This New Advisor Event Focuses on Entrepreneurship — With No Supplier Meetings Allowed

While many travel advisor events focus on building the advisor-supplier relationship and learning about travel products through tradeshows and one-on-one meetings, the inaugural Biz Huddle event is doing the opposite.

“Most events focus on what’s shiny in the travel world,” said Courtnie Nichols, founder of The Biz Huddle, TravelBash and TRvLB. “But that’s the easy part. The challenge is learning how to truly build a profitable, sustainable business, and that’s what The Biz Huddle is all about.”

Nichols describes the event — which will be held July 22 to 25 at Thompson Austin in Austin, Texas — as a “transformative business mastermind event designed exclusively for experienced travel advisors who want to scale their businesses, boost profitability and build sustainable business models.” 

Instead of supplier education and relationship building, it focuses on intimate workshops and collaborative learning through hot seats, deep-dive discussions and actionable takeaways. (And unlike supplier-centric events, The Biz Huddle costs $1,799 for advisors to attend.)

Here, Nichols provides more details about what qualified advisors will learn at the event — and how they will know if they are the right fit.

Who are some of the attendees expected at the inaugural event?

We’ve curated a lineup of industry-leading coaches and business strategists, including Cathy Olson, Katy Hoagland, Meg Clarke, Jordan Gill and Ticora Davis. We have an excellent group of experts at the top of their game who specialize in different business areas, such as sales, team building, marketing, legal frameworks, financial strategy and operational efficiency.

RELATED: 5 Future Leaders to Watch List, 2024 

How many advisors can attend, and are there any qualifications advisors should be aware of?

The Biz Huddle is intentionally limited to 50 advisors to ensure a personalized, in-depth experience. We prioritize advisors who have been in business for at least five years, run their own agencies and generate a minimum of $1 million in annual travel sales. Still, sales are just the starting point as we are looking for agency owners and advisors who are more concerned with their revenue/profit/take-home pay than sales. 

Still, sales are just the starting point as we are looking for agency owners and advisors who are more concerned with their revenue/profit/take-home pay than sales.

What are the main challenges that travel advisors face as entrepreneurs? 

Many struggle to scale their businesses while maintaining profitability. Challenges include unclear service offerings, inconsistent sales processes, marketing inefficiencies and limited access to personalized coaching. Advisors often wear too many hats, which leads to burnout and slower business growth. 

Do you believe that advisors are not set up for success at their host agencies? 

While host agencies provide essential backend support, marketing tools and supplier relationships, they don’t always offer personalized business coaching, customized sales training or leadership development. Advisors must often seek external mentorship and business strategy support to scale effectively.

RELATED: Travel Lawyers Share the Top Ways Advisors Need to Protect Themselves

Do you think that most advisors see themselves as entrepreneurs or something else? 

Some advisors see themselves as travel planners or consultants, but those running successful agencies must embrace entrepreneurship. This mindset shift is crucial for scaling, delegating and driving profitability.

What is the cost to attend the event? Is it hosted? 

The Biz Huddle is a paid event with an all-inclusive registration fee of $1,799, which covers curated sessions, workshops, business coaching, meals and networking events. This investment emphasizes the value of this premium experience.

Is there a theme or focus of this year’s event?

The 2025 theme is ‘Scaling with Strategy.’ Workshops will cover:

– Sales & Pricing: Building profitable packages and fee structures.

– Marketing & Branding: Creating a powerful personal brand and leveraging AI-driven tools.

RELATED: 40 Tips and Resources for New Travel Agents

– Operations & Teams: Streamlining workflows, managing teams and scaling sustainably.

– Financial Strategy: Financial planning for long-term success and wealth building.

– Legal & Contracts: Creating legally sound contracts and protecting intellectual property.

Will there be suppliers in attendance?

We’re not excluding suppliers; we’re simply shifting the focus. The Biz Huddle isn’t about one-on-one meetings or product presentations — it’s a business event, not a tradeshow or traditional travel conference. 

Our audience is made up of travel agency owners and advisors, and the focus is on business principles and strategies to help them scale, increase profitability and build sustainable success.

That said, we welcome suppliers to participate as sponsors for The Biz Huddle. In fact, we’ve incorporated some suppliers in the most creative and memorable ways, ensuring their involvement feels natural and impactful while aligning with the overall purpose of the event. This unique approach enhances the experience for everyone.