When you flip a light switch, you know exactly what to expect. The light comes on—right away. No hesitation. It happens immediately.

Effective leadership has never been more important, especially now—given the rapid changes and unprecedented challenges as the travel industry works to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The global crisis has shed light on the extraordinary impact of business empathy, inclusion, compassion and female leadership, as women-owned and women-led businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors in the enterprise world.

In honor of celebrating Women's History Month, the Tourism Academy is hosting a free panel discussion where participants can hear from women in leadership positions and learn how to build a more profitable, resilient and diverse organizations.

First, I hope the word "data" doesn't scare you off. We're not going to discuss the typical customer data that might bore most people, although I'll admit that I get excited and geek out about the data, stats, and facts that show trends in business. Today we're going to talk about relationship data.

Making videos for your business or organization can be a fruitful and rewarding endeavor, especially thanks to all the easy-to-access tools which can now be found right on our own smartphones. You may be making videos to provide updates to your clients, showcase your offerings, engage directly with your audience, or perhaps just for fun.

I love to receive great examples of outstanding customer service. I'm always on the lookout for great stories, whether I personally experience them, or they are sent in by our followers. What I share with you today is a great example of personalized and proactive communication. While I provide the lessons, the example comes from one of our subscribers, Dawn Mushill, who shared a letter that BarkBox wrote to one of its customers.