by John Frenaye
Monday July 27, 2015

Very few businesses do it all right, all the time. I know I don’t. I am pretty sure you don’t. And it is exactly those times when your business (and worse, your clients) are prime targets for your competition. Remember, your competition might be down the road, in the next town over, or across the country. We live in a globally connected world now. But the converse is also true: when you spot a competitor dropping the ball, you have an opportunity to shine. I do not advocate stealing clients; but if you can define your value properly, clients will make the decision on their own. That is why it is critical to periodically do a competitive analysis on “the enemy.”

After targeting your…

I know exactly what I am talking about in today's message as I recently dodged a bullet. Let me share my good fortune with you.

Months ago I was contacted and requested to send a proposal regarding an upcoming assignment. By my calculations, I categorized this as a "significant" project as measured by net profit.

  — Travel Research Online
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by Richard Earls
Sunday July 26, 2015

Rising above the crowd in any profession requires enormous energy and perseverance. It takes courage to put yourself on the front lines. What is commonly referred to as the Pareto Principle is just math. Average out the numbers and there will be a vast wasteland of, well, "average." But just above that group, in a category so separate it is a difference in kind rather than quality, is the top 10%, the top 5%, and the top 1% of people in any endeavor.

That is where life's heroes live. Define success however you want. It can be monetary, but…

Literally growing up in the travel business through his family’s agency, Perry Lungmus found an early passion to explore the world. He gained hands-on travel sales and marketing experience while sharing that passion, which eventually led him to a 25-year career of leadership roles with several of the world’s top luxury tour companies and travel agency groups. Today, based in Seattle, Lungmus leads the development of a multi-faceted luxury and experiential travel program for brands within Travel Leaders Group, North America’s largest travel agency network, offering specialized sales, marketing and training support for thousands of Travel Leaders agents.

Travel Research Online (TRO): You grew up in the travel business, but at what point did you decide…