Dr. Barb: With horses 

Brenna: Yes. 

Maggie: We're St. Maritz's.

Brenna: In Switzerland's.

Maggie: Oh, for sure. 

Brenna: yeah, it's like this, I mean, stunning ski town. what the horses do, this is like a side note, but apparently I've learned so much about this, that they let the horses on the ice, and if the horse is comfortable walking the ice, then the, then the games will happen.

The horse is not comfortable walking on the ice. Then they, then they don't do the games, 

Maggie: It's all based on the horse.

Brenna: Yes. Oh my gosh. Could you imagine? But anyway, so I did all of this research and found out all of the different hotels were sold out, all of the tickets were sold out, and I called pretty much every Switzerland partner in my Rolodex.

Got a lot of nos until I finally got a yes. And I was able to, to secure for them a suite at one of the top hotels in St. Maritz's as well as the VIP [00:36:00] tickets. And so I love those types of challenges. I think they're fun. I think it challenges me and gets me the opportunity to shine and show my worth.

You know, as a, as a travel advisor.

Maggie: Wow. And I just thought like making pizzas in a little hole in the wall was cool, but Sure, sure. 

No. it just, the value to me is just so clear on how it can really just elevate your trip, make all the money worth it, make the time and energy worth it, and, and enjoy the trip, right? I mean, that's what it's there is to really enjoy.

So after helping women design meaningful experiences around the world, what does financial freedom look like for you personally? 

Brenna: Always being able to fly first class would be ideal. 

Dr. Barb: I love it. 

Maggie: I've never flown first class. I wanted to do it. 

Brenna: Oh my gosh, once you do it, it's really hard to go back. 

Maggie: That's what I've heard. That's why I haven't yet. 

Brenna: No, that's like on my vision board, you know, for the [00:37:00] years. Like, okay, I'm gonna work my butt off to be able to fly first class on every long haul trip. Because once you can lay flat, it's really hard to go back to sleeping upright. But, and then traveling with my family.

So I was able to take my mom on a two week trip to Europe last year. And it was her first time exploring all these different countries and it was just so special to be able to do that for her, to take her to see all these different, cool places and she got to see me in action too, meeting with the different hotel partners we stayed with.

And doing things like that is really important to me and so gratifying and it makes all of the hard work worth it. I'm taking her on another trip to Croatia this year, which is fun. Fact, one of my other favorite spots. And then I'm gonna take my younger brother to Normandy 'cause he is a huge history buff.

But I think there's nothing more satisfying that than that. I mean, I love a good [00:38:00] purse. I love, but those are the things that create the memory dividends that stay with you forever.

Dr. Barb: And do you lead trips yourself, Brenna?

Brenna: Not typically if there was a particular client that needed some something, like I'm all, I will make anything happen. You know, I am, I don't typically take no for an answer, so I don't necessarily take, expect my clients to take no from me. And so I'm always game. But typically it's me.

Just doing the planning 

and managing of, of a trip.

Maggie: Well, this has been so fun, and I think the last kind of takeaway that I just wanna add is, let's you know, I was thinking about you taking your mom on this trip, which it's so great that she's like physically able to do this. And I think so often we talk about saving and investing and all this stuff, and when I'm retired I'll do these things.

 And I hate to say it, but that's not always guaranteed. You know, our health is not guaranteed. Our future is not always guaranteed like that. So like living these moments up while we're physically capable, while [00:39:00] we can travel and sit up in a chair and sleep for eight hours to get across the ocean.

 Is not taken for granted. And to really use all this hard work, all this money we've been saving all this time, and enjoy it and really enjoy it and make those, because that's what we're here to live for. You know, we're here. I hate the, you know, work to live, live, to work, whatever, but like, we're here to live.

You know, let's go use that money and make those best memories with the ones that we love. 

So see where you can. Merge that into your life now instead of waiting till whatever milestone you're

putting on your board. 

Dr. Barb: Yeah.

So Call Brenna. 

Maggie: call Brenna. No, but thank you Brenna so much for coming on today and sharing your expertise.

This has been so much fun and such a. Different episode for us, which is always great.

 Cause we've gotta, we gotta spend the money we've been earning and working for. So I can't wait to see what the next trips are and, and where the women in our community are gonna go. So thank you again for coming out and sharing your expertise, and until

next time, I hope everyone's financially [00:40:00] fearless.

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