In the green room at Phocuswright with... David Holyoke

David Holyoke, Airbnb for Work

As global head of Airbnb for Work, David Holyoke oversees the strategic direction and operation of the company's business travel vertical. He previously worked at Travel Leaders Corporate as well as American Airlines. At The Phocuswright Conference 2018, Holyoke will take part in an executive roundtable on corporate travel.

In a series of interviews with executives participating at the event in Los Angeles in November, PhocusWire finds out what makes them tick...

What one mistake do you witness others making more than anything else?

Overthinking decisions and not trusting your gut. It’s always good to bounce ideas off others, but you have gut instincts for a reason. You should trust them and bring people along the journey with you vs. drawn out decisions made by committee.

What assumption about travelers have you found not to be true?

That business travel has to be boring and monotonous. You don’t have to relive Groundhog Day every time you set off on a trip.

Who is the person you most admire within the industry?

My wife. She is the one who actually got me into this industry. She saw something in me I didn’t see, and I followed in her footsteps.

Tell us something you dislike about your role in the company.

It’s less about Airbnb, and more about not having enough time in one day. I wish we could all better balance our time with colleagues with time listening to our customers.

It’s so important for us to be in the market and understand our customers’ experiences. I wish there was an extra two hours in the day we could all spend with hosts and guests.

What do you do to alleviate stress?

I spend time with my family. I also make my own bourbon. It’s just as fun to make it as it is to drink it and share with others.

What's your morning routine?

I make sure to disconnect each day and have breakfast with my daughters, then take them to school.

What do you consider to be the best important invention in the digital world in the last 20 years?

Everyone is going to say this, but it has to be the smartphone. What would you do if someone took your phone away for a week? Or even a day? 

What's your one travel hack everyone should know?

Showing human kindness at every step of your travel journey. You’d be surprised how often you’ll get upgraded without even asking.

What's your must-have app?

Airbnb!

What book do you recommend to others and why?

I’ll take the nontraditional route and recommend immersing yourself in the news. I’m religious about reading the news - The Wall Street, The New York Times, Phocuswire, etc. I like to spend time keeping up on current events and the world around us vs. fictional worlds.