Category: Featured

Women In Wellness: Lindsay Huelse of ‘The Fitt Cycle’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

Hands down, the number one and first thing I always mention is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting helps with health and wellness on a cellular level without even needing to exercise or change what you’re eating… it’s just about changing WHEN you’re eating.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lindsay Huelse, Founder of The FITT Cycle.

Lindsay Huelse is a fitness expert, entrepreneur, and creator of popular female wellness app, The FITT Cycle.

As a Registered Nurse, Lindsay worked in the intensive care unit until 2018. As a geriatric nurse, she enjoyed educating the elderly on manageable ways to change their diet and reduce inflammation, something they’re not always willing to do.

After retiring from nursing, Lindsay energetically began a new journey in approachable healthcare, helping thousands of women transform their lives. Her experience as a nurse has given her the ability to understand health history and apply nutritional strategies in creating a versatile lifestyle for clients.

A retired nurse, Lindsay is now a certified nutrition coach and self-proclaimed “queen of carb cycling,” a regimen that focuses on alternating daily carbohydrate intake to promote weight loss and overcome weight loss plateaus.

The mission at The Fitt Cycle is to equip clients with the tools needed to ditch the quick fixes and create a sustainable lifestyle. With multiple features, including carb cycling macros and an in-app nutrition tracker for weight loss success; daily workouts and targeted training for the home or gym; an in-app guide to intermittent fasting with a timer to indicate when the fasting window is complete; a community to keep members accountable; and a library of more than 250 recipes, The FITT Cycle app is truly customizable for your health, wellness, and fitness goals.

Learn more about The FITT Cycle at https://thefittcycle.com/.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I started my “health and wellness” journey as a registered nurse graduating from Texas Tech University. I progressed to the ICU and took various step-down cardiac units. I love the ICU but it was more of saving that next life without having a chance to connect with the patient. I found myself wanting more, so I started to work for a local home health and hospice company. I started as a field nurse, treating people in their homes, working my way up the corporate ladder to the Regional Director of Sales for North Texas. If the Fitt Cycle was no more, and I went back into the workforce, I would go back to home health and hospice, I loved it so much. My only problem was that I felt like I was getting there too late; I could educate the patients on certain diets to follow, or movements to decrease exacerbations of their heart disease but it wasn’t really sticking. This is where I fell in love with teaching women the preventative measure, we can do early on to decrease the chances of us experiencing those chronic diseases. All along this “career” journey I was constantly learning new things about fitness. I obtained my personal trainers certification, small group fitness certification, and various nutrition certifications along the way. It really started to stick when I was implementing what I learned in regards to the science behind carb cycling and intermittent fasting, that women started to ask what I was doing, and how can I help them. I realized there was such a need to reframe women’s mentality around carbs and eating in general. So, I started my online business, originally as a 6 week program but with the foresight of knowing I would eventually want to build a mobile app platform for my program. I started my membership which helped to fund a multiple 6 figure mobile app build. That is also something I can proudly say, is that The Fitt Cycle is debt free and completely self made.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Experiencing the impact of COVID 19 has been the most interesting thing that has happened since I started my business. I have learned that pivoting and connecting with/keeping your customer/client’s best interests in mind, thinking of them as actual human beings and not just a number, and letting them know that we’re here to support them during this unprecedented time really went a long ways with continuing to create a platform build on trust and loyalty.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Wow! I sure do feel like I’ve made a lot of big mistakes along this short entrepreneurial journey but there is one that sticks out. When I was first starting my business I ended up trusting a few of the wrong people who completely took advantage of me, my company, and my platform. It taught me to be extremely careful with whom I allow in my inner circle and how I trust people with the intricacies of my business. I also look at it as a situation that was helping to build my character and helping me to become the woman and CEO that I want and need to be.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

As cliche as it sounds, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and guidance from my husband, Jordan. I think a lot of women who start their entrepreneurial journeys don’t necessarily have a support system helping to build them up. From Day 1 when I was participating in other people’s fitness programs, he was always telling me I should create my own! And when I had my own, he was the one saying, “You need to make your program an app.” He has helped me to think bigger and longer term/end game, he’s always inspiring me to get more education, read more books, go back to school, get different certifications. He’s also very realistic and business minded and talks me off the ledge when I need it!

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I am truly on a mission to help women ditch the quick fix mindset and create a sustainable lifestyle, while also fostering a community where women can come together and support each other, cheer each other on, and have a judgement free zone while gaining their confidence back. Not just confidence in their body… confidence in themselves as a mom, a caregiver, confidence in their eating choices, etc. Training women NOW that food is fuel and it’s not bad… will completely change the conversation in front of their daughters and children at the dinner table, changing the way young girls view food, exercise, and their own bodies. I want to change the narrative.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Hands down, the number one and first thing I always mention is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting helps with health and wellness on a cellular level without even needing to exercise or change what you’re eating… it’s just about changing WHEN you’re eating.

2. I would also encourage someone to just get up and start walking. Walking is the most underutilized and underestimated fat loss tool we have. Not to mention the many mental health benefits it provides. And it comes natural to most of us. We just have to carve out the time to get those steps in. I would recommend starting at 8k steps a day and work your way up as you can.

3. Add in some sort of resistance training, whether it’s with bands or dumbbells or going to the gym.

4. Carve out some quiet time for yourself to set your intentions and goals for the day/week/year and write down what you’re grateful for today. I usually like to pick 5 things I’m grateful for every morning, big or small. And then at the end of the day reflect on everything that went WELL that day, rather than dwelling on everything you have to do the next day. Be present with what is GOOD.

5. In fact, we just wrapped up a free 5-day challenge involving all of these tips I mentioned, and we had women reporting a loss of over 7 lbs in less than 5 days!

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I would like to create a #iamfitt movement where women get to define what success and being fit and healthy looks like to THEM. Not based on what society tells them “fit” “skinny” and “healthy” is.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

I wish that someone would have told me how detrimental to my mental, hormonal, physical and internal health quick fixes, diet pills, and deprivation diets are. I have spent YEARS reversing metabolic damage from all the trendy fad diets that came along in my younger years. This is why I’m so passionate about creating a sustainable lifestyle for women… not a quick fix that takes you’re on an emotional and hormonal roller coaster! So sustainability would have to be the big topic that is near and dear to my heart. If you can find a wellness lifestyle that you enjoy and be in for the long game. You will be so much happier!

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

The best place to find me is on instagram @lindsayhuelse or @thefittcycle

Women In Wellness: Lindsay Huelse of ‘The Fitt Cycle’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Kelsey Kennedy of ‘Blossom and Stone’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

Honoring your mind, body & soul everyday is very powerful. They are all connected so they all need to be in sync to create harmony and balance. I usually incorporate mediation, stretching and journaling into my morning routine.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kelsey Kennedy of Blossom & Stone.

Kelsey Kennedy has been in the world of fitness and wellness for more than 10 years, helping transform thousands of women into stronger and more resilient versions of themselves. After opening her barre studio in 2012, Kelsey started to develop anxiety and began searching for a holistic remedy. Finding CBD was life changing, and through her own healing, she felt called to share her discovery with others. An astrology addict with a strong belief in the power of plants, Kelsey found a way to harness all the magic of each moon cycle with the amazing therapeutic effects of CBD into one little bottle, created in her home sanctuary. Enter Blossom & Stone, our new ritual for the everyday.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I’m born and raised a socal girl and after graduating college I did the most practical thing I could think of — I moved to LA to be an actress. While I was waiting to be discovered, I fell into a job at a barre studio called The Bar Method and absolutely fell in with helping women feel their best. In 2012 my best friend and I opened our own studio, which we still run today. A few years back I started to battle anxiety. Running a brick n mortar business is hard! A friend of mine introduced me to CBD and I started incorporating it into my daily routine. I saw such a positive change in myself that I felt called to share it with my community and that is how Blossom & Stone came to be.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Well I just launched in April of this year so I think the most interesting thing would be COVID. It’s been a real curve ball. Nothing has gone to plan this year but it has made me release some of my expectations and control and just go with the flow. More importantly, the pandemic has revealed that now more than ever women need support and community which is why I created Blossom & Stone in the first place.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I would say that the 2 biggest things I’ve been struggling with since our launch is comparing Blossom & Stone to others and trying to do too much. I think with social media it’s so easy to get wrapped up in what everyone else is doing and then try to “out do them”. I was fixated on other brands’ successes and thought I needed to add 100 products all at once. I took a breath(or a few), and realized it’s all about authenticity. Focus on staying true to our mission and everything else will fall in place.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m very fortunate to have an amazing support system of friends and family. But I have to give a special shout out to my husband. When we started dating I was at a bit of a loss. He really supported and held space for me to figure out who I wanted to be. Patience is a virtue I don’t have, but he makes up for it :).

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

Well I firmly believe that to do good for the world, we must do good for ourselves first. My hope is that Blossom & Stone can help women find time to take care of themselves, even just for a moment. Daily ritual is such a powerful tool to help relieve anxiety and help us be at our best.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. 5–4–3–2–1-GO: anytime I am resistant towards something (getting out of bed, a phone call, meeting, anything) I literally say “54321 GO!” out loud and just do it
2. Every morning before I look at emails or the gram, I do my morning rituals. Putting myself first allows me to set the tone for the rest of the day.
3. Get outside EVERYDAY, even just for 10 minutes. Coming back to nature is essential to standing grounded.
4. Honoring your mind, body & soul everyday is very powerful. They are all connected so they all need to be in sync to create harmony and balance. I usually incorporate mediation, stretching and journaling into my morning routine.
5. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t be too hard on yourself. There is always room to grow and improve. Give yourself some space and grace to get there :).

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I would love to start a wellness summit membership for women. A mix of virtual classes, lectures, meetup groups, and retreats. Once we can be together again irl, I’d love to do these live all over the world. I’d also like it to be a sliding scale membership so that anyone could join and improve their understanding of wellness, regardless of their financial situation.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Don’t overthink it, just go for it!
2. You will hit bumps in the road but they are all learning lessons.
3. Staying authentic is the key to success. Don’t try to copy anyone else, just be you and your people will find you.
4. Lead from the heart. If you ask the question “Is this serving my community in the best possible way?”, and the answer is YES, then you are on the right path.
5. Create healthy boundaries for yourself. No one will be as passionate as you about your business but you need to create some space to take care of yourself so you don’t burn out.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was in 1st grade and ever since it has really taken a toll on my self esteem and self worth. Being put on numbing medication with no real understanding of why can make you believe you are not intelligent. Even after owning 2 businesses, I still have moments where I feel this way and I know it was a major contributor to my anxiety. I think it’s so important that mental health and learning disabilities be discussed and normalized at a young age. That there are no right or wrong ways of learning, just different. And they should all be championed. I firmly believe we all have such unique and magical gifts and they should be nurtured as much as possible.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

You can follow this little business on @blossomandstone and my personal page @kelseymegankennedy

Women In Wellness: Kelsey Kennedy of ‘Blossom and Stone’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Joi Sumpton of ‘Step n Wash’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

I strongly believe in the Laws of Attraction. I listen to podcasts about manifesting success at the start of every day. I believe in the power of mindset. I did not finish college and was constantly told that only people who go to college will be successful. I worked hard, saved money and wanted to start my own successful business. I knew I could do it. It took seven years before I was profitable, but it happened.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joi Sumpton.

Inventor Joi Sumpton created Step ‘n Wash — the first and only self-retracting step that enables children and short-statured people to safely reach the sink and soap dispensers to wash hands properly in public restrooms — as she, like most parents, struggled to get her two young children to wash their hands properly outside of their home. Today, Step ‘n Wash can be found in thousands of businesses all over the United States and Canada — in places like Disney, Costco and The Home Depot — and it has been particularly useful as businesses seek new ways to help customers stay healthy in the age of COVID.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I invented Step ‘n Wash — the first and only floor mounted step for children to stand on so they can reach the sink and wash their hands in public restrooms. I have always wanted to invent something. When I was in high school, I can remember dreaming of creating a product that everyone would use. It took a few more years than I thought it would, but I eventually did it.

When I started working on a prototype for Step ‘n Wash, I was working full-time as a flight attendant and I was the mother of a 2- and a 3- year-old. Starting a business requires a lot of money, which I didn’t have, so I took on a lot of debt to follow my dreams. A few short months after I started the business, my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I can remember many nights laying in the fetal position, crying and feeling totally overwhelmed.

When I look back, I’m amazed that I was able to stay focused and march on, despite what we were going through. I remember feeling that I was “past the point of no return” and if I gave up on Step ‘n Wash, I would be in debt for years. I just pushed forward. My husband had surgery to remove the tumor and spent the next two years on chemotherapy. It was the ultimate balancing act — working for the airline, caring for my young children, ill husband and starting a business — but I had no choice but to push through.

Years earlier, I had opened a bakery that was not successful and lost a lot of money. Thankfully, I never quit my job as a flight attendant! I will always remember looking at my bank account and I was down to $100 at eight months pregnant. I was working two jobs and my business was failing. Closing the bakery was a devastating turn. It took time to get over this failure, but I knew that someday, I would start another company. I soon realized that failing at something was a survivable event, so I wasn’t afraid to fail again.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

The most interesting story with Step ‘n Wash was when I got a call from a mom whose daughter is a Little Person. Her daughter was out with her friends at a shopping mall and they went to the restroom. They found Step ‘n Wash in the restroom and her daughter was so excited that she was finally able to wash her hands by herself without needing her friends to lift her up. The story brought tears to my eyes because I had invented Step ‘n Wash to help young children — it never occurred to me that it would also give Little People independence to use the restroom. Today, schools all over the country have installed Step ‘n Wash to specifically to address the needs of students who are Little People. Often the district will start by installing Step ‘n Wash at the elementary school, then the middle school and then the high school so the needs of the student are met throughout their time in public school.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The biggest mistake I’ve made with Step ‘n Wash was when the first prototype was completed, I was so excited about how great it looked that I ordered 200 units so I could get out there and start selling. When the 200 were finished, I realized that there was a pinch-point on the unit where a child’s finger could easily be injured. I knew that if I was going to be successful that Step ‘n Wash would have to be 100% safe so I met with the engineers to see what we could to fix the problem. Unfortunately, to fix the problem meant having to change the design and those first 200 units went into the scrap bin…I was devastated. My enthusiasm to get started quickly cost me $18,000 — all borrowed. Now, whenever we make even a small design change, we always make one prototype and take time to review and conduct a lot of tests.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I owe a lot of my success to my husband. I have a lot of energy and want things to happen quickly. His practicality tempers my energy and is enormously helpful. He once woke me as he walked out of the bedroom in the middle of the night. When I asked where he was going, he said he’d thought of a new design idea and was going down to create a sketch. I’m always thinking of big ideas and don’t like dealing with production issues, which he always takes care of. Over the years, his ideas have helped to significantly reduce manufacturing costs and improve production time so we always have inventory.

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

As a result of my hard work and determination to get businesses to add Step ‘n Wash, millions of children around the world have learned the importance of washing their hands. When children learn this habit at an early age, studies show that they’ll continue this into adulthood. Step ‘n Wash is now installed in thousands of businesses including airports, shopping centers, zoos, aquariums, restaurants, theme parks, hospitals, churches, grocery stores and schools.

Even though most parents understand the importance of washing their children’s hands, lifting a 35-pound child is too difficult so often they’ll just use hand sanitizer. While not quite as effective at killing germs as soap and water, the other problem is many hand sanitizers are alcohol-based, which can dry out and crack the skin on children’s hands. The CDC has said for years that the best way to stop the spread of germs and viruses is to wash hands for 30 seconds with soap and water (and recommend using hand sanitizer if washing with soap and water isn’t an option).

In the past ten years, Step ‘n Wash has been used over 1 billion times, including over 5 million times just at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. That’s a lot of germs that haven’t had a chance to spread and a lot of school sick days avoided.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

• I strongly believe in the Laws of Attraction. I listen to podcasts about manifesting success at the start of every day. I believe in the power of mindset. I did not finish college and was constantly told that only people who go to college will be successful. I worked hard, saved money and wanted to start my own successful business. I knew I could do it. It took seven years before I was profitable, but it happened.
• I used to work every day and felt that if I wasn’t working, I wasn’t trying hard enough. I soon realized that you can’t be fully productive if you’re exhausted. I now mark two days off every month on a calendar where I don’t do work of any kind on those two days. I call them ‘Joi days’ and I only do things that are for me.
• I exercise every day for at least 30 minutes while listening to podcasts on positive thinking and the Law of Attraction.
• I’m lucky to work from home, and take small breaks during the work day to work in the garden and gather my thoughts. The beauty of planting flowers and listening to the birds helps me to relax and enjoy being in nature.
• I’ve learned that if I’m starting to feel afraid or anxious, I should immediately write down all the things that I’m grateful for. I’ve read that when you do this your body can’t be anxious while your brain is focusing on things that you’re grateful for. I also find it helpful to list 5 things that I’m grateful for in the morning and another 5 at night before bed.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I could start a movement, I would like teachers to talk to children at a young age about the power of their mind. It may be a bit cliché, but I believe that people can accomplish anything that they set their mind to. I know that most teenagers are not very happy and would benefit from learning that they do have control over their life and ultimately their happiness. One of the most popular classes at Yale University is The Science of Well Being. I took the class this summer and it really helps to makes you think and have a better understanding of people.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

• In sales, keep pushing forward and don’t take “no” personally.
• That idea creation is the easy part — executing, selling and creating demand for the product is 100 times more difficult. Just because you’re passionate about your product, that doesn’t mean that everyone else will be. Over the years and even still to this day, I talk with businesses who tell me that adding Step ‘n Wash ‘just isn’t for them.’
• Work smarter not harder — you can work 20 hours per week and be very successful and can work 60 hours a week and struggle.
• When doing a sales call, make sure that you’re talking to the decision maker.

I was once on a sales call at a museum and the person I met with turned out to be a janitor. He stopped me mid-presentation to say he didn’t like our product because he thought it would make mopping the floors more difficult by having to clean around it. I went back to the receptionist and asked to meet with someone in charge. She found me someone and after I did a quick demonstration, he bought 12 Step ‘n Wash units for all the restrooms at the museum.

• This is something I continually work on: Ask more questions. You can always learn a lot from other people about what worked in their business and what didn’t. I was able to save money by just asking our accountant what other small businesses he works with are doing to save money. Sometimes people just go through the motions of their job and you need to ask question to make them think.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Mental health is the most important to me. Sometimes I’ll go weeks without knowing what is going on in the news. There’s so much negativity in the world and I can’t change a lot of it — so I focus on what I CAN control in my life.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Follow Step ‘n Wash on Facebook and Instagram — @stepnwash, https://www.facebook.com/StepnWash.

Women In Wellness: Joi Sumpton of ‘Step n Wash’ on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Shannon Jackson On the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

…Social Relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the importance of having quality relationships. Staying connected socially with healthy relationships increase our sense of belonging, self-esteem, while also keeping us happier and healthier.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shannon Jackson.

Shannon Jackson is an RN (Registered Nurse), PHN (Public Health Nurse), CLC (Certified Life Coach), BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), MAOM (Master of Arts in Organizational Management) and motivational speaker who commits herself on a daily basis to make an essential difference for better in people’s lives. Throughout her distinguished career, she has accrued a variety of skills that empower her to uniquely provide healthcare well beyond the norm. She is setting a higher standard for those around her. As a result of being a motivational and a true thought-leader for our time of uncertainty, she is focused on caregiving and how to handle the many physical and psychological challenges we all encounter. Shannon is driven to motivate and inspire others to live better lives or as she says, “Living Your Life Without Limits.”

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

Born and raised in Compton, California, I grew up living with my Grandmother, the matriarch of our family, along with my beautiful young mother and uncle. My parents never married, as they were both young adults, both were 18 years of age. Although they lived separate lives, they maintained a civil relationship. Despite having a good family support system, I still ended up getting pregnant at the age of 15. To make matters worse, I had my second child by 19 years of age. So there I was single with 2 children, by 2 different men. Feeling embarrassed and shameful for spoiling my family’s name. At that point was when I was ready and decided to take responsibility for my own actions, and take control of my life. Through Prayer and family support, I was able to complete my Registered Nursing program by the age of 22; making me the youngest in my graduating class. I would further go on to pass the California Board of Registered Nursing Licensure examination on August 1, 1992. I am still humbled and grateful to this day as I look back and consider how far I have come.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

My career as a Registered Nurse has spanned almost three decades. What I have found most interesting is how I have continued to evolve both professionally and personally. From the onset of my career, having started in a hospital Acute Care setting as a Direct Care Provider, I quickly moved up the ranks into nurse executive leadership roles as I continued in the hospital Acute Care setting for 20 years. I then transitioned out of the hospital environment to go into the Home Care arena which basically covers home health, hospice and private concierge. However, I believe the pivotal moment in my career came in 2019 when I decided to launch my podcast called, ‘Living Your Life Without Limits,’ which is also recognized as ‘LYLWL.’ I never imagined myself taking such a bold leap of faith. But there I was, committed and fully in it, as I moved forward with my exciting and inspiration-driven podcast.

Some key takeaways that I have learned throughout the scope of my career, from nursing to hosting and producing my own podcast, include the following:

1. Take full advantage of every opportunity. Your past experiences, albeit some good and others not so good, ultimately take us to our present here and now. Every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow from. Our almighty stepping stones toward our polished individuality. To be and do more. This is what makes us who we are, the stuff that reflects our ‘been there, done that’ badge of growth. A wiser, experienced self… waiting for us on the other side of that evolution called Life. There is strength and confidence in knowing that it is all those badges of honor, my stones, that played a key role in getting me to where I am today. We glean from these life experiences and develop our character, what defines us as we get closer to perfecting who we are professionally and personally.
2. Do not be afraid to tread into uncharted territories. Trying something different, and unfamiliar, can potentially be a gateway to your big break.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Because I was not familiar with the podcasting world when I started, I relied heavily on what others were telling me. What I should do, or not do. As I blindly trusted during this earlier period without really doing my own research to have a clear and definitive business plan. This was one of my biggest mistakes in launching LYLWL. And I paid heavily for it by loss of money, time, and a lot of stress in between. So, what did I learn from this experience?

1. Do my own research.
2. Develop a strategic business plan, which will include a SWOT analysis: Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threat
3. Build a core team who will not only champion and reflect my organization’s vision, but have the wherewithal through skill and talent to help execute my plan.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There is no one person. I am blessed to have a small core team that has been instrumental in helping my LYLWL brand and overall platform to get off to a great start. It truly has been a small village effort and I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the entire LYLWL team. Each of them has played a critical role in the 2020 launch of LYLWL. A special ‘Thank You’ to them all:

Larry my husband, Shanell my daughter and son Cravon, Lerhonda executive assistant, Barry video/editing manager, David photographer, Tany PR, Trina customized LYLWL designs, Joe music producer, Candour Tech Solutions on digital marketing, and Rodney Jon make-up artist.

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

Today there is an urgent need to encourage and empower people to take control of their own health and wellbeing. This requires a person to accept ownership of their own personal health and wellness goals. With the support, guidance, and compassion of a trained nurse coach, which is my forte, I can help clients work towards designing a healthier lifestyle. An improved quality of life by intentional creating. To put my guidance into practice is where we see these amazing transformations unfold… further revealing we have the potential to change the world, one person at a time.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

In this instance I would like to use the term, ‘lifestyle design change.’ The term essentially means that we embody the idea that we can create a life of our choosing. Thus by making minor tweaks and gradual lifestyle changes, one day at time, then this approach can be truly effective and make a positive impact towards one’s overall health and wellbeing. Further keep in mind, as everyone is different, the lifestyle modification goals will be also different and customized to suit the individual’s specific needs

Also consider, as some research suggests, that 80% of chronic illness can be prevented or symptoms reduced simply by making Lifestyle modifications. Therefore here are my top five lifestyle tweaks:

1. Diet change. By incorporating more whole foods, and plant-based nutrition into your daily diet, along with cutting out unhealthy items like added sugars and refined grains, the research suggests it is possible to decrease the effects of chronic conditions such as: cardiovascular, cancer, obesity, Type 11 diabetic, and hypertension. As the saying goes, ‘You are what you eat.’
2. Regular physical activity works in tandem with your diet. It can have immediate and long-term health benefits that can improve your quality of life. Without regular physical activity, your body slowly loses its strength, stamina, and its ability to function properly. Physical activity can also relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and anger.
3. Practice mindful meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice that teaches you to slow down racing thoughts… to let go of negativity and calm both your mind and body. By practicing mindful meditation, and routinely, it can further help you to detect early stress triggers, as well as reducing their impact.
4. Getting enough sleep. One of the most overlooked areas in our wellness journey is how sleep plays an important role. Sleep is considered one of the four pillars of health alongside nutrition, physical fitness, and emotional balance. Poor sleep patterns can slow your physical and cognitive reactions. Thus increases your potential to make mistakes and errors. In addition, poor sleep increases a person’s risk for potentially making them prone to a variety of chronic health conditions. Such as diabetes and coronary artery disease.
5. Social Relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the importance of having quality relationships. Staying connected socially with healthy relationships increase our sense of belonging, self-esteem, while also keeping us happier and healthier.

On a personal note, I have embarked on my own health and wellness journey and have incorporated these five lifestyle modifications into my own self-care plan. As a nurse we are taught to care for others. It is engrained into our life purpose. However, I had to take a step back and ask myself a burning if not obvious question… How is it I can give so much to others, tending to their needs, while neglecting myself? Then last year the answer came to me through an ‘aha’ moment. In faith I believe that was when I was guided with the vision for starting my podcast, ‘Living Your life Without Limits.’ And now after starting this platform only since January of this year, I noticed I started to really peak over the summer with a steady monthly growth of almost one thousand new audience members flocking to my podcast. This is my further affirmation that I am pursuing the right path as further validated through my amazing audience. I am truly grateful to be a voice and soundboard for those who have been tuning in to my weekly episodes. After all, I am doing it all for them.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

My movement would be called, My Health and Wellness Are My №1 Priority.

Understanding the importance of taking preventative measures in our personal health and wellness journey is far better than working on any disease cure.

I believe people live unhealthy lifestyles because of some of the following reasons:

They are unaware of the health issues they will potentially face later in their life.

They don’t believe it will happen to them.

There is no will power to make sustainable change.

My movement would center around initiatives and actions that would be focused on changing people’s attitude and their perceptions as related to their own health and wellbeing.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Before I started my podcast, I would have loved for someone to share the following with me:

1. Podcasts are big business… our modern day radio. With millions of people listening to podcast shows daily, it is important to have clear set goals. Your podcast should be aligned with your business plan.
2. Have the right branding in place. From the title, artwork, a polished audio, clear video, and great topics to make sure your message and branding are one track with your platform and speak to your audience of course.
3. Analyze your data. Knowing your audience will help you to select the right-fit topics and be better equipped to understand your level of engagement. Statistics are your guide, telling you not only how many people downloaded your show, but where they are from and what app or distribution network they are using. This data is an excellent tool for assisting you in making any needed changes to improve your podcast platform.
4. SEO / Search Engine Optimization. How easy it is for someone to find you through brand awareness.
5. Relax and enjoy the ride. Despite entering a new arena and having a deep learning curve, it is through persistence, passion, and resilience that will bring you a just reward. Be patient with yourself through this process.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics now. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Mental Health. I believe mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps us to identify and determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make life choices. Nurturing our mental health essentially allows us to feel good about ourselves… thus be more productive and positively affected in our overall quality of life.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Website: https://www.livingyourlifewithoutlimits.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingyourlifewithoutlimits

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingyourlifewithoutlimits

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingYourLifeWithoutLimits

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Shannon Jackson On the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hotels have been extremely affected by travel bans and lockdowns, so they are going above and beyond to make their guests feel safe by addressing one of the main issues: poor indoor air quality. Portable air purifiers do not replace HVAC systems, instead, they serve as a support system to increase air exchange rates in enclosed spaces.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing George Negron.

The VP of Operations at Timilon Corporation, George Negron, who has been in the indoor air quality remediation space for over a decade. He has helped and educated 1000’s of businesses on the current guidelines and being able to apply and optimize the airflow in their current spaces.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I guess I should start off with what really drives me each day, and that is the ability to help and connect with people. This goes far beyond selling or providing a Customer with a solution but moreover providing them with something that has an impact on their health, business, and quality of life.

When you couple in my passion for “doing the most good” with a strong desire to bring technological innovation to the forefront, I guess it makes a lot of sense how I ended up where I am today, most importantly with Timilon Corporation.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

That is a great question. Since I work for a Global Corporation, I have been very fortunate to conduct business all over the world. It is an amazing opportunity when you get to experience other cultures and see first-hand the positive impact that your technology has had on their business and lifestyle. I have forged many friendships that span across the globe and the joy that comes from helping others never gets old.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I recall a time in Slovakia when I entered a restaurant that no one spoke English. In fact, the entire menu was in Slovak. I quickly turned to my Google translator and thought I was ordering a burger. What I got back was far from a burger and looked to be a seafood dish. I am not a big fan of seafood but in lieu of being rude, I powered through and ate the meal.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

I believe in the business you must be passionate and enjoy what you do to effectively get others to buy into your technology and/or services. The first person that you need to convince, or sell, should be yourself. If you look in the mirror and do not love what you do, that should be all the convincing that you need to find something that does inspire you. I know this advice may not be applicable for all, but for the younger generation, I think it is crucial that they follow a path that lights a fire in them and not go down a path that is entirely focused or predicated on how much they earn. I suggest whatever you do: work hard and be great at it — the rest will come with time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I am where I am today because of the many great people who have paved the way for me. I am inspired by great business minds like Napolean Hill, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Shonda Rhimes — to name a few. All have played their own role in how I conduct myself professionally and how I approach each day as another day to make an impact on what I do.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

At EnviroKlenz, the goal and vision have always been dedicated to helping people live healthier and more productive lives by providing clean air through a suite of products and solutions. Living through this pandemic has taught us all the importance of air quality and air filtration. A hotel can see hundreds of people per day walk in and out of their establishment, and consumers now want to see safety measures and precautions put into place.

The EnviroKlenz technology works to attack and break down airborne contaminants and pathogens through the EviroKlenz patented earth mineral technology. The process is non-invasive and does not emit any chemicals and by-products back into the environment. The air system is 3rd party validated in the reduction of viruses and microorganisms. For hotel patrons seeing an EnviroKlenz air system running in the hotel lobby or in a hotel room should provide them with the peace of mind that the very best technology is being put into place to improve the indoor air quality.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation?

Good air quality is a must both pre- and post-pandemic. Hotels are concerned with the cost factors that can be involved with retrofitting the existing HVAC system.

An ancillary effect on patrons is also the visibility of portable air purification systems that provide a level of comfort and public perception that the business is taking necessary measures to protect the enclosed air space.

The EnviroKlenz® Air System Plus safely and effectively combines advanced chemistry technology, germicidal UVC, and HEPA filtration to capture and destroy airborne toxic and noxious gasses, particulates, allergens, bacteria, viruses, and other allergy triggers.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

Hotels have been extremely affected by travel bans and lockdowns, so they are going above and beyond to make their guests feel safe by addressing one of the main issues: poor indoor air quality. Portable air purifiers do not replace HVAC systems, instead, they serve as a support system to increase air exchange rates in enclosed spaces.

I believe that moving forward, businesses will be expected to have an indoor air quality plan in place. Guests will be overly and justifiably concerned with hygiene and sanitation procedures, as well as pay attention to measures that go above and beyond to care for their safety.

Studies have shown that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, so taking care of the indoor air quality in businesses is essential for the overall well-being of guests and employees. On top of that, the current pandemic has brought awareness to the potential dangers of airborne pathogens and contaminants.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

My perfect vacation experience would be in a place where I can explore a new culture without worrying about my safety, probably a resort in a remote island with my family. I think now, more than ever, I would expect excellent customer service coming from the hospitality industry, and I would be looking for new safety measures that were put in place to accommodate staff and guests during the pandemic.

Can you share with our readers how have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

As a decision-maker at EnviroKlenz, I am able to utilize our resources and give back to the community as much as possible. Our mission here is to provide indoor air quality to as many people as possible, so we have multiple programs in place to assist consumers and businesses owners in improving their indoor environments.

One of our most recent initiatives was to donate one of air systems to a local teacher who was raising money to buy an air purifier to keep his students protected when returning to school. We also have educational and awareness programs in place — air quality has always mattered; we are lucky that now we have the venues to speak about it.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If I could inspire a movement, I would make every child understand the importance of a positive mental attitude. Often, we are forced to believe that we are a product of our environment and that we have to live by our own means. We do not encourage the younger generation to dream enough and to take it a step further to not only dream big, but also believe that that dream can come true with hard work and discipline.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram: @enviroklenz

Facebook: EnviroKlenz

LinkedIn: EnviroKlenz

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

George Negron of EnviroKlenz: The Future Of Travel In The Post COVID World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In light of COVID, I think travel and hospitality companies will rush to adopt and implement more contactless technologies and experiences. While they’ve been moving this way for years — digital check-in, RFID and Bluetooth room access — COVID will certainly accelerate the proliferation of these technologies.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing John Banczak.

John Banczak John co-founded TurnKey with T.J. Clark in 2012 after serving in leadership positions with HomeAway, BedandBreakfast.com, Hotwire and Worldres. As CEO, John’s extensive experience with travel technology has been instrumental in the success of TurnKey and its proprietary technology platform, which automates routine tasks of property management. He began his career in revenue management at Northwest Airlines and KLM Airlines. He continued in travel and ecommerce with Accenture, Worldres, and Hotwire. After Expedia completed the acquisition of Hotwire, he served as President of BedandBreakfast.com, eventually leading the company’s acquisition by HomeAway. Subsequently, he led the HomeAway Software for Professionals group, and the company’s post-merger acquisitions of Instant Software and Escapia. John earned a BBA from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was studying investment banking at Wisconsin Business School when Northwest Airlines posted their interview schedule. I hadn’t considered the airline industry, but an interview slot was available, so I set up a time to talk with them about a revenue management position. It was described as a highly analytical field for setting airline pricing, which sounded pretty interesting. Who doesn’t want to learn more about that? After about an hour, they opened my eyes to how dynamic the airline business was and just how many moving parts there were. Compared to the investment banking-style analysis I was focused on, this kind of quantitative and analytical approach was kind of mind-blowing.

After a few more interviews I was convinced this was a great fit for me and I completely changed gears. Before then, I had never really considered anything travel-wise. Honestly, I don’t think most people understand what goes into a travel company of any kind, whether it’s vacation rentals, hotels, airlines, etc. Airlines practically deal with the complexity of NASA every day. It was and is a very dynamic business and hotels are the same way.

If you look at hotels, there’s a massive real estate component, there is style and design, huge branding elements, hospitality, service, pricing analytics, food and beverage, finance. It’s just such a crazy dynamic industry that it’s hard not to be drawn into it, and once I was drawn in, it stuck.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

Early on at Northwest Airlines, I was on a team educating employees in the field on pricing and revenue management. These included everyone from gate agents to reservation agents in markets from Michigan to Alaska.

At the time, the culture around travel was that if a flight was going to be in the air, then the employee could be on that plane. So rather than pay for a hotel in Detroit, I’d fly in that morning, go straight to my presentation, and then hop a flight home at the end of the day. Then I’d have to go back the next day and do it all over again. After a few days I was just exhausted. Finally I asked the team if there was a hotel in Detroit near our location. Well it turns out there was a hotel across from the airport with crew rates of $19 a night. I was floored. I’d been flying back and forth every day to avoid 19 bucks. It just didn’t make sense.

I learned that there are smart ways to be cost-conscious. If you look at TurnKey Vacation Rentals today, we’ve raised $100 million, which is small compared to our main competitors. We don’t have a lavish office. When our execs travel, we fly on Southwest Airlines. When we do stay in a hotel for business, we don’t stay in Ritz Carltons (as much as I’d love to). Our ethos as a company is to be wisely frugal, and that’s something that you might not learn until you’re flying back and forth between Minneapolis and Detroit multiple days in a row trying to save a buck.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them thrive and not burn out?

The first tip would be to make sure you set up your board properly from day one. A quick way to burn out is to have a board that doesn’t get along with each other, or where one investor feels like they have more say than others. I can’t tell you how many founders I’ve talked to where that’s led to them leaving a company.

So from day one we were very deliberate about that at TurnKey Vacation Rentals. We formed a board with industry experts who we had a long history with, who were smarter than we are, who added unique value and understood that ultimately we were running our own show. That’s helped tremendously. Everyone feels like they’re on equal footing and everyone gets along well.

The other tip would be to pay attention to cash flow. It is all about revenue these days. In good times, I think cash flow becomes an afterthought for a lot of startups. But when times get bad, like we’re seeing today with COVID in the travel industry, having cash in the bank is key. If you lived through the first dot-com crash you’ll never forget to watch cash.

Is there a particular person who you’re grateful toward who helped you get to where you are today?

Early in my career with Accenture, I wrote a strategy proposal for Microsoft, which they ended up accepting. I was pretty junior at the time, so the lead partner put a manager on the project and built out a project team around me. As the project progressed, my responsibilities increased to the point where I was a main client contact handling most of the deliverables. When Microsoft added another phase to the project, I felt I was ready to become the manager of that phase. The lead partner said, “No. You’re not qualified to have that job.”

I was kind of stunned. After all, I had written the original proposal, been on the project the whole time, produced well and had a great relationship with the client. So the partner broke it down for me.

The problem was that every idea or deliverable I shared needed polish or editing before sending to the client. It was never “client ready.” I needed supervision. Good ideas aren’t enough. Ultimately, I couldn’t run a project until I could identify and produce client-ready deliverables. It was a matter of judgment.

Client-ready can mean a million things. It can mean your presentation is perfect, that the numbers in your spreadsheet are triple-checked, that the grammar in your email is correct. But at its core, client-ready means your game has to be at a 9.9 out of 10 all the time — not an 8 and sometimes a 9. To be an executive team member, a chief operating officer, a chief marketing officer, your bar has to be that high. It was good to get that lesson early on in my career.

Can you share the innovations you’re bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

TurnKey Vacation Rentals truly was the first vacation rental company to really drive technology and processes in trying to be a good neighbor. We launched our own noise decibel monitoring way back in late 2013 to get in front of problems like parties and neighborhood disturbances. Now you’re seeing major players like Airbnb finally start taking that seriously.

We’re also leading the industry in positive ID verification during the booking process; some companies still don’t do this at all. We have been using bank-level authentication for years to ensure that guests are who they say they are. This is an effort to prevent fraud, but also to be a better neighbor and increase safety and security. We’ve gotten so good at screening that we guarantee our owners against fraud. If we let someone stay in the house, they will get paid; it’s that simple.

TurnKey Vacation Rentals is the first company to use secure, single-use digital locks on 100% of our rentals that can accept one, and we pay for it. We don’t push that cost onto our owners. This was just unheard of in the industry before. Even our largest competitor still makes it an option and they won’t pay for it. Especially in the current travel environment, guests prefer our secure, zero-contact check-in experience. The security of these locks is unmatched. Who wants to sleep in a home that has keys floating around town?

In addition, we’re the first company to truly verify that our housekeepers completed a cleaning job, and completed it well on every single job. Through our technology platform, our housekeepers access checklists and then take pictures of each room after the clean. These images are then reviewed and verified for cleanliness and staging. We’re also the first company that offered guests any type of housekeeping rating system. So if a housekeeper receives poor ratings, they’re removed from our program.

What are the main pain points that your technologies address?

One major paint point for vacation rental owners was how to avoid parties and associated home damage. You’re starting to see it now in the news, but we’ve implemented noise decibel monitoring in 100% of our homes since 2013, and have private security ready to intervene if necessary.

For guests, a major complaint is consistency. From vacation rental to vacation rental, it can be hard to access the home, and when they do it isn’t clean. We’ve focused on making our homes more consistent than any other in the market. Our homes all have secure locks, our technology makes our housekeeping more consistent, and we’re available 24/7 for guest support needs.

How do these technologies disrupt the status quo in the industry today?

Our technologies disrupt the status quo by elevating the standards for service, technology and security in the vacation rental industry. Most property managers or individual owners either can’t or won’t make the investment in these technologies and processes. We’ve been doing this for our homeowners and guests since 2013.

COVID-19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share some examples of how travel and hospitality companies will adjust over the next five years in new ways that consumers will prefer for travel?

In light of COVID, I think travel and hospitality companies will rush to adopt and implement more contactless technologies and experiences. While they’ve been moving this way for years — digital check-in, RFID and Bluetooth room access — COVID will certainly accelerate the proliferation of these technologies.

As a travel insider, how would you describe your perfect vacation experience?

I stayed in my first vacation rental back in the ’80s. So very early on I became used to staying in a home that had a kitchen and privacy, and more space to hang out with friends and family.

The ideal vacation experience for me used to be traveling internationally. I’ve been to 23 different countries, logged over a million miles, lived in Amsterdam for a couple years. With a family now, the ideal vacation is at a vacation home in a great leisure destination. I like having a home where everyone can spread out and be together, yet have some privacy at the same time. Our family is big into leisure activities. We love to ski, go to the beach, surf, fish, windsurf. Vacation rentals just tend to be in the areas where you can do those activities.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Looking at vacation rentals, I wish our industry would take the pledge to install 100% single-use digital locks on every door. I wish they would take the pledge to put noise monitors in every home. I wish they would take the pledge to have a virtual tour of every home. I wish they would take the pledge to do fraud identification of every guest. This is a movement that could transform travel, communities and local businesses. We’d be safer, more secure, and better neighbors.

I think what’s holding our industry back is that a lot of hosts and property managers become bad neighbors to the community, and a lot of scammers create bad problems for owners. But there are ways to mitigate this, and we have been mitigating it. It’s truly within every property manager’s grasp.

I’d love to come up with some universal standards around how homes are managed and operated within a community.

I think this would make communities better, keep owners and guests safer, and do a lot to help mitigate some of the problems that the industry faces.

John Banczak of TurnKey Vacation Rentals: The Future Of Travel In The Post COVID World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Adapt to individualized travel. Guests are going to continue to look for those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are perfect for any and every group they’re traveling with.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sean McClenahan.

Licensed to practicee law in Nevada (2006) and California (2011), McClenahan has worked in private practice, focusing on domestic/family law, general contract matters, corporate set-up, bankruptcy, and real estate matters.

In 2014, McClenahan saw an opportunity to pursue his own legal and management company and left the practice of law altogether. Wanting to hone in on his scope, he shifted towards personal and business management for high-net-worth individuals, overseeing real estate holdings/transactions, business ventures, estate planning, family trusts, and general business transactions of his clients, including celebrities and successful business owners.

That same year, McClenahan joined a real estate investment firm based in Las Vegas, focused on real estate transactions in Mexico. Since then, McClenahan has negotiated and closed over $25 million in commercial and residential real estate in Mexico, as well as an additional $40 million in Las Vegas, Texas, California, and Spain.

Through his work at the firm, which owns significant real estate in Cabo, McClenahan met Juan Ramon Guevara, a fellow real estate professional. Over time, they developed a mutual friendship and decided to open their own boutique real estate firm, Blue Desert Cabo, which launched in early 2019. Quickly becoming an elite bucket list destination in Mexico, Blue Desert Cabo is a selection of the most luxurious and incredible villas and rental properties in Los Cabos. Going beyond a typical rental property, McClenahan took the Las Vegas hospitality mindset to redefine the experience, offering guests a bespoke journey with itineraries designed specifically for them. No two trips are alike, as each client’s itinerary is meticulously crafted.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Prior to Blue Desert Cabo, I was a personal lawyer for a family that owned quite a bit of real estate in Los Cabos. We started to have discussions about starting a company that would represent the houses they owned in the area which ultimately led to what is now Blue Desert Cabo. Outside of real estate, I have traveled all over the world and have extremely high expectations. Many years ago, my husband and I had a terrible experience in Cabo where we were discriminated against for being a part of the LGBTQ+ community. That was something I never wanted anyone else to experience, so I thought why not bring in my hospitality experience and turn this into a larger company.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

At Blue Desert Cabo, our BD Concierge team can make anything under the sun possible for our guests. We’ve seen everything from turning a gym into a full-blown club to having to move an entire beach wedding indoors on the spur of a moment due to rain. Every guest is so different that it makes our jobs extremely interesting and fulfilling to make any event or experience, one that they will never forget.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I actually have a story about a Spanish translation gone awry.. On a business trip to Mexico City with my business partner, Juan, we were in a restaurant and I was ordering something and talking to the waiter and all of a sudden the tables around us started to look and giggle, as did Juan and the waiter — apparently whatever I was trying to say translated in slang to “I want a sexual favor.” Ooops! Juan and I still laugh about it to this day. One little change in the way you pronounce Spanish words can change the overall meaning. I learned that it’s important to continue to practice the language, even though I thought what I was saying was accurate.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

My advice to those that work in the travel industry, is to travel. Book villas or resorts in other locations and see how other people are running their businesses. Enjoy the trip for yourself, but also do some research while you’re there. You never know what you might find and what can work for your business. Last year for my 40th birthday, my partner and I went to St. Barts with a group of friends. We booked a private villa there and everything was spectacular. I was impressed with their hospitality and found a few new ideas that I could also implement into the service at Blue Desert Cabo.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’m incredibly grateful for my business partner, Juan Ramon Guevara. Great partners are hard to come by. Juan’s knowledge of the landscape and background in the Los Cabos hospitality industry, paired with his ability to handle situations in a calm manner is more than admirable. He actually managed the properties down in Cabo before I was in the mix, so it was an easy transition when we started working together. We balance each other out as Juan always has the mindset of how to please the client and make their wildest dreams come true, while I hone in on the guest experience.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

Travelers want curated once-in-a-lifetime experiences. They’re not the experts on the destinations that they’re traveling to and that’s where our BD Concierge comes in. Blue Desert Cabo also offers private villas and homes where we bring the amenities of the hotel directly to you. Whether you’re wanting to plan a large corporate meeting, a brunch buffet for your girls’ trip, to an intimate proposal for two or a special wedding, anything that your heart desires, our concierge team will make it happen. Due to the effects of COVID, I think we’re going to start seeing a lot more bespoke and curated packages pre-planned for travelers.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation?

Flights are extremely limited right now due to COVID. Booking your travel alone is hard enough, dealing with layovers and connecting flights. If our BD Concierge team can make the rest of the planning as painless as possible, the happier our guests will be.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

Travelers may start to rely less on Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc. Concierge teams are people that are local, on the ground and are experts in that destination. They know the insider tips/tricks, what areas are safe and which places are open, and they have personal relationships. They are a trusted source that are right in front of you. Guests can physically see them and talk to them instead of relying on someone they don’t know behind their keyboards.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

1. Adapt to individualized travel. Guests are going to continue to look for those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are perfect for any and every group they’re traveling with.

2. Allowing for less densely populated spaces. For years to come, travelers are going to value having more space and not being crammed into busy public areas.

3. More privately tailored experiences as opposed to group events. The less touch points, the better. Having a private car versus taking an Uber, having a private chef come cook dinner in your villa versus going to a busy restaurant, having your own resort-style pool versus a shared pool at a resort, and even having your own private beach instead of sharing with the public will all be more desirable.

4. Over communication on cleaning procedures and protocols.

5. Finding that escape closer to home will continue to be a trend. Places that people are more comfortable traveling to, whether it’s in driving distance or a direct, shorter flight, will be more common.

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

The perfect vacation experience involves my husband, Michael and I traveling with a close group of friends, staying in a private villa or house. Having the opportunity to 100% curate my itinerary and tailor it to the group I’m traveling with is just as important. If there is a way to take the pain of planning everything out of the equation and just enjoy great wine, food and lots of laughs with the people I love most, that’s what makes the perfect vacation for me.

Can you share with our readers how have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

As a Las Vegas native, I was one of the founding members of The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada. I’ve also annually sponsored Piero’s Italian Cuisine to help provide those less fortunate with Thanksgiving meals, as well as overseeing the distribution of funds of a local family organization; over the years I have helped distribute millions of dollars to various charities. Currently, I’m working on a virtual concert series at Blue Desert Cabo that will benefit charities that are dear to my heart, including supporting the performing arts who have been hit hard during the pandemic.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If there was a way that I could bring good to the most amount of people, I would put an end to voter suppression. At the end of the day, what our lawmakers do on a state, local and national level, affect all of us and every single person’s voice deserves to be heard.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @bluedesertcabo and follow me on Instagram @Mc2Vegas

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Sean McClenahan of Blue Desert Cabo: The Future Of Travel In The Post COVID World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Less interaction and more privacy — This hold true for much of the service industry. How can one have clean accommodations with no housekeeping, or at least the impression of no housekeeping. Mobile check-ins are leapfrogging face-to-face check-ins as the preferred option. Its space and separation vs. service. The expectation is to offer all of those together now. The solution is a combination of preparation and technology.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Luke Maish.

Luke Maish is the CEO of Rancho Santana, a 2,700-acre resort & residential community on Nicaragua’s pristine Emerald Coast. In 2014, the Colorado native and University of Denver Accounting major was drawn from the “Mile High City” to the beaches of Nicaragua, enamored by the appeal of an adventurous life on “the ranch.”

Maish was brought on as an intern. An insatiable appetite for operations and business fueled his rapid growth. Just one year later, he was in a full-time management position. Another year later, he made a seamless transition into the design and construction world and continued to build his expansive resume. As his experience and interests expanded, Rancho Santana again took note and offered the opportunity to lead its design and architecture services team. In 2019, Luke was promoted to COO before stepping into his current role in August of 2020.

Maish credits Rancho Santana for encouraging his gratitude and commitment to the local community and to the country of Nicaragua. He currently sits on the advisory board of CREA, a Nicaraguan literacy non-profit, and works closely with local community center, FunLimón. When he’s not working or volunteering, he enjoys taking advantage of Nicaragua’s many outdoor pursuits including surfing, swimming, hiking, and playing in a regional basketball league.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My career path took a sharp turn early. I was firmly on course to go into Public Accounting, sitting for the CPA exams while interviewing with firms in Denver. An interesting opportunity came up, and a few short months later I found myself working on construction projects for high-end custom vacation homes on the Pacific coastline of Nicaragua.

The decision to move to Central America was fairly spontaneous. It was a “give it ago” moment in search of excitement and opportunity, and from there it’s only gained momentum.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

Between being offered a full-time position with The Ranch and accepting it, I was exploring similar opportunities in residential design-build in Denver. I interviewed with New Town Builders (now Thrive Home Builders), who built one of the most energy efficient homes in America.

I had the chance to speak with the founder, and it turns out that he spent years in Nicaragua early on. We hit it off immediately, and he ended up advising me to move forward with the opportunity that led me to where I am now. Paraphrased, the advice was something along the lines of “sounds like a position with growth potential, for a company with growth potential, in a country with enormous growth potential; that’s guaranteed to get you more hands-on experience than you ever would here.”

You don’t except to leave a job interview with advice to take an opportunity elsewhere. It was a life-altering moment that I look back on with such appreciation. Gene and I are still in touch.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I first arrived I was young, from the finance industry, barely spoke Spanish, and very confident I was going to effectively manage various architects, project sites, and contractors in a new culture. I won’t get specific, but I made plenty of mistakes. Not all of them were funny to me at the time, but I’m sure the whole thing must have been funny from the outside looking in.

I had a mentor back then, and I guess the philosophy was “baptism by fire”. I was eventually able to grind through it and find success. There’s no better way to learn than by putting yourself in a position of discomfort.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

Look for an industry and company with people you admire, trust, and respect. A “burn out” scenario is often caused by a stressful or dysfunctional relationship, whether it’s your boss, coworkers, or clients. If strong principles exist in the leaders, you can generally expect that they exist in and throughout the organization. The opposite also holds true.

A colleague called Roy, who mentored me through my construction start is still a close friend of mine. I have much respect and admiration for my higher ups that followed. Our clients are often adventurous and good spirited people. Love who you work with and you will never work a day in your life.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I have gratitude for so many who have helped me along the way.

Our CEO prior, who I reported to directly for years and still report to as one of the investors of the business, has supported me in unique and unconventional ways. I was allowed freedom of decision making early on, while he offered insight and ideas as a means of guidance. This philosophy allowed me to think creatively, make mistakes, and experience for myself what is important and what works. It’s a contrast to the “follow your orders” style of management, and the environment he created encouraged my development.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

There’s incredible depth and completeness to our product.

Rancho Santana is the home to a top rated boutique hotel in Central America, upwards of seventy custom designed ocean view homes, and various phases of ocean front villas.

There are five beaches within the property, ocean facing cliffs and mountains, and seventeen miles of trails running through it all.

The Ranch has four distinctive food and drink concepts supported by our organic farm and garden that raise cattle, chickens, lambs, goats, fruits and vegetables. We produce our own cheese and harvest our own organic honey.

There is a school on site, and a range of outstanding amenities including spa, yoga and fitness facility, horse stables, art gallery, chapel, and surf club.

Our facilities are solar-powered and we have strong principals on water conservation.

The innovation is in the completeness of the product in itself. There is so much depth to our property and experience that it’s understood as a way of living — active, clean, communal, social, sustainable, artistic, and cultural. This way of living aligns with the working lifestyle goals of many of the world’s travelers.

I certainly cannot take credit for these innovations. We were established on strong principals of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, which has attracted a network of talented and creative individuals to the Ranch. The credit goes to our team of thinkers and creators.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation?

At times, a “pain point” in tourism is simply keeping up. The expectation of today’s traveler is for us to exceed expectations.

People are increasingly looking for experiences that align with principles of lifestyle and sustainability, while maintaining an authenticity to the culture.

This type of “complete destination” is what I think we’re gravitating towards. Knowing and trusting that destination operates in a way that’s aligned with your thinking is part of what makes it home-away-from-home, whether you’re visiting or staying.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

Travel today is well beyond just accommodations and hospitality. I think the industry will continue to prioritize depth of experience and comprehensive offering.

The idea of working remotely continues to become the new norm. I think we’ll start to see more extended stays and longer getaways. This goes hand in hand with the concept of a complete destination.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

Without a doubt COVID19 has changed the world as we know it, and in many cases it has strengthened or accelerated existing trends. That’s the case in these examples.

Standards of cleanliness — Assuming a high end destination will meet standards is not enough anymore; destinations need to articulate and verify their standards of cleanliness and hygiene. There could be a growing opportunity for 3rd party verifiers.

Less interaction and more privacy — This hold true for much of the service industry. How can one have clean accommodations with no housekeeping, or at least the impression of no housekeeping. Mobile check-ins are leapfrogging face-to-face check-ins as the preferred option. Its space and separation vs. service. The expectation is to offer all of those together now. The solution is a combination of preparation and technology.

A return to the natural world — Dense and crowded spaces are the enemy. People are looking for clean air and space to breathe it in. Expansive, spacious, and nature based tourist destinations should become more attractive and continue to grow in popularity.

Expectations for food & beverage — Implications of health and diet are a strong theme of the pandemic. A big part of “healthy body healthy mind” is what you put in. Natural and organic foods are here to stay along with the farm to table concept. Many select their restaurants and grocery stores with this in mind; it will certainly be a growing factor in travel decisions for the foreseeable future.

Longer stays that include working remotely — There will be less short-week flash vacations and more extended stays. Working remotely has quickly become a new age reality. Similarly, work and personal schedules continue to blend together in the new professional world. Planning a vacation may mean searching for your dream office for the next month. If you can work effectively from your apartment in the city, why wouldn’t you do so overlooking the ocean?

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

These days my vacations are often designed around skiing or surfing. Those are both sports in nature and the travel is almost always set in scenery of stunning natural geography. Other top priorities are great food and an interesting and authentic cultural experience.

Can you share with our readers how have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Located in rural Nicaragua, you can imagine how our presence and growth correlates with the surrounding communities. Much of our work force comes from walking distance, and local entrepreneurs set up complimentary small business. It goes beyond wages and indirect business; training and on-job experience are tools that contribute to societal development.

In a world increasing dominated by big corporations, the existence of a symbiotic relationship between corporation and community is essential to making the world a better place. It’s an ongoing assignment, and I hope our success can serve as a model for responsible and reciprocal development in developing countries.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Trust yourself and then get out of your own way.

Too often we pass on an opportunity because we cannot predict how it will turn out. There’s a developed fear of being unsuccessful as adults that we didn’t have as children, and there’s an inherent lack of confidence in trying new things. Pursue new perspective, maintain an open mind, and keep learning. New perspective builds confidence and empathy that will be with you forever.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram

LinkedIn

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Luke Maish of Rancho Santana: The Future Of Travel In The Post COVID World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Contactless Interactions: Social distancing and the need for contactless check in, check out, and communication may wane as the pandemic clears. However, I think the need for those options and guests’ expectations of them will remain. It will be a challenge to find ways to provide high-quality personalized services in a contactless environment, maintaining a personal connection and while staying physically distant.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Montgomery.

Brian Montgomery and his wife, Brenda, began their venture as the proprietors of Sirenian Bay Resort & Villas, located in Placencia, Belize, as a retirement project. What started as a dream to build a vacation home for his family and friends to enjoy quickly bloomed into a much larger vision. Today, Sirenian Bay is a boutique, luxury all-inclusive resort featuring villas and bungalows that offers hospitality not just to their friends and family, but to guests from all over the globe.

Brian attributes the success of the Resort to his commitment to his employees and the culture of the Resort. Working from the belief that happy employees make happy guests, Montgomery has focused on recruiting and training the right people. Time and again, guests comment on the smiles and attitudes of the Resort’s employees — something Brian is very proud of.

Brian obtained an Associate’s Degree in Electronics from Pearl River Community College in 1985. After working in healthcare technology management for several years, Montgomery started his own medical equipment repair company. He and Brenda built that company from the ground up, to be a leader in the industry — all based on their commitment to employees and customers. Brian found his passion for hospitality later in life, an offshoot of his passion for leadership and service. He hopes to eventually relinquish his responsibilities at Sirenian Bay Resort and Villas to his children for a second try at retirement. He was honored by his alma mater with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I spent more than 28 years in the medical equipment service field. In 2003, I was just getting my own business in that field off the ground when I was diagnosed with late Stage 4 of a rare form of a blood cancer, like leukemia. The doctors gave me about six months to live.

During that long battle with cancer, Brenda and I made plans for when I recovered (never *if* I recovered), including a lot of travel and a beach home to share with family and friends. Our plans became real after a successful bone marrow transplant put my cancer in remission. As I approached 50, Brenda and I decided the time was right to sell our company with plans to retire to Belize. We built that vacation home we had dreamed about on the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize, right on the Caribbean Sea — with spectacular views and plenty of room to share.

Once our home was finished — now called Manatee Villa and the crown jewel of Sirenian Bay Resort & Villas — we decided to dip our foot in the waters of vacation rentals. We listed the house on a few sites and started learning about the industry. As it turns out, while there are vast differences in medical equipment service and the hospitality industry, there is one key common denominator: they’re both service and people businesses, two of my passions.

Soon after opening Manatee, we acquired an existing home on an adjacent lot. We did a complete renovation, added a pool and brought it up to Sirenian Bay standards, and opened it as a rental the next year.

Over the following 24 months, we acquired the rest of the vacant land surrounding our villas along with adjacent property on the lagoon side of the peninsula. The vision of Sirenian Bay Resort began to take hold as we realized we weren’t really ready for retirement and our second careers began.

Now, three years in, we’ve just opened 12 new bungalows and introduced our all-inclusive concept. The resort is ready to welcome guests back when they’re ready to travel, whether it’s individuals ready for adventure, couples seeking a romantic getaway, multi-generational families ready to celebrate missed milestones, destination weddings, or larger groups.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

On our first trip to Belize with our two boys, we rented a golf cart from Captain Jak’s (a long-time staple in the Village of Placencia).

When we walked into the office to pick it up, the manager said, “Welcome Marauders.” That happened to be the mascot of the high school our sons attended. We quickly learned that he was from the same Texas town as us and his kids had attended the same school. We became quick friends with him and his wife.

Soon after, he was diagnosed with cancer and we became even closer by having that awful experience in common. Long story short, when it was time for them to sell Captain Jak’s we eagerly took up their legacy.

Captain Jak’s was a perfect addition to our resort family, allowing us to offer a fuller experience to our guests by adding tours, golf carts, and Village-based accommodations.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Since the hospitality industry was new to us, we made many mistakes. We learned from each one of them. But one of the funniest was about adjusting to a new culture.

We were used to working in the fast-paced medical field, so our expectations were high when it came to timelines. But Belize is a laid-back culture — much like being on “island time.”

On one of our first trips we met with a builder. When I asked to set an appointment time to discuss our plans, what he said still sticks with me today: “Let’s set an appointment at 10:00. You can show up around 10:30 and I’ll see you at 11:00”. We laughed, but he wasn’t kidding. It is so indicative of the laidback nature of Belize. After being there several years now, we totally understand why he told us that, and it still remains true.

These days, we may show up a little late and everyone looks at us and says, “Now you’re true Belizeans!”

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

My best tip is slow down and enjoy the experience. Not many people get to wake up every morning and enjoy their coffee as the sun rises over the ocean. Enjoy it! And maybe that’s not your view. But wherever you are in the hospitality industry, there’s a reason hospitality exists there. Look for it. Then take a moment to sit back and enjoy what your location has to offer.

We split our time between the U.S. and Belize. When we’re in Belize, we make an effort to get out and explore the country, spending a couple of days at other resorts or going on tours to relax and enjoy our surroundings. Not only does it help us recharge, it also helps us make better recommendations and answer questions for our guests.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’ve had people who encouraged and pushed me along the way; people who believed more in me than I believed in myself.

Outside of family, there are two people I credit with shaping my success. The first is a former boss of 15 years who I looked up to. I watched and learned from what he did and how people reacted to him, noting what worked and what didn’t. I used those lessons when I started my own company.

The second person was my wife’s boss from her career in car dealership business. After I Ieft my job of 15 years, I relied on him as a sounding board for what I should do next. He encouraged me to start my own company and convinced me I could do it. He helped me with the business side of things — the things that I was unfamiliar with. He told me I had the people skills and experience needed to succeed and encouraged me to let that be my driving force, not to get hung up on the business side because he had people who could help me with that.

He was right… I would never had started a company if not for his advice. I could never have envisioned building a company with more than 250 employees, selling it 12 years later, and then building a 5-star resort in such a beautiful location as Belize.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

I have always been a techie and this drove my business to be technology focused. When we started designing and envisioning the resort, we wanted it to be a place where guests felt at home, but in the Caribbean with all the amenities of a luxury resort. That meant having high speed internet, smart TVs in the bedrooms and living areas, extras like an Amazon Alexa in each unit, and digital communication options to go along with the comfortable furnishings and decorations in spacious living areas and bedrooms. While these uses of technology are commonplace in some areas, much of the hospitality industry in Belize has been slower to adopt new systems and technology.

Also unique to Belize is the umbrella of services we are able to offer. Through our group of companies, we can offer a completely customizable and individual guest experience. With accommodations at Sirenian Bay or Captain Jak’s, we can meet any budget and preference. Guests staying at either place enjoy the benefits of both: large open beach, pool and pool bar, and The Siren’s Spa at Sirenian Bay plus easy access to tours and golf cart rentals through Captain Jak’s. With Inky’s located right across the street from the resort, all guests have easy access to our family-friendly miniature golf and restaurant. Future expansion such as a fitness center and yoga studio, sunset martini bar and specialty restaurant, and our private island will ensure we can offer almost anything on a traveler’s Belize bucket list. These options allow us to organize the entire guest experience and, most importantly, ensure our guests consistently receive the level of service we expect.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation?

Technology is an almost unavoidable part of daily life now. Even though most people like to disconnect to some degree while on vacation, we’ve found that doesn’t include giving up the conveniences of technology. Not only do we give people the opportunity to stay in touch, we’ve made it easy for families of online learners to incorporate travel and school. It really combines the convenience of home with the luxury of vacation.

With the phased reopening of Belize during COVID, travelers must work with Gold Standard approved resorts and tour operators. By managing our own tour company in Placencia, Captain Jak’s, and having our restaurant, Inky’s, it allows guests to experience consistent gold standard policies and procedures throughout every step of their trip and makes it easier than ever to plan a safe and enjoyable trip.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

Traditionally, most accommodations in Belize are basic accommodations without the amenities and features you expect in a luxury resort. I wanted to offer true luxury, with every amenity of home (and more). This came at a cost — financial and breaking through resistance barriers — but we still had to be competitive with the surrounding resorts and hotels. Now we are seeing more and more accommodations start to offer the same types of technology we implemented from the beginning.

COVID has disrupted every status quo. The new requirements in Belize to work with Gold Standard properties has required the hospitality industry to be creative in offering services. At Sirenian Bay, guests can feel more comfortable knowing that the resort has their best interests in mind. As many people have struggled through the pandemic, we all could use a vacation. Having multiple options allows us to offer various price points and experiences to accommodate everyone. Post-COVID, we expect to see many accommodations and tour providers return to independent operations. Because of the structure of our companies, we will continue to provide a seamless guest experience even when things return to normal.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

1. Contactless Interactions: Social distancing and the need for contactless check in, check out, and communication may wane as the pandemic clears. However, I think the need for those options and guests’ expectations of them will remain. It will be a challenge to find ways to provide high-quality personalized services in a contactless environment, maintaining a personal connection and while staying physically distant.
2. Property Size: Large, crowded destinations will struggle for a while. Guests are looking for smaller, boutique type experiences where they can easily distance and yet not feel isolated. Larger properties will need to find innovative ways to offer social distancing and reduce their crowds.
3. Family Travel: I believe travel will become even more family-oriented and guests will be looking for options where they can spend more time in activities together.
4. Private accommodations amenities: Travelers will come to expect more amenities they can enjoy privately in their accommodations. From room service (without the increased cost and service charges often tacked on) to reserved beach chairs, guests will continue to expect more personalized and private ways to enjoy their vacations.
5. Value of Vacation: The financial impact of COVID will be a lasting and interesting impact on travel. We know there are some travelers who will have bigger travel budgets post-COVID. But many families have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and will be looking for increased value for their vacation dollar. The hospitality industry will need to respond creatively to meet those demands without negatively impacting their own bottom line or ability to provide excellent service.

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

When Brenda and I retired from our first career, we loved the beach vacations. This was the main reason we ended up in Belize. Although our recent trip to South Africa with our boys was the best vacation we ever experienced, we still favor a beach vacation.

Waking up in the morning with a hot cup of coffee with Baileys while watching the sunrise starts our perfect vacation day. A breakfast on the beach followed by nothing more than soaking up the sun and relaxing in the pool. The day is topped off by a romantic dinner on the beach then then sleep and repeat.

But it’s really the little things make our vacations special. We are down to earth people, but on vacation we liked to be spoiled and pampered. Things like addressing us by name, “Welcome Home. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery” mean a lot. A cold towel and refreshing drink upon arrival, having a private butler available to address our needs (preferably before we even know what we need), the little notes on our bed from housekeeping, the welcome note personally written from the staff, fresh flowers on our first day, having a member from management ask how our stay is going, turndown service with a fresh treat on our pillow at bedtime, the bartender knowing our favorite drink and having it ready for us, and a “We can’t wait to see you again next year when you return”. These are the things that make a vacation memorable for us.

Can you share with our readers how have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Brenda and I are ordinary people. We’ve taken some extraordinary risks and overcome some extraordinary obstacles. But at the end of the day, we’re ordinary people. What I like most about our success is that we’ve been able to show young people that anyone can be successful. Success doesn’t require years of college, wealthy parents, being born in a particular place. I struggled through school with dyslexia and finished my education with a two-year degree. But persistence, hard work, and doing the right thing along the way has led to success. Now, I can use my experience and my story to teach the younger generation that they too can accomplish anything they desire if they work hard and treat people with respect.

After selling our first company we were able to help our families and other people less fortunate than we have been. One of the things I’m most proud of is being able to provide college funds for all our nieces and nephews; not only could we help with their education but it’s allowed us to have deeper conversations about success and personal growth.

Another thing I’m proud of is the way we responded to the COVID pandemic. When Belize closed its borders to international guests, tourism came to a halt. Our staff pulled together and collectively agreed to take temporary pay cuts, cut back hours, and make significant changes which allowed us to keep the majority of our staff employed at some level. Several staff moved on property since the resort was closed to guests, sacrificing time with family and friends to keep everyone healthy. Although we eventually were forced to downsize our workforce, the sacrifices of our team at every level made me proud. We’re gearing up to reopen in November 2020 stronger than ever.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Young leadership is my passion. Every opportunity I get, I try to implement a youth training program. At the resort, we have a Young Leaders Academy where individually selected employees have the opportunity for small group training on leadership skills, servant leadership, working with other generations, respecting team members and guests and what that means, treating everyone as an equal, looking at things from another’s point of view, and how to be a leader at all levels of their career. Our youth truly are our future. I hope that I can give them insight that it’s taken me years to learn now, so they have years to perfect it.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Facebook and Instagram: @sirenianbayresortandvillas

Twitter: @sirenianbay

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sirenianbayresortandvillas/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/sirenianbayresortandvillas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirenianbay

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Brian Montgomery of Sirenian Bay Resort & Villas: The Future Of Travel In The Post COVID World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Hannah Hunt of the ‘US Air Force’ On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

Don’t be afraid to not be the smartest person in the room — It’s humbling to know you don’t know everything. Even if you know most things, you may not have the greatest context about a particular situation and that’s okay.

As a part of our series about business leaders who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Hunt.

Hannah Hunt is the Chief of Staff at Kessel Run, a software startup inside the Air Force with a big love of all Star Wars. Hannah is the youngest female Chief of Staff in the Air Force and focuses on day-to-day operations of the organization while revolutionizing the way the Air Force builds and delivers software.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My career path is definitely diverse. I actually didn’t have any professional software experience until I joined Kessel Run. I studied Global Security and the Middle East in graduate school in Washington, DC and took a variety of roles within several federal agencies including the Department of State, Department of Treasury, and now the Department of Defense. I’m one of those people who picks up a lot of different things very quickly, so I’ve managed legislative affairs, major events and international summits during the Obama Administration and led Strategic Initiatives and DoD acquisitions for the Army in acquiring medical products like drugs and vaccines to counter chemical and biological weapons.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

Kessel Run is all about the power of disruption. We were created about three years ago after spending about $500M on a modernization effort for a weapon system failed. Out of the ashes of that effort, Kessel Run was born. For those who aren’t Star Wars fans, Han Solo told Luke Skywalker in A New Hope that the Millennium Falcon did the Kessel Run, a known smuggling route, in under 12 parsecs. We say that we smuggled modern software development into the Air Force, by bringing in well-known industry concepts like agile software development, user-centered design, and DevOps. Our software development isn’t the only thing that is agile, our acquisitions and business operations are also agile. I’m on a team that is pushing to refine the way business is done within the Air Force. Currently, Defense Acquisition takes anywhere from 8–10 years to acquire and build a weapon system, and by the time it’s done, it is totally irrelevant to the operational environment. I lead an effort to reverse that, to ensure capabilities are sent into the field early on, in small iterations, and with tight feedback loops. We’ve been able to deliver software in a matter of days and weeks versus months and years. You hear about computer hackers, but I’m one of those bureaucracy hackers cutting through the minutiae of policy and business rules to get real results fast, while also being a young woman in leadership in a military, male-centric environment.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t know how funny it is, but my first real job was with the State Department organizing major events and conferences for then-President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. We had this huge international summit on nuclear nonproliferation and I was in charge of managing bilateral meetings between heads of state. As the King of Jordan and his diplomatic party were coming down the aisle I tripped on the curtains and landed right in front of him. The lesson I learned from that was to not take myself too seriously! 😉

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I’ve had some great role models and mentors throughout my career. Two of my mentors are also big disruptors in the defense community. They’ve taught me about the politics of working in the largest bureaucracy in the country, and how to navigate the ‘frozen middle’ of people who will always say no to change. I’ve learned how to be a strong female leader based on their guidance and suggestions. I can come off pretty passionate, so sometimes I need to hone that in more in order to get to ‘yes.’ That is kind of what bureaucracy hacking is all about anyways — identifying the policies and rules that will get you to yes versus people saying no.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

A lot of military doctrine is disruptive. There is a future strategy for warfare that is constantly shifting with new and unknown threats that we need to be prepared for. While the doctrine is disruptive, the execution typically isn’t. The military is incredibly risk averse and oftentimes doesn’t deliver new capabilities into the field until they are actually obsolete. So we need disruption not just at the doctrine level, but the strategy and execution levels. A ‘not so positive’ disruption is focusing on military training and exercises that focus on the threat today, verus the future threat. We aren’t looking forward to the next 5–10 years because we are focused on the existing warfight.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

1. Don’t be afraid to not be the smartest person in the room — It’s humbling to know you don’t know everything. Even if you know most things, you may not have the greatest context about a particular situation and that’s okay.

2. Never stop learning — I’m an avid reader and researcher. I want to learn as much about something as I can, so I spend a lot of time understanding the latest tech trends and how they align with government policies. If you don’t have a growth mindset, you’ll stay stagnant.

3. Care about the people, always — You aren’t typically a one woman show. You will have a team around you and above you and you need to always care for those around you. A great leader isn’t someone that barks orders; a great leader is someone who listens to those around them and cares about the staff that work for them.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

Lead generation isn’t necessarily a thing in the Government. However, you do need to rely on industry partners that want to work with the Government. So I’d say the best way to find good vendors and teammates is to partner with small businesses. They are often very focused on their people and have more of a startup mindset than larger corporations. I’ve found the greatest partners are those small business companies willing to get into the muck with you and build great products!

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

A big effort I’m passionate about is attracting tech talent to come do a “tour of service” with the U.S. Government and work with us to build great products that users love. The federal hiring process is incredibly antiquated and takes on average 180 days to hire someone. I’ve been leading an effort within the Air Force to cut down the time-to-hire from 180 to 30–40 days. In the private sector that is still incredibly slow, but in the Government it’s incredibly fast! I’ve been leading a team that recruits for diverse tech talent, reviews and vets them based on industry versus government standards, and work with our HR partners to rapidly bring them on. We do this through big-bang onboarding Hiring Events where we extended anywhere between 40–50 job offers over the course of 2–3 days.

Do you have a book, podcast, or talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us? Can you explain why it was so resonant with you?

I’m a HUGE Brene Brown fan. Rising Strong is probably my favorite book by her. She is always talking about how being vulnerable is incredibly courageous and how vulnerability and struggle can bring us to the greatest level of wisdom and hope. Her emphasis on having emotions and not just pushing them down is in complete contrast with a military culture. So her works and talks really enable me to bring passion and vulnerability into my work, which often leads to better outcomes.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

One of my favorite quotes is from Ralph Waldo Emerson: Hitch your wagon to a star. To me, this is all about aspiring to do great things and consistently pushing myself to grow both professionally and personally.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I think we have a real diversity deficit within the military. Women make up less than 20 percent of active duty personnel and the military is predominantly white, especially among the officer versus enlisted corps. I would love to inspire a movement to get a more diverse military since research shows a more diverse group leads to better results. Even people who like me are not in uniform but serve in a civilian capacity, we need a greater representation in the DoD.

How can our readers follow you online?

I am pretty active on LinkedIn and you can find me at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-feldman-hunt-b8646a97/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Hannah Hunt of the ‘US Air Force’ On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.