250. Vetting Educational Opportunities with Shannon Lamarche

Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors:Smeuse Studio - Strategic branding and website design for travel advisorsTravel Collection - Connect and learn more about TC’s DMCs Not every FAM trip, conference, or industry event deserves a spot on your calendar. Shannon Lamarche, founder of Premiere Luxury Travel, joins this episode to discuss how she evaluates educational opportunities based on alignment, cost, client demand, and potential ROI. She shares her process for choosing the right events, organizing supplier knowledge, following up strategically, and avoiding the entitled behavior that can quickly damage your reputation. Before you accept another invitation because the destination looks fun, listen to this episode!About Shannon Lamarche:Shannon specializes in designing high-touch, custom international journeys for travelers who care deeply about how they travel—not just where they go. Her ideal clients are seasoned travelers who value exceptional food, wine, culture, and history, and who want their trips thoughtfully paced, intelligently routed, and handled end-to-end by an expert. Shannon's background is rooted in producing complex logistics and details (as a former film & television producer), which translates naturally into travel design that feels seamless, intentional, and calm—especially for trips with many moving parts.premiereluxurytravel.com@premiereluxurytravelToday we will cover:(03:30) How to determine whether an educational opportunity aligns with your business(09:00) Calculating the true cost and potential ROI of FAM trips and conferences(13:00) Balancing trade shows, destination experience, and time away from your business(25:00) Organizing supplier information and turning new connections into opportunities(37:05) The FAM trip etiquette every travel advisor needs to follow Resources Mention In This Episode:ClickUp Business Hub TemplateNICHE is Tique’s membership community for travel advisors who want support refining their business, strengthening their positioning, and learning alongside other advisors who are serious about growth. Shannon is a member herself, and many of the strategies discussed in this episode are the kinds of conversations happening inside the community.Learn More and Pick Your Membership Tier → NICHE COMMUNITYFOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ