In this episode, Jason Evans of SilverShark Media talks about the past, present, and future of Trilogy Excursions with LiAnne Coon (Director of Sales & Marketing) and what it’s like to run a destination management company in 2020 with Frank Robinson of Island Events.
In this podcast LiAnne shares how Trilogy began over 45 years ago with a boat that took sail from Alaska, how her father and uncle created a unique partnership with the kupuna of Lanai, how the fleet expanded from the 1 original boat to the 7 vessels today, the dynamics of working within a family business, the challenges of removing emotions from business decisions over the years, how Trilogy ownership was passed down to the next generation at the end of 2019, how the new family ownership has handled the Covid-19 situation, the challenges they’re dealing with while they wait for permission to reopen, how Trilogy has made a huge impact in cleaning Maui beaches and waters with their Blue Aina campaign, why it’s important for their company to be involved in community efforts, and what the goals are for the future of Trilogy Excursions.
Jason also speaks with Frank Robinson () on how he created Island Events, why he moved to Hawaii over 20 years ago, what a destination management company (DMC) does, why he wanted to create his own company, how he overcame the fear of starting a new business, how DMC’s work together with dozens of other businesses on Maui, how he handled the initial impact of Covid-19 where corporate groups had to immediate cancel trips that had been set up over a year in advance, the impact those cancelled groups will have on the Maui economy, what the future of event planning and corporate travel might look like, and how he’s trying to sort out creative ways to navigate solutions for companies that travel with larger groups.
Tune in on Spotify every Tuesday and Thursday for new episodes when Maui No Ka Oi Magazine and SilverShark Media bring you stories with community leaders, industry experts, and small business owners on the island of Maui.
