Happy New Year! I know we have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's to get through, but here me out. Things are slowing down in the travel world. Kids are back in school, and holiday stress is starting to kick in. Travel is likely not on the top of many to-do lists. We have three months! Don't waste this time—clean up your act!

Now's the moment to organize your travel, marketing, and financial game plans. How can you make money without a plan? Tackle that clutter, ditch outdated brochures, and tidy up your agency's financial and marketing strategies. Review your preferred suppliers, budget your advertising, and hunt down those ever-dwindling co-op funds. And don't forget to trim some fat off your client list, too.

Yes, you…

Being my own boss (pulling my own strings) for over thirty years has taught me quite a bit about persistence, resilience, and discipline. While on the subject, feel free to toss in the words, focus, collaboration, creativity, boldness, disappointment, futility, and uncertainty. I’ve learned a lot through the years, although the more experience I’ve gained it seems the more I don’t understand. Here are five areas that still leave me scratching my head…