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As an aspiring young employee, I begged, persuaded, nagged, and campaigned to attend meetings. When I was little, both of my parents worked in the government, and their conference attendance was like a shining star in the sky that I aspired to reach. Perhaps it was because the only time our family vacations took us far from our villa in Chelan (which was, and still is, magical) was when a work meeting was somewhere tropical. Either way, to me, traveling for work meant that I was someone who achieved big things. It meant that I and my work mattered.
I wanted my work to be seen on the world stage, I wanted to run into celebrities, I wanted to fly on planes on company money. This seemed just as appealing to me as my dreams of a corner office and people I would directly manage. Meetings in far-flung locations! Black cars! Expense-paid dinners! I had so many dreams I wanted to come true. Can you tell I was in my 20s?
Finally, my wish came true. I represented Xbox at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), represented Nordstrom at RStheCon (RewardStyle Conference), traveled to dozens of states and overseas for work, even got a last-minute ride on a company jet, and expensed a lot of dinners.
And while I certainly enjoyed the perks of my elite status with Alaska Airlines (just ask me about the specialty Fruit & Cheese; there’s a right way to do it), I quickly realized that attending conferences and *business trips* aren’t as appealing as I thought they would be, even under the most attractive circumstances.
Side note to all hotels: Where do you hide your weighted blankets?
When I left corporate life in quick succession after having a baby in 2017, I locked myself in for reasons both obvious and perhaps not so obvious. Traveling for work? No thanks. I have plenty of friends who travel and ship home breastmilk, and we all admire that. For me, there’s just too much stress and extra burden to manage. I know I’m blessed in that respect: I have the choice.
But a few years into my business, when I finally found myself assuming responsibility, I started thinking about business travel again. I thought of it not in terms of elite status or potential celebrity selfies (my Instagram feed is replete with conference selfies with the likes of Napoleon Dynamite and Tony Hawk), but in terms of an investment in my work — contributing to my clients through new knowledge and connections.
As a business owner and returning employee, I never considered having to spend my own money to go and learn somewhere. It was scary and painful to hit the “checkout” button, take time away from family and clients, buy my own plane tickets, and do all the rest. Investing in my company like that went against why I started the business in the first place – to stay at home.
Last year, I attended my first Write On The Sound in Edmonds, where I learned more than I can express. And it was right near my home. The following month, I flew Kenmore Airlines’ new route from Paine Field to write for a client on San Juan Island. And as I write this, I’m attending the Sun Valley Writers Conference, doubling down on my investment in the artistic side of my business. Just before I drove to Sun Valley, I co-hosted a grief workshop in Boise, read from my book, and felt like my work was helping people in ways both big and intimate.
For me, this is a time to invest in the soul of my work and continue to educate myself so I can support my clients, which is to tell great, memorable stories. I had to adjust to a smaller budget than a Fortune 500 company, which made me think carefully about where I was going and why. And exploring why was good for me.
You could say that business travel is back, but it looks and feels very different. For me, business travel now means:
– It has to contribute to my mission of helping people tell better stories.
– Don’t rush unless absolutely necessary
– It must be something you can be proud of and tell your children about.
So, I ask you to examine your relationship with business trips, meetings, conventions, everything. You may not have a choice, but you can choose how you show up when you get there. And if you’re a business owner, know that the right business trip, especially one that starts with imagination, can change everything.
Whitney Popa
Whitney and Emily
Whitney Popa is a writer and communications consultant in Edmonds, and Emily Given is the owner of a virtual assistant agency in Lynnwood. They co-write this column to share work-from-home ideas. They love where they live and are grateful for the work-life harmony the virtual world has given them. They also co-host a weekly podcast where they share their entrepreneurial journeys while learning about others’. Learn more about Emily here and Whitney here.
