I admit it. I have an enviable job (if you can call it a “job”)!  My employees, too.  (I keep telling them they should do it for free . . . but so far, no takers.)

I thought it might be an interesting post to share a typical week on the job (if any week can be considered “typical”).

In a nutshell, here’s what me and my team have been up to recently.

Me:

Slightly more than a week ago, I was escorting a favorite incentive group – radio advertiser clients of KYW Newsradio from Philadelphia – on an “Adriatic Adventure.”

A memorable “first” in my career: Departing the airport in Venice, the door to the bus would not close completely … so we drove for 2+ hours to Slovenia with the front door lashed to the dashboard with an extension cord.  (Someone once recommended to always travel with duct tape – which would have been a good idea in this case!)

After that mishap, all operated brilliantly (if I do say so myself!).  Highlights:

• Lake Bled (one of the prettiest scenes on the planet)
• Olive oil tasting
• Truffle hunting (an “authentic” hunt at a family-owned farm)
• Sunset cocktails (literally, “on the rocks”) in Croatia
• Venice (with the attendant “buzz” about George & Amal’s wedding at the hotel next to ours)
• Weather (thunder and lightning and hail – oh my!) … none of which rained on my parade (thank you, God!)

(clockwise from top left) Low-tech solution to technical mishap, Tina & Janez – my expert Slovenian team, Croatian cocktail bar on the rocks in Rovinj and beautiful Lake Bled

Goin’ on a truffle hunt! (clockwise, from left) The “treasure” map, sniffer dogs ready to go, black truffles (looks like poop!), charming Christina and the “Top Dog”

Our final night in Venice – we needed to get to the other side … the hailstorm was EPIC – but it stopped just in time for our crossing (I felt a little like Moses!)

Upon my return to the office, my tasks included:

• Sorting and reconciling all the paper bits: cash and credit card receipts and leftover Euros (hate this part!
• Collecting the post-trip survey comments (love this part – since the comments were positively glowing!)
• A conference call with the client to consider destinations for next year’s program (love this part!)
• Writing thank-you letters to my fabulous suppliers in Croatia and Venice (happy to do this!)
• Sorting through pictures and clips to make a post-trip video to share with my group (so time-consuming, but such great memories!)
• Helping Gabriel with a proposal for a group to Venice next year (could it possibly be as good as my program?)
• Finalizing details for my next program (a WOW! Travel Club group to Cuba in a month)
• Choosing hotels and finalizing the itinerary for the extension package to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey for next June’s WOW! charter cruise
• Celebrating the birthday of my bookkeeper, Stephanie
• Finalizing a publishing agreement (I’m writing a book!)
• Crawling out of email overload – it’s like quicksand …. (hate this part!)

Gabriel Haigazian (my VP Operations):

Gabriel’s week was consumed with re-booking an incentive group that was scheduled to go to the Esperanza Resort in Cabo … which was damaged by the recent hurricane.  He scrambled to find another destination which meets the client’s criteria for:

• Cache and bragging rights (to replace a resort that is one of the best in the world)
• Great beach and opportunity to do dinner on the sand
• Spectacular spa, legendary golf and great dining options
• Flight accessibility from Pittsburgh for a 3-night program
• Oh … and it all must fit into budget

As for the dozens of hours already invested in the Cabo program?  Blown away by Hurricane Odile…(oh well … all in a week’s work!)

I asked Gabriel for permission to photograph him at his desk.  He agreed, but only if I didn’t show his “bald spot”!

Gabriel: A man who wears many hats!

Howard Wise (my Senior Program Manager):

Howard is my “clutch player.”  Every good team needs one of them. Solid, dependable and most comfortable when’s he supporting everyone behind the scenes.

His work week was largely dominated by the Air France pilots’ strike.  Thankfully, we didn’t have any groups scheduled on AF, but had a handful of VIP clients who – naturally – called us for help.  In the best of times, getting through to a human being at an airline is a wondrous thing, but in times of crisis – almost impossible.  But Howard is a guy who can get it done.  Our clients had paid a premium for “premium economy” seats – and didn’t want to be relegated to the cramped economy cabin on whatever alternate flights Air France would book for them.  I don’t know how he does it – but I’m glad he does … Howard managed to pull off a miracle and get the clients re-booked in Premium Economy.

(Howard’s gonna kill me for posting this picture!)

When he wasn’t putting out fires caused by the strike, Howard was conscientiously and capably attending to the following:

• Pleading to get the names of two guests who will travel on an incentive program to Monterey (for Pebble Beach) in two weeks in order to issue the airline tickets by the Wednesday deadline
• Finalizing the itinerary details (timings, menu selections, etc.) for a program that will operate to Carmel Valley Ranch in three weeks
• Building the online registration site for a program that will operate next year
• Negotiating with a Laguna Beach hotel to refine final contract terms for a group next July:  the number of rooms for each night, attrition allowance for unused rooms that we release back to inventory, food & beverage minimum, function space, audio-visual rates, upgrades for the VIPs, concessions, etc.
• Making a batch of Nutella Sugar Cookies for Gabriel (Another of his many talents, Howard is a fine baker!)

And, to inject a bit of fun and frivolity into his workweek, he and Whitney participated in a “truffle rolling” competition at an event hosted by the Kimpton Hotel group.  (He and Whitney did not win, but consumed a LOT of chocolate as consolation!)

Truffle rolling (of the chocolate variety)

Whitney Merritt (Program Manager):

Whitney, who recently celebrated her one-year anniversary with CTP, has been on the go. A FAM (industry familiarization) trip to the Sunriver Resort in central Oregon included:

• Horseback riding (interesting)
• Her first time on a small 20-something seater jet (nicest United flight attendants ever)
• 5-course tasting dinner with resort Chef Travis Taylor, recent winner of Iron Chef Oregon
• Final report: beautiful resort, magnificent location, difficult to access

(clockwise from top left) Whitney takes the reins, fancy table setting, Top Chef’s multi-course menu, Tahoe snowfall and Oregon sunset

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