Jetset World Travel: Redefining Leadership in the Travel Industry with Lindsey Epperly

When faced with monumental business decisions, how can leaders navigate the intricate balance between personal fulfillment and professional success? 

Lindsey Epperly is the CEO of Jetset World Travel, which she has scaled from a one-person operation into a team of over 80 dedicated members, recently recognized on the Inc. 5000 List of fastest-growing companies. She has been named to the Forbes Next 1000 List and was most inspired by navigating her industry’s greatest crisis while expecting her first child, a season she affectionately refers to as the “MBA I never wanted.” Lindsey is dedicated to fighting burnout and imposter syndrome while teaching others how to turn obstacles into opportunities on her podcast, Who Made You The Boss?

In this episode of the Crown Yourself podcast, host Kimberly Spencer interviews Lindsey Epperly, CEO of Jetset World Travel. Lindsey shares her journey of navigating the travel industry during the global pandemic, scaling her business, and the personal challenges she faced, including balancing motherhood and leadership. She discusses the emotional aspects of entrepreneurship, the importance of intentional leadership, and fostering a collaborative workplace culture. Lindsey also highlights her significant achievements, such as landing on the cover of Luxury Travel Advisor and making the Inc 5000 list, and emphasizes the value of diverse perspectives and personal growth.

What you will learn from this episode…

• Challenges and transformations faced by Lindsey Epperly as a leader in the travel industry during the global pandemic
• Emotional and personal decisions made by Lindsey, including balancing business and personal life
• Lindsey's struggles as a leader, feelings of burnout, and the need to let go of control to grow
• Influence of Lindsey's parents, who were entrepreneurs, on her approach to business
• Importance of understanding one's calling and empowering individuals on the team
• Impact of societal conditioning on gender roles and the need to celebrate and honor the superpowers of both men and women
• Fostering a culture of collaboration over competition within the workplace
• Lindsey's journey in the travel industry and the shift to a service-based model in her agency
• Importance of embracing diverse opinions and backgrounds within the company
• Lindsey's pivotal moments in her business journey and her commitment to personal and professional growth

Enjoy, sovereigns!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcast listening platform. You can also watch the episode on Youtube.

Moments of Note:

Navigating the Pandemic (00:00:00) The impact of the pandemic on the travel industry and the challenges faced by leaders in the midst of global crisis.

Scaling a Travel Agency (00:02:28) The seemingly crazy decision to scale a travel agency during a pandemic and the support system required to achieve such growth.

Leadership Challenges (00:04:15) The personal and business decisions faced by a leader during a crisis, including the impact on family and the business.

Emotional Struggles (00:07:36) The emotional toll faced by a leader during challenging times and the struggle with burnout and control.

Motherhood and Leadership (00:10:35) The transformational impact of motherhood on leadership and the shift from being a martyr to being a model.

Lessons from Previous Generations (00:14:10) The influence of parental role models on entrepreneurship and the need to break free from generational thinking in business.

Identity and Business (00:16:35) The co-dependency between personal identity and business success, and the need to establish a healthy dynamic with the business.

Lessons Learned (00:18:43) The growth and maturity gained through the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the distinction between capability and calling.

Leadership and Entrepreneurship (00:19:01) Discussion about leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of identifying one's calling.

Business Maturation (00:20:11) Comparison of business growth to raising a child and the challenges of letting go of one's creative projects.

Gender Differences in Business and Creativity (00:21:43) Exploring the differences in approaching business and creativity between men and women.

Visionary-Integrator Dynamic (00:23:45) Discussion on the visionary-integrator dynamic between the speaker and her husband in both personal and business settings.

Travel Agency Experience (00:25:22) The speaker's experience of traveling while building her travel agency business.

Service-Based Mentality (00:26:45) Transitioning to a service-based model and the importance of separating self-worth from the service provided.

Personal and Professional Development (00:28:31) Comparison of personal development in entrepreneurship and parenthood.

Female Relationships and Leadership (00:30:03) Importance of women celebrating and supporting each other, and healing the sisterhood wound.

Fostering a Collaborative Culture (00:33:01) Intentional creation of a collaborative and supportive culture in the workplace.

Challenges of Leadership (00:34:40) Reflecting on moments of silence and missed opportunities in leadership.

Hiring and Diversity (00:37:03) Recognizing the initial mistake of seeking miniature versions of oneself and the importance of diversity in leadership and managerial roles.

Hiring for Diversity (00:37:28) Lindsey discusses the importance of diverse opinions and backgrounds in creating a positive culture within the company.

Leadership vs. Management (00:38:18) Lindsey talks about her transition from managing people to empowering them, and the strategy behind filling specific roles in the company.

Letting Go of Control (00:39:17) Lindsey discusses the ongoing process of letting go of control and the concept of "monsters that save us" in relation to personal and business growth.

Empowering Others (00:41:06) Lindsey shares her insights on empowering her team and moving towards her own calling, emphasizing the importance of leadership and empowering others.

Zone of Excellence vs. Zone of Genius (00:41:57) The discussion revolves around identifying activities that were excelled at but were not aligned with Lindsey's zone of genius, particularly in the context of her entrepreneurial journey.

Navigating Anxiety (00:44:17) Lindsey talks about her realization that anxiety is not necessary for ambition and how she listens to her gut to navigate through anxiety-inducing situations.

Balancing Roles (00:46:50) Lindsey discusses the challenges and strategies for switching hats between being a mother, a leader, and a creative, emphasizing open communication and understanding personal needs.

Support Network (00:48:55) The conversation delves into the support network within the business and at home, highlighting the importance of having a supportive partner and childcare.

Zone of Genius as a Mom and at Work (00:51:26) Lindsey shares her experiences in embracing play as a mom and her zone of genius in nurturing and teaching, as well as her passion for motivating and inspiring in her work.

Lessons and Reflections (00:54:01) Lindsey shares a heartwarming lesson from her daughter about handling trolls, highlighting the beauty of motherhood and the moments that move her.

These are the timestamps covered in the podcast episode transcription segment.

Setting and achieving business goals (00:55:39) Lindsey discusses exceeding her business goals, including landing on the cover of a prestigious magazine and making the Inc 5000 list.

Amplifying the company's vision (00:56:16) Lindsey talks about setting the goal to amplify the company, getting out of the industry's echo chamber, and sharing the Jetset story.

Favorite female character and morning routine (00:58:01) Lindsey discusses her favorite female character and shares her morning routine with two little girls.

Evening routine and current reading (00:59:39) Lindsey talks about her evening routine with kids and shares the book she is currently reading.

Defining queendom and self-reflection (01:00:41) Lindsey defines her queendom and talks about the importance of self-evaluation and self-growth.

Connecting with Lindsey (01:01:21) Lindsey shares how to connect with her through her podcast, travel company, and personal social media accounts.

Mentions + Additional Resources:

• "Untamed by Glennon Doyle": "00:11:36"
• "Who Made You The Boss?": "00:12:53"
• "Founder's Dilemma": "00:18:25"
• "Project Slimfast": "00:08:14"
• "Jetset World Travel": "00:00:00"
• "Crown Yourself Podcast": "00:01:23"
• "Bob Goff": "00:00:00"
• "Up Early Travel": "00:03:41"
• "Michaelides' Book "All In: How Obsessive Leaders Achieve the Extraordinary"": "00:19:51"
• "Elizabeth Gilbert's Quote on Marie Forleo": "00:20:57"
• "Prophet First by Mike Berkowitz": "00:20:57"
• "Theresa's Podcast Launch Party": "00:30:26"
• "Silence Breeds Insecurity Quote by Jeremy": "00:34:40"
• "Book Mentioned: "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership"": "00:41:57"
• "Book Mentioned: The speaker's upcoming book": "00:40:41"
• "Acton Children's Business Fair": "00:54:49"
• "Podcast Role Lesson": "00:53:04"
• "Teresa's Podcast": "00:41:57"
• "The speaker's Instagram Stories": "00:52:58"
• "The speaker's Podcast": "00:52:58"
• "The speaker's Writing": "00:52:58"
• "The speaker's Sales Role": "00:42:50"
• "The speaker's Business Coaching and Advice": "00:39:13"
• "The speaker's Leadership Role": "00:40:37"<