Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team wraps up 2025 with a special year-end reflection. David Shull (CEO and co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share recent product updates, then look back on the biggest wins, hardest lessons, and most memorable moments of the year. From the redesigned client mobile app and commission reconciliation progress to honest lowlights and powerful advisor stories, it’s a fast-paced look at how Tern evolved in 2025. Plus, a preview of what the team is excited about heading into 2026.
Episode Topics: (00:00) End of Year Flight Path and What’s Ahead David introduces the year-end format and previews product updates, highlights, and learnings.
(01:16) Project Expedition Integration Improvements Brad covers updates to saving tours and option blocks in the library.
(03:02) Booking Automation and Auto-Attached Vouchers Authorized bookings now automatically include confirmations, commissions, and vouchers.
(03:55) Quality of Life Updates Improvements to website image importing and auto-filled document titles.
(05:15) Favorite Feature of 2025: Client Mobile App Molly shares why the redesigned app stands out, including offline mode and client actions.
(08:27) Favorite Feature of 2025: Commission Reconciliation Brad explains how reconciliation workflows now save agencies hours of work.
(10:18) Booking Integrations and Content Organization David highlights progress toward integrated booking workflows and better content organization.
(12:26) Learnings and Lowlights: Agency Implementations Brad discusses the complexity of migrating agencies from legacy systems.
(16:51) Community Feedback That Changed Priorities David reflects on feedback that reshaped Tern’s focus on simplicity.
(19:05) Trust and Transparency Lessons A candid look at a pricing miscommunication and what the team learned.
(19:39) Editor Migration Challenges Molly shares lessons from migrating legacy editor data and improving future rollouts.
(22:46) Memorable Advisor Moments Highlights from the user conference and industry events.
(25:31) Cancun Retreat and Poolside Training Brad recounts agency training sessions and unexpected moments.
(28:56) Cookies, Clicks, and Community Energy Molly shares lighthearted moments and advisor culture highlights.
(30:18) Emotional Moments on Stage Brad reflects on live reactions during the user conference keynote.
(32:19) Real Impact on Advisors’ Lives Molly shares powerful stories of time saved and lives changed.
(33:33) Team Gratitude and Reflection David reflects on the team retreat and building alongside an exceptional community.
(35:02) What’s Next in 2026 Molly previews an ambitious roadmap and a fully ramped team.
(36:08) Moving Faster and the Next User Conference David looks ahead to increased execution speed and New Orleans.
(37:40) Improving the Hardest Workflows Brad previews upcoming workflow improvements.
(38:08) Closing Thanks and Holiday Send-Off The team thanks the advisor community and closes out the year.
Show Highlights: Project Expedition tours can be saved individually or as reusable option blocks. Bookings now auto-attach confirmations, commissions, and vouchers. The client mobile app became a defining launch of 2025. Commission reconciliation now saves agencies significant time.
Episode Overview:
In this episode, the Tern team recaps an action packed week featuring their final 2025 webinar, major product milestones, and behind the scenes reflections from the entire R and D org. Hosts David Shull (CEO and Co founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) dive into the chaos, adrenaline, and community love surrounding the event. From faster trip planning improvements to the first ever fully automated booking flows in Tern, it is a fast paced look at how the platform is evolving to better support travel advisors. Plus, a peek into upcoming host agency tools and the future of AI powered trip building.
Episode Topics:
(00:00) Kicking Off and Community Appreciation
The hosts return after a short break, sharing gratitude for listeners and reacting to jaw dropping Spotify Wrapped stats.
(01:31) Post Webinar Hangover and Team Reflections
Brad and Molly talk about the energy and exhaustion of shipping a massive release, plus the emotional impact of seeing real time chat reactions from advisors.
(04:49) Webinar Recap and Behind the Scenes
David walks through the tightly timed final hours leading up to the event, engineering pushes at 1:30 AM, and the surreal moment of booking something live for the first time.
(07:40) Faster Trip Planning
Molly reveals a last minute surprise feature: drag and drop day swapping powered by AI assisted coding and quick engineering refinement.
(10:39) AI Assist Improvements
The team explains the move from 4.0 to 5.1 models, new agentic workflows, and the groundwork being laid for smarter, more interactive trip building.
(12:56) Your Photo Library in Tern
Brad breaks down why the new personal photo library is a game changer for advisors who rely on their own site visit media, and David explains how licensing and sharing permissions work.
(18:45) Upgraded Out of the Box Photos
Molly introduces the switch to Unsplash for higher quality default images and previews how AI will eventually auto suggest or auto insert relevant photos.
(22:03) The New Era of Booking in Tern
Brad and David outline the first integrations with Project Expedition and insurance partners, the philosophy behind eliminating admin heavy booking work, and the long term vision for a fully automated booking ecosystem.
(27:17) How Advisors Can Influence Integrations
A call to action for advisors to nudge their preferred suppliers toward integrating with Tern.
(29:56) Insurance Partners and Choice
David clarifies how Tern evaluates partners and why user demand and flexibility matter more than dictating supplier relationships.
(30:23) Host and Sub Agency Updates
Molly previews the forthcoming host agency model with multi layer accounting support, while she and David address unexpected community concerns around MLM terminology.
(34:08) Company Retreat and What’s Next
The team prepares for their annual retreat, outlines support expectations for the upcoming week, and previews a special year in review episode.
Show Highlights:
Major AI Assist improvements powered by the 5.1 model
New personal photo libraries that bring itineraries to life
The first ever live booking flow demonstrated in Tern
Stronger insurance and activity integrations that reduce admin
A new architecture for host and sub agency models
Upgraded Unsplash photo sourcing for beautiful itineraries
A surprise “swap days” feature that kills a thousand clicks
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team recaps a packed week leading into the upcoming December webinar. David Shull (CEO and Co Founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) dive into advisor training moments from the Cancun retreat, major improvements to agency contact ownership, new group trip signup enhancements, and fresh reporting filters that make sales insights cleaner. From behind the scenes of product architecture to Thanksgiving plans and annual strategy prep, it’s a lively look at how Tern is leveling up for advisors. Plus, a hint at Molly’s secret feature challenge for the webinar.
Episode Topics:
(00:01) Welcome and Episode Kickoff The team sets the stage for the pre Thanksgiving episode and previews the big December webinar.
(00:50) Brad’s Advisor Retreat and Integration Progress Brad shares highlights from live advisor training in Cancun and updates on booking flow integrations.
(03:17) Molly’s Annual Planning Deep Dive Molly walks through early 2026 planning, user conversations, and progress on agency structure architecture.
(05:15) David’s New Orleans Site Visit David recounts his first event site visit and previews how Tern is leveling up the 2026 user conference.
(09:24) What We Shipped: Agency Contact Ownership Molly explains new contact management controls that support different agency models and protect key relationships.
(14:19) Quality of Life Updates with Brad Brad shares improvements to the group trip signup flow, task contact shortcuts, and fixes to scheduling emails.
(19:03) Sales Reports and New Filters Molly announces a new filter to exclude noncommissionable bookings from reporting views.
(20:02) Looking Ahead: Webinar Prep and Holiday Chaos The team previews Thanksgiving plans, leadership offsite sessions, and final pushes toward the December webinar.
Show Highlights: Better agency tools that honor different contact ownership models Clearer group trip signup flow that reduces traveler confusion New reporting filters for cleaner, commission focused sales insights Fun behind the scenes previews of annual planning and webinar prep
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team kicks off with a warm welcome to Abby, Tern’s new Head of Customer Experience, as she joins David Shull (CEO and Co founder) and Molly Johnson (Head of Product). Together they dive into the past two weeks of conferences, new learnings from advisors, and the evolution of Tern’s CX strategy. From major AI Assist upgrades to improvements in agency workflows, it is a fast paced look at how Tern is building both smarter tools and a stronger customer support foundation. Plus, a sneak peek into the big reveals planned for the December 4 webinar.
Episode Topics:
(00:00) Week in Review
The team recaps CruiseWorld and the Signature Conference, Abby’s first trade show experiences, and life on the road during event season.
(06:37) What Customer Experience Means at Tern
Abby introduces her role and outlines how support, success, implementation, and training will now operate together to improve advisor outcomes.
(09:42) Topic Based Office Hours and Tern and Learn Improvements
How new flexible training formats help advisors join sessions when they actually need support.
(12:11) Balancing Learning Styles Across Agencies
The team discusses different user personas and how Tern is designing resources that work for Loom lovers, deep dive learners, and AI first advisors.
(17:31) Major AI Assist Upgrade Molly breaks down the new ability to automatically match hotels from PDFs to Tern’s verified database, enhancing itineraries with photos and structured details.
(23:30) Quality of Life Updates
From media tab improvements to commission payout logic and better group trip workflows, the team walks through the latest usability fixes.
(34:11) Additional Enhancements
Refreshed team management pages, display improvements for cruise room categories, and ongoing refinements based on Facebook group feedback.
(36:52) Looking Ahead
Planning for Tern’s next users conference, huge architectural upgrades, and big reveals coming in the December 4 webinar.
(39:15) CX Team Focus for Next Week
Support metrics, onboarding guides, agency training for year end commissions, and coverage planning for holidays and offsites.
Show Highlights:
New AI Assist enhancements that automatically match hotels to Tern’s database
Upcoming training improvements including topic based office hours
Better commission payout logic tied to overall trip dates Upgrades that make group trip collaboration more seamless Design refreshes that set the stage for large host agency tooling
Early hints at major December 4 webinar announcements
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives deep into what’s been happening across product, design, and strategy. Hosts David Shull (CEO and Co-Founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share updates from Cruise World, new supplier integrations, and major reporting improvements. From a peek at Tern’s long-term vision to how they’re scaling customer experience, it’s a jam-packed conversation on the evolution of Tern and what’s next.
Episode Topics: (00:52) Supplier Integrations and Insurance Partnerships
Brad shares behind-the-scenes work on new supplier and insurance integrations and what it takes to get them right.
(02:31) Host Agency Improvements
Molly breaks down the complexity of supporting multi-layer agency structures and how Tern is designing scalable solutions.
(06:05) Cruise World Highlights
David recaps Cruise World, including advisor feedback, sales training insights, and community takeaways.
(09:03) Addressing “Will Tern Sell?”
The team discusses long-term commitment, mission alignment, and why Tern’s here to stay.
(15:03) Project Expedition Tour Library
A new supplier integration goes live, saving advisors time with drag-and-drop tours and media-ready itineraries.
(25:24) Reporting Revamp and Legacy Cleanup
Molly unveils a fully updated reporting system with better filters, export options, and saved views.
(34:06) Quality of Life Updates
Brad outlines smaller but impactful changes, from workflow tag automation to improved contact import reliability.
(38:49) Looking Ahead: Customer Experience and AI Enhancements
David previews new leadership in customer success and Molly teases upcoming AI-powered itinerary improvements.
Show Highlights:
• New tour integrations through Project Expedition now in beta
• Smarter reporting with filters, exports, and saved views
• Tern’s leadership reaffirms its long-term vision and independence
• Big strides in support structure and user experience
• Upcoming AI photo and content enhancements to speed up trip planning
Episode Overview: In this Halloween edition of Flight Path, the Tern team including David (CEO and Co-founder), Brad (Head of Design), and Molly (Head of Product) share major platform updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the rollercoaster week that brought them to life. From launching Tern’s first tour integration with Project Expedition to fresh reporting enhancements and email system recovery, this episode is packed with insight, innovation, and a little Halloween spirit.
Episode Topics:
(00:00) Halloween Kickoff and Weekly Check-In
The team shares their Halloween plans, family costumes, and a few funny moments before diving into the week’s highlights.
(05:34) Global Search Enhancements
Molly outlines improvements to Tern’s new Global Search, including faster load times, clickable confirmation chips, and refined keyboard shortcuts.
(10:47) Introducing Project Expedition Integration
Brad demos Tern’s newest integration with Project Expedition, enabling advisors to search, add, and share 34,000+ tours directly within Tern itineraries.
(22:06) Analytics and Reporting Updates
Molly unveils big upgrades such as saved views, sticky filters, new location-based reporting, and property insights by nightly volume, making analytics smarter and easier to use.
(28:26) Quality of Life Improvements
Brad and Molly highlight cleaner traveler preference lists, insurance confirmation fixes, UI improvements, and the full migration to Tern’s new payments model.
(32:34) Behind the Scenes: The Email Incident
David and the team pull back the curtain on a major spam-related incident, how it was detected, the emergency response process, and the steps taken to strengthen Tern’s email systems.
(43:21) Wrap-Up and What’s Ahead
The team signs off with thanks, a reminder to subscribe, and a teaser for exciting new updates coming next week.
Show Highlights:
• A first-of-its-kind integration with Project Expedition for in-platform tour discovery and booking
• Smarter reporting tools with saved filters and new location-based insights
• Major performance upgrades to Global Search and payment systems
• A transparent look at Tern’s real-time incident response process
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team reunites after a few busy weeks of travel, product launches, and webinars. David Shull (Co-founder & CEO), Molly Johnson (Head of Product), and Brad Turner (Head of Design) dive into the whirlwind of events that kept them on the move, from industry conferences and advisor meetups to a founder retreat in Utah. They share insights from Tern’s latest webinar, unpack the brand-new Global Search feature, and tease upcoming integrations and updates designed to help advisors plan trips even faster.
Episode Topics:
(00:01) Catching Up
David, Molly, and Brad share highlights from their travels, including cruises, conferences, and advisor meetups across the country.
(08:20) Webinar Recap
The team reflects on their latest product webinar, from unveiling the Project Expedition integration to discussing Tern’s five-year vision for transforming the travel industry.
(15:34) Product Deep Dive: Global Search
Molly and Brad walk through the launch of Tern’s powerful new Global Search feature, explaining how it helps advisors find trips, contacts, and more in seconds.
(31:22) Quality of Life Updates
Rapid-fire updates include improved multi-currency visibility, new document tabs, a smarter text editor for small screens, and time-saving payout email automation.
(37:15) The Week Ahead
Brad preps for the first Project Expedition integration release, Molly works on host sub-agency hierarchies, and David gets ready for CruiseWorld and a Tern community happy hour.
Show Highlights:
• Global Search: lightning-fast navigation across trips and contacts
• Project Expedition integration: seamless tour booking directly in Tern
• Behind the scenes of Tern’s one-week product shipping cycle
• Quality of life updates that make everyday workflows smoother
• Upcoming CruiseWorld event and community celebration
Episode Overview: In this episode, Brad hosts while CEO David is away, joined by Product Manager David Tilly and Designer Ursula. The trio dives into Tern’s latest updates for agency admins, including the brand-new agency dashboard, automated payout emails, and design refinements that make the platform faster and more intuitive. They also tease upcoming features like global search and next-level trip planning powered by smarter design patterns and AI.
Episode Topics: (00:01) Welcome and Webinar Reminder Brad shares details on next week’s “Vision for 2030” webinar and reminds listeners to subscribe for updates.
(02:11) Meet David Tilly New Product Manager David Tilly reflects on joining Tern, working across squads, and helping deliver the new agency dashboard.
(04:07) Design Team Insights Ursula talks about dashboard design details, shaded icons, and how real-world inspiration drives Tern’s product aesthetic.
(06:53) Agency Dashboard Launch The team explains what’s new for agency admins, from graphs and analytics to performance improvements and future payment integration.
(13:17) New Payout Email Feature Ursula introduces automated agent payout emails with customizable messages and saved templates for recurring notes.
(15:26) Itinerary PDF Improvements Brad and the team discuss better formatting, spacing, and styling in exported itineraries, making them more client-ready.
(19:39) Quality of Life Updates Smaller but impactful updates to folders, calendar filters, and analytics calculations make the platform smoother for advisors.
(23:09) Coming Soon: Global Search David shares progress on Tern’s upcoming global search, allowing advisors to find trips and travelers faster than ever.
(27:48) Designing for 10x Faster Trip Planning Ursula previews design exploration toward AI-enhanced workflows and more visual, chip-based navigation.
(29:57) What’s Next Brad teases the upcoming partner integration and next week’s major vision webinar.
Show Highlights:
• Launch of the new agency dashboard with admin-level insights
• Automated “Woohoo, you’re getting paid!” payout emails • Updated itinerary PDFs that look great and save space
• Improved calendar syncing and analytics accuracy
• Sneak peek at global search and faster trip planning tools
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team takes listeners behind the scenes with guest host Brad Turner, filling in for CEO David, joined by Head of Product Molly Johnson and Product Designer Ursula. From Cancun conferences to dashboard polish, the trio covers new product updates, design wins, and the hilariously named “chips and subs” projects. Expect insights on UI improvements, mobile responsiveness, and the latest in Tern’s ongoing quest to streamline workflows for travel advisors.
Episode Topics: (00:01)
Welcome and Introductions
Brad steps in as guest host while David is away and introduces designer Ursula for her podcast debut.
(01:20) What Are “Chips”?
Ursula explains how interactive UI chips make navigation smoother across Tern’s dashboard and global search.
(03:06) “Subs” and the Host Agency Hierarchy
Molly dives into the new sub-agency model, nicknamed the “sub sandwich,” and how it will better reflect real-world agency structures.
(05:06) Industry Events and Advisor Insights
Brad reports from Cancun’s Classic Vacations Save the Date Live, sharing advisor feedback from destination wedding specialists.
(06:39) Folders for Workflows Launch
Molly and Ursula celebrate the final piece of Tern’s folder rollout, bringing organization across every type of library item.
(08:52) Document Organization Overhaul
The team ships an improved document system that reduces clicks and merges activity and trip-level documents for easier access.
(11:35) Quality of Life Updates
Ursula shares UI polish and mobile responsiveness improvements, including redesigned settings layouts and refined dashboard icons.
(17:27) Payments Improvements
Molly simplifies how $0 items display in the new payments model, removing unnecessary “unpaid” statuses for cleaner management.
(20:23) Looking Ahead
Brad previews a PDF itinerary style refresh, Molly teases a secret advisor conference, and Ursula outlines the next wave of sub-agency design work.
Show Highlights:
Folders for workflows officially complete Tern’s organization suite
Improved document handling eliminates redundant uploads and extra clicks
Dashboard icons and settings layouts receive thoughtful design updates
Payments tab cleaned up for easier viewing of $0 items
Preview of refreshed PDF itineraries and upcoming AI trip building tools
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives into a packed week of updates and insights. David Shull (Co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share behind-the-scenes stories from their week, from scaling support after record growth to unveiling new product upgrades. From the revamped payments model to per-room deposits, improved document handling, and fresh quality-of-life improvements, it’s an action-filled look at how Tern continues to evolve. Plus, some exciting personal news and a glimpse at what’s coming in Q4.
Episode Topics: (00:45) Week in Review
Brad, Molly, and David share team updates, travel, and some big personal news.
(09:49) Payments Migration Update
Molly walks through how trips can now be migrated to the new payments model, with safety checks and gradual rollout.
(15:04) New Deposit Management
Brad demos flexible per-room and per-occupancy deposits that streamline proposals.
(20:27) Folders in Itinerary Templates
Molly announces that folders are now live for itinerary templates, with workflows next on the horizon.
(22:28) Documents and Receipts Overhaul
Brad shows the new unified documents tab across activities, packages, and insurance, simplifying how receipts and confirmations are handled.
(30:23) Quality of Life Updates
Improvements to room option pricing, signup flow tweaks, and better mobile editing experiences.
(33:23) Bug Fixes
Molly highlights fixes to payment visibility, cruise templates, and mobile images.
(36:16) Week Ahead
The team previews upcoming agency features, integration projects, and travel to events and client sites.
Show Highlights:
Smooth migration path to Tern’s new payments model
Flexible per-room and per-occupancy deposits for group and custom trips
Unified documents tab that simplifies receipts and confirmations
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team recaps an energized week following the user conference and webinar. Hosts David Shull (CEO and Co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) share updates on customizable dashboards, new lodging library functionality, and a long-awaited upgrade to document management. From more intuitive room setup to deposit flexibility for group trips, it’s a fast-paced look at how Tern is streamlining advisor workflows. Plus, a peek ahead at agency dashboards and the rollout of the new payments model.
Episode Topics:
(00:46) Week in Review
The team reflects on post-conference energy, new user insights, and special moments with advisors.
(06:12) Dashboard Customization
Advisors can now toggle more details in the calendar view and enjoy fun greeting messages on login.
(10:54) Lodging Library Updates
A new option streamlines how agencies manage properties with multiple room types.
(15:26) Quality of Life Updates
Fixes include easier table pagination, reordered contact sections, and improved commission rules.
(19:46) Smarter Document Management
Documents added at the activity level now appear at the trip level, reducing duplication and confusion.
(25:53) Payment Model Migration
A phased rollout allows advisors to upgrade trips manually before automatic migration begins.
(31:59) Deposit Flexibility for Groups
Deposits can now be set per room type and occupancy, making group checkout smoother.
(34:09) What’s Next: Agency Dashboard
Engineering is actively building an agency-wide view with toggle functionality for owners.
Show Highlights:
Dashboard customization now includes granular control and surprise greetings
Lodging templates make managing multi-room properties simpler
Unified document management eliminates confusion and double uploads
Flexible deposit settings streamline group bookings
Payment model migration proceeds with extra care and testing
Agency dashboard development officially underway
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives straight into a packed agenda fresh off the user conference. David Shull (CEO and co-founder), Brad Turner (Head of Design), and Molly Johnson (Head of Product) break down major feature launches and the behind-the-scenes process that brought them to life. From the highly requested dashboard to next-level reporting, a redesigned mobile app, and a complete payments overhaul, the team shares how feedback and beta testing shaped the latest updates. Plus, an inside look at the first-ever “Shipathon” hackathon at sea and what’s next for Tern’s community.
Episode Topics: (01:38) Dashboard Launch Molly and Brad walk through the long-awaited dashboard, its design process, and how it has quickly evolved with user feedback.
(08:27) Reporting Reimagined Brad and Molly explain the move to a new reporting infrastructure, the challenges of handling complex data, and the roadmap for additional analytics.
(15:41) Mobile App Upgrades The team reveals the surprise mobile advisor login, early tester reactions, and the importance of phased rollouts.
(22:05) Payments Overhaul Brad and Molly discuss the complete rearchitecture of payments and authorizations, why it was necessary, and how migration for older trips will work.
(28:26) Shipathon at the User Conference Molly, Brad, and David recount the whirlwind live hackathon on Virgin Voyages, including chaotic behind-the-scenes stories and the big feature wins.
(33:32) Hackathon Highlights From automated trip cancellations to bulk messaging, the team highlights features built in just three days at sea.
(39:46) Looking Ahead: User Conference 2026 David shares details on the next Tern user conference, moving to New Orleans with a more accessible format and pricing.
Show Highlights:
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives into their final Flight Path of August 2025 with updates, reflections, and a preview of what’s ahead. CEO and Co-founder David Shull, Head of Product Molly Johnson, and returning guest Jade Pathe cover advisor success stories, lessons from recent bootcamps, and major product improvements. From new agency settings to a complete overhaul of payments and fresh insurance compliance features, this week’s discussion highlights how Tern is evolving to better support both individual advisors and large agencies. Plus, a sneak peek into what’s coming at the inaugural users conference and fall webinar.
Episode Topics:
(00:50) Advisor Wins and Community Impact
Molly shares heartfelt advisor stories that underscore Tern’s impact on businesses and why user feedback drives the team forward.
(04:30) Training Bootcamps and User Education
Jade recaps learnings from Karina’s successful bootcamps and previews upcoming training sessions at the users conference.
(09:42) Behind the Scenes of the Users Conference
David highlights the work going into Tern’s first-ever users conference, from keynote slides to the long-term 2030 vision.
(10:22) New Agency Settings for Large Teams
Molly details updates that help agency owners enforce best practices, streamline commission reconciliation, and simplify financial workflows.
(17:11) Overhauling Payments in Tern
Jade introduces a major redesign of how payments and authorizations work, giving advisors more flexibility, clearer tracking, and stronger compliance.
(29:49) Insurance Updates for Better Recordkeeping
Molly walks through new insurance compliance improvements, including automatic email records and logged opt-outs.
(34:45) Looking Ahead: Users Conference and Webinar
The team shares final prep for the users conference, the fall launch webinar, and what’s top of mind in the coming weeks.
Show Highlights:
Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team dives into a busy week of updates across the platform. David Shull (CEO), Molly Johnson (Head of Product), and Brad Turner (Head of Design) cover major milestones including the long-awaited improvements to the text editor, the release of payment due dates in the calendar, and new polish in the mobile app. From energizing stories out of Travel Week to behind-the-scenes product decisions, it is a fast-paced look at how Tern is leveling up. Plus, the team teases what is coming at the upcoming Users Conference.
Episode Topics:
(00:59) Weekly Check-In Molly, Brad, and David share highlights from their week, from hiring and testing to bootcamps and Travel Week takeaways.
(07:27) What We Shipped This Week The team announces payment due dates are now live in the calendar, a top advisor request.
(14:40) New Text Editor Launch After months of testing, Tern’s new editor is fully rolled out across emails, automations, and templates, simplifying variables and formatting.
(21:40) Mobile App Update The latest version of the mobile app delivers a more polished experience for activities, documents, and client interactions.
(26:26) Quality of Life Improvements Ongoing updates make the web app more mobile friendly and introduce smarter color saving in the new editor.
(30:27) Looking Ahead The team previews next week’s work, including more mobile features, form response automation, and Users Conference prep.
Show Highlights: New calendar support for critical payment due dates Text editor overhaul simplifies variables and formatting across the platform Mobile app redesign delivers a polished, client-ready experience Quality of life updates improve mobile usability and color controls Exciting mystery features teased for the Users Conference
Episode Overview:
In this episode, the Tern team dives into another packed week of platform improvements, customer stories, and behind-the-scenes wins. David, Molly, and Brad share highlights from Virtuoso Travel Week, celebrate Bootcamp success, and unveil new product updates that make everyday workflows faster and smarter. From deep work on insurance and reporting to mobile-friendly design tweaks and sticky calendar filters, this week shows how Tern is leveling up for advisors everywhere.
Episode Topics:
(00:51) Insurance & Reporting Overhaul
Molly shares progress on improving the insurance module and advancing reporting tools with new filters, columns, and visualizations.
(02:14) Customer Praise & Bootcamp Responsiveness
Brad recounts an advisor’s heartfelt feedback and how Bootcamp sessions are improving in real time thanks to Karina and Ben.
(07:46) Streamlined Form Responses
New updates make it easier to find and link form responses directly to contacts and trips without tedious workarounds.
(11:31) Editor Performance & Email Upgrade
Brad outlines fixes to speed up itineraries and previews the final rollout of the new editor for emails, making variables easier to use.
(17:24) Agency Control of Service Fees
Agencies can now disable direct service fee collection to match legal and business requirements.
(19:20) Mobile Usability Improvements
Ongoing design updates make Tern smoother to use on the go, with responsive layouts and cleaner navigation.
(22:35) Sticky Calendar Filters Calendar preferences now persist between sessions, with payment due date tracking coming soon.
(24:18) UI Refresh: Goodbye Dots
A small but impactful design change removes unnecessary status dots, making tables clearer to read.
Show Highlights: Customer feedback driving rapid Bootcamp improvements Forms linked directly to trips and contacts for easier reference Editor upgrades speeding up itineraries and simplifying email templates Agencies gaining control over service fee collection settings Mobile-friendly updates improving the advisor experience on the go Persistent calendar filters for faster day-to-day planning
Episode Overview: This week on Flight Path, the Tern team is buzzing. CEO and Co-Founder David Shull, Head of Product Molly Johnson, and returning Product Lead Jade Pathe are here with a jam-packed update on what’s new, what’s next, and what’s already making a difference for travel advisors.
From the energy of 1,000-person live Bootcamps to long-awaited Trip & Activity Editor upgrades, this episode is all about momentum. You’ll hear how in-person agency visits are inspiring better product design, why AI is changing the way we handle live training, and how fresh updates in mobile, calendaring, and forms are making everyday workflows smoother. Plus, get a first look at big improvements coming soon for payment tracking and supplier terms.
It’s a fast-moving, high-impact snapshot of how Tern is leveling up to help advisors spend less time clicking and more time creating unforgettable journeys.
Episode Topics:
(00:00) Welcome & Team Check-In David, Molly, and Jade kick things off with an update on Brad, a peek at what’s ahead, and the vibe check for the week.
(01:45) On-Sites & Back-Office Insights Molly shares fresh takeaways from whirlwind in-person agency visits and why face-to-face time fuels better product design.
(03:25) Bootcamp Launch & AI Support Jade recaps our first Bootcamp sessions, how AI is powering real-time question handling, and the rapid-fire improvements from attendee feedback.
(10:45) Trip & Activity Editor Goes Live Jade and Molly walk through beta feedback, the updates we’ve shipped, and what’s next for messaging templates.
(15:35) Calendaring Filters & Enhancements New filters, sticky views, and payment due dates are making it easier to focus on what matters most.
(19:14) Mobile App Revamp Molly gives the inside scoop on our fresh, more visual design, early bug fixes, and what’s next for polishing the activity view.
(22:05) Forms in Contacts Advisors can now see all form responses directly in a contact record retroactively. Yes, even the old ones.
(23:55) Quality of Life Wins Smarter empty states, clearer room pricing, and small updates that add up to big workflow wins.
(26:23) Week Ahead Preview A look at what’s on deck: better payment tracking, improved supplier terms management, and expanded form response capabilities.
(29:03) Travel Week in Las Vegas David shares our plans for the biggest Travel Week presence we’ve ever had, complete with tech summit roundtables and back-to-back advisor meetings.
Show Highlights:
Live Bootcamps helping advisors get hands-on with Tern, supported by AI-powered question handling
Trip & Activity Editor launch with smoother formatting and mobile-ready design
New Calendaring Filters that clear the clutter and keep you focused
Mobile App redesign for a more visual, traveler-friendly experience
Forms in Contacts for instant, retroactive access to client responses
Sneak peek at credit card authorization and payment tracking upgrades
Keywords: Tern, Flight Path podcast, travel advisor technology, CRM for travel agents, itinerary builder, automation templates, AI product tools, travel bootcamp, trip editor, travel CRM, travel industry software, mobile app for travel advisors, travel agency tools, commission reconciliation, calendar filters, credit card authorization travel, back-office tools for travel, travel advisor training, travel tech updates
Episode Overview: This week on Flight Path, David (CEO), Molly (Head of Product), and Brad (Head of Design) take us behind the scenes of some of Tern’s most exciting recent releases. From a powerful new calendar view and an overhauled traveler form flow to a sleek, redesigned mobile app, this episode is packed with updates that make life easier for advisors and experiences smoother for clients. Plus, the team reflects on how AI is reshaping how Tern builds and ships faster than ever.
Episode Topics: (00:00) Welcome & Week in Review The team kicks off August reflecting on a wild week of launches, bootcamp buzz, and calendar hype. Over 1,700 users have registered for Tern's Summer Bootcamp.
(05:22) New Calendar View (Beta) Molly demos the brand-new calendar feature, a highly requested upgrade that gives advisors an at-a-glance view of upcoming trips, tasks, birthdays, passport expirations, and more. Bonus: new filters let users hide quoting trips or birthdays to stay focused.
(09:30) AI-Powered Product Development Brad and David explain how AI helped fast-track the calendar project from idea to prototype, flipping the traditional product process and unlocking faster iterations.
(16:37) Smarter Contact Forms for Groups & Families Brad walks through a reimagined contact form flow. Advisors can now require emails only for primary travelers and still collect and update complete information for everyone in the group, even those without emails.
(23:51) A Juicy New Mobile App Experience Molly reveals a near-complete mobile redesign: beautiful photo-rich layouts, easier access to documents, auto-scroll to current day, and intuitive navigation. The new design reflects advisor branding and is built for clarity and polish.
(31:36) Quality of Life Improvements Folders now support automation templates (with itinerary templates and workflows coming soon). Performance improvements for shared trips make navigation faster for agency owners with large teams.
(34:00) What’s Coming Next
Live form responses where you actually need them (e.g., contacts and trips)
Full rollout of the rich text trip editor
Enhanced color picker for styling
Simplified credit card authorization flowMore polish for activity views in the mobile appTern team prepping for Virtuoso Travel Week and the upcoming user conference
Show Highlights:
Calendar view is here, finally, with filters, clean UI, and live updates
Mobile app gets a total redesign to elevate the client experienceForms now handle group travel like a dream, no extra work required
AI-driven development accelerates delivery without compromising qualityFolder support for automations and faster shared trip performanceBootcamp registration passes 1,700 advisors (and counting!)
Episode Overview:
In this episode, the Tern team dives into a jam-packed week of product improvements, AI-fueled innovation, and a major new training initiative. David (CEO), Molly (Head of Product), and Brad (Head of Design) reflect on everything from smarter contact forms and a polished new mobile app preview to inclusive updates and surprisingly satisfying tag clean-up features. Plus, they tease what’s coming next, including a much-requested overhaul of payment schedules and new visibility for form responses right where you need them.
Episode Topics:
(00:54) A Tease of the New Mobile App
Molly previews improvements to Tern’s traveler-facing mobile app, featuring a more polished, photo-rich itinerary design for a smoother client experience.
(01:49) Deep Dive Into Merchant Agencies
Brad shares learnings from recent interviews with merchant-based agencies and how those insights are helping shape new Tern features.
(03:51) What a Board Meeting Looks Like at Tern
David gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Tern’s board pushes the team toward building the best platform in the travel industry without dictating direction.
(06:08) AI-Powered Efficiency in Action
The team discusses how AI is accelerating product design, engineering, and planning like a surprise sleeper-hit feature for tag editing that came together in record time.
(07:52) Summer Bootcamp Is Live
Karina and Ben have kicked off an 8-session live training series for new and seasoned users. The response has been overwhelming and it’s just the beginning.
(08:14) “No Dead Ends” and Empty States Improvements
Molly explains how new “empty state” screens across Tern guide users with clear, intuitive first actions like quickly generating an invoice or connecting an inbox.
(12:29) Smarter Forms for Groups & Families
Brad and Molly walk through new logic that reduces the need for duplicate emails when filling forms for group travelers. Relationships are inferred to prevent clutter.
(14:56) Inclusive Gender Options in Forms
Advisors can now collect gender in forms including non-binary and other options.
(16:40) Trip & Activity Editor (Beta Update)
The new rich text editor is in beta and working well. Advisors will see a full rollout next week, bringing smoother formatting, bullet points, and styling tools.
(19:27) Editable Tags: A Surprise Fan Favorite
Advisors can now view, rename, and delete tags directly in settings, a feature fast-tracked with AI assistance and unexpectedly loved by the community.
(22:52) Copyable Confirmation Numbers on Payouts
Advisors can now click to copy confirmation numbers in payout statements. A small touch, but a huge time-saver.
(23:26) Automation Template Folders Are Here
Tidy up your backend: folders now support automation templates. Itinerary and workflow folders are next in line.
(25:47) Mobile Web UI Improvements Begin
Tern is starting to optimize advisor workflows on iPads and phones. First update: the left nav now hides while editing activities to save precious screen space.
(27:12) Work Begins on Smarter Payment Schedules
A full overhaul of how Tern handles payment plans is underway. Expect better flexibility, clearer logic, and less manual editing when plans change mid-trip.
(29:48) Coming Soon: Form Responses Where You Need Them
Starting with contacts (and soon trips), advisors will see form submissions directly where they work. No more hunting in the library, just instant context.
Show Highlights:
Real-time advisor feedback turned into better onboarding UX
Inclusive updates that better serve diverse travelers
Behind-the-scenes look at how AI is shaping product development
A brand-new education initiative that’s already making waves
A sneak peek at foundational upgrades to payment and form systems
In this episode, David, Molly, and Brad reflect on a packed week at Tern. From in-person team bonding to product rollouts and user empathy exercises, they share what’s new, what’s coming, and how it all ladders up to building the best possible platform for modern travel advisors.
(00:49) New Hire Offsite Recap
Tern’s remote team came together in Plymouth, MI for a new hire orientation focused on building connection, culture, and context. The highlight? A hands-on storytelling activity where teammates pieced together Tern’s origin story through photos and milestones. It sparked emotion, reflection, and a shared appreciation for how far the company has come.
(08:30) Advisor Simulation
To help team members build empathy for the advisor experience, Tern ran a live simulation where employees role-played travelers, advisors, and suppliers. Each group planned a custom trip to Italy under real-world pressures like unclear preferences, last-minute changes, and tight deadlines. For engineers and designers, it was a powerful way to understand the complexity advisors manage every day.
(14:27) Mobile App Upgrades
Tern’s traveler-facing mobile app just got a major usability update. Trips are now clearly split into “Upcoming” and “Past” tabs, helping travelers easily find relevant information. Visual design improvements also polish the overall look and feel. Advisors are encouraged to prompt their clients to update their app for the best experience — especially as Tern rolls out its new content editor.
(17:19) Agency Tools in Beta
A new feature allows agencies to require specific fields — like confirmation numbers or supplier names — before a booking can be marked as complete. This helps improve reconciliation and reporting accuracy. The feature is currently in beta with one agency, and the team is gathering feedback to refine the experience before a broader rollout.
(24:09) Improved Onboarding for New Users
New advisors now land in a clean, guided interface when they join Tern. Instead of being dropped into a pre-filled demo trip, they’re offered clear paths to add a trip, log a booking, or start a credit card authorization. These small changes make the platform more approachable — and even longtime users are loving the improved flow.
(28:22) What’s Next: The New Editor
The long-awaited new rich text editor is rolling out for trips and activities. It enables cleaner formatting, improved styling, and better compatibility across web and mobile. To ensure a smooth transition, the team conducted a detailed side-by-side QA comparing old vs. new formatting. Travelers on outdated app versions may not see formatting correctly, so advisors should encourage updates.
(32:20) Contact Form Improvements
Tern is refining how contact forms work when travelers don’t include email addresses for every person in their party. These updates will reduce the creation of duplicate contacts and make it easier to collect and update traveler details — especially for group and family bookings.
(20:17 & 35:10) Admin-Level Supplier Templates
Tern is researching how to let agency owners define default terms, cancellation policies, and payment details at the supplier level. This feature would save advisors time and reduce errors, especially for large teams. The team is currently collecting feedback to shape what this capability might look like.
(23:25) Quick Wins & Quality of Life Updates
A highly requested update now lets advisors mark payments as “paid” directly from the authorizations table — no need to click in and scroll. It’s a small change, but one that eliminates extra clicks and keeps workflows fast and efficient.
In this episode of the Flight Path Podcast, Tern CEO David Shull is joined by Molly Johnson (Head of Product) and Brad Turner (Head of Design) for a transparent and action-packed recap of the week in product. They cover a recent email bug incident, the long-awaited launch of multi-contact forms, a wave of text editor rollouts, and mobile app upgrades that are making things smoother for travelers. The team also shares what’s coming next, from relationship tracking in forms to their first-ever in-person onboarding.
Key Topics:
(00:00) Intro and Welcome:
(00:47) Week in Review:
(05:57) Transparency Around an Email Bug:
(13:40) New Feature: Multi-Contact Forms:
(19:21) Text Editor Rollout Expands:
(22:48) Mobile App Improvements:
(25:27) Quality of Life Fixes:
(27:21) Team Update: In-Person Onboarding & Travel Simulation:
(30:04) Looking Ahead:
Flight Path is your weekly window into product updates, company culture, and the future of travel advisor tech. Subscribe wherever you listen to stay up to speed with the team behind Tern.