We’ve traded in hostels and backpacks for Holiday Inns and portfolios this summer. That’s right loyal readers, Rhyme & Reason has entered the world of business travel – Woot! Okay, so I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid I thought Santa Claus was the real deal and that business travel included complimentary room service. Turns out, my dad and Santa bear a striking resemblance to one another (oddly enough, my dad really does look like Santa) and Belgium waffles don’t magically appear at your door in the morning.

So what does business travel consist of if sugary breakfast foods served on silver platters aren’t part of the mix? For starters, if you’re hitting the road with us, you should probably pack a few essentials.  For our frequent trips to Tampa, it’s important to pack the SPF (we can’t announce the new client yet, but I can tell you they are sticklers for the sunscreen). Then for a visit to the Buckeye capital, might I suggest leaving the Gator gear out of your bag? I know, I know, I practically bleed orange and blue, but we try to make friends not enemies with the locals. Lastly grab your party hat because when we arrive in Indianapolis this August, we have a big launch party at Alpha Sigma Alpha’s headquarters.

Now that you’re bags are packed, it’s time to hit the airport. There are a couple things you should know about our time in airports; we don’t believe in checking baggage, so you should probably come up with a way to strategically carry-on your suitcase, laptop bag and purse (I roll my purse up and shove it in my suitcase, the purse Gods I hear are disgusted by this behavior). We also refuse to pay for wi-fi. The good thing is, most airports offer free wi-fi, for a list of airports that do, check out this website: http://smallbusiness.com/wiki/Free_wifi_airports. As for the ones who don’t (ahem DCA and ATL) I’m not really sure why they deprive travelers of this vital need, and I’d be more than happy to provide them with a list of reasons as to why it would be beneficial.

Once we have landed at our destination, it’s best that you put your game face on because until we are snoozing away in seat 18C on our return flight, we are in preparation and presentation mode. This means we read and re-read our slides, arrive every where at least 15 minutes early and have a good portion of the client’s or the prospect’s website memorized. I know that sounds a little intense, but I promise we do lighten up. In fact, we always hit the gym for some sweat equity in the morning and end our days with a nice cold beer (the watermelon brew at the Elevator restaurant in Columbus is awesome!).

As with any travel, business or pleasure, there will always be delays, the odd smelly hotel room and a perpetual feeling of being lost. but overall, traveling means you get to rack up frequent flier miles, meet some great people and catch up with old friends. So are you ready to hit the road with us?