25th
Entrepreneurial Travel
One thing that entrepreneurs have to worry about that our corporate brothers don’t is how and what to spend on travel. Travel is one of those things that you can really waste a lot of money and energy on. I have traveled a lot in the last 8 years (over 200,000 miles per year). So as I fly from Los Angeles to Miami for a carrier show a few of the tips that I have used come to mind:
1. Flying- Always fly a single airline. I suggest American Airlines as they have a huge presence in both the US and globally. Flying a single airline gets you status, status gets your cheap economy ticket upgraded to first class. If you are just starting to travel a lot do a Platinum Challenge with American, this gets you status in 30-60 days. Flying first class is a huge plus. I get a massive amount of work done on the plane and find it much easier to do it in first vs. economy. However the cheap side of me would never allow me to pay for first class.
2. Hotels- This is where I really save. I have found hotel status and points to be worthless. While they do get you some upgrades and free nights the cost of staying at say a Starwood hotel vs. a cheaper one is never worth it. For example when I am in Palo Alto I stay at this little hotel downtown for $50-$80 per night, it has shared bathrooms but is comfortable and clean. I get the same amount of work done in that hotel as I do at the Four Seasons, but save the company a few hundred a night.
3. Internet- In order to be a efficient traveler you have to have internet. That means getting a Verizon card or one like it. The ATT one is great if you travel abroad. It is a must have for the business traveler. Of course you have to have a blackberry or smart phone but that is for when you cannot have your laptop out.
4. Rental Car- I always use Hertz. I like the Gold Club as it is really quick to get the car. I think that Avis offers the same thing. I never care what type of car I get, always get the cheapest. Also I have my own GPS that I bring with me, paying the rental car companies for this is not efficient and I can pre-load the destinations before I arrive.
5. Meals- I like to eat quality food. I always pay for food myself and typically go to good places to eat. Not the most expensive but definitely not crappy places like fast food.
6. Exercise- This is a must. You have to work out when you travel. I believe strongly in working out all of the time but it is especially important when you travel. Flying, meetings, overall travel just kills your body and exercise is the only thing that I have found to combat this.
7. Booking- I have tried using every type of assistance in booking travel. At this point I do it all myself. As an entrepreneur we have to pick our travel not only for when we want to be there but also on price. The difference of a day can cost you a few thousand dollars just on the flight. Therefore I find just booking it all myself is the only way to stay in budget and get it done quick.
Sorry for the long post but traveling is a part of business and doing it right can help in making a more successful business.
