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Behind the Travel Business: A Conversation with My Husband, Clint Ranse

Ros: Hey everybody, welcome back to Travel Agent Achievers. I'm Ros, your podcast host, and today I am joined by my husband, Clint, of My Video Producer, Clint, welcome to the podcast. Great to be back. Thank you for being here. I sincerely appreciate you today, where I wanted to talk about something a little bit different. If that's all right with you,

Clint: I'm intrigued. Yeah, I have no idea.

Ros: I've just put you on the spot, haven't I?

Clint: Yep, yep.

Ros: All right, today, I wanted to ask you a few questions about..

Clint: No, we're not going to Italy next week.

Ros: Oh, man, okay. As a travel business owner myself, I know that there are many of our listeners here, and people that are part of our achievers community, that are in relationships and that make it really hard. Sometimes we overthink a lot of things. We feel bad for not being present or showing up and doing certain things that we feel as though we need to do. I wanted to ask you, what is it like to be in a relationship with somebody that, A has their own business, but b It's travel business.

Clint: You've got to expect a certain amount of travel in it, of course, obviously it's part of it. It'd be like me saying, Oh no, I don't make videos. When I'm a video company, you've got to travel. So that's expected. We're pretty lucky in we have our own businesses, so as long as it's planned ahead and scheduled properly. It allows for me to set my business up to be able to do that at that time. Obviously, there's the perks of sometimes we get to join and travel along as well. But I think it's communication is definitely the key. As long as the communications there, you can always make it work, yeah.

Ros: What about as a travel business owner myself, what are some of the cool things that you know you have enjoyed about our relationship over the last I mean, we've been married for 1010, years now. We met each other when we're in high school and came back together when we were 30. I mean, there's been a lot of time that's passed you when we met each other again, I was, I had my own business, and was very fortunate enough to be able to come and join you out on out on the road, and do things with you that you were able to do, but what are some of the cool things that you think now that good, good for you, and that you're enjoying being in a relationship with me as a travel business owner,

Clint: I'm loving that we get to travel the way we want to. We're a lot more educated on our travel, and I think that helps massively with traveling with Jackson, we've also reached a point where we sit down and go, okay, cool, where do you want to go? Where do you want to go? Where do you want to go. So that allows us to plan that kind of stuff. But then, of course, we have, we've met some amazing people through that, like we we've taken on some amazing video projects for clients that you've had and still have and developed relationships with them. On that side as well, and it's helped us not only grow our business, but refine what we wanted to deliver as a business. So on a business side, it's been amazing. On a personal side, it's awesome we get to do that planning like at the moment, we're talking about a lot of bucket list trips coming back into the equation that we hadn't done in previous years, that we've wanted to for a long time, but we're probably looking at them very different to we would have if we did them 10 years ago, and they probably wouldn't have quite been the bucket list trip that they will be when we finally do them if we did them the 10 years ago that we wanted to.

Ros: Yeah, that's true, even with so I specialize in group experiences, and so for a number of years, a lot of the trips that we've done have been for like, a work perspective for me, and from my side of things, it's been a real challenge with when we do travel together. And I know I mean, just coming up in the next couple of weeks, I go to virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas. I'll be speaking whilst I'm there, but my schedule will start at six o'clock in the morning. And even looking at it, and it does, it gives me a headache, but looking at it, I will be starting at six, so it's like I'm on and I will go through probably until 10 to midnight every single day. Way that I'm there with back to back appointments and meeting certain people, breakfast sessions, meetings at lunch, talking about business and connecting with a lot of suppliers and Hoteliers and cruise lines throughout that whole week. One of the hardest things for me when we do travel and it's a work thing is I feel really torn between wanting to deliver an experience or show up for what I need to show up for, because it is still, for me, always a work thing and it's business, whereas when I travel with you guys, or you, you and Jackson come with us, I feel torn because I want to hang out with you. And so there is really, for me, that mentality of, where can I show up as a business owner and run those group experiences, or go to those conferences, or also have that dedicated time with you guys as a holiday? So from your perspective, how do you find that, that do you ever feel is like, Oh, she's just flipping off to another trip, or she's got to go over here for work. I really wish we could go with her, or and then having a holiday, where there are times I still have to work, like when we were in Mexico, I was still filming content with you. We're still I was still connecting with people, like, how do you feel with all of that?

Clint: Well, let me go back, because there's like, eight so going back to I know I hate it when my work life gets so busy and I have to stand around a pool and talk with people and hang out in Vegas and do all that kind of thing like it really sucks having to work. Are you suckers?

Ros: Not at all.

Clint: Okay. It is hard. It's once again, it comes down to that communication part. And I think when we were doing it earlier on, and Jackson was younger, yeah, I would get annoyed. I'd be like, Well, hang on, we flew all this way, and you're just over there at that party, and I get it. Party is work. You're not with us at all. And I used to get frustrated with it. Now it's like, yeah, whatever. Go do your thing. We're gonna go and do our thing, yeah? So I think as long as we keep ourselves busy, then we don't notice, but it's that communication part again for it, I think that's really the key for all of that. It's harder when there's time zones involved. I'm traveling a lot more domestically now than I was internationally previously, so I still like to be able to check in with Jackson overnight and everything to go. Hey, good night, speak to you later. It's a lot harder when you're going to bed and he's getting up.

Ros: Yeah, and I really struggle with that as well, and I think there's also the emotional connection in that. So for me, I really want to hear voices and it brings tears, because I want to be present, and I do want to hear your voice, and I want to hear how the day is going, but I also know that, hey, I get ready for work, and I have to switch into this different mentality, and often I am looking after anywhere from 20 people through to 400 people at the same time. So as much as I want to be on the phone and hear, you know, all the things that are going on, that for me will also be a short how's it going, because my emotions and my heart are so torn to want to be with you guys as well.

Clint: But I think the thing a lot of people forget is, like, when you're traveling and you're working and you're doing all that with your kids, everyone wants to be at everything, but the thing that needs to happen a lot as well is set that example. Don't be afraid to miss something, because you're setting that example that if you want the nice things in life, you've got to work hard, you've got to do things you're not going to want to do every day of work that you have to do. But guess what? That kid's probably going to have a job at McDonald's or somewhere at some point? Somewhere at some point, and they need to have seen that. It's hard work. It sucks sometimes to get up with a headache and have to go to work and do things. But it's not always about being at everything. Sometimes it's you're setting the example that they need to see rather than be there.

Ros: Yeah, I get that. And so that is where, as a business owner and you and I also appreciate this, that we have to show up, because the buck stops with us.

Clint: Well, I think with that, what a lot of people say, like, I know it's been said to me many times, oh, you're at all of Jackson School things. You're at all this. Yeah, I do take a break at two o'clock and duck down to something, but it doesn't mean I'm not back on the computer at midnight and editing a video or doing whatever it's given where it's giving me the balance isn't the amount of work, it's when I can do it.

Ros: The flexibility, and that's what I hear with a lot of travel advisors as well, is that they start their businesses and to be present or to be available, but they really get caught up in the flexibility of time as well. So okay, you're going to have to work after the kids go to bed at night, or you'll have to get up early in the morning in order to have that flexibility. So I Yeah, and I do get torn with that when people will say, Oh, aren't you lucky? You get to travel all over. The place, or Aren't you lucky? You get to be at all of the school events, or at Jackson swimming carnival or an event, but, yeah, we're still putting in the work. 

Clint: I get it all the time from people going, Oh, why didn't you answer my message at 830 last night? Yeah, well, because my phone's in sleep mode, because there's every chance I'm hanging out with my family or I'm actually asleep. Why didn't you reply when I replied to you at 4am yeah, I'm not waiting. I'm not replying, but you get what I mean, like, people have to understand that we're in an era of everyone expects an instant response. That doesn't mean someone else's day is running on the same schedule as yours.

Ros: Yeah, some of the best conversations that I think you and I have had as well as with good friends of ours, Owen and Claire cope, who psychologist, business strategist, and they've looked at things from different perspectives and really challenged us with that communication to then say, we'll set the expectations, set the boundaries, be prepared to have the hard conversations with each other.

Clint: Claire's the one person who can break me and heal me in one comment. It's amazing.

Ros: Yeah, me too. Like, no, she can. She can definitely do that, because I've got a pillow that says, you know, what would Claire say, that I can whack you with exactly for both of us. So I really appreciate that vulnerability and being honest with you know what goes on behind the scenes as business owners, but also to appreciate that we all work hard at the end of the day. We all want to show up for our families, and you know that it's okay. I think that's the big thing, that it's okay to do all the things and do it in your own way. From a travel perspective, yes, you and I have spoken about bucket lists and the things that we want to do. What's the next trip that you really want to go on?

Clint: Well, I'm sort of in a quandary at the moment, because you've discovered that high rocks can be done in other countries. So all of a sudden, I'm signed up for five High Rocks this year. I barely survived the last one, but apparently I'm doing five overseas. I'm trying to make her understand that we can go to those places without me having to kill myself to go.

Ros: I like that. As soon as you said, well, they were available in different countries, and you can sign up as an international like, Bring it on. Like, if that's something that makes you happy, yeah, I'm always up for a challenge.

Clint:  Let's, let's combine certain things, yeah, definitely, aside from the High Rocks ones, which I'm sure something will get thrown in there.

Clint: Yeah, I'm hearing something about a trip to Khan happening that will probably end up with the high rocks around it, but that's happening the bucket list, things like, I've always wanted to do Egypt, and I've always wanted to hike into Machu Picchu, but recently I've been super intrigued with China. I just feel that that's somewhere that we may not be able to travel to in 1520 years, or like it, yeah, like, there's just so much uncertainty that I go, Hey, I really want to get that off the bucket list, because it covers so much stuff, with the dynasties and then the futuristic like you can go and see so much history, that's just amazing. But at the same time, it's like they're living 50 years in the future, and I want to see that so it's almost like they learned from all those 1000s of years that they had before we were around and are in the future. Well, I want to see it. 

Ros: We've also spoken about the seven wonders of the world. And when we were in Mexico, we started going, hang on a second. We've actually ticked a few of these off.

Clint: Yeah, yeah.

Ros: So that's pretty cool to be able to say, what about these different destinations?

Clint: And well, it was quite funny as I was re designing the lounge room wall. The other day, Jackson was looking at the sketches that I was doing, and he's like, those shelves would look great if you had seven of them, one with a monument to each seven wonders of the world in it.

Ros: See, he's even picking it up. Yeah, definitely, he's he's definitely learning about different destinations, different cultures. That is one of the things that I'm really proud of, that you and I have been able to instill in him is that curiosity and learning and understanding that everybody is different and that, yeah, I mean, travel is so unique to everyone from I mean, when I started backpacking as a 20 year old, the travel that you've done, I mean, One of the most memorable experiences that I can remember early on for you, and I was when you were in Prague, yeah. Do you remember that?

Clint:  Yeah, we spent like, eight hours on the phone, and that was before roaming was around. I know that remember, God, that was a ridiculous I was gonna say, luckily, I'd say, very expensive rock very good rock stars paying my bills at that point.

Ros: Do you just want to share what what it was that happened at that point, you arrived in Prague, and you called.

Clint: I arrived in Prague and I Europe's never been big on my research list. So I just went, Hey, I'm in Prague. I have no idea where I'm going, what I'm doing, but I got a day off, and I don't know what to do. And you were like, okay, cool. What hotel are you in? I told you. And you're like, cool. Walk out, turn right, go two blocks, and I basically talked to you while I walked around Prague the whole day.

Ros: Yeah, it was pretty amazing. It was like an AI tour guide before were very expensive one at that. And then I remember you did because I felt as though I was right there with you because I'd previously been to Prague and talk to you about the different monuments and the history and what was going on there. And from my travel background, that's where I get really passionate and excited that I can share, you know, experiences and the sights and the smells and the emotional connection behind it. But you then did that again when you arrived in Verona.

Clint: Yeah.

Ros: Well, Verona, we were playing in this really cool old Coliseum, and we were the first band to really do it. So it was really unique. Setup day. All the stage hands turned up in white loafers and collared shirts, and we're like, oh my God, what's going on. So we ended up with hours to just kill. So it was like, Hey, go over to here and have the pizza, do this. And then we finished show, and I'm like, right? We've got two hours till we leave. What are we doing? You're like, Have you been around Romeo and Juliet's balcony yet? I'm like, balcony yet? I'm like, What? What are you talking about? And I said, it's right around.

Clint: So we went for a walk around there, and I could still remember this day, and Paul Bassett, the drum tech, was with me. We were walking down this marble area, and this girl went past us on a bike at a million miles an hour, and as she went to turn the corner, the bike slid out from underneath us, but because all the marble was so smooth, and she was in long pants and everything her and the bike just slid and kept going out of view around the corner, and just kept going. We're like, was that real?

Ros: And then you saw and then we went

Clint: and checked out the balcony and saw the story all behind and everything got back, jumped on the bus and took off to the next place. Yeah, there's been some weird stories, like we pulled up at the Red Square, yes, in Moscow, and you've never seen anything funnier than 30 roadies running as far as you can through Red Square to go and check out Stalin's grave and everything, because we were going to get arrested if the busses got caught parked where they were. So we were like, well, it was one of those asks for forgiveness, not permission moments

Ros: So many cool things. I mean, I even think about from running a business, and one of the coolest opportunities that I had was to come out on tour with you, and I used to call it my roadie summer camp. I was very different to a lot of other people that would turn up. 
What was your greatest memory of Sturges Bike Week?

Clint: The greatest memory. There were a lot of things that happened Sturgis Bike Week specifically,

Ros: Oh, that was just it was very different and unique for me turning up to Sturgis Bike Week. I mean, the boys out on tour used to call me the librarian. A, that I couldn't handle my alcohol. But B I would turn up and say, Where can I pitch in? What can I do to help? I mean, I had my travel business, but because of my admin background, project management, I would, you got to find out what doing a guest list in an LA show was like, where everyone who's a nobody wants to come to the show that I just got in there and, like, big names didn't bother me. I had no idea who anybody was. It was just like, Nope, you're not on the guest list. 

Clint: That would be hilarious, because I'd be standing on one side of the stage explaining to her who the rock star was that she just had a great conversation with.

Ros:  Yeah, that was kind of, I remember the Sammy Hagar one with Jaimie. That was funny.

Ros: Yeah, exactly. And I came back to you and I said, I said, I just, I just had a conversation with so Sammy Hager and you're like, what? Like, I don't know who they are. It's to me, they're all humans. That's one of the best things about my naivety and innocence, I would say. But we've definitely had a lot of incredible moments that we can think of, even being in Vanuatu together and using a phone call.
What was the Vanuatu phone call t
not go out on tour with Michael Jackson? No, that was Fiji. Oh, we're in Fiji.

Clint: Yeah. That was Fiji. Yeah. That was, we're in Fiji. And I remember I had my phone on airline mode, and I flipped my phone over to go to the gym and listen to some music while I was working out. And then, literally, in the minutes I turned it on, the phone call came in from Canada. On Hey, we you're not going to England anymore for that Michael Jackson tour. We've switched you out. You're going to go to fly to Florida, and you're going to meet a guy called Kid Rock and take over that tour, because it needs some help. And I flew to Florida, and we were Michael Jackson died, he did. But initially, you and I were quite disappointed, because I was going to pick up Milo, yeah, come with you. We were going to, they had an apartment for us in the UK. We were going to live there because we were playing the old to arena. It was going to be a residency for a period of time. So, yeah, they were doing individual apartments for us. And family were invited and everything. But yeah, turns out, five and five years later, I was still with Kid Rock.

Ros: I know, who became a good friend, and that tour became like family. And for me, as I said, my roadie summer camps, I was able to come out on the bus with you and and see a lot of America.

Clint: Really cool. Then going back to bucket list. So. Still need to do Alaska, because it's the only state I haven't done.

Ros: Yeah, well, Alaska, and then we'll do the Arctic together, see the polar bears. I mean, there's some really cool adventures that we get to do together. And probably one of the things that we're able to do last year was go to Tahiti, just as a couple. And I think that that's really important for business owners and working in travel, that you are able to have experiences, yes, with the family, and I mean, this is my personal opinion, to have experiences with the family and teach the kids about culture and history and all of the things that we get to educate our clients on, but also to have some quality time together.

Clint: Yeah, it's a very different trip, because the adventure stuff that I would normally do I end up doing on my own.

Ros: Hey, I went, did e bikes and I snorkel, as I said, the adventure stuff I go and do on my own.

Clint: Yeah, okay, all right, I get that.

Ros: I'm a bit of a scaredy cat, but
it's a definite must.

Clint: You do have to find time for each other no matter what like, as I've said to you many times, it's great. We're bringing up Jackson, we're doing all that kind of thing, but in another 810, years, Jackson's gonna be gone, and it's gonna be just us, and we need to make sure we haven't lost each other in that meantime.

 Ros: Yeah, that is true. We'll continue to travel, we'll continue to have businesses. One thing that Clint always teases me about is at our anniversary dinners. If we go at our anniversary dinners, at an anniversary dinner, you're always a year. You're always a blueprint.

Clint: That is true over the last few years.

Ros: But there has been times where we've gone together to an event or a conference that I'm also working at, and we've gone out for dinner, and we go, Cool, what can we what can we talk about? And turns into a business conversation. I whip out the notepad, and I get teased for it, but you know, at the end of the day, we're in it together. We have a lot of fun with what we do. There are always challenges in life and as business owners, as parents, as partners, there'll be the roller coaster that we go on. But I just want you to know that I'm super grateful for everything that you do and how we're raising Jackson together. We get to have the opportunities that we can go and pick up Jackson from school together, that we can drop him off, that we can attend sporting functions, and thank you for being my partner in adventure in life. Love doing it.

Clint: Wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. Thanks, babe. Love you.