Member Spotlight: Ginger Blum

Ginger Blum
Luxury Travel Advisor, North South Travel

In 1997 when I went to college, the narrative was clear: technology was coming, and my career would soon be history. My plan was simple: travel as much as possible until the internet took over and left me behind. Yet, nearly three decades later, here I stand. I owe that longevity to some truly remarkable mentors who taught me about the value of human connection and hard work. Because of them, I didn’t just stay in the game; I discovered a world of travel more adventurous, exciting, and glamourous than my younger self could have ever imagined.

Four years ago, facing a post-Covid surge that threatened to consume my time, energy, and peace of mind, I turned to mentoring out of pure necessity. I just wanted a little part-time help, instead, I built something unexpected. Today, I am surrounded by a supportive, dedicated team, so I didn't just save my business; I created something that gives hope and inspiration to others.

When approached with clear intent, mentoring is not a burden; rather, it has empowered and liberated me to focus on the aspects of my business I enjoy most. However, like any worthwhile journey, success requires planning, and I have ended up in unexpected situations along the way. From the start, I understood my desired company culture, remuneration, benefits, and incentive programs. Expectations regarding commission splits, fam trips, time off and team support were set from the start and thoughtfully designed to benefit all parties. 

To ensure a mutual investment in growth, I drafted a training program which requires all candidates to complete ACTA certification, secure all required licensing, and purchase the tools required prior to any training. This prerequisite ensures that candidates are truly willing to invest in themselves before I invest my time and resources into them. Candidates understand I need a return on my investment as well and that is worked into our agreement.

True mastery in this role is a multi-year journey which requires focus and specialization.  Comprehensive training encompasses not just initial onboarding, but ongoing professional development, endless re-learning of itinerary and agency software (including GDS), fraud prevention, insurance compliance, and deep-dives into key supplier products, technology, etc. By learning directly from our preferred partners, and each other, we don't just gain product knowledge—we build shared expertise and trust. Our goal is a successful, collaborative partnership that genuinely benefits everyone involved and creates loyal clients who love and trust both of our brands.

While I’m still early in my mentoring journey, watching my team grow organically has been very rewarding—both for my business and my peace of mind. My industry contacts and preferred partners have been unbelievably supportive; I could not have done it without them. I believe mentoring is a powerful way to increase your revenue and reduce stress, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to take that next step…

2026-07-02 14:23:21

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