Today we’d like to introduce you to Lainey Melnick.
Hi Lainey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I intended to follow a path in media, film production and worked in a variety of jobs along those lines. I was a DJ and worked in Chicago Radio, I worked for CBS in television production, I dabbled in film production and owned a video production company. When I couldn’t work in media, I worked in the computer industry in product management, marketing and sales positions. My high tech skills brought me to focus on digital video editing which was still in the early stages. I developed the first video dating website which was eventually bought by match.com. This led me to be hired in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop computerized video editing products for high-tech companies as a product line manager and Director of Marketing. I led the consumer division for this product line. I had been divorced with two young children and my new husband, who found me from my website, was an engineer and was offered a transfer to a branch of his company in Austin where we could easily live on only his salary, double the size of our house, and I could have two more children. While raising our 4 children, I worked in businesses from home, first as a real estate broker and then I opened my travel agency. I became involved in politics, worked for Obama and then ran for the US House of Representatives. I was appointed Commissioner of Ce-Bar Fire Department. My travel business combined all of my previous skills, high tech, marketing, sales, PR and I focus on travel videos and social media networking and influencing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have had many challenges throughout my life. My desire to follow my dreams was always diverted by life and other responsibilities. Initially, I had hoped to work in a large city with many options for media production but instead, I made the choice to go to a small city with only one TV station. I had been offered a position but they never had the budget to follow through so I ended up working as a manager at Domino’s Pizza instead. That was definitely not in my plans. Divorce also threw its own wrenches into my plans forcing me to choose between my business and feeding my family. I’ve been on food stamps, and struggled financially, but always pushed ahead and put my family first. I am now in the top 10% of sales for our agencies worldwide and am grateful that resilience paid off.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I use my 35+ years of executive experience in media, technology, marketing and management to advise and curate my clients’ bespoke travel experiences. I specialize in luxury travel by jet, yacht, cruise, rail, chauffeur, and self-drive, plus I assist with global vacation villa rentals. I don’t charge for my services. My worldwide travel supplier partners build my commission into their pricing so my service is only to your advantage.
CEO @ Dream Vacations – Lainey Melnick & Associates
Westlake Hills | Austin TX
www.855GR8TRIP.com
lmelnick@dreamvacations.com
Follow my links: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
Over 500K views on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/user/laineymelnick
Featured In
Austin-American Statesman • Westlake Picayune • Travel Agent Central • TravelPulse • Travel Market Report • CultureMap Austin • Business Insider • Shalom Austin • The Jewish Outlook • Community Impact Newspaper • Life in Westlake • Neighbors of Westlake • Barton Creek Resort Living • Rob Roy Living Magazine • San Antonio Express News • KVUE-TV • KLRN-TV • KRRT-TV • News8Austin • Texas Public Radio • News Radio 1200 WOAI • 1230 AM Radio • KTSA Radio • KUTX Radio
Awarded
2021 Game Changer Award • 2019 Brand Ambassador Award • 2018 Travel Influencer Award • 2018 Westlake Chamber of Commerce Member of the Quarter • 2017 OPAL Outstanding Performance & Leadership Award for Women • 2017 Top Producer – Club Med • 2010 True Blue Award Recipient.
Brands I’ve Impacted
Crystal Cruises • Regent Seven Seas • Celebrity Cruise • Disney Destinations • Avalon Waterways • Princess Cruises • Royal Caribbean International • Carnival Cruise • Norwegian Cruiseline • Sandals Resorts • Beaches Resorts • The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa • Tabacon Resort & Spa • Nantipa • Los Altos Resort • AM Resorts • Karisma Resorts • Club Med Resorts • RIU Resorts • Hilton Resorts • Bimini Big Game Resort • Villas of Distinction • Volcanoes National Park • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest • Trekking with Tim • Trafalgar Travel • Globus Tours • ALG Vacations • GOGO Vacations • Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau • Tourism Australia • New Zealand Tourism • Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau • Explore France • Japanese National Tourism Organization • Jamaica Tourist Bureau • Inspired by Iceland • Bahamas Ministry of Tourism • Visit Las Vegas • Visit New Orleans • Visit Costa Rica • Visit Mexico.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
There is so much about my background that is surprising it’s hard to narrow this down. I’ve had a very interesting life. Both of my parents were famous. They were teenagers when they got married and so I was able to witness their rise from poverty to fame. My mother wrote movie reviews and my father developed the treatment for insomnia that is still used today. I was born in France while my Dad was in the Air Force. I have a poem that was published and am an artist. I have been in movies, radio, television and ran for Congress. I’ve known and hugged three Presidents.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.855GR8TRIP.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/laineymelnick
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/855GR8TRIP/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lmelnick
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/laineymelnick
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/dream-vacations-lainey-melnick-and-assoc-austin-2
- TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@
laineymelnick - Other: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
