Q&A: “I’m lucky”: Penny Martin on success, “retirement” & life after TTAND

Penny Martin’s title at The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND) is vice-president of agent experience, but she doesn’t always identify that way.  

Working hand-in-hand with TTAND’s vast network of more than 1,400 travel advisors, sharing her expertise in training, sales and marketing, she sometimes views herself as “vice-president of agent happiness.”

“I always advocate for travel agents, looking at how we can make them better and help solve their problems,” says Martin. “It’s the whole culture at TTAND – to keep agents happy and selling.”

That has been Martin’s mission for ten years now, ever since she joined forces with Flemming Friisdahl, TTAND’s president and founder, in 2014 to help launch what would later become Canada’s largest host agency.

It’s been a decade of blood, sweat and tears, designing a travel company from scratch and building it into a thriving business that, today, is poised to reach half-a-billion dollars in sales.

But soon, Martin will hang up her hat (a beret, possibly) to embark on a new journey: retirement.

Well, sort of. On July 31, 2024, Martin will “retire” from her full-time duties at TTAND (and wind down her more than 40-year-long career in travel) to make way for new passion projects, as well as a planned move from Toronto to Atlantic Canada.

Notably, she plans to sell travel part-time (as an agent under the TTAND banner), focusing on special-interest trips that incorporate her hobbies, like baking and cooking, and her husband Dan Galbraith’s passion, photography.

She may also take on special assignments for The Travel Agent Next Door on an as-needed basis.

“I’m going to keep my toe in TTAND. Not an entire foot, but a pinky,” she says.

But make no mistake: Martin’s knowledge, resourcefulness, kindness (and smile) will be missed around TTAND's headquarters, which is now buzzing with new executives to help ease the transition and lay a future path. 

As Friisdahl put it at the host agency’s national conference in Jordan this past June: “TTAND wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Penny – certainly not at the level it’s at today.”

“Penny has been by my side from well before we even opened our doors and I could not have built this company without her and she has been a key member of our team and instrumental in our growth,” said Friisdahl when Martin’s departure was first announced last year.

“Many people often would joke that Penny was my work wife and Rhonda was my home wife. I’m not sure who was the lucky one, but without both these ladies, The Travel Agent Next Door would simply not be the company it is.”

“I am very happy for Penny as she moves into this new phase in her life and I will miss my daily interaction with her.”

What’s on Martin’s mind as she inches closer to her last day? PAX caught up with the TTAND executive (and part-time retro fashion model) to discuss her future plans, lessons learned and final thoughts. 

PAX: How does it feel to retire from your role at The Travel Agent Next Door? 

Penny Martin (PM): I’m both excited and scared. I get asked about retirement often. It’s more about having a choice in what I’m going to do each day, and how and when I’m going to do it. I’m going to be more flexible. It will be a different pace of life.

PAX: You’ve worked in the travel industry for more than 40 years. Is it difficult to walk away from it all?

PM: Travel is part of my life. Once it’s part of your life, it’s always in your heart. So many of us in the business are friends. It’s a difficult industry to walk away from. So, I’m going to sign my contract as a travel agent. Dan and I will travel – we have a long list of destinations we’d like to visit. We’d also like to organize group trips that involve culinary and baking activities and photography.

As for working at TTAND, it has been the greatest experience. I’m so lucky Flemming invited me to do this. We started with no agents or suppliers, but because of the faith people had in us, we grew. And it was a risk. We started with nothing. I remember us sitting around a little table with Flemming, using his iPad as a hotspot, creating programs from scratch. It has been fascinating. It’s hard to leave. I’m going to have FOMO. Maybe now I will have some JOMO – the joy of missing out. [Laughs]

PAX: Before TTAND, you worked at CAA and Sears Travel. How did your time at those companies contribute to your success? 

PM: I started out my career as a travel agent and worked on the retail side where I learned the needs of the travel agents. During my years in management roles at CAA and Sears Travel I learned more about the travel industry. When Flemming, from the tour operator side, approached me with his ideas, I was excited by the prospect of starting with a clean slate. This opportunity was particularly appealing because, unlike the big companies that were bogged down by red tape and slow to implement ideas, we had the agility to act quickly and bring our concepts to life.

PAX: Looking back on TTAND’s early days, what’s one memory that stands out? 

PM: Flemming and I were both on the phone, speaking to agents. We weren’t cold calling, agents were calling us. We were on the phones, talking about the program, and getting our first agent was a big thing. I think I got the first agent (Flemming might think differently) but it was our first. That’s when I knew that people believed in what we were doing.

When we moved into our first office, it was exciting. It was just five desks. Then we moved from one floor up to the next floor, and the staff grew. I remember moving into the tenth floor. It was empty with no desks. Flemming and I just stood there, saying, 'Can you believe this? We’re going to take over this space." It was amazing.

PAX: At what point did you know that TTAND was in it for the long run? 

PM: When we held our first FAM in our second year, it felt like a conference. It was exciting, seeing that we had a group of people forming who were excited about the company. I think that was a turning point.

PAX: What’s it like working with Flemming Friisdahl for ten years? 

PM: I survived [laughs]. I have a special relationship with him, I admire him so much. He’s really created something special. He shaped my career. He taught me about leadership and taking risks. Sometimes I’d say, ‘Should we go ahead?” And he’d say, ‘Yes. If you don’t take the risk, it will never happen.’ He taught me about fostering a team that feels like family.

We joke around at town halls. I think that’s why a lot of agent partners attend because we banter back and forth. It’s a brother-sister thing. We can say anything to each other. He might get impatient at times, but he really does listen to me and he values my opinion. I look up to him.

PAX: What do you consider your greatest achievement at TTAND?

PM: Becoming a better leader, working with accounting and software, and most of all teaching people and learning from them.

PAX: What’s the secret to longevity in the host agency business? 

PM: Staying one step ahead of everyone else – especially when it comes to technology and tools for agents. You can’t just stop. You always have to look at trends and how the industry trends overall. With TTAND, travel agent partners have always been the focus. It’s been about making life better for them so they can sell. It has been about creating a collaborative ecosystem with our agent partners, our team and supplier partners contributing their ideas. Many of the policies and procedures we implement are based on that input.

PAX: How has your time at TTAND changed your approach to business?

PM: I’ve learned to take more risks and to not always play it safe. I’ve also learned to focus on the things you can control.

PAX: What will you miss the most about TTAND?  

The people. The travel agents, the suppliers, the media and the team I work with. I’ll miss always being in on changes. I love being involved and helping move things forward.

PAX: I hear you’re leaving Toronto. What’s the plan? 

PM: We’re selling our house in The Beaches (if anyone want to buy a house) and moving out east [to Atlantic Canada]. We like the idea of being an hour away from a major airport, so somewhere around Halifax. I’ll also continue my volunteer work with our dog Wally. He’s a therapy dog, we visit retirement residences. I’d like to continue making a positive impact on people and also focus on working out, getting into better shape.  

PAX: Where do you want to travel now that you'll have the time?  

PM: The Galapagos Islands, Colombia…I’d like to go back to Africa and see different countries. I also love the south of France, and small villages in Italy. I’d like to return to places we’ve been before. And spend time with my family and Dan’s family. We’re all across Canada. My son is in Calgary, my sisters are in Montreal and his are in New Brunswick, British Columbia and Ontario.

PAX: What's your message to the TTAND team and travel industry? 

PM: I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone. Their support, trust and friendship has been the cornerstone of my career. I’m lucky. I’ve learned so much from everyone. This is not the end of an era, but the beginning of a new adventure.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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