Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Lipson
Hi Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Brooklyn based entrepreneur, mom of two boys and avid family traveler. Brooklyn Family Travelers was born out of my love for travel and a deep desire to explore the world — and make up for lost time. I got on an airplane for the first time when I was 16. I was afraid to fly and traveling was extremely difficult and stressful for many years. As a parent, I wanted to start my kids out with a different experience. I wanted to make travel something that was routine for them and not something unusual. My mission with Brooklyn Family Travelers is to make travel accessible and possible for more families. Money, time and stress are all three big obstacles to travel for most people and my goal is to make travel cheaper, help families use the time they have wisely and take a lot of the stress and unknowns out of traveling the world with kids in tow!
I am a Brooklyn based entrepreneur, mom of two boys and avid family traveler. Brooklyn Family Travelers was born out of my love for travel and a deep desire to explore the world — and make up for lost time. I got on an airplane for the first time when I was 16. I was afraid to fly and traveling was extremely difficult and stressful for many years. As a parent, I wanted to start my kids out with a different experience. I wanted to make travel something that was routine for them and not something unusual. My mission with Brooklyn Family Travelers is to make travel accessible and possible for more families. Money, time and stress are all three big obstacles to travel for most people and my goal is to make travel cheaper, help families use the time they have wisely and take a lot of the stress and unknowns out of traveling the world with kids in tow!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m both the founder of Brooklyn Family Travelers and founder & CEO of a music school I started over 15 years ago called Blue Balloon Songwriting for Small People. Entrepreneur life has its challenges, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Brooklyn Family Travelers came out of my love of travel but also is the result of organizing Blue Balloon to run itself in a way that I never thought would be possible. I didn’t take a true vacation for 12 of the 15 years I’ve had Blue Balloon. Whether I was home or on a trip, my phone was in my hand and I was putting out fires and dealing with the day to day that comes with running any business. It was exhausting and I was burnt out. It took time, but now that I have a wonderful team running the day to day of Blue Balloon, I’ve been able to focus on other things like travel and new business ideas. Enter: Brooklyn Family Travelers!
I’m both the founder of Brooklyn Family Travelers and founder & CEO of a music school I started over 15 years ago called Blue Balloon Songwriting for Small People. Entrepreneur life has its challenges, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Brooklyn Family Travelers came out of my love of travel but also is the result of organizing Blue Balloon to run itself in a way that I never thought would be possible. I didn’t take a true vacation for 12 of the 15 years I’ve had Blue Balloon. Whether I was home or on a trip, my phone was in my hand and I was putting out fires and dealing with the day to day that comes with running any business. It was exhausting and I was burnt out. It took time, but now that I have a wonderful team running the day to day of Blue Balloon, I’ve been able to focus on other things like travel and new business ideas. Enter: Brooklyn Family Travelers!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Brooklyn Family Travelers aims to make travel easier for families and sharing expert points and miles advice that makes travel cheaper and more accessible. As family travelers, we love visiting cities, immersing ourselves in new cultures and languages and really getting to know a new place. While there is always a time and place for putting your feet up on a beach vacation, my goal is to make all kinds of travel possible for more families. Want to save money on a hotel? Why not use points? Do your kids lose it when you try to take them on an overnight flight in economy? Why not use miles and book business class? Stressed out by the day to day of a trip and how to plan an itinerary? We have curated detailed itineraries to help families navigate new cities and delve into the culture of the place they are visiting. Need packing inspiration? We’ve got that too! Feeling like you just need a community of fellow, like minded travelers to get some ideas and strategies? We have that too!
Brooklyn Family Travelers aims to make travel easier for families and sharing expert points and miles advice that makes travel cheaper and more accessible. As family travelers, we love visiting cities, immersing ourselves in new cultures and languages and really getting to know a new place. While there is always a time and place for putting your feet up on a beach vacation, my goal is to make all kinds of travel possible for more families. Want to save money on a hotel? Why not use points? Do your kids lose it when you try to take them on an overnight flight in economy? Why not use miles and book business class? Stressed out by the day to day of a trip and how to plan an itinerary? We have curated detailed itineraries to help families navigate new cities and delve into the culture of the place they are visiting. Need packing inspiration? We’ve got that too! Feeling like you just need a community of fellow, like minded travelers to get some ideas and strategies? We have that too!
From individual tailored coaching sessions around points and miles travel, complimentary credit card strategy calls, shopping lists, group classes and community, Brooklyn Family Travelers is the place to be for all things family travel.
As an artist, musician, entrepreneur, creative and mom, I created Brooklyn Family Travelers as a way to help families become more attuned and caring global citizens without breaking the bank.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I am a big fan of the library app Libby! My kids are avid readers and carrying a big stack of books on a trip was not sustainable. Using Libby, we can download books to our kindles and the whole library at our fingertips at home and abroad. We are also big fans of podcasts like “How I Built This” and “This American Life”. These are especially fun on road trips! Even when the kids were in early elementary school, they enjoyed listening to these podcasts and following the interesting stories.
I am a big fan of the library app Libby! My kids are avid readers and carrying a big stack of books on a trip was not sustainable. Using Libby, we can download books to our kindles and the whole library at our fingertips at home and abroad. We are also big fans of podcasts like “How I Built This” and “This American Life”. These are especially fun on road trips! Even when the kids were in early elementary school, they enjoyed listening to these podcasts and following the interesting stories.
Traveling the world with kids isn’t easy but it’s worth it! Whether you are a seasoned traveler with a stockpile of points and miles or someone who has never left the country or held a rewards card, Brooklyn Family Travelers can teach you how to stay in 5 star hotels, fly business class and explore the world without spending a fortune.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brooklynfamilytravelers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkfamilytravelers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/626767135902741/?mibextid=oMANbw
Image Credits
The image with the text over it is by Delphine Warin.
Photo 4 in the last page is Stephen Zezza
The rest are mine Rachel Lipson
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