Meet the Team: Ren Newman

Tell us about you! (Where are you from, hobbies/interests, things you do outside of work!)

I'm originally from Texas, but I currently reside in Maine. Going from yeehaw land to living Down East has been a neat experience. It's added an appreciation for the outdoors, and deepened my love of nature and local ingredients. Maine’s culture and pride around agriculture, foraging, and sustainability is one that I value. Outside of that, and work in general, I like to crochet, cook, bake, and take walks around the coastline.

What does a Travel Operations & Insights Specialist (aka Flight Expert) do anyway? How did you get into Travel Operations and Insights?

I started at Going in Member Success, which allowed me to be close to the ground with members and further advocate with them in the travel industry and at Going. Transferring my time there over to Travel Operations was huge as I’ve been able to continue to be on our member’s side.

A Flight Expert at Going sources the deals that are sent to our members via email or push notification! We scour the web (across airlines, Skyscanner, Google Flights, and more!) for a variety of things that constitute a “deal”–from routing to price to layover length. It’s a rewarding experience to find deals that our community then books. I like to think that my job is making travel more attainable and giving more people the opportunity to see the world on their own terms.

What's your favorite thing about your role here at Going?

I love being able to advocate for members and to source new routes. My favorite thing, however, is when people book their flights and write in with all their travel plans or what this trip means to them–nothing makes my job more worthwhile than seeing how impactful it can be. From parents visiting kids, people going on their first solo trips, to retirees taking that once-in-a-lifetime vacation, it all means the world and makes me feel so thankful to do what I do.

What advice would you give to a candidate interested in working at Going?

Be yourself. The rest will fall in line. We have a wide variety of people working here with various backgrounds, so just come as you are. Be prepared to learn along the way, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to push for more. There are always new things to be learned and takeaways to be had, no matter the experience level or team.

Tell us about your background (education, work experience, goals, etc.)

I had zero intentions of ending up in travel tech. I was formerly a professional baker (think breads, pastries, and novelty cakes on top of cookies, scones, biscuits, and the whole shebang), but went back to get my master’s degree during the pandemic and pivoted hard. I found Going, and that was that. I’ve been here for almost 3 years and enjoy the travel community immensely.

What prompted your love of travel?

I went on a volunteer trip and participated in the Salzburg Global Seminars. Despite traveling through the U.S. extensively, I never thought I’d be able to travel abroad and was afforded the opportunity by my community college. That sparked a greater desire to see what was out there and to connect with people around the world.

What always makes you laugh, no matter what?

One of my colleague’s dogs, Hoagie Roll. We both live in Maine, so I see them relatively frequently, and when he was teething, he’d chew his crate after nap time–the videos of it are hilarious. Note he has plenty of toys and water and treats, he just likes doing this 🤣