That Time I Interviewed Richard Branson

Richard Branson in San Francisco/Photo by Aron Ives

On the eve of Virgin America's inaugural launch to Honolulu, I was lucky enough to interview Richard Branson at his hotel in San Francisco.

While I desperately wanted to ask him travel questions (like what suitcase he uses, whether he rolls or folds, or how many passports he has filled), our 30-minute conversation was primarily focused on work-life balance. From why he believes in flexible work schedules to why delegating gives him more time for trying new things, Branson also let us in on his secret to handling his inbox — answering two weeks' worth of emails during otherwise wasted time on long plane rides.

Here are a few of his answers to questions that we crowdsourced from LinkedIn members:

Richard Branson: How to Juggle Work and Life in Your Early Years from LinkedIn Pulse

Richard Branson: How I Unplug from LinkedIn Pulse

In a "lightning round" of questions, Branson also reflected on his sky-high goals in space while reaffirming his plan to conquer the next big unknown: the ocean.

Richard Branson Answers Your Top 10 Questions from LinkedIn Pulse

How to Facebook and Tweet Your Way to a Better Trip: The Smart Traveler's Guide to Social Media

In the July 2014 issue of Travel + Leisure, I interviewed experts on how to maximize social media before, during, and after your trip.

One of my favorite tips came from Southwest's Rob Hahn, the airline's team leader for Customer Advocacy and Social Media: "Reaching out through more than one channel will multiply our efforts to assist that customer, and can inadvertently slow things down." 

Apparently it sometimes doesn't pay to be the squeaky wheel. Who knew?
Check out the story online or below.

                            

My Take on Loyalty Programs

 

What can I say? My loyalty is divided. I tend to book a hotel based on price and location. I'll scoop up the points when I can but since I don't travel nearly as often as I'd like, I don't go out of my way to only stay at a major chain. Since I'll never reach elite status with my infrequent stays, my loyalty is very much up grabs. In fact, I prefer boutique properties over the cookie-cutter corporate look and feel.

Thanks to Julie Weed for spotlighting my take on loyalty programs in the New York Times.
Photo: Peter DaSilva/New York Times

How to Get a Better Travel Experience Using Social Media

Is there a point to social media? Non-believers might want to give social media a second chance. Travel + Leisure recently sent me to Portland for a quick weekend getaway. My mission: To experience how travel companies respond to social media. After all, no one wants to be greeted with the sound of crickets.

Would my tweets and posts vanish into the Interwebs? And from a trip-planning perspective, could I eat my way through Portland using suggestions gleaned from Gogobot, Yelp, Foursquare, and Foodspotting?

Well, I certainly tried. From booking hotel deals to asking a blogger where to eat, these "9 Rules for Using Social Media on the Road" pretty much sum up what I learned. (Here's the online slideshow.) My only regret is not checking the Twitter feed of Blue Star Donuts sooner. If I had, I would've known that they sell out quickly—and I wouldn't be haunted by this sad photo.

I will be going back for the blueberry bourbon basil doughnut. That's a promise.



Photo credit: Travel + Leisure (top), Amy Chen (bottom)

Travel Tips for the Holidays

I know, it's not even Halloween yet and people are already thinking about the winter holidays. In this Bankrate.com piece by Dana Dratch ("9 Ways to Manage Holiday Spending"), I shared some tried-and-true travel advice.

My biggest tip would be to cough up the extra money to fly nonstop. Blizzards have a funny way of occurring the busiest travel season of the year, and you don't want to deal with the extra stress of missed connections.

As for being flexible on travel dates, I've flown on Thanksgiving Day, when the airports were empty and the TSA agents were super-friendly. Upon seeing my slice of chocolate bourbon pecan pie that I was going to hand-carry onto the plane, the TSA agent joked, "No mashed potatoes?" A jovial TSA agent, imagine that.

Photo Caption: Last year's Snowtober, when it snowed in New York City a few days before Halloween
Photo by Amy Chen