Media Kit

Meet, Plan, Go! has a simple mission – to bring the idea of career break and sabbatical travel to overworked professionals, changing the way they look at work and retirement. At Meet, Plan, Go! we are leading the career break movement in North America, encouraging and teaching others how to travel the world and have it be beneficial to their career. We envision a world where the term ‘career break’ is a part of your overall career strategy.

We focus on encouraging extended travel and creating a support community through in person events, an online course, and inspirational blog.

“A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” – John le Carre

What’s a Career Break | What’s a Sabbatical

Website Statistics & Audience

MeetPlanGo.com Launched March 2008 (stats as of 12/2011):
• Google Page Rank of 5; Alexa Rank approximately 85,695 worldwide (46,888 USA)
• 24,267 unique visitors (76,170 page views) in October 2011 via Google Analytics
• 3,666 Twitter followers (@MeetPlanGo), Klout ranking 42
• 5,600 fans on Facebook (combines both Briefcase to Backpack and Meet, Plan, Go! Facebook pages)
• 2,900 Newsletter subscribers with a 30% open rate (higher than average)

Audience Demographics:
• Primarily female ages 25-44
• 72% of overall traffic is from US (6% Canada, 3% UK, 2% Australia)
• Our audience is generally professionals with University degrees

Social Media Influence:
• Prior to annual event, hashtag #MeetPlanGo generated 651,808 impressions reaching an audience of 567,356 followers in 95 tweets within 24 hours.

If you would like more detailed information on website statistics please email us as sherry@briefcasetobackpack.

Event Statistics

Reach a ‘ready-to-travel’ mature audience

Held travel events in 17 North American cities in 2011 with 1,255 people in attendance:
• 68% Female | 32% Male
• Average Age: 37 years old
• Audiences Style of Travel: Solo 57% | Couple 27% | Family 4% | Group 4% | Other 8%
• Travel Experience: 48% had done no extended travel | 32% had done some extended travel | 20% already did extended travel
• Before Event: 40% were planning trips | After Event: 54% were planning trips
• Ranking of desired work benefits by audience: Sabbatical, Raise, Retirement Plan, Promotion, Health Programs, Stock Plans, Stock Options

Press Coverage:

New York Times Travel SectionMaking the Dream Trip a Reality (print)

Meet, Plan, Go! Named one of the Best Travel Website Ever by Guardian.co.uk

CNN.com covers Career Break Travel Myths

USA TodayLearn how to Escape the Cubicle & Hit the Road  (print)

FoxNews.comDitch Your Day Job to Travel the World

Washington Post Lifestyle SectionTake a Year Off or Two (print)

American Bar Association JournalTime Out: Sabbaticals Help Lawyers Reassess, Redirect Careers

Fodor’sCareer Break 101: How to Plan for Long-Term Travel

Sacremento BeeDump the Job & Travel? For Mature Adults it Takes Work

Spread the Word About our Events:

Let’s get more people talking about career breaks! Simply use this Spread the Word document to utilize pre-written social media updates to spread the news about our Meet Plan Go events and career break travel!

Share our Press Release for our 2012 Event.

What People Are Saying About Meet Plan Go!:

Feedback from our Meet, Plan, Go! 2011 Event:
“I went to the Meet, Plan, Go event to feel the electrical charge that is contagious amongst travelers. The conversation is easy and excited, like a perfect first date where it’s all kismet and kindred spirits.”

“It took a ‘dreaming’ project so many have in back of their minds, and breaks it down to pieces to become a ‘going to happen’ project!”

“Going to the 2011 Meet, Plan, Go! event was more than I expected. To be around so many people who want to travel and to talk to and listen to people who have indeed traveled in bigger ways than I had considered was mind-opening and thrilling.”

“I was able to network with numerous different people in the travel industry at the Meet, Plan, Go! event, from bloggers, to travelers, to tour guides. It was informative and very inspirational.”

“For anyone who expresses interest in a career break, or long-term travel, this is a “10”, and I might even say it should be required.”

“It definitely made it feel more realistic to go from ‘dreaming about this’ to ‘doing this.’”

“Another great thing was the links/referrals to many practical resources – we didn’t have time to cover in depth the logistics of money, insurance, etc… but that was top on mind and now I feel I have leads on where to look to research the answers I need.”

Editorial on Meet, Plan, Go!:

We adhere to editorial guidelines and provide content that is focused on the career break lifecycle:

Contemplation: Provides motivation to push forward past the societal norms of waiting until retirement to travel. Includes: Getting over travel fears (financial, safety, career path), setting goals, benefits of travel, and surrounding yourself with supportive a community.
Preparation: Provides tools and resources that will help you make your travel decisions. Includes: How to leave your job, destination ideas, experiences to include, travel safety, choosing travel gear, booking flights, choosing insurance, packing, language barriers, and downsizing for travel.
On the Road: Provides advice on how to make the most of your time on the road. Includes: Choosing accommodation, volunteering decisions, culture shock, loneliness, choosing tours, selecting experiences, and realties of life on the road.
Re-entry: Tips on how to re-enter your old life and take the experiences that you gained on the road and make them a part of your life back home. Includes: Finding a job when returning, groups to get involved with, reverse culture shock, how to represent and share your travel experiences, and reflecting upon your journey.

We accept editorial content and advertising from brands that adhere to our audience’s career break travel needs. There must be a connection between our content and our readers.

• We provide reviews of travel related products or services.
• We accept press trips, will attend special travel events, and speak at travel or career related events.
• We will work with companies to develop unique editorial, social media, and advertising campaigns that help us further the idea of career break and sabbatical travel.

If you have unique ideas on how to work with us, and the career break travel audience, please contact us at contact@briefcasetobackpack.com

Who We Are

Sherry OttSherry Ott
Sherry Ott is a refugee from corporate IT who is now a long term traveler, blogger and photographer. Sherry has been blogging about her travels on Ottsworld: Travel and Life Experiences of a Corporate America Runaway since 2006. It was named one of the Best Around the World Travel Blogs on BootsnAll travel website.

While on a career break she traveled around the world to over 23 countries primarily solo armed with her camera. Since her career break she has spent a year living and working in Vietnam, wrote an ebook about her hiking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal with her father, traveled the globe house-sitting, participated in cultural exchange programs in the Middle East, drove 10,000 miles from London to Mongolia for the Mongol Rally, walked the across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, co-created Career Break Basic Training online class & community, and organizes Meet, Plan, Go! events across North America. Sherry’s latest adventures will be to travel with her father to Antarctica December2012.

Michaela PotterMichaela Potter
Michaela is a freelance designer through Wanderlust Productions who has managed to interweave travel throughout her life. Having picked up a backpack for the first time in college, she was inspired to then take a “gap half-year” after graduation, a concept common in other cultures. That experience inspired her to incorporate traveling career-breaks throughout her career, including three months in Nepal & SE Asia in 2001, a summer volunteering in Peru in 2006, and another three months in Oceania & SE Asia in 2007.

Michaela has career break expertise in volunteering, traveling with friends, traveling as a couple, photography/video, slow travel, shorter breaks, and multiple breaks.

Contact Us

Advertising on the site or newsletter: sherryott@meetplango.com
Sponsorship of events or special projects: sherryott@meetplango.com
Interviews: contact@briefcasetobackpack.com
Speaking Engagements/Appearances: contact@briefcasetobackpack.com
Editorial or Event questions: Michaela@briefcasetobackpack.com

Email: contact@briefcasetobackpack.com
Skype: Leaott or michaelabpotter
Mailing Address: Michaela Potter, 252 West 17th St. Apt. 3A, New York NY 10011

Career Break Guide Table of Contents

Meet Plan Go