Sep 5, 2008

New Business Travel Feature Writer

I’m the new Feature Writer for Business Travel. I’ve been toiling for a couple of years in the Business & Finance section of Suite101 and I just made the move from Insurance to Business Travel this week.

I spent many years travelling almost non-stop for business. It was exhausting. And it was kind of a trial by fire, since there was no one to tell me what to expect when I walked onto that first airplane.

I’ve had some funny moments as a business traveler.

I once arrived so late for a flight that the signs that announced boarding information were already down. Since the flight included heads of several departments that were all counting on me to be there, the relief was evident when I strolled on board with the door whistling shut behind me. Once I was traveling on business and I overslept and missed the beginning of a seminar. Some joker had set the clock in my hotel room to his time zone and I never thought to see if it was the correct time. Since the fellow leading the seminar lost his voice the night before and had wanted me to take over, everyone was waiting for me when I walked in an hour late.

And there have been many other times when business travel has proved funny- or heartwarming. I’ve been lucky to meet people all over the country and to hear their personal stories and the experience has changed me. It’s made me a better writer.

I’ve already started writing articles in the Business Travel section of Suite101.com. I source my own topics and I have at least one article due every week, so I welcome suggestions and press releases for new story ideas.