Codi Gunn

I attribute my success to trusting my intuition—and having the courage to act on it, even when it feels uncertain.

Early in my career, I won a highly competitive RFP to execute a citywide convention in Seattle. At the time, I was a young event planner serving as my own sales lead with a team beneath me, and we were selected over established hospitality firms to produce a week-long program for nearly 12,000 attendees. Managing everything from transportation logistics and room blocks to citywide activations was a defining moment. It proved to me that I could operate at scale, compete strategically, and deliver at the highest level.

Years later, I found myself at another crossroads.

While still working in corporate events, I began quietly testing the travel advisor world as a side venture. I had the opportunity to visit Patagonia—and that trip changed everything for me.

Experiencing the sheer scale and remoteness of the region, paired with the luxury and intentionality of how it could be explored, sparked something in me. Patagonia is vast, logistically complex, and intimidating for most travelers. Standing there, I had a very clear realization: If I can help people access places like this seamlessly and comfortably, that’s the work I want to be doing.

That moment was the catalyst for stepping fully into my own business. Since then (about 8 months ago), I’ve designed more than 10 journeys to Patagonia alone, along with many other destinations around the globe, and each one reinforces that decision.

Looking back, both milestones—the citywide convention and that life-changing trip—have something in common. They required me to trust my instincts before I had proof. Betting on myself, whether in a competitive RFP or a new chapter of entrepreneurship, is ultimately what has defined my success.

The best advice I’ve ever received was: Don’t wait until you feel fully ready.

So many high-achieving women over-prepare. We gather the data, build the model, anticipate every risk. But growth doesn’t happen when everything feels certain—it happens when you decide you’re capable and move anyway.

I’ve built my career by stepping into rooms before I had every answer. Readiness isn’t a prerequisite for opportunity. Courage is.

For a long time, I built my career inside the security of a corporate role. The idea of stepping outside of that structure and trusting myself fully felt risky. If you had asked me a year and a half ago whether I’d be running my business full-time, I probably would have hesitated.

But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t have to burn everything down to begin. The travel industry is uniquely accessible. You can start learning, build relationships, take on clients gradually, and test the waters before making a full leap. There is tremendous education, mentorship, and community available if you seek it out.

Most importantly, trust your intuition. If something keeps pulling at you, pay attention to that. Advocate for yourself. Ask questions. Put yourself in rooms where you’re slightly uncomfortable.

You don’t need permission to build something meaningful. You just need the willingness to begin.

One of the greatest opportunities in the travel industry today is accessibility. There is more education, technology, and global connectivity available than ever before, which allows advisors to elevate their expertise and differentiate themselves in meaningful ways. For me, that means pairing deep event strategy and venue sourcing experience with thoughtful, highly personalized travel design. Clients are looking for more than bookings—they want insight, advocacy, and strategic guidance.

At the same time, one of the biggest challenges—particularly as a solo entrepreneur—is wearing every hat. From business development and marketing to contract negotiation and client experience, the responsibility is comprehensive. Growth requires not only industry expertise, but operational discipline.

There’s also a broader challenge within luxury travel: helping clients confidently pursue destinations that feel logistically complex or financially significant. Places like Patagonia or multi-stop international itineraries can feel overwhelming. Part of my role is reducing that friction—removing uncertainty, managing the details, and showing clients what’s possible when complexity is handled strategically.

In many ways, the challenge and the opportunity are the same: rising to meet higher expectations with deeper expertise.

In my work, trust and transparency are non-negotiable.

I believe in addressing challenges head-on. If something isn’t going as planned, I’m the first to communicate it—whether that’s with a client navigating a complex contract or a hotel partner seeking clarity on a bid decision. Honest feedback builds stronger long-term relationships. In both corporate venue sourcing and luxury travel, credibility is everything. My clients rely on me to advocate for them, and my partners rely on me to operate with integrity.

Equally important is community. I’m only as strong as the partnerships behind me. I sell a service that others ultimately help deliver—hotels, on-site teams, transportation providers, destination experts—so cultivating trusted, collaborative relationships is essential. Success in this industry isn’t individual; it’s collective.

In my personal life, that same sense of responsibility and connection shows up in my commitment to animal rescue. I’m passionate about supporting Street Dog Hero in Bend, Oregon, and serve as a “flight angel,” transporting rescue dogs from places like Mexico to the U.S. when I travel so they can reach their forever homes. I’ve helped five puppies so far, and being able to use my travel for something meaningful beyond business has been incredibly rewarding.

Outside of work, I genuinely love exploring new destinations—often blending research with experience—and I’ve recently developed a passion for golf. My husband and I enjoy building trips around discovering new courses and locations, which feels like the perfect intersection of travel, curiosity, and shared adventure.

At the core of both my professional and personal life is the same principle: show up with integrity, invest in relationships, and leave people—and places—better than you found them.