A conversation with Heather Leisman, President of EF Ultimate Break

When Heather Leisman entered the travel industry nearly 30 years ago, she never anticipated it would lead to a lifelong career in travel. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a dual concentration in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Management, she accepted a job with a small tour operator in Boston, only a few miles from EF Education First’s North American headquarters. "When I took that job, I initially saw it as a transitional position," Heather reflects. "I didn't expect to spend the next 27 years in the travel industry."

Since then, Heather has worked in senior leadership roles in growth marketing and operations for some of the most storied brands in the online travel sector. In 2022, Heather joined EF as President of EF Ultimate Break, which creates memorable and exciting travel experiences for travelers ages 18-35. Read on to learn more about Heather's career journey and passion for working in travel.

What does travel mean to you?

Travel is critical to developing and understanding other cultures and people. Nothing opens your mind, changes your perspective, and creates tolerance, understanding, and appreciation in the same way. Especially now in our increasingly digital world, travel is essential, particularly for the younger demographic we cater to at EF Ultimate Break. For me, it's important to ensure that as many young people as possible are going outside their hometowns, meeting new people in real life, experiencing different cultures, and seeing life from another perspective.

Tell me about a travel experience you've had that changed your perspective.

Years ago, I was in the fortunate position of being able to take a mini-sabbatical – I had left one job and accepted another, but I had negotiated a four-month break in between. After contemplating many options of how to spend the time, I ultimately decided to move to France so I could improve my French. I found an apartment in Aix en Provence, packed my bags and set off for an adventure of self-discovery.

At first, it was quite uncomfortable – I was in an unfamiliar city, without friends or a support system and a remedial grasp of the language. But my confidence built as I navigated unfamiliar places alone, and my interactions with locals led to a greater appreciation for human connection and shared experiences.

This experience not only changed my perspective; it was transformative. My learning extended beyond just language and ended up being a journey of cultural appreciation and personal growth. The experience fostered empathy and understanding and opened my mind to a new way of thinking and communicating.

What character trait do you think makes you best suited for your job?

Adaptability is the most critical trait in my role and the travel industry. There is no such thing as a "typical" day in travel – it's constantly changing and evolving. And with the young adult customers that EF Ultimate Break caters to, we're always adapting to different trends or changes in the marketplace. Having a vision is important, but it's important to stay nimble so you can adapt and pivot quickly.

How would you describe your management style?

My style has changed as I've matured. Early in my career, I thought that being a leader meant I was supposed to make decisions and solve problems. Having worked in high-performance cultures, I realized I had surrounded myself with hyper-intelligent subject matter experts who knew more about their area than I ever would. I learned that my role as a leader is to facilitate conversation, bring the right people into the room, make sure that we're considering all the angles, and then clear obstacles and pave the way for success for others. It's about empowering my team to make great decisions.

Was becoming a senior leader always your goal?

Honestly, I didn't have a clear path in mind when it came to my career and deciding what I wanted to do. I always liked to travel as a hobby, but I didn't intentionally pursue travel as a career— it was more of a lucky accident. Soon after entering the travel space professionally and seeing its influence and impact on people's lives, I knew I found my path.

As my career progressed, my path was paved more by people and less by my actual role. I have a degree in Economics with a dual concentration in marketing and entrepreneurial management, and my roles have always included responsibilities related to those fields, but travel is a very relationship-based business. I made sure I was building relationships while learning and building my skill set.

I attribute my success to my willingness to put in the hard work— regardless of the job, level, or task— and to building a strong professional network. Opportunities opened to me, and employers were willing to take a chance on me even though I may not have had the exact skillset yet because they knew my reputation and knew I would work hard and could figure it out.

What drew you to and keeps you working for EF? What's the difference between EF and anywhere you've worked before?

In my experience, I've found that some companies value the outside expertise you bring, but they're just looking for validation that what they're doing is right. At EF, everyone here is eager and hungry to learn, adapt and evolve. EF's mission is to open the world through education, starting with our employees. There's no defensiveness and no ego in the culture here. EF is an organization open to change and receptive to new ideas stemming from our employees' commonality of intellectual curiosity and a lifelong learning mindset. EF is full of smart people who don't need to prove they're the most intelligent people in the room and who thrive on pushing themselves and others to be better. That's a very cool culture to be part of.

EF Ultimate Break is working to make international travel more accessible and attainable for young adults. Can you tell me more about this and why it's important?

Over the last year and a half, we've spent a lot of time evaluating our portfolio and filling in gaps to establish a full range of itineraries. We've expanded across destinations, seasons, durations, and price points to ensure we have something that will work for travelers, no matter their travel interests, budget, or time constraints. In addition, our interest-free payment plans and low down payments give travelers an affordable way to secure their spot and pay for their trip over time so they can always find something that fits their budget.

EF Ultimate Break caters to adults 18-35, and we know travel is a high priority for Gen Z and Millennials—Experian reported that roughly 60% of GenZ and Millennials would rather spend money on life experiences like travel than save for their retirement. At the same time, we recognize that today’s young adults also grapple with student loans, inflation, and high interest rates. That’s why we are working hard to create memorable international travel experiences that are accessible and affordable.

Tell me a bit about what you are doing to revolutionize the hostel experience for young adult travelers.

When I think back to what hostels were like in my 20s, I think of essential places to lay your head at night. That market has evolved considerably and is still growing. Venture capital companies, private equity companies, and chains are buying into the concept. The hostel space creates communal, social spaces for travelers—many have cool bars, clubs, rooftops, and activities. Instead of a simple place to sleep, it's now an opportunity to interact and meet other travelers worldwide; it's about becoming a traveler, not a tourist.

It's a very timely thing happening. Traditionally, hostels have not been as well-known or well-regarded among US travelers, but these new experiences are highly relevant to today's generation of young Americans. I'm excited to help promote hostels, or as many new chains call them, shared experiences with Gen Z and Millennials. If you are sociable and curious, and you want to immerse yourself in the culture of your destination, meet interesting people, and learn about other cultures, today's hostel experience may be for you.

Ultimately, my goal is to get as many young people as possible to travel internationally. Hostels play a role in that because they offer a unique, immersive experience and are a cost-effective way to travel.

The travel industry, especially online travel, has been primarily led by men. What has it been like being a female leader in the tourism industry?

The honest answer is it's been hard. When I started in travel, women dominated at the lower levels, but executive roles were nearly all men. I was very fortunate to be in board meetings and hold senior executive roles early on in my career; however, I felt pressure to change who I was and was always conscious of trying to fit in. I was more focused on being accepted and liked than respected and admired. I'm more confident now, but we still need more women in leadership positions, especially in travel.

A huge part of my decision to join EF was that the people I work with daily are accomplished, intelligent, approachable, and impressive executives, and the majority are women.

How have you built confidence and resiliency over your career?

Recognizing that it's okay to fail and mistakes aren't always bad—that's where you see the most significant growth in yourself. Being afraid to make a mistake and playing it safe won't get you there—you need to be willing to push yourself outside your comfort zone and take smart risks. For me, learning resilience came from understanding and recognizing failure as a learning opportunity, not a reflection of inadequacies or shortcomings.

What advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?

I have found success from being willing to work harder than other people. There's a quote— "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." Go after what you want and have the perseverance and willingness to go above and beyond— your hard work will always pay off.