Inspired by the couple's collective experiences associated with the restorative health aspects of ... [+]
Well Inspired TravelsNHL Hall of Famer Chris Pronger is a well-traveled man.
As is his wife, Lauren, whose travel experiences date back to childhood.
And often times, these travels were either partly or wholly motivated by a desire to restore, regroup, and regenerate the mind, the body, and the spirit. Be it Lauren’s father, who used global travels with his family to combat physical ailments. Or Pronger, who sustained concussions and a serious eye-injury which led to the conclusion of his Hall of Fame hockey career.
With this historical perspective in mind, it’s not surprising that the couple have created a boutique travel company, Well Inspired Travels.
I recently had the opportunity to Zoom with Pronger to talk about the inspiration for starting their company, and how they hope to differentiate themselves from competitors. The full 20-minute interview can be watched here.
According to Pronger, the real origins of building their business stem all the way back to his wife’s childhood travels with an ailing father. “When my wife was six years old, her father was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and was given a 10% chance to live. He wanted to travel the world with his family while he could, so on these trips she got to see her father be excited to be with the family. Upon returning home from the first trip, and despite her father getting pounded with chemotherapy back home, planning the next trip abroad seemed to give him joy and energy. Their second trip was to Asia, where her father learned more about the holistic healing methods there…with a focus on mind, body, and spirit.”
Pronger then discussed how he and wife developed numerous relationships within the hospitality industry through the course of his playing career when the couple sought unique travel opportunities which they wanted to keep discrete due to their celebrity. “I used to source properties with her, trying to find places where we could travel to while still allowing me to still work out in the manner I was accustomed to. To find the properties that really had what we jointly needed, we really had to do our research. Some we sourced through word-of-mouth or friends in the hockey industry or hospitality industry. As social media grew and people learned of our travels, my wife would get requests from friends for suggestions about their travels. So she would help them connect with the right people and set up the right trip.”
The final push towards the genesis of launching Well Inspired Travels, Pronger describes, evolved from a consortium of traumatic experiences which further tested the family’s inner strength. ““Her father had a stroke and his right side was paralyzed, her mother got breast cancer, and then I got my eye injury and concussion. So with all these things happening at once, with three young kids at home, and in trying to deal with the stress and pressures from the entirety of the matter, she really looked introspectively at the mind, body, and spirit approach to health. And as she researched numerous books on the subject, it further convinced her of the healing powers of not only travel but simply getting physically and spiritually healthy.”
And alas, Well Inspired Travels was born.
Starting the business is one thing, but in a competitive hospitality industry, I asked Pronger how they plan on creating a competitive edge versus the competition. “We are a boutique luxury travel company that caters to elite athletes and C-suite executives who feel the same pressures and time constraints as elite athletes. Having been one, I understand the pressures and the demands on your time.”
On the importance of mentoring families who seek their consultation on travel: “The biggest selling point for us is on the mentorship side, having gone through virtually everything that any athlete can present to us. I know exactly what they are feeling and what they are going through. And as you really dig deep and start talking to families about their goals, dreams and bucket list trips, you really get to know someone, which allows us to mentor them...and they start feeling comfortable with you.”
Like most businesses, relationships are key. And thanks to their history as a well-traveled couple, the Prongers certainly consider the volume of relationships they already have within the hospitality industry as a major strength. “We’ve created relationships with the general managers of numerous large hotel companies, as well as owners of boutique properties. Through these relationships, we’re collecting intel which can ultimately aid future clients in making the right decisions for their specific travel plans and needs.”
Pronger lauded the hospitality industry for how collaborative the industry has been in his experience. “It has been a breath of fresh air. The people are wonderful. They are there to help one another. I haven't seen any backbiting. I’m certainly excited to get acquainted with more people in this business because there are truly some tremendous people working in this industry.”
Life experiences have unquestionably taught the Prongers about the restorative powers of travel.
And they hope their high touchpoint approach with clients, coupled with the relationships they have formed in the course of their own travels within the hospitality industry, will be the competitive edge to help them carve a niche in the boutique travel marketplace.
The Link LonkAugust 05, 2020 at 12:02AM
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Well Inspired Travels: A Boutique Luxury Service Inspired By The Restorative Powers Of Travel - Forbes
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