Podcasts about Hyatt

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke dives into major updates shaping the travel and points space. He covers the scrapping of the U.S. flight delay compensation plan, explaining what protections travelers still have and why booking with the right credit card is more important than ever. The conversation also explores Emirates' new restriction, which bans children under eight from flying first class with miles, a move that has sparked controversy among family travelers. Additional updates include Alaska Airlines ending its LATAM partnership, Hilton Honors' third devaluation in less than a year, Hyatt Regency's new bonus points promotion, and key transfer bonuses from Amex, Citi, and Capital One. DeAndre also discusses the transition of the podcast community from Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp, highlighting the importance of staying connected with other travelers.Key takeaways: Flight delay compensation scrapped: U.S. travelers now only entitled to refunds if flights are canceled.Credit card protections matter: Booking with Chase Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred, Amex, or Capital One can provide strong trip insurance.Emirates first-class policy change: Kids under eight can no longer fly first class on award bookings.Alaska ends LATAM partnership: Also scaling back redemptions with Singapore Airlines.Hilton devaluation: Top properties like Waldorf Maldives now cost up to 250K points per night.Citi Strata Elite account freezes: Some applicants face 4506-C tax transcript requests before accounts are unlocked.Mesa Bonus Offer: Refer two friends to unlock a 50,000-point Mesa bonus after $10,000 spend in 90 days (plus 5,000 points per referral); remember, you must link your mortgage and spend $1,000/month to earn mortgage-linked Mesa points.Taxes on Credit Cards: Paying quarterly estimated taxes via Pay1040/ACI (≈1.75–1.85% personal; ≈2.9–2.95% business) can be worth it to hit SUBs and earn elite nightsHyatt Regency promotion: Up to 20K bonus points for stays through Nov. 23, booked via the Hyatt app.Community shift: Podcast group chat moving from Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp due to Facebook Group Chats being locked away.Resources:Our WhatsApp Community Group InvitationMesa Homeowners Card Review: Earn Points On Your Mortgage with CEO Kelley Halpin (Ep. 81)Can You Really Earn Points on Your Mortgage? Mesa Card Review blog postMesa Homeowners Card Referral LinkHyatt status for AA elites (register by October 31)Book a Free 30-minute points & miles consultationStart here to learn how to unlock nearly free travelSign up for our...

What does it take to lead a thriving, values-driven company—while still winning at home? In this powerful episode, AJ Vaden sits down with Megan Hyatt Miller, CEO of Full Focus, for a transparent conversation about scaling a family business, redefining leadership, and prioritizing what matters most. From stepping into the CEO seat during a global crisis to navigating complex family dynamics at work, Megan shares candid insights on how she's built a flourishing business without sacrificing her personal life. Discover: The #1 mistake leaders make when delegating—and how to avoid it How to protect your culture during rapid growth Megan's “six practices of human flourishing” that every ambitious leader needs Why success without peace isn't really success at all If you've ever wondered how to grow a business and a family without burning out, this conversation will give you the framework—and the freedom—you've been craving.

What really drives business growth today? Gwen Hammes, co-CEO of Cro Metrics, joins me to share how she went from global agency leader to data-driven growth strategist - helping brands like Google, Hyatt, Bombas, and Talkspace unlock next-level success.In this conversation, Gwen reveals what most leaders miss when it comes to AI, martech, and website strategy, and why the human element still matters more than ever. We also talk about customer journey insights that might surprise you, the key to building trust in a digital world, and why hobbies might be the real secret to career fulfillment.If you're a founder, CMO, or curious lifelong learner, Gwen's perspective will inspire you to experiment, evolve, and lean into the joy of building something impactful.

Is Hyatt taking over your wedding?! Let's talk about it, Bridefriend. In this video, I break down exactly what Hyatt's acquisition of all-inclusive resorts means for destination wedding couples like you — and spoiler alert: it's not a bad thing. 

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Frontier status match (MTM affiliate link) - https://www.frontierstatusmatch.com/?fpr=xf83a Episode Description This week Southwest announced a positive change for once! WiFi has been getting cheaper on planes over the years, but most still charge. That has been changing and Southwest will finally bring free internet to their planes. When will this happen and how long will it be before every airline offers free internet in the skies?   In other news Hyatt has a couple of cool new promos, but one of them has a new twist. Should we be weary of travel apps and all of the data tracking or is that just life in 2025? We also discuss: Mario Kart in real life, why AA is flying 20 empty transatlantic legs and how you can score an easy $200 bonus offer from our partner Melio.   Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 2:05 More free WiFi on planes - Southwest drops new perk 6:37 Why AA is flying 20 empty transatlantic legs 10:50 New Hyatt promos - with a troubling twist? 13:23 Why companies are trying to force us into using their apps 17:27 The big consumer data problem in 2025 21:23 Battle of Chase Sapphires - A surprising result? 28:42 Mario Kart in real life! Links Melio Offer (affiliate link) - https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam  Mario Kart - https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64188246/vietnam-downhill-karting-spot-mario-kart-dreams/ Southwest WiFi - https://milestomemories.com/southwest-rapid-rewards-members-will-get-free-wi-fi/ AA empty flights - https://onemileatatime.com/news/american-flying-empty-airbus-a321neo-across-atlantic/ Hyatt new property - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-new-hotel-promo/ Hyatt app promo - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-regency-promo/ CSR vs CSP - https://travel-on-points.com/your-next-card-csp-or-csr/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

This week on Wonderland on Points, we're joined by Kate from Kate's on a Plane to hear all about her family's recent trip to Wild Dunes Resort near Charleston, South Carolina — and how she booked the stay on Hyatt points. Kate shares what worked well, what she'd do differently, and some really practical tips for families considering a beach resort getaway. From whether it's better to bring your own gear or rent, to her suggestion of how to use an Amex Gold Resy credit for meals off-property, there are so many takeaways for travelers who want to stretch both their points and their budget.If you've ever wondered whether Wild Dunes is worth booking on points, how to make a family beach trip more affordable, or just need fresh inspiration for your next getaway, you'll love this conversation.Wild Dune's Blog Post- Katesonaplane.comKate's Facebook GroupTravel More TicketsTravel More Room Block (Higgins Hotel New Orleans)Facebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogFind Us On InstagramMary Ellen | JoAffiliate LinksChase/Capital One/Amex Card LinksFlyKitt- the BEST Jet Lag Solution!30% off the CardPointers subscription!Tripiamo Driving TutorialsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

This week, I am joined by sales & mindset strategist, coach and creator of Irresistible Selling, Maria Bayer. Her programme and community help business owners from the wedding industry to create a million dollar mindset, stand confidently in their worth, and book high-paying clients they love.Maria and I dive into the sales strategies she used to triple her income in less than a year, securing multi-million pound sales to global companies such as Target and Hyatt.We also discuss networking tips, and how Maria went from the most introverted person in the room to the most highly recommended!Let's get stuck in…...Connect with Maria:Email: maria@mariabayer.comWebsite: https://www.mariabayer.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaBayerFan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariabayer1/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mebayer/You can also take part in Maria's FREE 'Book a Client in 5 Days' Challenge at this link - putting into action all of her fab tips from this episode: https://mariabayer.lpages.co/bac-challenge/. Connect with Sophie:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-millikenInstagram: www.instagram.com/moja_sophie/...Want to be a guest on Beyond the Bio?Do you have interesting ideas to share about how to raise your profile? We want to hear from you!Fill out the submission form here: https://www.sophiemilliken.co.uk/btb...This podcast is brought to you by Moja.Moja is an award-winning modern PR agency working with entrepreneurs and senior executives to get you known in your industry.See how your profile is currently performing: https://mym-btb.scoreapp.com/

Are you job searching the wrong way? In this episode of People in Transition, we're thrilled to welcome Carlee Wolfe — a multi-certified HR Talent & Organization Development Executive who has helped organizations like Hyatt hotels, Under Armour, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee thrive. Carlee specializes in designing strategies that close talent gaps, solve organizational challenges, and support bold growth plans.If you've been applying to job after job on LinkedIn and getting nowhere, this conversation will change the way you think about your job search. Carlee shares powerful insights for job seekers and career-minded professionals, including:✅ Why over 15% of jobs posted on LinkedIn don't even exist — and how to use clarity, confidence, and curiosity to focus on real opportunities. ✅ The simple step you must take before applying — defining what you really want so you can be intentional and save time. ✅ How to evaluate company culture before you accept an offer — and avoid joining a team that isn't the right fit. ✅ What the sports world can teach us about careers — embracing mistakes, making pivots, and always moving the ball forward. ✅ Why curiosity is the key to long-term success — whether you're job hunting or building your future in your current role.

Epic Guys Trip 2.0 with Geoff and Joey Episode 64: Show Notes. Buckle up, because in this episode of Travel Stories, Geoff and Joey are back to share their recent epic guys' trip to watch Formula 1 in Montreal with TK and Trevor! Listening in, you'll hear us break down the three different race days, the types of tickets, our experiences of practice day and qualifying day, and so much more! We delve into what seats we think are the best and how to navigate the food situation before discussing whether we would return or not. We even share our dinner experience at Au Pied de Cochon. Finally, you'll hear about our interesting trip out of Montreal by train. You don't want to miss this one, so be sure to tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: [00:44] Welcoming Geoff and Joey back to the show to host. [02:23] Why TK, Trevor, Geoff, and Joey went to Montreal recently.  [04:02] An explanation of what happens at a Formula 1 racetrack. [05:46] A breakdown of the different Formula 1 ticket styles. [08:41] What our experiences were like on Friday, practice day.  [15:36] Qualifying day, the incredible seats we had, and the food at the race.   [26:44] Whether we will go back to F1 Montreal or not, and what the Hyatt was like.  [32:20] Our dinner experience at Au Pied de Cochon: what we liked and didn't like.  [36:05] What it was like to travel out of Montreal by train. Quotes: “You can have any experience you like at an F1 race and curate it to your desires and your budget.” — Geoff [07:57] “I actually liked our seats on Saturday the most [and they] didn't have hospitality.” — @joeyredmond [10:39] “I think Montreal was really great value, and for me, one of the best ways to dip my toe into the Formula 1 experience.” — @TktweetsKim [28:18] “The food was good, I thought the overall experience was good, [and] the wifi was strong. Sometimes we take that for granted on trains.” — @tmount [37:30] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X Joey Redmond Joey Redmond on X Liberty Media Au Pied de Cochon The Milenomics Podcast Network

Skift's Generation Next series highlights 20 women transforming the travel industry, including leaders like Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson and Shaika Nasser Al Nowais, who will become the first Emirati and first woman to lead UN Tourism. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano pointed to a “bifurcation of the consumer,” with luxury travel booming while mid-tier hotels face pressure from economic headwinds. Meanwhile, Hyatt reported strong holiday demand for its all-inclusive resorts, particularly in the Americas, and is weighing a potential sale of a stake in its ALG Vacations arm despite its central role in filling those properties. Generation Next: The Risk Takers Hyatt Sees All-Inclusives Surge, May Sell a Stake in ALG Vacations Marriott CEO Flags Wealth Divide, Government Travel Drop, More Tech Spending Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

#244: I'll explain how I saved over $10k on luxury hotels in Costa Rica and Carmel Valley using points, free nights, and elite perks. I'll walk you through every step, from how to book with points, when to buy them on sale, how to stack hotel credits, which hotel programs give you upgrades and free breakfast, and more! Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/maximize-savings-costa-rica-carmel-valley Partner Deals Daffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choice NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Credit Cards Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Blog Posts How to maximize your Hilton cards How to use Hyatt's Guest of Honor Globalist benefit How to earn up to 6 free nights with Hyatt Brand Explorer Award Search Tools Rooms.Aero AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS) Points Path Chrome Extension PointsYeah Hotels Awayz ($10 for ATH listeners and 50% off for ATH members) Gondola MaxMyPoint StayWithPoints Costa Rica Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique Adobe Rent a Car Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste Sensoria Diamante Eco Adventure Park La Finca Carmel Valley Ranch: Little Ranchers | River Ranch Earthbound Farm Lucia Restaurant & Bar The Great Tide Pool Revival Ice Cream Snack Shack at Lovers Point Lucy's On Lighthouse Monterey Bay Aquarium Alila Ventana Big Sur Hotel Buy World Of Hyatt Points For 20% Off Elemental Movie ATH Podcast Video Episode with Photos/Videos⁠ Luxury Hotel Upgrade Program Ep #157: Costa Rica: A Top Travel Destination for Adventure, Rainforests and Relaxation with Javier Echecopar Ep #167: Best Tools for Booking Hotels with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler Ep #182: Shortcuts to Elite Travel Status with Greg the Frequent Miler Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (00:47) How Chris Got Six Free Hilton Night Certificates (01:53) How Hilton Free Night Certificates Work (02:59) Earning Free Nights with Hilton Credit Cards (04:13) Planning the Trip to Costa Rica (06:23) Buying Hilton Points (and the Caveats) (09:40) Ways to Earn Hilton Status (13:48) Stacking Amex and Hilton Credits (16:14) Booking Flights with Points & Leveraging Alerts (19:35) Renting Cars in Costa Rica (20:55) The Flight Experience (22:16) Adobe Car Rental Review (23:03) Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Overview (25:20) How We Handled an Issue at the Hotel (30:09) Resort Layout, Pools & Amenities (33:16) Our Sensoria Rainforest Excursion (35:46) Diamante Eco Adventure Park & Zip Lining (37:06) The Dining, Drinks & Staff Experience (40:33) Sharing Feedback & Tipping the Hotel Staff (41:59) Overall Costa Rica Takeaways & Total Costs (45:33) How to Maximize Travel Perks without Points (48:50) Booking Carmel Valley Ranch with Hyatt Points (51:29) Hyatt Globalist Perks & Guest of Honor Certificates (54:08) Hyatt Brand Explorer Program (54:37) The Experience at Carmel Valley Ranch (58:21) Off-Property Activities & Local Recommendations (01:00:06) Trip Recap & Key Takeaways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWelcome to What's Up in Business Travel for Week 34 of 2025.  This is a weekly podcast where we update you on what's up this week in the world of business travel.  This podcast is great for those who need to know what's happening all in under 15 minutes.On this week's podcast, we covered the following stories -New $250 US visa fee to launchDelta to pay $79M to settle lawsuitBusiness travel gets a boost in AustraliaKorean Air places $36B order with BoeingFrontier takes aim at SpiritDelta Air Lines Medallion Status Requirements for 2027Singapore Airlines makes changes to KrisFlyerTurkish Airlines acquires stake in Air EuropaJetBlue adds Condor to TrueBlueTPConnects partners with Lufthansa City CenterSouthwest makes EVA Air its 3rd International partnerCTM enhances UK rail booking capabilities in LightningWay expands Hyatt ancillary& loyalty partnershipGoogle expands AI ModeYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

I just had a fantastic conversation with Emily Wright, VP & Global Brand Leader at Hyatt, along with my buddy Anthony Melchiorri. Emily's been with Hyatt for nearly 20 years, and the passion she brings to the role is clear. We covered a lot of ground, but here's what really stood out to me: Hyatt has grown from 4 core brands to a wide-reaching portfolio—and they're still expanding. The launch of Hyatt Studios and Hyatt Select is about filling real gaps in the market, especially in secondary and tertiary cities. World of Hyatt loyalty is exploding—58 million members strong and growing. Guests have zero tolerance for inconsistency anymore. Convenience and reliability aren't perks—they're table stakes. What I loved most was hearing how Hyatt balances deliberate, thoughtful growth while keeping guest experience at the center. Do you think Hyatt's careful growth strategy gives them an advantage—or is the race to scale moving too fast for anyone to stay methodical?   Special thanks to our advertiser:

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Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Frontier status match (MTM affiliate link) - https://www.frontierstatusmatch.com/?fpr=xf83a Episode Description This week even more leaks emerged for the pending refresh of the Amex Platinum cards coming later in September. Previously we learned that they may be adding big hotel credits, but now we know even more. What merchants could be added, how will these credits stack up and will these cards be worth $900 when all is said and done?   In other news Frontier has returned with their easiest status match opportunity yet. This could save you big even on a single roundtrip flight, but does the airline deserve all of their hate? We also discuss: Hampton's search for a new Waffle Boss, changing tastes on Doubletree cookies and how Hyatt is being sued after taking tons of points from members.   Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 4:03 Frontier's new status match may be the easiest ever 8:00 Why people need to stop sleeping on the low cost carriers 11:25 Hampton is searching for a new Waffle Boss - Win 1 Million points! 16:10 The Priceline days & hotel revenue management 22:15 Hyatt's attack on fraud in China - Did they overstep? 28:20 More Amex Platinum rumors - Big credits coming 33:33 New Platinum is worth it and not worth it at the same time Links Frontier Status Match - https://www.frontierstatusmatch.com/?fpr=xf83a Hampton Waffle contest - https://www.hamptonwaffleflavorcontest.com/ Hyatt lawsuit - https://viewfromthewing.com/customers-sue-after-hyatt-bans-accounts-for-buying-fake-hotel-nights-as-shortcut-to-elite-status/ Amex Platinum rumors - https://milestomemories.com/amex-platinum-card-getting-resy-and-lululemon-credits/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

In this episode of Wonderland on Points, we sit down with Elizabeth Von Tersch from U.S. News & World Report to dive into the brand-new 2024 Best Hotel Rewards Program Rankings. We talk through what surprised us, what didn't, and what travelers like us can actually take away from the data.Elizabeth explains why Choice Hotels jumped from #4 to #1, what makes Wyndham stand out (including their all-inclusive options you can book with points!), and why our beloved Hyatt didn't take the top spot despite being first in our hearts. We dig into fixed award charts versus dynamic pricing, what's happening with Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One transfers, and why keeping a diversified points portfolio matters now more than ever.Of course, the conversation wanders into cruises — from Disney to Viking River Cruises — and Elizabeth even teases upcoming U.S. News rankings for the best cruise lines. We also swap Costco-versus-Aldi grocery hacks for maximizing points, talk about the elusive dream of a cruise loyalty program worth its salt, and hear where Elizabeth is headed next on points (spoiler: it involves pastries in Copenhagen).If you've ever wondered how to stretch your hotel points further, which programs are really delivering value right now, or just need inspiration for your next family trip, this episode is packed with insights (and plenty of laughs).Comfrt Hoodie Youtube ComparisonComfrt Hoodie 15% OFF!Facebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogFind Us On InstagramMary Ellen | JoAffiliate LinksCapitalOne Venture and Venture X LinksChase Sapphire Preferred LinksFlyKitt- the BEST Jet Lag Solution!30% off the CardPointers subscription!Tripiamo Driving TutorialsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke dives into the latest updates in the travel and points world, breaking down key changes that impact both frequent travelers and beginners. He covers the return of Zil Money's payroll feature via credit card, new updates to American Express Platinum benefits, and Singapore Airlines' decision to increase award redemption rates. The conversation also highlights the launch of Alaska Airlines' new Atmos Rewards premium card, as well as the expansion of Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts with additional luxury properties. DeAndre wraps up with important updates on the record-high Chase Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus and current transfer bonuses, emphasizing the importance of understanding credit card coding and carefully weighing benefits against annual fees to maximize value.Key takeaways: Zil Money Update: Payroll via credit card is now operational, although coding nuances remain important.Amex Platinum Benefits: New credits have been added, but travelers should reassess the value against the higher fees.Singapore Airlines: Increased award redemption rates make certain routes more expensive for points travelers.Alaska Airlines Card: The new Atmos Rewards premium card offers strong earning potential for loyal flyers.Amex FHR Expansion: Fine Hotels & Resorts has added more properties, expanding redemption opportunities.Chase Sapphire Reserve: Currently offering its largest-ever welcome bonus, making it a strong option for new applicants.Transfer Bonuses: Varying offers across issuers can present value, but must be compared carefully.Credit Card Coding: Understanding how charges are categorized is essential for maximizing points.Community Connection: Listener discussions and Facebook group updates remain vital for staying informed.Resources:Hyatt status for AA elites (register by October 31)AA status for Hyatt elites, targeted (register by September 4)Aeroplan Reserve 5,000 Mile CertificateBook a Free 30-minute points & miles consultationStart here to learn how to unlock nearly free travelSign up for our newsletter!BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook GroupInterested in Financial Planning?Truicity Wealth ManagementSome of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored linksCard Pointers (Saves the average user $750 per year)Zil Money (For Payroll on...

This week on GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk unpack some of the biggest moves in travel and hospitality. Hyatt expands its loyalty program into lifestyle perks, while Hilton reimagines its 106-year-old flagship brand for a new generation of guests. In Las Vegas, a closed Strip hotel is auctioning off iconic memorabilia, raising questions about preservation and reinvention in hospitality. The crew also covers Ryanair's return to major OTAs, Hertz's furry new “Gold Squad” delighting airport travelers, and the controversy swirling around Southwest Airlines's new plus-size seating policy. With industry shake-ups across airlines, hotels, and guest experiences, this episode takes a closer look at where loyalty, design, and customer connection are heading next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hyatt now allows World of Hyatt members to earn and redeem points on non-room experiences through its new “Find Experiences” program, part of a broader industry effort to boost ancillary revenue. TikTok has partnered with Booking.com in the U.S., enabling users to book hotels directly via TikTok's app by clicking on location pins in videos or search results. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines issued a “going concern” warning, saying it may not survive the next year without additional funding after posting significant losses and emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year. Hyatt Expands Loyalty Program to Cover Experiences: Exclusive TikTok Users Can Now Book Hotels via Booking.com Spirit Airlines Was Once One of the Most Profitable Carriers. Now, Its Future Is in Doubt Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

If there's one thing nearly every points traveler has done at least once, it's book a flight, hotel, or car rental directly through their credit card's online travel portal. With promises of 5x, 8x, even 12x bonus points, it can feel like the obvious choice. But as I share in today's episode, those tempting multipliers often come at a serious cost—and the reasons why may surprise you. In this episode, I walk through the top five reasons you should avoid booking through credit card travel portals like Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One. From losing out on elite status perks and upgrades to paying more for the same flights or hotel rooms, I reveal the hidden downsides that don't show up until it's too late. You'll also hear real-world stories from travelers who faced everything from missing reservations to costly rebookings—all because they used a portal instead of booking direct. Even more importantly, I'll explain how using your points through a portal can devalue them by 2–10x compared to transferring to partners. I share specific examples, including how I used Chase points with Hyatt for a $65,000+ stay that would have cost 3.6 million points through the portal. Whether you're new to points or have been booking this way for years, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and make smarter choices with your rewards. Turn your expenses into points and save tens of thousands of dollars a year on your wishlist travel. Don't miss out! Click here http://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy to know more about my comprehensive online program, Points Made Easy. Enrollment opens on September 20, 2025 to September 27, 2025. Want to know what's really possible with your points? Don't just take it from me—hear from members who've used Points Made Easy to completely change the way they travel. From business class flights to dream vacations, their results speak for themselves. Watch their stories here - https://points.pointmetofirstclass.com/points-made-easy-success-stories

In this Quick Hits episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke breaks down the latest travel and points updates shaping the rewards landscape. He covers Chase's surprising move to end its transfer partnership with Emirates, American Airlines' new partnership with Starlux Airlines, and the upcoming changes to Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cards—including higher annual fees paired with new perks.Listeners will also learn about a valuable new Amex offer for Hilton stays, a strange Uber pricing quirk at airports, and a listener update highlighting issues with the Mesa card application process. Packed with actionable insights and community-driven updates, this episode helps travelers stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of points and miles.Key takeaways: Chase and Emirates: Chase is ending its partnership with Emirates on October 16th.New Partnerships: American Airlines has partnered with Starlux Airlines, expanding premium travel options.Oneworld Potential: Starlux may eventually join the Oneworld Alliance, offering more redemption opportunities.Amex Changes: The Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cards will see annual fee increases along with enhanced benefits.Hilton Savings: A new Amex offer saves users 20% at Hilton properties.Airport Rides: An Uber pricing quirk reveals that fares can vary depending on the airline selection—compare with Lyft.Mesa Card: Applicants are reporting delays and issues with the Mesa card process.Fee vs. Value: Amex continues to raise fees while aiming to deliver more value.Travel Strategy: Travelers should act before the Emirates transfer deadline and maximize Hilton/Amex offers.Resources:Hyatt status for AA elites (register by October 31)AA status for Hyatt elites, targeted (register by September 4)Aeroplan Reserve 5,000 Mile CertificateBook a Free 30-minute points & miles consultationStart here to learn how to unlock nearly free travelSign up for our newsletter!BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook GroupInterested in Financial Planning?Truicity Wealth ManagementSome of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored linksCard Pointers (Saves the average user $750 per year)Zil Money (For Payroll on Credit Card)

Discover the most popular hotels by category. Are you on track for financial freedom...or not? Financial freedom is a combination of money, compounding and time (my McT Formula). How well you invest can make the biggest difference to your financial freedom and lifestyle. If you invested well for the long-term, what a difference it would make because the difference between investing $100k and earning 5 percent or 10 percent on your money over 30 years, is the difference between it growing to $432,194 or $1,744,940, an increase of over $1.3 million dollars. Your compounding rate, and how well you invest, matters!  INVESTING IS WHAT THE BE WEALTHY & SMART VIP EXPERIENCE IS ALL ABOUT - Invest in digital assets and stock ETFs for potential high compounding rates - Receive an Asset Allocation model with ticker symbols and what % to invest -Monthly LIVE investment webinars with Linda 10 months per year, with Q & A -Private VIP Facebook group with daily community interaction -Weekly investment commentary -Extra educational wealth classes available -Pay once, have lifetime access! NO recurring fees. -US and foreign investors are welcome -No minimum $ amount to invest -Tech Team available for digital assets (for hire per hour) For a limited time, enjoy a 50% savings on my private investing group, the Be Wealthy & Smart VIP Experience. Pay once and enjoy lifetime access without any recurring fees. Enter "SAVE50" to save 50% here: http://tinyurl.com/InvestingVIP Or set up a complimentary conversation to answer your questions about the Be Wealthy & Smart VIP Experience. Request an appointment to talk with Linda here: https://tinyurl.com/TalkWithLinda (yes, you talk to Linda!). SUBSCRIBE TO BE WEALTHY & SMART Click Here to Subscribe Via iTunes Click Here to Subscribe Via Stitcher on an Android Device Click Here to Subscribe Via RSS Feed LINDA'S WEALTH BOOKS 1. Get my book, "3 Steps to Quantum Wealth: The Wealth Heiress' Guide to Financial Freedom by Investing in Cryptocurrencies". 2. Get my book, “You're Already a Wealth Heiress, Now Think and Act Like One: 6 Practical Steps to Make It a Reality Now!” Men love it too! After all, you are Wealth Heirs. :) International buyers (if you live outside of the US) get my book here. WANT MORE FROM LINDA? Check out her programs. Join her on Instagram. WEALTH LIBRARY OF PODCASTS Listen to the full wealth library of podcasts from the beginning.  SPECIAL DEALS #Ad Apply for a Gemini credit card and get FREE XRP back (or any crypto you choose) when you use the card. Charge $3000 in first 90 days and earn $200 in crypto rewards when you use this link to apply and are approved: https://tinyurl.com/geminixrp This is a credit card, NOT a debit card. There are great rewards. Set your choice to EARN FREE XRP! #Ad Protect yourself online with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Get 3 MONTHS FREE when you sign up for a NORD VPN plan here.  #Ad To safely and securely store crypto, I recommend using a Tangem wallet. Get a 10% discount when you purchase here. #Ad If you are looking to simplify your crypto tax reporting, use Koinly. It is highly recommended and so easy for tax reporting. You can save $20, click here. Be Wealthy & Smart,™ is a personal finance show with self-made millionaire Linda P. Jones, America's Wealth Mentor.™ Learn simple steps that make a big difference to your financial freedom.  (This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. There is no additional cost to you.)

Hour 4, Segment 2 features a deep dive into President Trump's efforts to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing his proactive diplomacy and contrasts with the Biden administration's approach. Guest Ashley Hyatt, executive director of America First Works, highlights Trump's accomplishments in six months versus Biden's three-and-a-half-year tenure, including accountability, security, and economic strategies. The conversation also touches on crime reduction in Washington, DC, the impact of illegal immigration on public safety, and the importance of restoring dignity to work in America.

What happens when you book a brand-new all-inclusive resort on points? Joanna is back from Cancun with the inside scoop on her stay at the Hyatt Vivid Grand Island — and spoiler alert: it was absolutely incredible.From smooth Southwest flights with the Companion Pass to standout dining, lively entertainment, unique room details, and even an airport horror story you WON'T want to miss, this trip had plenty of stories worth sharing. You'll hear why she chose this resort, what it was like to stay at the Vantage Club level, the unexpected highlights along the way, and the smart packing choices that paid off.Most importantly, Joanna gives her honest take on whether the Hyatt Vivid Grand Island is worth booking — and what she'd do differently next time. Grab your sunscreen and earbuds, because this episode brings the sunshine straight to you.Facebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogFind Us On InstagramMary Ellen | JoMentioned in this EpisodeVisitax- OFFICIAL WEBSITEAmstar Hotel TransfersAffiliate LinksCapitalOne Venture and Venture X LinksChase Sapphire Preferred LinksFlyKitt- the BEST Jet Lag Solution!30% off the CardPointers subscription!Tripiamo Driving TutorialsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

Welcome to St. Peter's Chelsea!Sign up for our newsletter to connect with and find out more about weekly offerings! https://view.flodesk.com/emails/6776ab74d8316b405487c04fhttps://www.stpeterschelsea.orgFollow us online!https://www.facebook.com/StPetersChelseahttps://www.instagram.com/stpeterschelsea/linktr.ee/stpeterschelsea

In this Quick Hits episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, DeAndre Coke brings you the latest updates in the points and miles world, including a limited-time Air Canada promotion, the return of the American Airlines and Hyatt elite status match, and details on Hyatt's fast track to American Airlines status. He also covers current transfer bonuses from Citi and Capital One, shares listener feedback on recent travel experiences, and emphasizes the value of strategic planning for maximizing elite status benefits. Whether it's leveraging limited-time offers or making informed booking choices, this episode offers practical insights for maximizing your rewards.Key takeaways: Air Canada offer: Register for a 5,000-point flight certificate.Elite Status Match: American Airlines and Hyatt Renew Their Reciprocal Program.Hyatt fast track: Complete 10 nights in 90 days to maintain status.AA status for Hyatt elites: Earn through a targeted fast-track program.Transfer bonuses: Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One offer current promos.Listener feedback: Highlights the importance of trustworthy travel recommendations.Strategic stays: Plan bookings to maximize elite perks and benefits.Points value: Can vary greatly depending on redemption strategy.Community connections: Enhance the travel experience through engagement.Resources:Hyatt status for AA elites (register by October 31)AA status for Hyatt elites, targeted (register by September 4)Aeroplan Reserve 5,000 Mile CertificateBook a Free 30-minute points & miles consultationStart here to learn how to unlock nearly free travelSign up for our newsletter!BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook GroupInterested in Financial Planning?Truicity Wealth ManagementSome of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored linksCard Pointers (Saves the average user $750 per year)Zil Money (For Payroll on Credit Card)Travel FreelyPoint.meFlightConnections.comThrifty...

Our guest, Paul Moore, is the Founder of Wellings Capital. After a brief “retirement” in his early 30s, Paul began investing in real estate in 1999 to protect and grow his own wealth. He completed over 85 real estate investments and exits, appeared on HGTV's House Hunters, rehabbed and managed dozens of rental properties, and developed a subdivision. After completing three successful real estate developments, including assisting with the development of a Hyatt hotel and a very successful multifamily project, Paul narrowed his focus to commercial real estate in 2011. Paul is married with four children and lives in Central Virginia.EPISODE INSIGHTS:[00:00-03:55] Investing vs. Speculating: The Real Deal[03:56-07:00] Why Cash Flow is King[07:01-10:00] Real Estate's Hidden Gems[10:01-13:00] The Mobile Home Park Gold Rush[13:01-16:00] Boring Investments, Big Wins[16:01-25:00] FOMO to JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out[25:01-28:00] Timing and Tech: The Luck Factor[28:01-31:00] Fighting Human Trafficking with Profits[31:01-35:00] Inspiration from a Hero: William WilberforceSpecial Mentions:Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, William Wilberforce, Jesse Livermore, Elon MuskAIM (aimfree.org), Wellings CapitalPaul's gift to you: https://www.wellingscapital.com/resourcesAny questions?*** Start taking action right NOW!

Send us a textThe Giants and Jets went head-to-head in practice, and we've got the full breakdown. In this live episode, Drew and Rob recap a busy joint session where the Giants' defensive front more than held its own, with Brian Burns looking elite and Abdul Carter drawing high praise from Jets QB Justin Fields, HC Aaron Glenn, and multiple insiders. Carter's speed, versatility, and physicality are quickly making him one of the most talked-about rookies in camp.We'll cover Marcus Mbow stepping in for Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle and looking solid, plus the welcome sight of Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, and Dru Phillips back on the field — even if Nabers is still being bubble-wrapped until Week 1. With Andrew Thomas, Eluemunor, Nabers, Hyatt, and Darius Slayton all missing from full participation, the offense had mixed reviews in practice.We'll also talk about the Giants' ranking as the 3rd most valuable franchise in the NFL and what that means for the organization moving forward. And with the Giants-Jets preseason game coming up, we lay out our four main goals: stay healthy, see the rookies shine again, establish a run game, and get better coverage from the backup secondary.This episode is your full guide to where the Giants stand right now and what we're looking for next.

Title: Travel Like a Billionaire: The 90% Off Secret to a First-Class Lifestyle with Eli Facenda In this conversation, Eli Facenda shares insights on maximizing travel experiences through strategic use of points and credit cards. He discusses his nomadic lifestyle, the entrepreneurial journey that led him to travel hacking, and the importance of understanding the value of different points systems. Eli emphasizes the need for a structured approach to travel, focusing on maximizing points, optimizing travel upgrades, and effectively using credit cards to enhance travel experiences. The discussion also touches on the significance of having a clear strategy for business owners and how to navigate the complexities of travel rewards. In this conversation, Eli Facenda shares his expertise on maximizing travel experiences through strategic use of points and credit cards. He discusses the importance of community in travel planning, innovative solutions for entrepreneurs, and his personal journey in the travel industry. Eli emphasizes the significance of experiential wealth and actionable steps listeners can take to enhance their travel experiences. Links to Watch and Subscribe: https://youtu.be/c7QqSscsajc Bullet Point Highlights: Seth and Eli kick off with casual banter about van life, audio gear, and the nomad lifestyle. Eli shares his background going from broke entrepreneur to travel-hacking expert. He explains how he got obsessed with using points after a free trip to Thailand changed his mindset. Eli now helps entrepreneurs take $20K–$50K luxury trips for 90% off using credit card points. His 3-part system includes maximizing points, optimizing travel perks, and redeeming for bucket-list trips. He gives a real-world example of booking a $20K ANA business class flight to Japan for just $12. Seth dives into a real-life org structure and Eli explains how points flow to the guarantor, not the LLC. Best practice: 2–3 business cards and 2–3 personal cards tailored to your biggest spend categories. Eli introduces his new “DreamTrip Alert System” that delivers full trip itineraries at massive discounts. In the Million Dollar Monday segment, Eli shares how he made, lost, and remade his first million. His next million will come from scalable digital products and a wider reach through content and community. What makes Eli top 1%: He walks the walk, traveling the world and running a business around it. His #1 tip: Pick your dream trip, put it on the calendar, and commit, then let the how figure itself out. Transcript: Eli Facenda (00:00.059) What's up, Seth?   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:01.43) Yo, what's going on, brother?   Eli Facenda (00:03.237) How we doing, man? How we doing?   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:05.141) Excellent man, what's happening?   Eli Facenda (00:06.893) Not much. you, how's the audio coming through here?   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:11.032) Sounds good, sounds good.   Eli Facenda (00:12.547) it clean? Okay, because I'm, it's basically we're in the middle of a Nomad trip here, so I normally have like a, like a shirt mic like you have, but on the road I haven't had, so I haven't had to test this yet, but I figured the DJI's are pretty solid, so I wanna make sure it's actually coming through decent.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:16.962) Okay.   Yeah.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:26.732) Nice. Yeah, no, it sounds good. Sounds good, man.   Eli Facenda (00:29.425) Okay, cool, awesome. Awesome Dave, we'll get to connect with you.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:33.802) Yeah, brother definitely, so I don't butcher it. How do you pronounce your last name? Facenda, okay, cool. Cool Awesome, man. Yeah, we've we've crossed paths on social media. I think or maybe our va's have crossed paths who knows   Eli Facenda (00:39.077) for sender. Yep, yep.   Eli Facenda (00:47.663) Yeah, think that was where, yeah, think we were initially connecting, yeah, totally. Instagram, I think, was the place. Yeah. Because you're out in California, right? Nice, I'm in West Palm right now. And I mean, normally based in Austin, but we're in the middle of a like, six to eight month nomad adventure. And so we are, we're on the road here, and we go to Europe in a few weeks for like the next several months.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (00:53.42) Yeah, nice, nice, where you at right now? Yep, San Diego.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (01:10.446) Sweet dude.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (01:17.166) That's awesome dude, awesome, awesome. Love it man, that's a long time. So we did last May we did, man it's been like a year, geez. We did like 30, 33 days in a van trip. So we took our van up through Wyoming into Montana and into Canada. That was a long time for us, but 68 months. Right, yeah.   Eli Facenda (01:18.117) Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, man.   Eli Facenda (01:33.455) Nice.   Eli Facenda (01:37.465) sick. Yeah, well vans are intense too. You know, I haven't done van life but my fiance, she did that before and it was like a lot for her. But yeah, so totally depends on the way you're traveling as well. Yeah.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (01:47.266) Yeah.   Nice, nice. Cool, man. Just give you a quick rundown. our audience, my audience is typically, so it used to be passive investors, right? So it used to be the passive income attorney podcast. I think when we might've tried to schedule before and that was for investors. So accredited investors trying to get them to invest in my commercial real estate deals, that sort of thing. But now I've rebranded to raising the bar, which is more geared towards active investors and entrepreneurs and folks like that. So still,   Eli Facenda (02:10.619) Mm-hmm.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (02:19.982) Still, I'm sure your clients, wealthy folks that are starting businesses, that have businesses, that are raising capital for real estate or private equity or other types of businesses, that sort of thing. And then we'll do about, we'll do it a little on the shorter side. So we'll do about 30 minute interview, probably at the longest. And then we'll kind of just close that out. And then I do two little smaller sections that I break down into like little five minute episodes. One is a million dollar.   Eli Facenda (02:25.403) Totally.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (02:49.622) Monday I put that in the notes and it's basically just like real quick, like how you made your first million dollars, how you made your last million, how you plan on making your next million. then, yeah, and then the last one is the top 1%. Basically just kind of what separates you and makes you the top 1 % in what you do.   Eli Facenda (02:59.675) Cool. Yeah, I love it. It's great.   Eli Facenda (03:08.699) Okay, beautiful. And then as far as, is there any place you want me to point people that is connected to you or do you care if you're asking about that? I don't have any hard call to action kind of pitch thing, but it's more just like.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (03:19.916) No, man, whatever, it's up to you, man, whatever you want to do, whatever you, whatever call it action you want to use, if want to send it to your website or social media, whatever you want to do,   Eli Facenda (03:26.577) Cause you know what we do have, I can do this. We have a pretty cool playbook that's normally 150 bucks and I'm happy to give it to your listeners for free. So I could give them a code, just say what would be the best code for that?   Seth Bradley, Esq. (03:37.175) Okay, awesome.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (03:43.429) Um, just raise would probably be good. use that a lot for like call to action, like DME raise. So you could use a raise.   Eli Facenda (03:46.161) Cool. All right, so yeah, so I'll just say go to the website and just DM or just put in the code RAYS and you'll get it for free. But it's like a whole playbook on how to maximize points for trips. I've act like legitimately I've had someone buy it and within 48 hours he texted me a screenshot. was like, dude, I just saved 20 grand on a trip from your ebook. And I was like, wow, okay, it works. So it's good. Yeah.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (03:57.07) Sweet.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (04:09.366) Nice, Cool. All right, man, well, we're already recording, so I'll just jump right in, and then if I need to add anything to the beginning, I'll do that later. And cool, man, yeah, we'll just jump right in.   Eli Facenda (04:14.129) Sweet. You're welcome.   Eli Facenda (04:20.27) Awesome.   Eli Facenda (04:24.913) Let's do it.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (04:27.444) Eli, what's going on, brother? Welcome to the show.   Eli Facenda (04:30.181) Thank you man, excited to be here and I we're going coast to coast today so this will be good.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (04:34.382) Absolutely, man. So we chatted beforehand, but I think you're tuning in on a road trip right now. So you're living proof of what you do, right?   Eli Facenda (04:44.065) Yeah, totally. are, well this part's kind of like a road trip. We're in West Palm Beach right now, but this is basically leg number two out of, we'll end up being probably an eight month nomadic adventure with me and my fiance and our little puppy. And so we're in West Palm Beach right now in Florida. We head to Europe in less than a month and we'll be bouncing around different parts of Europe for about four months roughly before we decide where we're gonna go next, which we're not exactly sure.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (04:58.904) Nice.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (05:12.28) That's awesome, man. Are you using all your hacks and secrets and travel tips that you put out there?   Eli Facenda (05:18.449) Absolutely, yeah, 100%. I mean, we just got back from a crazy trip to Japan. This was really cool. I run an entrepreneur mastermind. So we integrated our own trip around Japan around this mastermind event. So I had 53 people come out for like eight days. We went snowboarding in the mountains in Niseko in the Northern Park. And then we went down to Tokyo for the cherry blossoms. But for myself personally, to get there and back and do a lot of the hotels, we used points. We saved over 50 grand just on that portion of the trip. We then...   know, flew down to West Palm on points and then going over to Europe and a lot of the stays over there will also be leveraging the point strategies that I help clients use and then I talk about on social media and the stuff that we'll dive into today. But yeah, I like to be living proof of it because it's pretty awesome. It's something that's really impacted my life. I love doing it. And when I do it, I get to share it too. So has like a multiple benefit for everybody.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (06:06.648) That's awesome, man. I'm excited, dude. I'm excited to dig in here, because it's just for my own personal benefit and education, because I'm super stoked about this stuff, and I travel a lot with my fiance, or my fiance, my wife, and it's something I'm personally interested in as well. We've had past conversations too, so it's great to have you on, man. So just to start off, man, if somebody, you meet somebody in the street, they ask you what you do, how do you explain that?   in a sentence, right? Like without going into some crazy like tangent about all the awesome things that you do. Like what, how do you answer that question?   Eli Facenda (06:36.453) Yeah.   Eli Facenda (06:41.329) Sure, sure, Yeah, it really does depend on the situation, but I oftentimes will ask a couple questions because it makes it easier for people to understand. So usually it's like, do you have any big dream bucket list trip you've ever wanted to take? And they'll be like, oh yeah, Greece. I'm like, well, what we do is we help you get to Greece in business or first class, stay in five star hotels, have the trip of your dreams at about 90 % off. So that's kind of the tagline is take the trip of your dreams for about 90 % off.   I'll get into the whole point side of things, but some people don't know what points are, or some are really well studied in that world. So I just leave with the trip because that's usually what people want. They want to have the experience where it's you and your wife flying first class, sipping champagne on the way to Paris to go see the Eiffel Tower and the points and the credit cards. That's really the mechanism. That's how we make the experience happen. But at end of the day, what we want is the amazing memories, the beautiful experience, all that stuff. So I leave with the trip when I talk about it.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (07:37.848) That's awesome, man. Yeah, I mean, you're literally selling the dream, right? Like in marketing, you sell the dream or hit on a pain point. Like you are like the quintessential selling the dream. Like that's what everybody thinks about. So.   Eli Facenda (07:42.969) Yeah, exactly.   Yeah, Right. Well, it's funny because, you know, in marketing, they'll say like, sell the destination, not the vehicle, right? They'll be like, sell the outcome, not how you get there. And so we do that in our marketing. But then when you think about it, when people are taking a trip, what we are helping them do is make the vehicle to get to the destination part of the destination. Because really, when you travel well, and you do it in style, the flight becomes a part of the trip that you're excited for.   I can't wait to see the the drinks and the champagne and the food they're gonna have and how awesome the seat is and the movie selection, how big's the screen. At least for people that love to travel, it becomes a fascination of the trip, not just getting there. So that's a big difference maker when people start to go on these flights, and this is what a lot of our clients will say, and for me, it goes from flying economy to like, I'm counting down the hours to get off this freaking plane.   to like, we do another lap around the city? Cause like, I'd love to just hang out here longer, right? And like the flight attendants treat you really well. So yeah, it's a whole experience.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (08:49.314) That's awesome, man. Yeah, that's great. Was there a trip that you went on personally where you just kind of thought, man, I can turn this into a business, right? Like you're just enjoying it so much that you just were like, like the light bulb went off or how did this business spawn?   Eli Facenda (09:04.515) Yeah, there wasn't one trip that I made the connection between like, trip is awesome, let me start a business. But there was one trip that gave me the light bulb of, my God, I am obsessed with this, I need to learn everything I can. There was zero intention or thought about business that when it first started. And that'll take you back about 10 years. So was around 22 years old and I'm just coming out of college. And basically I'm in my mom's basement and I remember this really...   like heavy feeling because I went to a good university near New York City and all my friends went to Wall Street and they were making like six figures plus right out of school. And I had this like entrepreneurial bug. I was like, that's not for me. I don't want to sit in an office. I don't care if I can make a lot of money. I want to like play life on my terms, even if it means I'm making less. So at this point I have friends that are making tons of money, know, lots of disposable income and I'm making like 20 grand a year. I'm working four side jobs. I was trying to build a company. I remember getting this text.   And my stomach just dropped, because I was like, shit, I'm going to miss out on this incredible experience. was friends inviting me to go to Thailand. And I was like, if I don't figure out a better strategy of either how to make more money or figure something out, I'm not going be able to go on this trip. And I was like, damn, this is going to be just a life of missing out on experiences. Is that what it means to follow my dreams with entrepreneurship? It's like, I have to forego everything that my other friends are doing. And so was like, let me think about this differently. And I had a mentor that told me, you don't need more money, you need a better strategy. And he was talking about growing a business.   But for me, I was like, oh wait, there's this credit card point thing. What if I could figure that out? So I ended up piecing it together. I got a trip to Thailand for free. I had this amazing experience with some of my best friends. It's like still, you know, 13 friends in Thailand at age like 22, 23. Memories you don't get back. So was really grateful to have that. And then I came back from that trip and I got another flight a few, probably a year later to Europe in business class where it was a $6,000 ticket that I paid $6 for. Now after that one,   I came off that flight and I was like, I will read every blog, I will watch every YouTube video, I will learn everything about this because it meant I could travel the world and have this incredible lifestyle without having to go take a corporate job. So was like, I get to have my entrepreneurial dream and the travel I want without any trade-offs and I was like, this is amazing. So that was my first time I got hooked. It took me years of researching and reading blogs and websites and doing stuff for myself before I even had the thought of helping anyone else. I just became obsessed with it on my own.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (11:27.086) I love that you recognize you had the entrepreneurial bug early on, right? Before you got drugged down into the corporate ladder and then you got the golden handcuffs, we like to call it, and that sort of thing where it gets much, much harder to escape that gravity. I know for myself, it took a really long time. ended up going to, I went to med school, then I got my MBA, and then I went to law school, and then I worked in a big law firm, and it just took me all this time to figure out like, I don't want this.   Eli Facenda (11:38.405) Yeah.   Eli Facenda (11:49.201) Mm.   Eli Facenda (11:56.763) Right, well the social pressure alone of like everyone year round is going one way, it takes a lot of guts for you to zig when everyone else is zagging, like it's not easy to do. Yeah.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (11:57.015) And I think it's.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (12:06.648) For sure, for sure. Yeah, it's tough. It's tough, right? And especially when you see your friends making six figures right out of college, you're like, man, I could do that right now if I wanted to do it, but I don't want that. So it takes guts to be able to go out there and do your own thing.   Eli Facenda (12:21.873) Totally. And I think everyone has their own version of that still. There's even vert flavors of that today that are still existing for me where it's like, everyone's kinda going this way, but when I really get quiet and listen to myself, I'm like, yeah, you could do that, but you actually, what your soul or your heart really wants is to go over here. And so I've always just tried to listen to that more because I think about one of my North stars is, at the end of my life, I'm 80, 90 years old, I do the rocking chair test and look back, it's like,   What regret would I rather not have when I'm 90? I'd always rather be like I bet on myself than like I took the sure, you know, the well-paid path, which is the old cliche, but I think it's really true.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (13:01.004) Totally, I love that North Star, man. Have you ever asked ChatGBT to give you advice as your 80 or 90 year old self on your deathbed? It's great. Yeah. I love it, man. I love it. Yeah, it's great. It you great insight. You start reading, you're like, this is good.   Eli Facenda (13:07.409) Yeah, yeah, I actually created a custom GPT and it's my future me that coaches current me. yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah.   Right. Exactly. Yeah, totally.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (13:21.326) Awesome man, well let's get back kind of on the business of travel, right? So somebody comes to you, they do that introduction that we talked about, you get in a deeper conversation, they're super interested in it, they wanna learn more about these travel hacks and strategies, like where do they start? Where do you point them?   Eli Facenda (13:42.447) Yeah, so in terms of the process, I like to chunk it into three main buckets.   And it's important to have context around this game because if you don't, it just starts to feel like there's so many moving pieces and who has time for that and it's too confusing and then it becomes overwhelming and overwhelm just basically leads to an action. And then that is the person who's like, well, I just don't wanna do that, I'll just take a cash back card or I'll just stick to my Delta card, right? And so when you have the right context, you can start to understand the highest leverage moves to make and then you know really how to get the result you want with the least amount of effort. So that's what we focus on and specifically like I've worked with   probably over a thousand business owners now. And with business owners, investors and entrepreneurs, it's a different, the points game takes on a different context, right? Because usually the constraint we have to solve for is time and complexity. And if you work a nine to five, you know, after five o'clock, you've got hours for your night. But entrepreneurs, it's like every hour is kind of an asset that you can use. So it's a little bit different. So the three buckets are, the first one is to maximize the points that you earn. So this happens from getting the right cards and the right expenses.   because all of these different points are like currency, so you wanna earn the right type of points and then you wanna maximize the amount of them by getting the right cards and the right expenses. So that's the first piece and that's really, really key, because nothing else happens if you don't get that right. The second bucket is gonna be to upgrade and optimize your travel. So you've got domestic trips for a conference, are you getting TSA pre-check and clear, are you getting the best lounges, are you getting first class upgrades and free bags and hotel suite upgrades and free breakfast at the hotels and free wifi. Really it's just like,   There's all these opportunities available for people that are traveling domestically for work, for family events, you know, your kind of ordinary traveling might have. And what we want to do is we just want to enhance the quality of all of that and reduce all the headaches and annoyances by maximizing benefits on cards and status perks and all the kind of like little tactics that you can play. So that's the second thing that just makes your travel more comfortable. And then the third bucket, which is really the most important in terms of impact in your life and the most meaningful piece is to take your dream bucket list trips for 70 to 90 % off.   Eli Facenda (15:45.775) And so that's where you're gonna take the points you've accumulated. You're gonna use some strategies that I can break down here around transferring these points from the banks to the airlines and hotels, and you're gonna get these dream trips for literally a fraction of what they should cost if you're paying cash, or compared to if you were using your points through a site like Amex Travel or Capital & Travel or Chase Travel. Okay, so that's a mouthful, but those are the three. So maximize your points, get the best possible upgrades, and then take your dream trips for 90 % off.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (16:13.934) Yeah, dive into one of those little those connecting strategies there that you mentioned.   Eli Facenda (16:19.183) Yeah. Yeah. So I'll talk first about the cards. That's the order. This is the first mistake that most business owners and individuals are making is they're just getting random cards. They're like, well, I live in Dallas. Let me get the American card or live in Atlanta. So I'll get the Delta card or, whatever it may be. Or live in San Diego and I fly domestic. So I'll just get the Southwest card. Well, they don't realize is that again, these points, these points like currencies. And so if I told you, Hey, do you want 150 Mexican pesos or 150 us dollars for your couch that you're selling on Facebook marketplace?   you're obviously gonna take the US dollars, right? Because the currency is much higher. But with points, people don't realize that. So they might be racking up Hilton points or Delta miles or other points and miles that just aren't as valuable as other ones out there. And then they burn through them quick or they don't go as far. And they end up just basically sitting there being like, I feel like I should be getting more. This is the common thing I hear. I feel like this should be taking me further, but like it's not doing much. And so what we wanna focus on is bank points that are transferable. So certain banks,   have this ability to convert the points to the airline hotel loyalty programs. And what happens is the banks have a different way of pricing than the airlines do. And certain airlines and certain hotels have really good what we call sweet spots or opportunities for you to get the best possible deals. Okay, so when you earn these effective points, which the top ones I recommend are generally Amex, Chase, and Capital One, and there's a new program built actually is out where you can put your rent on a card with no fees and earn points, it's really cool. But when you get those right,   And then you look through your expenses and you say, what do I spend the most on? Is it groceries and dining and the personal side? Cool. There's a card like the Amex Gold that is specifically really good for those types of expenses. Then you look at your business. What do I spend a lot on? Is it ads and software and taking clients out for dinners? Great. The Amex Business Gold earns four points per dollar on those categories, but maybe it's you're spending a lot on flights for company travel, or maybe you have inventory you're buying, or you're paying a lot of contractors, or you have a lot of payroll. You want to assess where you're spending the most money.   and make sure you have the optimal card lined up for that type of expense. So I'll pause there, but that's kind of the first bucket. The other one is on using the points effectively, which I can talk about too, is pretty powerful. But that first one is really the linchpin. Because if you have a bunch of Delta miles and you want to go to Europe, I'll give an example actually one more before I kind of pause. There was an example recently I saw of a client and they wanted to go to Europe and we're looking at different options. This was from JFK to Amsterdam. If you have Delta miles,   Eli Facenda (18:43.547) The ticket for Delta One, this big awesome Delta Suite, was 320,000 miles. That's what Delta was charging to go from JFK to Amsterdam. It's really expensive amount of miles. But the same exact flight, like same flight number, same aircraft, everything, if you booked it through Virgin Atlantic, it was 50,000 miles. One seventh of the amount almost. It's really, really big difference. And so here's the kicker, right? If you have a Delta card, you only earn Delta miles, so you have to pay the 320,000.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (18:46.765) Mm-hmm.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (19:02.124) Hmm.   Eli Facenda (19:12.497) but if you had an Amex card that earned Amex points, so like the Amex gold or business gold, you could actually convert those points into Virgin to book the Delta flight because Virgin and Delta are partners, and you'd pay 50,000 points instead of 320,000. So this is the part where like, for people that kind of get this, they're like, whoa, and the other people are like, what did you just say? So I get it can be, it can be tricky for some people that are just getting to grasp it, but I want to make sure to lay out the whole game so people can understand really what's possible for them.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (19:34.764) Yeah   Seth Bradley, Esq. (19:42.329) Totally, totally. Yeah, it's just, mean, I'm sure people out there listening, it's both, right? Some people know these things exist, but they don't know the extent of it. And you're opening up their minds regardless, right? Like all the possibilities. I think most people are just like, sure, I need to find a great car that has a welcome offer of some sort. That's usually what people look at. And then they just try to pick, perhaps they take it a step further and they're looking to see like what they spend money on the most and they'll...   Eli Facenda (19:54.139) Tour then.   Eli Facenda (20:04.443) Mm-hmm.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (20:11.128) calibrate that card to that. But you're taking it step further because you know, it's kind of just opening yourself up to knowing all the possibilities, right? All these different connections, where to spend the points, where you can earn the points, those sorts of things. How thick is your wallet, man? Do you have, is your wallet like this and it's got 25 cards in it or what?   Eli Facenda (20:19.419) Totally.   Right. Yeah.   Eli Facenda (20:28.123) Haha   Yeah. Yeah.   Well, caveat this first by saying when we work with clients and we might do recommendations for people, I always recommend if you have a business, two to three personal cards and two to three business cards. That is a simple way to set this up. That's only four to six cards across both things. That's enough where you're really gonna get some serious ROI, but it's not so much that's really complicated. Some people are kind of curmudgeoned about it, like I only want one card. And I'm like, that's fine. There's no right or wrong in this. It's really preferential, but you should just know if you do that, you're gonna be leaving for most business owners that spend at least a few thousand a month.   that's gonna cost you tens of thousands of dollars of free trips a year. So I'm like, is your simplicity of having one card worth that much? If it is, great, but maybe having a second or third card doesn't add that much complexity. But if you get an extra $30,000 a year trip out of it, probably worth it, right? So that's the first thing. But to answer your actual question, so I have an entire thing called the Credit Man purse. It's like this portfolio binder, and it's just stacked with cards. I mean, I have over 40 credit cards, but I've been doing this for a long time, right? And there's like, here's the thing also with credit.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (21:28.28) Hahaha   Eli Facenda (21:34.041) A big question, a lot of investors, specifically people that are doing real estate or business owners, really want to their credit clean and we're huge advocates of actually not just keeping your credit score the same but improving it over time. And when you get business cards, they don't show up on your personal credit report. Okay, the vast majority. The inquiry will, but the actual card won't. And some banks, you can actually get multiple cards with no additional inquiries. So like when we do a custom card plan for someone or when we're just recommending it, we're always saying like, make sure to look at which banks you already have relationships with.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (21:48.142) Mm-hmm.   Eli Facenda (22:02.373) which ones you can get a soft pull from, the order matters of these card applications. But at end of the day, you just want a couple of specific cards that are really gonna be custom built for you, and you don't have to go crazy with it. If you get excited and you're like passionate about it, you can get 10, 15, 20 cards over the course of several years, and if you do it right underneath your businesses, it's not gonna drop your personal credit score. Your personal credit score will actually go up over time.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (22:26.314) Mm-hmm. That's a good hack, man. I'll get I'm put you on a spot a little bit. I'm gonna explain like what what I see a lot of the people that are probably listen to this show have in place structured wise like organizational structure and it's kind of similar to mine. Mine's probably a lot more complicated, but just to keep it simple, you know, there might be a parent company, right? Like this overhead parent company that owns everything. So let's let's call it parent company, right? And then below the parent company, the parent company owns, let's say a management company.   This management company probably manages funds, manages properties, manages equity for investors, that sort of thing. And then they also might have these other businesses, right? Like it just depends on the person. Like for instance, I own gyms and some other, my law firm, things like that. So they might have these own individual operating companies that owns a gym or owns another business or does these other things. you know.   Eli Facenda (22:55.889) Mm-hmm.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (23:20.066) Based on that structure, so you've got a parent company, you've got a, let's call it an equity management or fund management or property management company, and then you've got kind of this other operating business. How would you structure, what credit cards I guess would you kind of recommend? Not necessarily specific ones, but like, do they need one for all three or, yeah, how would you think about that?   Eli Facenda (23:27.301) Mm-hmm.   Eli Facenda (23:36.593) Yeah, yeah, but how would you think about that? Yeah, totally. I mean, it's a super common question. Like this is exactly the kind of clientele that we work with all the time where they're like, are you sure this is gonna work for me? I have four rental properties, two companies, one holding company. I have an investment thing. I have this thing over here. It's like, yeah, it all works. So simple is the key. So it's always a spectrum too. Like some people are, again, really minimalist with like what they want. we always, like when we're doing this for a client, we custom build it. But.   The real recommendation there is we wanna, again, assess which of these companies are actually generating the highest amount of spend. And those are the ones we wanna start with first in terms of cards and really optimizing. Now, if you have a bunch of different companies and they all have a bunch of spend, the first key thing to know is that the points will go to the business owner, the person who personally guaranteed the card, not to the business. So there's no business points account. It's underneath your name, even if it's underneath the LLC.   So the points go to you. So if you have like six different companies and you have like three Chase cards and three Amex cards, all of those three Chase cards and all of those three Amex cards are gonna basically funnel up to your account, okay? So that keeps it simple in terms of how you can think about accruing these points. They're not gonna be scattered everywhere where you can't use them. So that's good to know. Same with the airlines, right? doesn't matter if it's an airline or a bank card. So that's the first thing. For these management companies, usually lot of them don't have much spend.   So what we'll tend to do is just get one card that is like a catch-all card. And so this would be a card that we want to have earn around 1.5 to two points per dollar spent. Because what we've done is we've taken the floor of what you're gonna earn on your everyday spend and we just increase it by 50 to 100%. Okay, so like let's say a parent company is used for some client meetings and some basic legal and admin stuff and it's like 1,500 bucks a month just to do upkeep and normal stuff like that.   and it's not a crazy amount of different categories to spend. You're not running ads, you don't have that much software, there's not really a lot travel happening with it. But if that's the case, then what we wanna do is get a card, maybe like the Chase Inc. Unlimited, which earns 1.5x on everything, and we'll say, look, we're gonna keep this simple. That holding company doesn't have a lot of points earning power, so let's make sure we get a card on it just to earn, but we don't wanna like go crazy and get a bunch of cards and try to maximize every dollar. But this company that owns four different gyms and spends...   Eli Facenda (25:52.369) 50K a month on equipment and advertising and payroll and all this stuff, that's the company where we wanna look to get maybe two or three cards that are specifically aligned with that business to spend because that is where you as an entrepreneur, as an owner, are gonna be generating the most return. It's gonna be from that one entity. So I hope that breaks it down in a way that makes sense, but this is also where, again, having your cards across two to three main banks will keep it relatively simple because even if you have four different entities, if it's under one Amex login, that makes it nice and easy too.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (26:22.53) Totally, totally. Awesome, man. I knew you could handle that. Easy, easy peasy. Cool, man. Let's go to number two, right? Using the points effectively. You kind of touched on a little bit of that strategy, but let's jump into that.   Eli Facenda (26:26.682) Easy basic.   Eli Facenda (26:32.709) Yeah, yeah, so the second thing was optimizing the upgrades and all that. I'll cover that one really quick. If you're going through the airport and you don't have TSA PreCheck and clear and lounge access, you're missing out on some really easy perks that will just make your life way more enjoyable. So that's the first thing. There's a lot you can do with hotel upgrades and status. So like when I travel and go to Miami tonight for a conference, I have status at Hyatt. I'm staying at Hyatt for two of the nights down here.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (26:39.628) Okay.   Eli Facenda (27:02.225) I probably would get upgraded to a suite that's worth like thousand to 1500 bucks a night because I know how to use the suite and I certificate, it's my globalist status, I know how to message the hotel the right way. So there's some strategies there where if you do that, whenever you're traveling, you just get a much better experience. You get early check-in, late check-out, the free suite upgrade, much more spacious room. A lot of times they have lounges at the property like when we were in Tokyo, a bunch of us stayed at the Grand Hyatt there. They had a beautiful lounge overlooking the city. They had breakfast every morning.   They had drinks all day. They had a great lounge area. We actually had a mastermind session in there and they like a 15 person breakout room for us to go to. It cost us $0 to use it. They had afternoon drinks and stuff like that. So these are just the things that make your travel much better. So small tweaks that over time just again, make it a much more enjoyable experience. But that bucket on how you use your points, this is one of the most critical pieces. And I've already kind of alluded to it with that Delta One example, but   I'll share another one. So on the way to Japan, right, we flew ANA business class. This is all Nippon. It's one of the premier airlines in the world for international business class travel. They actually have a seat called The Room because it's so spacious and big, your own big sliding door. They have like an omakase menu. You've got ramen, champagne. It's like really, really good. Amazing sake and green tea and all this good stuff.   It was like an incredible way to fly and you know, it's an 11 hour flight and I didn't sleep a wink because I was just eating the whole time. But here's the deal, right? So that flight for my fiance and I, it would have been $20,000 for the two of us. It's 10,000 a piece. Okay, San Francisco to Tokyo. We're going in peak season, mind you. So I have three options to book that flight. I pay cash for it, which you know, I do decent in business, but I'm not dropping 20 grand on flights.   just to get to Japan, like that's out, that's way out of my bucket of what I would ever want to do. The second option, I go to the bank site. Okay, so again, if you have AMEX points, a lot of people have AMEX cards, like the platinum or the gold card, and this is a good start, but when you go to the bank site, each point is worth one penny. Okay, this is the baseline value of a point. So what happens is if you go to AMEX travel, they'll say, okay, this flight would cost, let's call it 20 grand. So 20 grand times one cent for each point equals 2 million points.   Eli Facenda (29:20.977) So my second option would have been to go to Amex's site and pay two million points, which I don't even have. Okay, so I'm like, that wouldn't have even worked, but that's what most people are doing at use points. They're going directly to the bank site and they're booking using Amex travel and they're getting absolutely screwed. Okay. There's kind of, and then there's a third option, which is to go through the airline site. So there's like three A and three B. Three A would be like, again, you only have Delta miles and you're kind of screwed going just to Delta. I don't recommend that. But the last option is what we did.   which is where we had Amex points and Chase points, and I looked at my different options and I said, okay, what are the best partner airlines I can book through to get to Japan? Well, it turns out, ANA is a part of the Star Alliance, okay? United is also part of that alliance. Chase and United have a partnership where I could convert my Chase points into United miles. When I looked that up, I ended up finding the deal and there's ways you have to kind of search this and track it, but that same flight that would have cost me two million points,   through Amex or Chase travel directly cost me 220,000 points to transfer from Chase to United. And I paid $12 out of Okay, so $20,000 flight, I paid 12 bucks. But how did I do it? I had the right points first. I had enough of them because I had the right cards and the right expenses. I knew how to search for this flight. And then I was able to transfer these points from Chase into the airline. So the hardest part of this entire process   Seth Bradley, Esq. (30:30.402) Hmm.   Eli Facenda (30:49.413) is figuring out the points transfers and which partners are the right ones for certain airlines. That gets very nuanced and complicated. It's kind of like, you know, if you were talking to a CPA and someone's trying to explain how like the Augusta rule works, whatever, and like the CPA pulls up like the tax code and is like unveiling this long list of tax jargon. The average person is just like, what, just like tell me how to do it, right? That's kind of the same thing here. There's a lot of different like angles and transfer partners and bonuses and.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (31:12.43) Right.   Eli Facenda (31:17.689) alliances and partnerships and it gets kind of complicated but that's how it works.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (31:22.434) Totally, totally. So let's talk about that. how do you help people keep track of that or learn that or execute, I guess, on these strategies?   Eli Facenda (31:32.241) Sure, yeah, so for us, our company really has two main levels to it. So we have a community-based level where it's like you're just getting the fast track, you're getting help from experts. So I'm really good at this, but I'm more of an entrepreneur than a points nerd. So as I built this, initially I was the one on the phone with all the clients, walking everyone through it, and then I built a team. So I found basically some of the other points nerds in the world that I was mind blown by. I knew them from social media and just seeing their stuff, and I was like, that person has their stuff. So I brought them onto the team.   And so our clients will interact with both me and them inside of our community, but it's not just points. We're also providing really cool travel experiences. So for example, I posted this, but I'm going kiteboarding in Egypt in June on this epic like entrepreneur kiteboard trip where it's 40 entrepreneurs going to learn how to kiteboard together and masterminding on one. And so I'm attending, I sent it out to our clients and I said, Hey, if you want to come on this, our team will help you plan the flights out there on your point so you can get business class on the way out.   So I like to, because ultimately I wanna help people, my mission is to help people create more experiential wealth in their life. There's financial wealth, and a lot of people accumulate dollars, but they're not turning it into experiences. So I'm like, let's create more experiential wealth, and the points are the way to justify it. So we have that community level where you get access to our team, there's calls you can jump on, ways we help you plan trips, and then we have the done for you services, where we basically just handle it for you. That's more like, think of like a travel agency on points for entrepreneurs.   That's more of what that is. And in there we'll do the custom card planning and map out what cards you need based off of what your specific spends are and stuff like that. So we do some pretty deep intake. And we kind of are almost like a travel agent. It's a little bit different in some ways, but that's basically the two levels in how we help people.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (33:12.29) Great, man. I love how you build in the experience, right? Like that's part of it. Like that's what you're teaching anyway. So it's like, it's not like, hey, join this, join this group and then we'll talk about all these things. You're actually doing it. You're actually inviting them to execute on what you're teaching so that they can see it in motion and then they can continue to do it and experience life at a different level.   Eli Facenda (33:32.497) Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, like, I really love it too. like, I'm like, everyone that works with us is really, usually a pretty cool person. Like, if you're an entrepreneur and you have the guts to build your own business, and then you wanna travel the world, like by nature of that, you're already probably a pretty cool person. Like the majority of people that are doing that, I think well-traveled people are some of the most interesting people. If you want the best stories in life, like, someone who's traveled the world is gonna have some stories for you. And so when you combine those two, it's like, these are people I wanna hang out with anyways. So like, I'm going on a trip to Egypt. I'm like, come with, like.   Whoever in the community wants to come, let's have a party, let's go do it. So it's great thing.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (34:04.994) That's great. Awesome, man. How are you raising the bar in your life and your business right now? Like what are you doing to build your business further, building off of some of the things that you're offering right now? Where are you taking it to the next level?   Eli Facenda (34:18.833) Yeah, so we have a new project we're rolling out inside of our community, which I'm really excited about, which is even just in our lower tier membership, and it's called our DreamTrip Alert System. So what this is, is when people come in, this has never been done before in the world of points and miles or travel at all. So we're the first to do this, which I'm really excited about. So let's say you were to sign up. You're gonna come in and give us your DreamTrip destinations, the seasons or windows that you could go, the points you have, your home airport, all this stuff.   and our team is going through and we're not just finding you like a flight, because there are different alerts out there that'll be like, hey, we found a flight. And it's like, cool, one way from LA to London, but like, what am I gonna do when I'm there? Where am gonna stay? How am getting back? Right, it's like part of the puzzle, but it leaves a lot on you to figure out. And for our clients, most business owners and entrepreneurs, investors, they're too busy to piece all that together. So they're like, well, cool, that doesn't really help me. So we decided to do, we said, what if we...   just basically sent people like a mystery subscription box of their dream trips. And so when you come in and you fill that out, we gather it. And then a couple times a month, we're gonna send out alerts where it's like a 30, 40 or $50,000 type trip, somewhere incredible in the world. We're talking Greek islands, Amalfi Coast, Japan, New Zealand, African safaris, Maldives, Bora Bora, places like that, business and first class flights, five star hotels, four pennies on the dollar. So these are like, we get $40,000 trips where people will end up paying a thousand bucks, 1500 bucks, two grand out of pocket.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (35:25.389) Mm-hmm.   Eli Facenda (35:44.337) And so we're gonna send the entire trip to you. So it's like the flights, the hotels, the entire step-by-step booking, the recommendations on the ground, the entire experience. And so we're sending those out so people come in, they tell us when, where, like the things they wanna do, and then they're just gonna get these alerts where it's like every month they're gonna be like, you you're sitting there with your wife, hey babe, you wanna go to Bora Bora in like June? It's gonna cost us like 800 bucks and it would be a $30,000 trip. It's like that's what I want. That's what I wanna create. So that's us raising the bar in the industry and in our business.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (36:06.35) you   Eli Facenda (36:13.615) I'm very excited, it's brand new for us, so I'm just pumped to see that continue to roll out, because it's, for me the mission is to help people live with experiential wealth in the form of travel. And so, usually there's some barriers that get in the way. There's time, there's planning, and then there's cost. And what we're trying to do is eliminate as many of those barriers as we can to make it just easier to say yes to the trip.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (36:34.252) Yeah, man, sign me up, dude. Sign me up. I feel like you've got to get both significant others on your list, right? So they both see it and whoever's like the person is like, we've got to do this, you hit both of them and then they convince the other one to do it.   Eli Facenda (36:36.625) All right.   Eli Facenda (36:49.477) Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly. There's usually one. There's usually like sometimes it's the husband's on the call and he's like, dude, I don't know where we ever travel. Like I'm gonna pay for this, my wife's gonna do everything or it's the opposite where the guy's like, you know, she just shows up and I tell her where we're going. And so like that's my relationship. I'll be like, you know, it's my industry, my passion. I'm like, we're going here and then here. And she's like, tell me where to be. And she just has no idea where we are and she just loves it. And I'm like, I like planning. So, you know, but it's different for everybody.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (37:11.736) Yeah.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (37:17.144) For sure, for sure, man. All right, brother, this has been incredible. Tell our audience where they can find out more about you, where they can get involved with all the things, all the incredible things that they've heard on this show. Throw it out there,   Eli Facenda (37:28.859) Totally. Yeah, a couple of main places. So the first thing I'll share is that we have what I call the CEO Points Playbook. This is something I custom built. Took me a long time, and this was not a Chad TBT prompt. Like, I really built this on my own. And it is like a 30 to 40 page playbook that any business owner or entrepreneur can use to really maximize their travel experiences, get better bucket list trips, figure out the right cards for them. And it's normally 150 bucks, but if you go to freedomtravelsystems.com   forward slash playbook and you put in the code RAYS, you're gonna get it for free. Okay, so anyone listening, it is free for you. And so that's gonna be freedomtravelsystems.com forward slash playbook and then use the code RAYS, maybe we can put it in the show notes. And so that'll be the first thing. Second place is if you're like just want done for you services, just take off that forward slash and go to freedomtravelsystems.com. can talk to myself and one of the team members. And the last place, I hang out on Instagram and post a lot there, that's where we connected.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (38:14.049) Absolutely.   Eli Facenda (38:27.595) And that's where I'm sharing the most like behind the scenes and as I'm booking this stuff, as I'm planning it, as I'm showing like what our clients are doing, you get to see more of the visuals and the fun and come along for the ride. And so I love engaging on Instagram as well.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (38:40.27) Great. Thanks Eli. I really appreciate you coming on the show,   Eli Facenda (38:43.973) Thanks Seth, appreciate you having me on.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (38:45.806) All right, brother, talk soon.   All right, sweet dude. Nice. Yeah, right around 30 minutes. Let's see. Yeah, we'll just jump into these last few questions here.   Eli Facenda (38:51.748) Awesome.   Eli Facenda (38:55.205) Perfect.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (39:03.862) Welcome to Million Dollar Monday with Eli Fisenda. Let's just jump right in. Hey brother. Yeah, how did you make your first million?   Eli Facenda (39:09.243) Let's do it.   Eli Facenda (39:13.499) So I actually made my first million in a tour company. Now I made the first million, I didn't get to keep the first million, but what we were doing, we were running sports trips all over the world. This is actually part of how I fell in love with the travel industry and the work that I now do with points. And ultimately what we were doing, we were creating these international tour packages for youth sports teams and families to go on these international tours. think of like a 14 year old baseball team in your, you're in San Diego. We'd like do a selection of kids.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (39:19.694) Sure.   Eli Facenda (39:41.329) from that area and the families would come and they would go to Japan or Italy or wherever and travel for 10 days, experience the culture, have an educational tour and also play the local teams. So we did that in a variety of sports, ice hockey and baseball and lacrosse and all these different sports. And we were growing a lot and then that was ramping right until COVID and that just decimated the entire business. we took us about two years to get to a million and then we started to double almost every year for a few years and that was like.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (40:02.432) Mm.   Eli Facenda (40:09.399) Really, really tough break at COVID, but that was the first million.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (40:11.63) COVID man. Nobody saw that coming. mean.   Eli Facenda (40:13.881) No, definitely, you know, group, large, large group sports international travel was like the worst potential. Like you can't go overseas and you definitely can't do it with 60 people. So was, was a brutal industry to be in.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (40:25.506) Right? Yeah, there were certain sectors that just, I mean, there was nothing you could do. We opened up our first gym actually two weeks before COVID hit in 2020. we had our, us like two years to open and then our grand opening. And then we had a bunch of free clients in those first two weeks. And then they ended up being free clients for about a year because we couldn't charge them. Cause we couldn't get them back in the gym. We're doing online workouts and all that kind of stuff is insane.   Eli Facenda (40:36.817) Ugh.   Eli Facenda (40:47.696) Wow.   Eli Facenda (40:53.337) And that's like where the true entrepreneurial muscles are definitely strengthened in times like that though. mean, like the people that bounce back and figure it out, like you just have a new sense of confidence of like, you know, I can handle anything.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (40:54.22) But hey, we adapt,   Seth Bradley, Esq. (41:06.764) Yeah, man. I mean, you pivot, right? Like I actually ended up launching my first podcast during during COVID because I was stuck inside and it was like, all right, let's let's do this. Let's get on Zoom and interview people and all that kind of stuff, man. So that leads us right to the next question. And how do you make your last million? How do you make that transition?   Eli Facenda (41:12.859) Cool.   Nice. Cool. I'll it.   Eli Facenda (41:24.143) Yeah, so the last million that I made was in the current business that I have. so essentially what we've been doing there for about four years now is helping entrepreneurs maximize their travel on credit card points. So helping them get their dream bucket list trips, these 30, 40, $50,000 trips all over the world for about 90 % off by leveraging credit card points. And we've traditionally had some pretty high ticket services. I mean, not crazy expensive, but like, you five, 10, 15 K and that range has been the main main service. And so,   We cracked our first million about two years in, so that was 2020, 2024 actually was the first year we made a million there.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (42:00.526) Awesome man, awesome. How about your next million? Where are you scaling to?   Eli Facenda (42:04.305) Yeah, so the next million I wanna make is the same business. love what I do, I really enjoy it. And what I wanna do is do it in a more community oriented and lower ticket way. So I wanna have bigger reach, more digital products, more of the community, more affiliate services and stuff like that. And I'm really excited about kind of cracking the code on that, because we've done it decently with the higher ticket stuff, more agency level, service level stuff, which is great. And we're still cranking on that, we're gonna keep growing it. But I really wanna see what we can do with...   So the lower ticket stuff, creating awesome stuff on YouTube that leads to different channels and distributions there. So that's the next million and same business, just different type of money.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (42:41.57) I love it man, yeah, that's kind of opposite of how some people approach it, right? You usually start with a lower ticket and then you have to build up that base before anybody will give you, you know, higher, pay for that higher ticket product, but you're kind of working backwards because you want to help more people.   Eli Facenda (42:56.677) Totally, exactly, yeah, and there's a limit. mean, what we do in the high ticket is incredible, but it really is a specialized skill. Like you think about like a bookkeeper or an accounting firm or something, like there's like a million bookkeepers. There's like 50 people that know points and travel to the level that I need them to know it to really serve clients with the highest level. So there's a real limit on the ability to scale that. And so it's also just like, we wanna be able to do really quality work for less people, but then serve more people with the other stuff too.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (43:25.368) Totally, totally.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (43:29.518) Cool, let's jump into the next one dude and we'll wrap up. Eli, you're clearly in the top 1 % of what you do. I don't even know if there's that many people out there that do what you do at all, period. So clearly in the top 0.0001%, what is it about you that separates you from the rest of the field?   Eli Facenda (43:49.701) I think it's our ability to actually live what we preach. This is something where, you know, there are other fantastic people that talk about credit card points, but very few of them are actually business owners, like that's who we serve, and very few of them are actually traveling in the way that they're trying to help people travel. So we've done both. I've built multiple businesses, so I understand the psychology and the relatability of how you wanna think about travel and points and the various stresses in your life, the limitations on time and complexity. And I also,   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:06.062) Hmm.   Eli Facenda (44:20.636) What just happened?   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:22.998) I'm not sure. We can splice it together, but let's see. Lost the video.   Eli Facenda (44:26.748) Let me see here. Did my camera die or something?   Bizarre. second.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:36.076) Yeah, weird. Never had that happen.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:42.038) Not a big deal, we can splice it together, but let's see if we can get your camera working again.   Eli Facenda (44:46.992) Don't see my camera get help. Is the audio coming through okay? Did it switch over there to my MacBook from the other one? Or it sounds the same.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:51.564) Yeah, I can hear the audio.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (44:57.806) I don't know. All I see is like a car. It's like I don't know. It's a card with a symbol on it I wonder what that is that riverside or is that your symbol? I can't be your symbol   Eli Facenda (45:06.556) weird. Get help.   Eli Facenda (45:12.006) Let me see.   trying to check this out.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (45:19.458) We can also just finish it with audio.   Eli Facenda (45:23.556) Is it, Dude, I don't know what's going on. Sorry about that. I've never seen...   Seth Bradley, Esq. (45:28.654) no worries, dude. We can just finish it with audio anyways.   Eli Facenda (45:31.63) New recording track created the participants have been recorded.   Issue device struggling to record. High load on your device. Try closing all other apps. Give me one second. I don't have any apps open. That's really weird.   Eli Facenda (45:53.126) Yeah, I don't know man. I apologize. I Okay, well yeah   Seth Bradley, Esq. (45:57.219) you're good, We'll just finish an audio and then I'll pull up for the video. I'll just black screen to a logo or something. So all good. I don't exactly know where you're at. If you want to start that sentence over.   Eli Facenda (46:04.048) Okay, cool.   Eli Facenda (46:07.866) Yeah, I'll just, I'll say, I'll just start. So yeah, so not only have we really walked the walk with actually living what we preach, but we also understand that psychology of what it's like to be a business owner, your limitations on time and complexity and all that stuff. And because we're talking about travel, people also want to know like what's actually in store for me in this destination. I've been to 50 countries now and my business partner has been to almost 100.   We have other team members who are all over 30, 40, 50 countries. So we've been to a lot of the destinations around the world that we're advising people to go to. So we know the ins and outs, best places to stay, hidden gems, top restaurants, stuff like that, that really add another layer of personalization and true experience into the service. So I think those are the things that really make us most credible in this space.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (46:57.506) Dude, it's so important, right? Like there's so many, you know, there's so much content out there now. There's gurus and coaches and mentors, whatever you want to call them. Like the ones that are truly valuable and that people should pay attention to are the ones that are actually practicing what they preach, right? The ones that aren't just selling you education or aren't just selling you a product. Like they're actually, they've done what they're selling and they continue to   enjoy or do what they're selling.   Eli Facenda (47:28.635) 100%, yeah, if you're a living embodiment of what you do, it makes it that much easier to communicate it and sell it because you just are the thing you're selling.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (47:38.764) Yeah, absolutely. What's one thing someone listening could do today to get 1 % closer to their dream life?   Eli Facenda (47:45.089) One thing that would be the easiest is to spend 30 minutes, go on Instagram, go on your favorite social media site, go on some travel blog site, look for your dream destination, then pull up your calendar and put a time on the calendar where you're committing to go. One of my favorite quotes is from Tim Ferriss, I forget the exact quote, but basically the idea is that if you don't schedule your fun first, it won't happen.   because your business and your life will take up as much space as you allow it to. So most people find that I'll take the trip when it's convenient. I'll take the trip when I have more time. That time is never coming until you make it a priority. So the one thing they can do to get closer to their dream life is to just make a more bold commitment to putting the time on the calendar and be like, I am going and make some sort of investment, whether you're telling someone, whether you're putting some money down, whether you're learn the point stuff, that's gonna be the biggest leverage you can make.   to make sure that you actually follow through on taking these trips and then you'll find how to get there on points if you need to from there.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (48:50.766) 100 % man, gotta put it, people, entrepreneurs, people like us, we work in all the time, you've gotta put it, put it in your schedule. You've gotta block it out, commit to it.   Eli Facenda (48:59.821) Absolutely, 100%.   Seth Bradley, Esq. (49:04.554) Alright dude, I think we got it wrapped up, man.   Eli Facenda (49:05.743) Beautiful. Awesome, Dan. Well, this was super fun and I apologize agai

This week on Good Morning Hospitality, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dive into the latest trends shaping hotels and travel. They explore how a luxury property running entirely on renewable energy could set a new standard for eco-conscious hospitality, Hyatt's sharpened focus on luxury and asset-light growth, and the mounting challenges — and creative fixes — for declining hotel loyalty program value. On the travel side, the hosts look at Seabourn Cruise Line's launch of high-end Arctic and Antarctic expedition cruises and practical strategies for passengers to secure extra space on flights without paying full business class prices. From sustainability to loyalty innovation to premium experiences, this episode covers the moves shaping the industry's next chapter. Follow the Hosts: Steve Turk – ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sarah Dandashy –⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Skift: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠@SkiftNews⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the Grand Hyatt Kauai worth 45K? We answered this and many other questions on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on August 6th, 2025.(00:42) - How do you typically like to get around a city that you're visiting, especially internationally? Are you more likely to take a taxi or Uber to get to places, take public transit, or do you prefer to just walk everywhere?(05:43) - To circumvent Hilton's minimum length of award stay requirements (e.g., WA Pedregal) — has anyone tried booking more nights than needed, then asking Hilton to remove nights from the stay?(07:18) - What is a question that you would ask someone who is interviewing for a job at Frequent Miler?(16:22) - You can find each of our origin stories here:https://frequentmiler.com/about-frequent-miler/)(16:44) - ​​Give us a peek behind the curtain: What is a typical day/week for the Frequent Miler team?(23:42) - Do you think the custom cash will survive having ThankYou points transfers?(25:34) - Now that Citi transfers to AA, where does Citi rank among the transferable points programs?(28:06) - For the JetBlue 25 for 25, does anyone have datapoints on how fast you get the 150k point after 15 destinations?(29:52) - How would you re-evaluate the value of your Chase/Bilt if you were able to get a family & friends discount on Hyatt cash stays?(31:54) - Hi team! What card are you recommending to people who aren't really in the game but got the CSR years ago and now want a different card?(37:50) - Head-to-head match-up, Citi Strata Elite or the new Alaska Premium card?(39:17) - ​​Any thoughts on Kenya Airways' new program and the Status Match opportunity that was announced earlier this week?(41:40) - ​​When Frequent Miler finds a unicorn fare or incredible deal, what is the quickest way that Frequent Miler gets that information to those who follow you so we can book it?(45:46) - ​​Grand Hyatt Kauai is now 45k for the basic room with 2 adults and 2 kids. I have a guest of honor available to me. Is the property worth that rate for 4 nights???(50:44) - Which card is better to downgrade, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, both of which have a $95 AF?

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Episode Description This week Chase surprised some of their top cardholders with a perk that is unadvertised. Why don't we get more of this kind of stuff? We also discuss: how to check if you are targeted for an AA/Hyatt match, whether those matches are worth pursuing, our childhood bucket lists, the melancholy of travel & time plus Shawn discusses his big passport mistake.   Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 8:35 No good deed goes unpunished 10:10 EV Rebates going away - Is now the time to look at a lease deal? 13:21 The melancholy of time & travel 17:16 Chase's unexpected Aeroplan 5K bonus for Sapphire Reserve 19:54 Air Canada is a surprising airline 22:16 Hyatt and AA bring back targeted status matches 27:11 Pursuing AA status through spend - Is it worth it? 29:12 China trip planning follow up - Awards still haven't recovered 33:23 Shawn's passport conundrum 37:28 Achieving the inner child's bucket list   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

Hyatt is benefiting from strong luxury travel demand, with its high-end brands driving revenue growth as the company pursues an asset-light strategy focused on management and franchising deals. Expedia has raised its 2025 guidance after a strong quarter fueled by B2B gains, overseas growth, and a successful partnership with Southwest Airlines. Meanwhile, demand for short-term rentals in Southern Europe is softening during peak summer months, a trend analysts link to travelers adjusting plans to avoid extreme heat. Expedia Shows Strength in B2B, Advertising and International, Ups 2025 Guidance Summer Short-Term Rental Demand Slips in Southern Europe. Blame the Heat Hyatt's Luxury Focus and Going Asset Light: ‘Everything Is For Sale' Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

No one loves the annual fees of credit cards, but what if they could save you hundreds on travel? Free-night certificates are one of the most valuable perks you can earn from hotel credit cards, and with the right strategy, they can easily pay for themselves year after year. While many travelers cancel their cards after claiming the welcome bonus, the savvy few know that some cards deliver ongoing value, thanks to these certificates.   In this episode, the Travel Mom Squad breaks down how hotel free-night certificates from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG can transform your travel planning. We share specific redemption examples, reveal which cards we keep just for these certificates, and explore how to maximize their value—whether you're booking a luxury stay or using them for family trips. By understanding the unique ways each brand offers and limits these certificates, you can get far more than you paid in annual fees.   You can find links to resources mentioned in this episode plus the transcript here: travelmomsquad.com/140   Ready to get started with NEARLY FREE travel? Click here for the exact offers we would sign up for this month: travelmomsquad.lpages.co/bestoffers/   The Travel Mom Squad is also on YouTube! You can watch this episode here: youtube.com/@travelmomsquad   Let us know what you want to hear on the podcast by sending us a DM on Instagram: instagram.com/travelmomsquad  

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Episode Description This week Citi finally brought their new premium credit card to market. While many of the leaks were true, does this card measure up to its competition and will it drive further loyalty. Plus Citi added transfers from ThankYou to American Airlines, but is it as good as it sounds and will it drive sign-ups for this card? Most importantly should you get it?   Joe Cheung also joins us to discuss his recent near miss on a welcome offer and how he still managed to save it. Are grace periods a thing? We also discuss international tipping culture as Americans and how we may be expected to tip when traveling even if locals aren't. Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 1:27 Royal Caribbean battling back - Loophole closed for viral hack 9:26 Why the future of cruise loyalty says a lot about where we are heading 15:35 Hyatt's Brand Explorer grows to 7 free nights and 35 brands! 21:55 How hotel design has evolved & why it isn't always good 31:05 United's cardholder award sale - Tahiti anyone? 33:45 Ninja tricks - Stacking deals/perks for a VIP tripCiti Strata Elite - https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-strata-elite-credit-card Royal Caribbean drinks - https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-tightens-policy-on-drink-package/182785 United sale - https://travel-on-points.com/united-credit-cardmembers-award-sale/   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

WAITLIST: Points Travel Strategy Session - LAUNCHING AUGUST 5TH! Join the waitlist for $50 off when you schedule!In this episode we take you on a journey through our luxurious kid-free vacation at The Cape, a Thompson Hotel in Los Cabos, Mexico, ranked as the #22 best hotel in the world by Travel & Leisure. Our oceanfront suite booked with Hyatt points provided breathtaking views, exquisite service, and unforgettable dining experiences during our three-night getaway.• Booked using 105,000 Hyatt points (35,000 points per night) with a suite upgrade for a room valued at over $3,000• Property features stunning infinity pools, open-air lobby, and ocean views from every angle• Hotel ranked #22 on Travel & Leisure's 100 Best Hotels in the World list and #3 among Mexico's top resorts• Food highlights included amazing spicy tuna rolls poolside and exceptional dining at Manta, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant• Both on-property and off-property restaurants served outstanding seafood, with Cocina Del Mar delivering the best tuna crudo we've ever had• Beach at the hotel not suitable for swimming due to strong currents, but perfect for watching surfers• Spa experience featured ocean views, sauna, steam room, hot/cold plunges, and an 80-minute couples massage• Los Cabos town visit to Mango Deck provided beach time with calmer waters for swimming• Private airport transfers were worth the cost ($143 round trip) for convenience and comfort• Trip total came to $3,566 including flights ($1,080), food ($1,400), spa ($489), and miscellaneous expensesIf you're interested in booking a one-on-one points strategy session, they're going live August 5th - check the link in our show notes for details and join the waitlist for a $50 discount.

The 2025 Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans is coming up...like a flower...next Friday, in beautiful, mobbed up Rosemont, IL. To preview the merriment and madness (#ourhouse), the UBP welcomes #1 Beatle Stan, Fab/Gear social media influencer, and friend of the program, Skylar Moody! Plus, Producer Casey drops by to help preview the 3rd Annual UBP F**k It We'll Do It Live Taping at The Fest! And as piano hero and fascism fighter Ben Folds says, "but wait, there's more!", like... ⛳️ At which legendary Rosemont dining establishment are the UBP3 (#Cantaloop?) more likely to dine during a union-mandated Fest dinner break: Giordanos, Caddyshack, or that Hyatt bar that used to rotate but no longer does unless you've made mistakes?

In Episode 131 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosts Angie Sparks, Anthony Cave, and Justin Walter kicked things off with a community discussion where member Antha asked whether to use points for a premium cabin on the outbound or return leg of a trip. The consensus leaned toward upgrading the overnight flight for better rest, with 66% of the poll agreeing. The episode also covered a range of updates: Choice Privileges launched a sweepstakes, Hyatt added more Standard and Bunkhouse properties (though with limited Globalist benefits), and Delta is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a slew of SkyMiles promos. Alaska Airlines and Choice Privileges were also named the top travel rewards programs of the year. Meanwhile, all Southwest credit cards underwent significant changes—higher annual fees, reduced benefits, and elevated welcome offers that could help earn the Companion Pass if timed right.In personal updates, Angie closed her BOA Travel Rewards card and debated keeping her WF Autograph Journey. Justin finished a $20K Amex Business Platinum bonus and is planning a trip to Paris, while Anthony just returned from The Hague and is anticipating Alaska's rumored premium card. The main topic focused on EU261, the European regulation that provides broad passenger rights for delays, cancellations, and other travel disruptions. Both Anthony and Justin praised EU261, calling it one of the most passenger-friendly laws globally and noting that its coverage is often enough to make up for the lack of credit card travel protections when booking flights in Europe.Links to Topics DiscussedChoice Privileges SweepstakesHyatt, The Standard BrandUS News Best Travel Rewards ProgramsDelta Airlines Beyond the Summer PromotionsSouthwWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Tickets are now ON SALE for our next meetup in Miami September 19-21. Secure your spot today at https://award.travel/miami2025 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Send us a textIn this special live episode of 2 Giants Goofballs, Drew and Rob are joined by legendary Giants content creator The Entertainah to break down everything happening at training camp—including rising stars, injury reports, ESPN's bold praise, and more.We kick off with the fascinating story of Dru Phillips, who had LASIK surgery this offseason and now sees the game (literally) more clearly. Phillips credits the Giants for being the only team to care about his vision issue pre-draft. With improved ball tracking and more confidence in coverage, he's starting to look like a serious contributor in the slot.Next up: Jalin Hyatt speaks! From grueling offseason training and a no-vacation mindset to earning Russell Wilson's trust and hyping up Jaxson Dart, Hyatt is locked in for a breakout. He opens up about overcoming adversity and shows leadership that Giants fans will love to see.We also touch on Malik Nabers returning to action after a minor shoulder issue, while questions swirl around Cam Skattebo's absence. Is it just a “participation plan,” or is there more to it?Paulson Adebo mentoring Deonte Banks is another highlight—Banks is focusing on finishing plays after what he calls a “sophomore slump.” The locker room leadership is showing across the board.And how about some love from ESPN? The Giants are ranked 4th in their “most promising talent under 25” list—above the Eagles and Cowboys. With names like Nabers, Dart, Thibodeaux, and Carter anchoring a deep young core, the future is looking bright in Big Blue.Finally, The Entertainah joins for a rapid-fire round as Rob and Drew throw out Giants player names and he gives his instant takes.

What does it take to build a brand that resonates across cultures… not just across markets?   In this special dual-guest episode, Lacey Peace sits down with Nataly Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at Zappi, and Katherine Melchior Ray, UC Berkeley lecturer and former executive at brands like Nike, Hyatt, and Louis Vuitton. Together, they co-authored the new book Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures and they're here to share the lessons learned from decades of global brand-building. Nataly and Katherine dive deep into why cultural intelligence is the most under-leveraged skill in modern CX, why brands that ignore cultural context are building in globalization debt, and how something as simple as a melon can repair — or ruin — customer trust. They explain the importance of shared values, the risks of applying the same CX metrics globally (spoiler: NPS doesn't mean the same thing in every country), and how AI is both accelerating and complicating cross-cultural brand connection. From real stories about Kit Kat's flavor strategy in Japan to awkward CX blunders in global grocery stores, this episode is packed with tangible takeaways and perspective shifts for any business looking to scale with humanity and intention. Get your copy of Brand Global, Adapt Local: How to Build Brand Value Across Cultures now!   https://www.amazon.com/Brand-Global-Adapt-Local-Cultures/dp/139861971X Key Moments:   00:00 Do Customer Service Expectations Differ Across Cultures?06:03 Why Cultural Intelligence Is Crucial for Global Business07:04 Co-Authors' Nataly Kelly & Katherine Melchior Ray's Meet cute  15:18 Real-Life Cultural Missteps and Surprising Service Norms24:13 Can AI Replace Cultural Insight? Why Human Context Still Matters34:38 What's at Stake When You Ignore Cultural Differences38:23 Globalization Strategy: Why Flexibility Beats Uniformity39:09 How Cultural Agility Builds Better Customer Experiences40:34 Style Switching & Cultural Intelligence in Leadership42:18 Kit Kat's Local Flavors & HubSpot's Global CX51:01 How Tech Adoption Varies by Country (And Why It Matters)55:12 Daily Habits That Boost Strategic Thinking & Creativity01:00:24 How AI Is Changing Global Marketing and Customer Experience01:15:46 Final Leadership Lessons on Trust, Culture & Global Growth –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org

When timeless advertising principles meet today's AI-saturated landscape, something surprising happens: the old rules still work.Especially when we're talking about the father of advertising himself, David Ogilvy. In this episode, we dive into his iconic book, Ogilvy on Advertising, with special guest Eric Williamson, CMO at CallMiner.Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from Ogilvy's approach: why specificity beats slogans, how research powers emotional storytelling, and why writing for humans is the real differentiator.About our guest, Eric WilliamsonAs CallMiner's Chief Marketing Officer, Eric oversees all global marketing functions from brand and events to demand generation. Eric's marketing team works very closely with channel and sales to drive pipeline and CallMiner's explosive growth. Eric has over 20 years of experience in both technology and consumer products marketing from both the vendor and agency side. Before joining CallMiner, Eric was VP Brand & Digital Marketing at Acquia — an open DXP platform built around Drupal — where he led brand, creative services, webops, editorial, and demand generation. Prior to Acquia, Eric was on the agency side of marketing working as SVP Digital & Social at MullenLowe, and before that as VP Digital Strategy at The Martin Agency. During his career Eric has worked with a variety of B2C and B2B brands including Google, Microsoft, Intel, GEICO, Walmart, P&G, Pizza Hut, Acura, Royal Caribbean, and Hyatt. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, and an MBA from The University of Texas at Dallas.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Ogilvy on Advertising:Start with the line, not the logo. Great B2B brands don't start with visuals, they start with voice. The sharpest creative begins on the page, not the mood board. “Copy first, research first, copy second, then worry about the visuals,” Eric says. In other words: write the line that earns attention before you pick the font.Write for humans. Most B2B copy dies in a sea of jargon. What buyers actually want is to feel seen. “It's really easy to fall into a place for a technology company to talk about your tech, talk about your features… and there's nothing emotional about that,” Eric says. The fix is to start by writing for humans. Emotion isn't a nice-to-have, it's your edge.Don't guess, ask. You don't need personas when you have real people. The best insights come from your customers, not your whiteboard. Eric says, “Just go talk to them…Why do they keep staying with you? What sort of thing that they worry about at night does this help solve for them?” The answers aren't in your funnel. They're in the field.Quote“ Write for humans because, ultimately, that's who you're selling to, that's who you're trying to influence. It's really understanding their emotions. What are their fears, what are their desires? Even in the B2B world, it's easy to forget that.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Eric Williamson, Chief Marketing Officer at CallMiner[00:58] Why Ogilvy On Advertising?[02:49] The Role of CMO at CallMiner[03:38] Origins of Ogilvy On Advertising[06:56] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Ogilvy on Advertising[21:29] Ogilvy's Predictions[37:23] CallMiner's Marketing Strategies[41:57] AI as a Solution[44:20] Advice for Marketing Leaders[45:38] Final Thoughts & TakeawaysLinksConnect with Eric on LinkedInLearn more about CallMinerAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Loyalty matters—but only if it's worth something to the traveler. In this episode of#NoVacancyNews, Glenn Haussman sits down with Elizabeth Von Tersch, Senior Travel Editor at U.S. News & World Report, to reveal he just-released rankings of the best hotel rewards programs for 2025–2026.

In Episode 130 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, Mike Zaccheo and Angie Sparks dive into a range of updates and insights. They kick things off with a community highlight from Chris, who shared a Europe trip report and crowd-sourced suggestions for future destinations—Angie recommended Slovenia. They then covered loyalty program news, including a Flying Blue and Accor giveaway of 1 million points, Bilt's new Virtuoso-partnered hotel booking platform, a 100k mile welcome offer on the new United Business Card, and Hyatt's new award points calendar for easier booking. Angie also highlighted ZorkFest 2025, which blends casino and award travel education, and shared a promo code for listeners.The main topic was London—one of both Mike and Angie's favorite cities. She and Mike discussed flying into various London airports, taking Eurostar, and their own travel experiences ranging from BA economy to a private plane. Lodging options included everything from Airbnbs to luxury hotels, with recommendations for Hyatt properties across categories. They shared top attractions like the British Library, Tower of London, and Churchill War Rooms, plus pro tips for museums, theater, and even cricket. Trip planning notes, a Miami Meetup announcement, and updates on their own travels rounded out the episode.Links to Topics DiscussedZorkfest Tickets on SaleFlying Blue 20th Anniversary GiveawayBilt Introduces Home Away From Home ProgramChase United Business Card Elevated OfferNew Hyatt Points Availability CalendarWhere to Find Us The Free 110k+ member Award Travel 101 Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Tickets are now ON SALE for our next meetup in Miami September 19-21. Secure your spot today at https://award.travel/miami2025 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. We love being able to automatically add all of our offers and quickly seeing the best card to use for every purchase. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Watch Us On YouTube!   Richard and Ed are back from trips to different continents to discuss their travels. Ed returned home from a family trip to London and Sardinia, and discusses using Bilt's amazing transfer bonus to Accor to save big on his trip. The AI tool Perplexity can be used to automate your Amex Offers- reach out to Ed@pizzainmotion.com for help on getting it set up! And Ed and Richard dig in live to test Hyatt's newly-improved award search, which allows members to see live award availability for hotels worldwide. Use my Bilt Rewards link to sign-up and support the show! If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/    

Bart Berkey believes in doing what most people don't—remembering names, anticipating needs, and showing up with contagious positivity. A former global exec in luxury hospitality (Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt), Bart took three decades of service experience and turned it into a movement. In this episode, Ryan and Bart talk about the power of “active remembering,” why being kind beats being right, and how the phrase Most People Don't. But You Do. became a calling card for courageous leadership. Bart shares lessons from the stage, his podcast, and the frontlines of hospitality, offering practical ways to notice more, include others, and overdeliver. His belief? The smallest gestures often have the biggest impact—and our job as leaders is to help others feel seen.

D&P Highlight: Remembering the Hyatt collapse 44 years later. full 508 Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:56:00 +0000 eazRbaQ0bI7VwkTB01uPi4fuwYWi5dZm news The Dana & Parks Podcast news D&P Highlight: Remembering the Hyatt collapse 44 years later. You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcast

Today's guest is no stranger to reinvention—or to messiness.Maryam Banikarim is a powerhouse C-suite executive turned podcast host whose résumé reads like a tour through media, hospitality, tech, and purpose-driven leadership. She's served as Global CMO at companies like Hyatt, Gannett, and Nextdoor. But in her latest chapter, Maryam is pulling back the curtain on the glossy LinkedIn life and telling the truth, the messy, nonlinear, sometimes gut-wrenching truth, about what it really takes to build a career, a family, and a sense of self.Her new podcast, The Messy Parts, is a must-listen for anyone navigating personal and professional pivots. It's raw, wise, and often hilarious, featuring guests like SNL alum Ana Gasteyer, Broadway composer Tom Kitt, and billion-dollar founders Cass and Mike Lazerow.In our conversation, Maryam and I talk about everything from career burnout to billion-dollar regret, the emotional toll of job loss, the value of taking a pause, and why being honest about your struggles is the key to building true community. She also shares why she believes now is the exact right time to have these conversations—and why you don't have to be “perfect” to be successful.