Episode Summary:

In this episode of Office Hours, Grace hosts an engaging conversation with David Chait, CEO and Founder of Travefy, the go-to platform for travel advisors who need a powerful way to streamline trip planning, communication, and client engagement. David walks us through his journey from corporate strategy consulting at McKinsey to a pivotal role at the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he was immersed in the challenges of small businesses during the Great Recession. Inspired by these experiences, David caught the entrepreneurial bug and set out to create Travefy, a platform initially aimed at consumers that found its true mission in supporting travel advisors.

David shares the critical moments and hard-won insights behind Travefy’s growth, from navigating product-market fit to self-funding for long-term sustainability. He reveals how Travefy balanced listening to user feedback with strategic foresight to build a suite of tools tailored specifically for travel advisors, ultimately helping them succeed on their own terms. In this episode, you’ll hear how Travefy tackled the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, built trust in the advisor community, and why staying mission-driven has been key to their success. Plus, David dives into the qualities he values in his team and his strategic approach to innovation and offers sage advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on setting both success and “off-track” metrics.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction and David’s Career Journey
• 01:12 From Strategy Consulting to Small Business Advocacy
• 06:32 Transitioning Travefy from Consumer to B2B
• 08:26 Finding Product-Market Fit for Travel Advisors
• 10:04 Capital Decisions: Self-Funding and Sustainable Growth
• 14:54 Building with a Mission: Supporting Travel Advisors
• 17:19 Travefy’s Methodical Approach to Product Development
• 21:33 Expanding Tools for Travel Advisors: Education & Integration
• 28:48 Navigating COVID-19: Adapting with Empathy and Innovation
• 32:01 New Tools for Branding and Workflows
• 35:43 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Setting Success and Failure Metrics
• 38:01 Early Strategies for Connecting with Advisors
• 40:45 Hiring for Empathy and User-Centric Values
• 43:00 Rapid Fire with David: Technology Trends, Industry Misconceptions, and Key Traits for Entrepreneurs

Takeaways:

• Travefy’s journey from a consumer to a B2B tool underscores the importance of identifying a core audience and iterating based on user feedback.
• David’s experience with small business challenges at the U.S. Small Business Administration influenced Travefy’s mission to empower solopreneurs.
• Customer-focused product development and clear values have driven Travefy’s growth and resilience.
• Aspiring entrepreneurs can benefit from setting both success and off-track metrics early in their journey to make quicker, more informed adjustments.