Coffee Chat - FAM Trip Etiquette 101: Hospitality Starts with You

Ever wonder what really happens on those whirlwind FAM trips planners rave (and rant) about? Let’s just say...someone once brought a plus-one to a site tour. Another showed up in a bikini. To a press conference. 😳

In this Coffee Chat episode, Eming and Sara unpack the unspoken etiquette of FAMs—those fast-paced venue tours that blur the line between business and vacation.

They cover:

• Why showing up on time is the bare minimum—and how it earns you major points
• What “being present” actually means when cocktails, colleagues, and jet lag collide
• How to navigate the weird loneliness of traveling for work
• Thoughtful, low-drama tips for staying grounded and gracious on the go

Whether you’re a first-time attendee or just love a good industry story, you’ll leave with practical insight—and probably a secondhand cringe or two.

☕ Grab your coffee. This one's got receipts.

Transcript

Editor’s Note: This episode of Smart Start Radio was transcribed by Otter.ai and edited lightly.

[Music]

EP How's it going, Smart Start Radio? We are back once again for a second installment of Coffee Chats, which again, are a detour from our original Smart Start Radio situation, where me and Sara kind of just riff on a couple topics that we've we've thought are relevant and interesting and don't require a guest. 

SR That's right. 

EP So today, we wanted to share our experiences on fam trips.

SR Mhm!

EP Which is essentially when you go to a city a venue, to kind of get a sense of like, what's available for folks who want to do events and such. And one thing that we collectively as a group, kind of realized, like, there's a lot of like things that people do that are just kind of low key, just not really that cool. And we wanted to highlight those things so that if you haven't gone on a fam trip before and want to avoid looking certain way from other people who don't know you, you know this might be a good way to do that. 

SR I have a

EP But also, sorry, go ahead.

SR I have a fun thought about fam trips. Okay, when I first heard the term fam trip. I was like, what? Because I grew up Gen Z and maybe, like, it's a, you know, millennial thing, even, but like, fam, like, hey, fam, like,

EP Family?

SR Like my family, yeah, yeah. And like, friends and stuff. But like, so fam actually stands for familiarization, which I just thought that that was really funny. I'm like, Okay, I'm going on a trip with my fam.

EP Yeah.

SR People who will become my fam. And you know what? After going on a lot of fam trips, I do feel like by the end, you do feel like family. You spend so much time with these people, and you get so close to them.

EP Yep.

SR And it's like, you know what? They're fam. They're a fam, in a sense. When I first heard the term fam trip. And my immediate thought was fam, like the slang, like fam, like my fam. I just think that's funny. I just wanted to share that.

EP Well, I mean, to be fair, this industry has a lot of words that, like, like, for example, what's the other word that I constantly I didn't think was, was what it was, gosh, I'll think of it later. But that there are, there are so many that just that, just um, you have to know.

SR Yeah, yes.

EP And fam trips definitely are one of those things. 

SR Oh yeah.

EP To start, I guess one thing that I experienced more recently that kind of drove me crazy, and I kind of want to get your thoughts on it.

SR Okay.

EP Or anyone’s thoughts. Because I I get people have busy lives. I understand this concept.

SR In terms of getting your thoughts, please don't hesitate to email us at editor@smartmeetings.com. If you have thoughts, if you even just are like, Hey, I loved this episode, really related to this thing that you talked about, blah, blah, blah. Email us at editor@smartmeetings.com. We are waiting there, staring at the inbox, waiting for your email. Please email us. We’d love to hear from you.

EP Sure. We love staring at that inbox.

SR Yeah. 

EP So like I said, people live busy lives. Things are happening. They're planning events, all that stuff. But if you're on a fam trip and people are like, you know, showing you around, doing all these things, can you just put your phone on silent? Can you just, like, not, not, like, take a phone call in the middle of a presentation? Stuff like that. Like, I don't know, I personally don't like that, and it kind of looks like you don't want to be there. A little bit. 

SR Yeah. I mean, it makes sense if it's, like, an important phone call, like, if you have kids or something, like, you need to, like, check that. But in general, yeah, taking a phone call in the middle of a presentation is like, please don't do that.

EP Don’t call there. Leave the vicinity. 

SR There's a reason that they have a no phones policy like, put your phone away in school, or the teacher will take it. You know, we're, we're big, grown ups.

EP We’ve evolved way past that, unfortunately, as a society.

SR I know. But like, we are grown some in the real world now. So like, school, I guess, instilled those values of be, like, put your phone away. It's a sign of respect. 

EP You would think, you would think I thought that too. Until recently, I was like, this is weird. 

SR Yeah, I will say though, 

EP You’re an adult.

SR Yes. I will say, though, when I'm on a fam trip, often I take all of my notes on my phone. 

EP Mhm.

SR So like, if I sometimes I worry about that too. I'm like, okay, like, I know. And I have said, Hey, like, I'm staring on my phone right now, but I'm listening to you, and I'm actually staring my phone and typing on my phone because I'm taking notes. It's the easiest for me, because I always have it on me, and then, like, later, when I need to write, then I have those notes right there. 

EP Mhm. 

SR And, like, that's just the way that I do things, rather than using a notepad or anything like that.

EP Right.

SR Because honestly, honestly, I will tell you, I cannot read my own handwriting.

EP There. Same, same, yeah. Chicken scratch. I’d be a great doctor.

SR Truly cannot read my own handwriting, so I always take notes on my phone. And I have literally said on fam trips, like, hey, like I'm staring at my phone right now because I'm taking notes, just so you know, like I'm not, like I am listening to you, I'm just writing.

EP Well, I think there's a difference between like I'm using either like I'm taking my email because. I need to, or I need to make notes, then I'm having an active conversation when you're giving some kind of presentation like that.

SR Yeah.

EP Like that’s where it's weird to me.

SR That’s the difference. 

EP Like you need to go into it, like, out the hallway or something. 

SR Right. Well that’s the beauty of phones is, like, having that access, you know, to have those conversations, like, whenever you are able, like, we don't have to write letters and deliver them by ravens anymore, you know. 

EP Game of Thrones reference?

SR But I feel like if, if you do need to have a conversation, but you're on a fam trip, somebody's giving you an active presentation, that can't be replicated, that can't be repeated.

EP Right. 

SR The phone conversation that you need to have can be repeated later, you know? You can call somebody back.

EP Yeah. 

SR And I think that's another thing. I think, just like in general life, not even specifically, like on fam trips or relating to the meetings industry at all, like people are saying, you know, it shouldn't just because, like, we have our phones on us all the time. Now, that's the status quo. The way the world is. That doesn't mean that you should be expected to be perfectly responsive at all times, immediately responsive at all times. We have lives. We have boundaries. You don't have to respond to a text message right away or a phone call right away. That's the beauty of phones, is that you can call that person back, unless, of course, it's an emergency or it's something really, really important that you need to get on right then and there. Just step out in the hallway.

EP Yeah. Yeah. One other thing that I'm supposed to go down most of things that drive me nuts. One other thing that I personally have struggled with a lot in the past is when I go on trips and it's like a fancy trip, it's like I'm at a resort, or I feel weird that like I'm not treating it like a vacation, like I don't want to treat it like a vacation, because it's not. Like I'm being paid to tour this facility to report back on what I find. I've been in some situations where people did treat it like a like a vacation, and that, 

SR Right.

EP Kind of bothers me. It's like, 

SR Right. 

EP I get that maybe, like, you're different than me, like, maybe you're not being, like, paid by the hour to, like,

SR Sure, yeah.

EP Be here presently. 

SR Definitely.

EP Sometimes it's like, I don't know.

SR Definitely.

EP It’s a little iffy, it’s a little in-between space of, a little questionable.

SR I think it definitely, yeah, yes. I think it differs depending on a person's role, like, whether they're an hourly worker or they're salaried, or they're a contractor or, you know, and we're talking about fam trips from an editorial perspective, but yeah, I mean, like, even on meeting planner fam trips, you know, like whether you're hourly, salaried or a contractor, you know going on this fam. So in general, I feel like part of the work of a fam is to experience what's there, right? But when you're experiencing what's there, you need to be paying attention, like, you're not just like relaxing in the hot tub for like an hour. 

EP I mean you might have time to do that, and you might,

SR Yeah. And so I will say that, like, I've been on fans where I've been, like, part of my job is to experience this property. And so, I will go in the hot tub. I'm not gonna be clocked in for it, but I mean, like, maybe I'll draw from that later. I'll be, like, it was a really nice hot tub. Or I, like, really enjoyed lounging by the pool and feeling the area. I mean, that's the thing where it gets kind of muddy or muddled, where it's like, what's completely the difference between being at work and not being at work while you're on a fam trip. Because technically, you were at work the entire time, even when you're sleeping in the hotel room, you're there for work. But I mean, like, you kind of just have to use your best judgment, and like, you can draw from those experiences, because, like, I'm never clocked in when I'm sleeping in my bed, but I will write about the Heavenly Westin bed and be like, it really was heavenly. So it's kind of, you know, subjective, but it is important to, like, establish what exactly is working. So I'm curious, Eming, I mean, like, when, when you talk about people treating it like a vacation, what does that behavior look like in your experience?

EP You invite your friend.

SR Oh gosh.

EP When you invite your friend. I had an experience where I was on a tour, I was actively on a tour, and someone's friend showed up, and I just, I was like, what is happening? Like, it took me out of the experience, because, like, I'm there to, like, you know, examine the property

SR Right.

EP And these people are just like, they're not there to work. They're there to, you know, enjoy. And it just confused me,

SR Interesting.

EP Because in my head, I'm like, I'm there. I'm out taking notes,

SR Right.

EP I'm taking mental notes. I'm like, being present as, you know, someone who's experiencing it

SR Right.

EP As an attendee, and and I understand you again, people are different, people, but I just, I didn't like that.

SR Right.

EP It made me feel weird, and

SR Totally.

EP It kind of tainted the experience for me a little bit, 

SR Yeah.

EP Like, I get they were allowed to bring a friend. I understand that, but I also didn't like it. 

SR Right.

EP Maybe it's just me. 

SR I think when it comes to that, like, bring a friend, bring a spouse, bring a plus-one, you know, like that should be kept separate from, like, the actual, that's where work is really defined. When you're on a tour, you're obviously at work, you know, and the friend, spouse, plus-one, whatever shouldn't be included in that, you know, like, that's where the blurred lines between like, am I working? Even though I'm, like, at this, you know, beautiful resort, blah, blah, blah, or wherever you may be, that's where it gets a little less blurry. If you're on a tour, if you're seeing a presentation, probably more clearly work than leisure. 

EP I've had a few times where people, like, brought like, either a friend or a spouse, and I, I've always wondered what, whether folks thought in the room I'm like, Is this okay with everyone that this is happening? Like, maybe they're fine with it, maybe they're maybe it's totally cool.

SR Right.

EP But it, to me, it feels like you don't respect the group in a way, in a little bit of a way, not entirely, a little bit like, I think that's kind of strange, but that's just

SR Yeah, yeah.

EP I'm just weak and weird in that perspective, maybe.

SR No, it’s fine. I think, I think it like, once again, depends on the situation in this scenario, like, if you have, like, if you're attending some kind of reception or something, like, definitely bring your spouse, bring your friend, you know, like, that's there for everyone. Like, if you're doing an event or whatever, when it comes to work travel in particular, or in broad, I guess. But yeah, I mean, like, it's a matter of just, like, operating with respect for the people who are hosting you. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, like, I haven't been on a fam where people have brought spouses or friends, but I have been 

EP You’re so lucky. You’re so lucky.

SR But I have been to, like, events where, like, I've been on a fam, and then I'm also attending an event at the same time they, like, integrate some fam stuff within that. And, like, there are plenty of people there with their spouses, and they're just like, at this, like, welcome reception, they're like, Oh, this is my spouse. They're not in the meetings industry.

EP Right. Yeah, well, no. So there was one, there was one thing I was on where one person brought their spouse, but I never saw the spouse another and another one, I did see their spouse, but, like, the entire trip. So it's like, interesting choices were made from these two different people. Like someone actually was like, I'm not gonna do this, because they probably thought it was inappropriate, good on you. The other ones were just like, they're experiencing it with me. So…

SR Sure. I mean, like, as long as that spouse is respectful, that, like, their partner is working, you know? And like, sure, you can bring a person along to the tours, but that person has to be aware that, like, that's a serious work situation, and like, they're just kind of following along and observing, but, yeah, I do think that it also is interesting in that, like, it's telling about the way that this industry has evolved, like, like, bringing your kids along with you to an event or a resort, you know, like, it's a thing now, yeah, and it is like, so I've been to some events. These are Marriott's Meet with Momentum events. 

EP Mm. Right.

SR Marriott Convention Resort Network has their very exclusive, really amazing meet with momentum events. And a lot of people bring their families, and they have activities set up throughout the day where, like, you know, there will be, like, a keynote and a panel and some activities for the actual meeting planners there and the destination hotel representatives there, who are all coming from Marriott CRN properties, and then their families will have other things to do throughout the day.

EP Right.

SR And that's kind of the perfect way to set it up. I think it's an amazing example, because it works so seamlessly for people who want to do that, and it is a benefit of working in this industry, like, you think about like, benefits that people get from their jobs, you know, like, maybe if you work at a big tech company, you get a ton of shares in their stock, right? 

EP Right.

SR That's great. This is one of the benefits of this industry, is that you get to go on these amazing trips,

EP Right.

SR And for people who travel so much for work, it's probably really nice to be able to spend a little extra time with your family and offer them something really nice by being able to bring them along. 

EP Mhm.

SR The key point there being, I think just everyone operates with respect for the work that this individual, you the individual, are doing, and the work that the people who are hosting you are doing. 

EP Mhm. Yeah. On that kind of point, or kind of in that similarish vein. Another thing that I was, I'm thinking about is kind of like, being on time. Fam trips are,

SR Big deal. 

EP I don't know about you, Sara, but in my experience, when we get our itinerary, it's usually planned out to the minute.

SR Yep.

EP For the most part. For the most part, some of them are a little bit more, you know,

SR Yeah

EP Wiggle [room]. 

SR Every time I see an itinerary with like, a couple hours of free time, I'm like, my first thought is like, oh my gosh, amazing. My second thought is like, I'm only here for three days. Like, 

EP Mhm. Yeah

SR Pack it. Pack it up. But then I've gotten a lot every time, every time I get the feed, like the post, like, fam trip feedback surveys. I'm always like, I really appreciate how much free time you gave us because I took a nap. 

EP Yeah, some of them don't really have that. It's, it's interesting. Okay, so this is kind of twofold. A, for the person attending the fam, it's, it's good to be on time, because if you're in a big group and we're waiting on you, this cuts into whatever it is we're doing that's just plain and simple. 

SR Yeah. It affects everybody in the group.

EP Yeah, and I've had some moments where our, like, our host people who you know were very good at, like, being present and kind and accepting good sometimes got really annoyed, and you could tell because people weren't respecting their time

SR Yeah.

EP That they had, you know, created around this particular event, but at the same time, like you said, like it's, it's important for the hosts, whoever's hosting you or having you or inviting you to set event or tour or fam trip, is to think about, you know, the well-being of the people who are on your trip. Because if they're exhausted by day two,

SR Yeah. That’s true.

EP How are you going to get them from point A to point B on time? Yeah, it's just not realistic in my mind. Like you need to work those in to the schedule way in advance, because people have, are potentially if they're traveling from, like, say, the East Coast to the West Coast,

SR Yeah.

EP Or vice versa. Like that is going to 

SR Time changes are rough.

EP Yep. So that's you know when for people planning fam trips, be mindful of that, because not everyone is, you know, coming from the same area. 

SR Yeah. 

EP They're coming from different parts. 

SR Right.

EP And if they're still on West Coast time, and you have a thing scheduled at nine o'clock in the morning, East Coast time…

SR That's 6am for West Coast people.

EP Yeah, like we're still asleep!

SR Yeah.

EP Or at least getting up to go to work at that point. 

SR Well, I'm still asleep. 

EP Good to know. 

SR Yeah. 

EP So, yeah, it's, I think it's, that's a thing for for anyone, really, 

SR Yeah.

EP Not just for the attendees or the planners or whatever. But, you know, just be mindful of the clock. 

SR Yeah, and it's a signal of respect to, I mean, like it's free for you, but it's not free. People have invested a lot of money

EP Mhm, yeah.

SR Into making this happen and inviting you out there. So, like, it is, you know, like, if it was you paying for it, would you be late?

EP Yeah, that's another thing. Like, 

SR Right.

EP You're treated to a lot of things. 

SR One thing I learned once on a fam trip, and I don't remember who told me this or where, but it was another, it was another writer on a fam who said that punctuality is so super important to her, and we were kind of talking about it, and she said that she always, always sets everything like, when she gets the fam trip schedule, she puts it into her phone, into her personal like, into her schedule, and she puts everything 10 minutes early, so that she then arrives everywhere 10 minutes early. And she doesn't mind waiting, but to her, it's really important that she is punctual. And I think that that's such a great tip, honestly, like just set everything. Set your schedule, the events that you're going to be attending, the tours you're going to be going to be going on, everything on the fam trip schedule 10 minutes ahead, so that, you know, okay, I have 10 minutes to get down there, you know, if anything, right? Or you arrive 10 minutes early, which is even better, you know, 

EP Mhm, yeah.

SR And while you're there, you know, take some time to just, you know, while you're waiting, do some deep breathing, or, like, observe

EP Yeah. I always, yeah. I have a really

SR Find some peace among a very busy schedule. 

EP No, definitely. I have a really weird habit. This is in general, not even fam trips, but I like, well, usually fam trips, like, if I'm traveling specifically and the schedule is, like, early, I'm usually up like, an hour beforehand, because my body needs to acclimatize to what we're just doing. So I try very hard to make sure that I'm, like, awake enough enough time ahead, where I have enough time to, like, get dressed, get downstairs, but also look like a person beforehand so I'm not holding up the group, because I know that's annoying. Because, you know, either we have, like, we have to drive somewhere, we have to meet someone, we have to eat somewhere, like, there's always something we have to do.

SR Mhm, right.

EP And if you're in the hotel room, still putzing around, you're cutting into someone else's experience. 

SR Yeah, yeah.

EP Our content, content, content director, JT Long, gave us one story, and this might go back to another part of this don't-do-this list. She said that someone showed up to a press conference in a bikini. 

SR That's interesting.

EP I don't know, I have no context other than that, other than if you're if you're at work, if you're working, dressed like you're at work. I don't know where this was. I don't know why there was a bikini involved. Maybe they,

SR I mean, like, maybe they were wearing a cover-up? 

EP Maybe it was at a beach resort, I don't know, 

SR Yeah.

EP But maybe not the ideal choice.

SR Oh man. I mean, wow, that is quite an interesting story. Yeah. I mean, dressing professionally is a big part of it. It's like, how people perceive you, and you know, like, once, like, sometimes, like, oftentimes, you are representing your company. Or if you're a freelancer or your contract, you are representing yourself. And so be somebody that people want to do business with, because ultimately, that's what it comes down to. And that's not to say that fam trips are not super fun and so awesome, but it is business. 

EP I mean, they're like, if it's really hot, I understand like, you want to wear, like a T shirt and maybe like some, some khakis. I think it's understandable. But I think there's like, a level of like decorum that you have to think about, to some degree of what I would not wear a work event, such as a fam trip. And I think, unfortunately, that's probably the most extreme versions that we could probably offer you.

SR That's pretty extreme, yeah, but yeah. I mean, like, when it comes to schedules and stuff like that, one of the things that I think is really important is, like, not skipping things, or, like, just going off on your own, necessarily, unless you have, like, made accommodations. 

EP That happens a lot, though, that happens a lot.

SR Unless, like, like, you have a contact on the ground there. So like, if you need to let them know, be like, hey. Like, I really, really need to rest. And I don't think that I have it in need to do this after lunch activity. Like, I need to go back to my hotel room and just like, decompress a little bit. That's fine

EP Yeah.

SR Just communicate, let them know.

EP Yeah. 

SR Like, once again, it's a sign of respect. 

EP Yeah, it's fine to over communicate, especially if you're not sure,

SR Yeah.

EP Just make sure people you know, give them ample time so that they know you're not gonna go. And if it's like it's a dinner, let them know so they don't have to, like, order an extra plate for you,

SR Yeah.

EP I'm sure that costs them as well. 

SR That does.

EP And, yeah, they're already spending probably a good pound on, I don't know why I said pound, but yeah, that's kind of, you know, just, just, like, being thoughtful things like that. I think are, yeah, like, 

SR Yeah

EP People should know, but maybe.

SR Yeah, and I think, like, we can kind of consider that as a do as well, like, communicate, be upfront with your communication, because it will, like, honestly, make you look like a better business deal as a person, right, a better person to work with. Because if you're upfront with your communication, and you're taking care of yourself, you know people are gonna respect you for it at the end of the day. 

EP But also, Sara, I want to ask a question, because this is, like, so not just fam trips, but like, if you're, if you're hosted at, like, a an event, like, like a conference, and we've, we've sort of discussed this at random points in time, but let's say you have the schedule of sessions that are, that are there at the convention, and you've been going for like, two hours straight. How do you feel about not attending every session that is like offered, even if you absolutely like, if every session is interesting to you, but you're but you're running on literally fumes, what do you do?

SR You absolutely should not attend every session. I mean, pick and choose. Like, if every session is interesting, that's awesome. Most events these days record their sessions. You can watch it later. Watch it like, download it and watch it on the plane home, you know. Or watch it when you're on a long car drive to or from the airport, you know. But like, choose the ones that are the most interesting to you, that work with your schedule and that work with your body clock, because ultimately, like, if you don't take care of yourself all of these sessions that are interesting to you, and you try to go to every single one, you're gonna be burnt out. And I know for me personally, I'm not gonna be listening. I'm gonna be sitting in there feeling exhausted, and I am gonna zone out 

EP Mhm.

SR And that I'm not getting as much out of the session as I could, right? So I choose the ones that are the most interesting, that work with my schedule, and the other ones, I can look at those later, because I need to preserve my energy for the sessions that I really, really, really want to be in person for, for the networking, for the receptions where I'm going to connect with people and meet people who are going to be important business relationships, but like, you have got to take care of yourself first, otherwise you're not going to do a good job at anything else, hands down.

EP Right. I have a question, because I'm curious, and also we've also talked about this quite a few times, especially when we're both on the road. But how do you deal with when you know you're you're on the road for say, it's four days, let's say you're with group of people you don't really know that well. How do you deal with feeling like you're alone or lonely? Because that's something that I think we both experienced in our own, different ways 

SR Yeah, it is.

EP And it's easy to feel alone, even with your with people, because you it's, it's, it's an abnormal situation. 

SR It's interesting. 

EP You’re not like, friends with these people, per se,

SR It's interesting.

EP But you don't like, like hang out with them either. 

SR Because, I mean, when we work these jobs where we travel so much, we are traveling all the time, like, say, like a three to five day trip once a month. Already, it is hard to make plans with friends. And like, have a social life outside of work. You know, like, your friends maybe don't live super close. Or, like, everybody is busy, whether they travel for work or not, right? And so having having this work travel mixed in is definitely an extra thing that, like makes scheduling things, finding time to be with friends or family even harder, even though it's only a few days of the month, schedules are limited, right? And so I will be honest, I have felt super lonely on some fam trips. I have, you know, done the whole day, like, been energized, networked and everything, and then I've gone back to my hotel room and, like, watched some Netflix and been like, um, I miss my boyfriend. 

EP It's just like, this weird come-down.

SR I want to see my cat. 

EP Yeah.

SR It’s like, it's strange. It's like, this back and forth and like, for some reason, riding on planes has always made me feel emotional, like seeing the world from that angle, or just being like, I'm going somewhere that is not home, like I'm out in the world. Something about that has always made me feel really emotional. And you know what? I kind of lean into that emotion, like I play some music, like, that amplifies those emotions, because I think it's important to feel them, but at the end of the day, I think traveling all the time can be really lonely and like, once again, you have to prioritize yourself and your well-being. And if you need space from the fam trip, like you need to just like, take, take a night, take a bath. That's the, let's circle back to phones. That's the amazing thing. Call a friend. Be like, call your mom. 

EP Let’s go back to phones.

SR Call your mom. This is your reminder to call your mom. On the other end of that, because I have more thoughts, I will say that like, as I said in the beginning of this episode, you're spending so much time with people. When you're on a fam trip, like you're together all day long for like, a couple days in a row, you make friends. You truly do make friends, and those friendships are a little interesting, because it's like, you don't see each other all the time. You may never see them again even, but I've been lucky enough to go on fam trips where, like, I've seen people that I had met on previous fam trips

EP Mhm.

SR And that's always really special and really cool to be like, hey. Like, it's so nice to see you again. You catch up.

EP Right.

SR And like, you know, you follow each other on social media, like, on Instagram and on LinkedIn, and you stay up to date with one another. And like, that's, that's really special. So, like, you're not, you're not alone, yeah. 

EP And I think it's, it's like, for, at least for us, when we go on field trips, like, we're often with people who are, you know, are coming from other magazines that are technically competitors, right? There was one particular that was kind of funny. So I was at a convention, and I went to go get myself a coffee, and I can't do lactose, so when I ordered my coffee, I was like, Is this lactose? And they messed up my order. And so I was like, okay, it's fine. They made me a new one. And so I had two coffees, and I was like, What am I gonna do with one that I can't drink? And I'm like, so I texted the other reporter, and I was like, Do you want a coffee?

SR Yeah! 

EP And that's how we became friends! I got her a free coffee, I’m like, I’m in!

SR See that’s really nice!

EP Yeah, it was, it was, because, like, the vibe is always like, you know, we're competitors. Like, I can't really, like, I feel like there's like, initial, like, weirdness to it, yeah, and then once you kind of break down, like, I'm still a person, and 

SR Yeah, exactly!

EP I’m not gonna treat you like, like a like a stranger, because 

SR Yeah

EP Just because work in different companies, like, 

SR Yeah.

EP Because that’s not real.

SR Exactly, just like, take care of each other. We're all people. We're all experiencing a new place. We're all away from home. Support one another. You know, like, yes, maybe your companies are competitors, but you're also people trying to like experience a new space and like, sharing experiences, we all know, brings people together. So of course, people are gonna get like, people are gonna develop relationships and bonds, I will say, like, on a positive note, for a major Do for fam trips is, take care of each other. Because once I was on a fam trip in Mexico in Cabo San Lucas, and it was maybe I was a little unprepared when I, like, left in a rush because I forgot my bathing suit. 

[laughter]

SR That was terrible. So I ended up buying like, $120 bathing suit from the resort shop, because it's kind of hard to get around. So, you know, that's an expense that I wish I didn't make, but I'm glad I made it. 

EP Expensive bathing suit.

SR But I’m glad they did have a bathing suit. 

EP Wait, that was, that was in dollars?

SR Yeah, in dollars, in dollars. But anyway, that's kind of an aside. So also a Do, be prepared pack ahead. Yeah, travel is hard. To finish my thought ,in terms of taking care of each other. It was just me and one other writer on this fam trip, and I had been getting gel manicures for a while prior to this fam trip, and I wasn't wearing nail polish on this fam trip. My nails were bare, but because I had been getting so many gel manicures, my nails were weak and brittle. Okay, so, so, so at one point in like, the second day of this five day fam trip, or something like that, I broke my nail down to, like the nail bed where it was like bleeding and like raw skin underneath. And it was super painful, and I needed a band aid, and I didn't have band aids. And I, like, mentioned that to the other person with me, and I was like, I'm gonna go to the front desk and get a band aid, and for some reason, I had trouble getting one. I don't know. They just, like, it's not it's not on them. It's not their fault. They just needed to, like, secure, because they didn't have band aids up at the front desk, you know, whatever. So then, the, like, we have a break, and then the next session comes up. The next time for us to meet comes up. We meet in lobby. I see her there. I say hello, and she pulls a band-aid out of her bag. She's like, I always brings them with me, you know, like, here's a couple for you. And I'm like, that was just such an incredibly kind, such an incredibly easy thing to do. Taking care of each other is so crucial. And like, yeah, that made me feel really, really grateful, seen, cared for, from a person who was technically supposed to be a competitor, but it's like, we're all human beings. Sometimes we break nails and we need a band aid. Like help each other out, man! Like, come on.

EP Yeah.

SR And it's it that was just, like, such a glowing example of just human care. 

EP Yeah.

SR We need a lot more of that. 

EP Yeah, we definitely don't do that enough, unfortunately. We should, but I think we're, I feel like we're all so used to like being in for ourselves. Most of the time, it takes something like that to remind you, like, oh, yeah!

SR Yeah. 

EP There are other people, not just myself.

SR Yeah.

EP In a certain area, who might need something from me, yeah, that they don't have. That's, you know, that's a good thing.

SR It was special. And I think that I'm always gonna remember that.

EP One thing that we've talked about also, we talk a lot of these things is, and we sort of talked about this on our, on a future podcast that we're gonna come out in a couple months, about when you're on fam trips, one thing that there's a lot of is drinks. Whether it's like a cocktail, cocktail hour, or a wine tasting, or they just want to, like, treat you to something and 

SR Right.

EP You just have like, five hours, over a span of five hours, you’re being supplied with a lot of different drinks. And 

SR You're right.

EP You want to be, like, excited about it, because they're doing it for you

SR Right.

EP But you're also feeling yourself slowly, like, 

SR Yeah. Yes.

EP Disassociate from your body because you’re drinking so much.

SR It is important not to over indulge. Actually, I've been on a fam trip where they put on the schedule at our dinners, like there's a two drink limit that will be covered, after that, any additional drinks you will cover yourself, which I think is a really good way, because, like, once again, alcohol is expensive. And if you order like, five drinks in a night, at a dinner, that's a lot of money.

EP The one thing about the trips that we go on is that the drinks are usually really, really good, right? Because they're, like, cocktails and they're specialty and they they're designed, like, I've had some beautiful drinks on fam trips, 

SR Yeah, me too. 

EP How can I get this at home?

SR Totally. Yeah. 

EP But then you have to remember, you're like, I'm still at work. I’m still,

SR Yes. Yeah.

EP I still need to be present,

SR Yes.

EP I need to remember all this in the morning, technically. So it's like, it's, you know, enjoying without overindulging to the point where you don't remember why you're there in the first place.

SR Yeah. I think, like, that's another thing that you know. Like, we've talked about before, I've talked about in interviews. I think we'll discuss it in this podcast episode that we have coming up where we talk about alcohol at events and non-alcoholic options in general, it's a sign of hospitality. It's kind of the status quo that it's a sign of hospitality to offer somebody a drink, like a welcome drink. 

EP Yeah.

SR I mean, the thing about alcohol is, like, it's been pretty much ingrained in our culture, that it's a way to loosen up, and it's a like you drink alcohol in an environment where you're connecting with other people, right? And by offering a free drink or a beautiful drink, it is a sign of hospitality and care. It's a gift, right? 

EP Right.

SR I do think that, as we will talk about in this upcoming episode, it's also really important to offer alternative options you might have, you know. And now I'm speaking to the people who are planning fam trips, you know, like you might have a group of eight people, and like, one out of those eight actually abstains from alcohol for whatever reason, you know,

EP Right.

SR Maybe somebody is pregnant. Like, they should have options. 

EP Yeah.

SR Like, they should have good options. It's once again, hospitality to offer them a wonderful alcohol free alternative. 

EP Yeah, there was one instance recently where someone asked for tea, which is fine, like tea, and they're like, oh, we have a box you can just go through. And I'm like, I don't know something about that felt very like, 

SR Yeah.

EP There's a like, if you're going to be a relatively high class establishment who wants to host events and people and groups, every aspect of your F&B, this is me just being F&B, right fanaticy, but every aspect of your, of your program should have, like, a twist to it. You're just like this. 

SR Yes.

EP Tea is from blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, right? And it's, you know, it's like,

SR That person probably doesn't feel very cared for, no, like they don't feel like sense of hospitality from that. It's like, you know, like, why not make them a beautiful cup of tea? 

EP Yeah, or at least, you know, menu, yeah. Not just go through this box.

SR Or, like, list off the options. Like, we have chamomile green, whatever, unfortunately, beautiful, floral, yeah, whatever. But like, Yeah, I mean, that's, that's about just like that person probably didn't feel very seen or cared for, and that's really and that's gonna affect their perspective on wherever they dined.

EP Mhm, yup.

SR And that's really important.

EP Yeah. 

SR Yeah, hospitality.

EP There’s so many layers to it. You kind of like, once you talk you’re like, actually, there's a lot of things that I didn't think about that I kind of essential to like, an actual like, because there's the experience of your attendees and experience of the people who you want to host your event. There's so many different sides to it,

SR Totally.

EP That it's, it's, it's a little overwhelming. But. It's still interesting in my mind. 

SR It is, it is, I'd say, like, one other thing, just like when it comes to the conclusion of the fam trip, and you know, like, you have some things you loved, you had some things you didn't like so much, you had some things you really didn't like. I think that there are always going to be issues. Don't complain publicly if you have an issue, like, Don't complain, like, don't broadcast to the whole group, like, I had this issue in this and girl, I'm so angry about this and that, you know, no, not necessarily, but I do think, like, it's kind of a sign of respect in general. I have been on a fam trip where I was, like, sort of unhappy with the process, and me and another person on that trip found it a little odd, and we started discussing it. But we discussed it privately between the two of us. We were not broadcasting it to the other people on the trip. And later in like the post fam survey, which you should always respond to, don't you want people to fill out your post event surveys? You know, do the same for fams. But like later in the post event survey, I, you know, wrote out like, hey, like, I sort of experienced like this and that, and I didn't really like this or that, and, like, in the future, this is kind of what I would like 

EP How often do you get those?

SR The post fam surveys?

EP Yeah.

SR Almost always.

EP Interesting. 

SR Yeah. Post fam surveys are kind of the place or, you know, like, if you're on site and you have an issue that needs to get resolved, talk to your onsite contact, right? They're there for a reason, you know. And they probably are like, they're probably going to be like, Oh my gosh, I had no idea. Yeah, I'm happy to make that work for you. I mean,

EP I don’t know if I’ve actually done one before.

SR Really? 

EP I don't, I can't think of any.

SR I feel like I get surveys for most of them. 

EP I don't know. I mean, I can't think of any at the moment. I mean, I don't know I have, I don't think so. Maybe it's different, depending on the agency. 

SR Maybe.

EP Yeah, like, maybe one in the beginning, maybe, yeah, but I don't think I've gotten that many of those. 

SR Definitely. 

EP That's interesting. 

SR Yeah. I mean, they're always and, you know, like, if you don't get a survey and you have feedback, you can email your contact and be like, hey, like, I've and also, I do always try to note the positive things as well, you know, like, 

EP Of course.

SR I really appreciate how you gave us so many breaks in the schedule. I really needed that midday break every day, and that was really great for me to decompress. Or because Marriott has, and their PR agency has, a profile for me, they know to put chips and guacamole in my hotel rooms.

EP Wow, you get spoiled, don't you? I've never been treated like that before.

SR They had me fill their profile once, and like, they asked about favorite snacks and favorite drinks, and I was like, chips and guac. I love chips and guac.

EP Okay, I have a question for you. So one question I get asked a lot, almost by every, every place I go is what, what was my favorite fam trip? So how do you,

SR I get that a lot too.

EP How do you decide how to answer that? Like, because I go off by an experience, like, the most impactful experience that I've had, like, emotionally.

SR Yeah.

EP And it's always, like, my the one where was the ghost tour.

SR Yeah, you told me  about that.

EP I’m curious how, how, how you? 

SR I'm just, I'm honest. Like, you know, you can't ask that and expect me to say, Oh, this fam trip!

EP Well, like, you're still on the fam trip, so you can't, at least answer that one

SR Yeah, but I've been on so many amazing fam trips, it really is hard to choose, but I have been asked that before, and, you know, like, up until now, like, all of them have been really great. But the one that really, really stands out is my Vancouver fam trip. I went there a little over a year ago, and, no, under a year ago, sorry, a little under a year ago. I, it was just like such an amazing trip. One of the things that makes me choose Vancouver is that this one particular activity on the schedule, I went on a sea plane, and it was the coolest experience. And, like, I just remember feeling, like, so much awe and wonder, and, you know, so me choosing like that to be my favorite fam trip is really, really based on me and my preferences and interests. 

EP Mhm.

SR It's gonna be different for everybody. 

EP Yeah, of course, there have been some really, really amazingly planned fam trips, and some that have been like, you know, good and they're all at the end of the day, just like, such a privilege to experience. 

EP Mhm.

SR But yeah, I think, I think when someone asks you what your favorite fam trip is, I received that question as like, they're taking a genuine interest in your travel experiences. So yeah, I mean, like we're all travelers, let's share those experiences, experiences with one another. And like, live vicariously.

EP Even just for work, you can still live vicariously and in a, in an appropriate way. 

SR Yeah.

EP On your fam trip. So just keep these in mind for future fam trips as you 

SR Definitely.

EP go through your career. Because there’s gonna be quite a few of them.

SR I mean, Eming, for you, though. Like, do you have any particular favorite fan trips?

EP Calgary was one of my favorite ones, because the food was really good. 

SR Mmm. Mhm.

EP Memphis, because of the ghost tour.

SR Yeah.

EP Even, because, even though it was spooky and it freaked me out,

SR Yeah.

EP It was, I've never experienced that before in my life, so that's mainly why.

SR I remember.

EP I mean, I think the important part of fam trips is that even though you're there to, like, look at venues, you need to think about what people want to do when they're there, 

SR Yes. Definitely. 

EP Because people aren't always going to be in a meeting. 

SR Yes, and it is also really, really important and relevant to be fully present when you're experiencing these things, you know? Because, like, yeah, I was, I think I was on travel time, clocked in, maybe, but I don't know, I mean, so for the sea plane ride, like, as I said, just like immense wonder and awe, like I have never experienced that, like taking off in the water. It was so bumpy, it was insane. We were so close to the mountains. I swear to God, this plane was full of full grown adults, and everybody had their face glued to the window like a child. It was amazing, like, I just, like that made my heart sing. Like that is so wonder. Like that sense of wonder is so rare and so special. And like that made such an impact on me, 

EP Right.

SR So, like to fully experience that moment. And then I wrote about it in the article that I wrote about that fam trip, and I was like, this was the coolest thing ever. You should definitely do it if you get a chance.

EP Right.

SR Like actively experiencing these things and and, you know, of course, I spoke about, you know, how it felt to be there. This is why you should do it if you get a chance, because this is what it did for me, 

EP Yeah, exactly.

SR To experience these things yourself and be present. Have fun! 

EP Yeah.

SR Have fun. Be there. 

EP We're, we're very lucky that our jobs let us do these things. I get a lot of comments are just, like, you get to go where and where and where? And I'm like, yeah, I'm a travel writer!

SR Yeah.

EP But yeah, it's um, especially for for for people who plan events like it's people who work in this industry are very, very lucky, because not many people get to go to different cities and experience, you know, these unique moments that are pretty much only there, and their whole job is to find these moments to share with the people that want to, want to be at your event.

SR Yeah!

EP So it's, it's, it's really important to, like, think about the little aspects and details that make your event and your fam trip. Like, great because, 

SR Yeah.

EP That's really what it is. It's the ingredients of making something that's perfect. Or perfect enough.

SR Real and memorable. Meaningful.

EP Anything, last nuggets of?

SR No, I really just wanted to talk about the band aid experience, because I think that that's, like, a major Do. No, truly, though, truly though, like, all, all jokes aside, like, it was just the greatest sign of care. And like, I think that, like, we should all treat each other like that as much as possible.

EP That was very sweet. That's very sweet of them to give you a band aid. Your poor finger. 

SR Oh, God, it was awful. 

EP I know.

SR It was so painful. I used to do that too, and then I stopped because I'm pretty sure it was messing up my, making my

SR Yeah, I don't do gel manicures.

EP Yeah, they're great, but they also, 

SR They're great. I love how long I lost, but I can't, I can't. My nails were so brittle.

EP Yeah.

SR And so now I just use regular nail polish, and my nails are chipped right now. 

EP Yeah.

SR We do what we can.

EP Yes, we do it we can. But in the meantime, if you're listening to this particular episode, there's probably also a story on our website, if you want, like, little quick nuggets of information about how to, you know, go on a fam trip. Host a fam trip. All those things. More than happy to give you insights into that. If you have questions on our experiences, feel free to drop us a note

SR Truly.

EP At editor@smartmeetings.com. Yeah, we're here. We're available.

SR We are!

EP We have too too much to say really.

SR And we really want to hear from you.

EP Yeah. It's been cool. It's been great.

SR It’s been great.

EP We'll see you next time. 

SR Thank you for listening.

EP On Smart Start Radio Podcast.

SR And you belong here. 

[music]

You've been listening to Smart Start Radio, a Smart Meetings production. Interested in being our next guest? Connect with us at editor@smartmeetings.com.