I love to travel. Well, I don’t know if I love the travel portion as much as I love arriving to and from my destination safely and WITH my luggage! According to the airlines they only “mishandle” .5% of the luggage;  “mishandled” meaning it is damaged, missing items, or does not arrive at the same[...]

One of the keys to being super in sales is the ability to sum up, in only 30 seconds, what you can do and provide; something that will make sense and add value to a client and/or their business. Often referred to as the elevator speech, it is a necessary ingredient for almost anyone. Even[...]

How do superstitions affect your industry? In the hotel industry it is well known, for example, that most hotels in the United States do not have a 13th floor. This is due to the superstition around the number 13, otherwise known as triskaidekaphobia.  In Nathaniel Lachenmeyer’s book, 13: The Story of the World’s Most Notorious[...]

We’ve all been there. The mailroom’s second cousin’s best friend’s niece wants to become a meeting planner and wants to treat you to lunch and ask for your advice. They show up with stars in their eyes; gleaming over the glamour of it all. They tell you about the great baby shower they put together, their friend’s[...]

Anyone who travels to conferences and meetings will tell you that getting a good night’s sleep is not always easy. We are creatures of habit and comfort; we like our own beds, sheets and blankets, not to mention our before bed rituals. Here are some tips for getting a good night’s sleep while on the[...]

Green is still an option in meeting planning; we are offered “green meeting” and “eco-friendly” meeting packaging from the sites we consider.  But really, it is time for us to make “green” the norm. Even so, the green and eco-friendly options do not always speak to the actual green-ness of our meeting. Whether it be[...]

The first month of 2011 is coming to a close (I know, can you believe it?). As we look forward into the next 11 months of 2011, what do you see happening? What changes do you think will most affect our industry this year? In article put out by Biz Bash, they went straight to[...]

I do not want to come off as a germaphobe, but as a person who travels often I have learned a few things along the way – and not all of them are pretty. The fact is that airplanes are not exactly the cleanest places to hang out, but with just a bit of a[...]

I am back and rejuvenated from the ABC after a weekend of rest. Personally, this past ABC was one for the record books. I achieved Masters! The Masters are the top 20 out of the 1200 HelmsBriscoe associates.  It was a such an honor to be recognized, and I would not be where I am[...]