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Most people work with the end goal in mind of traveling once they retire. But Jill Neumann is lucky because she gets to combine the two. As a Personal Vacation Advisor for luxury destination club Inspirato, Neumann gets to plan trips to 5-star homes throughout the world, and take advantage of the homes herself.
Neumann plans trips for a dedicated group of Inspirato members, a process during which a lot of curveballs are thrown her way when members unexpectedly change plans (like change of plans for a destination wedding, for example).
One of her favorite trips she has planned was a family reunion in Tuscany for 22 people: “They did everything from hot air balloon rides, gelato-making, wine tasting and they were staying in the 5-star property. We tailor the side trips to the members, and, because you have gotten to know them, you can picture them going on these adventures spending time with their family.”
About 90 percent of Neumann’s base are local Colorado members, so she said she’s been able to get to know them on a different level.
“I’ve had a majority of the same members since I started so I’ve been able to plan a lot of trips with my customers and know them really closely,” Neumann said. “One of the most difficult things is not jumping on the plane with them after you’ve planned the trip.”
This isn’t completely out of the question though for Neumann because, like all Inspirato employees, she gets a week in one of 100 Inspirato homes every year. For these personal trips, Neumann is well-prepared (although she said it can be hard to pick one destination after hearing about all her members’ trips.)
“I’m a very adventurous person,” Neumann said. “On personal trips, I’ll create a long list of options and have a short list of things I have to do. I like planning new endeavors and finding new ideas. That carries over to this job and being that resource for others.”
