Jun 30, 2022
3 min read
Ted Gushue - Founder of ERG Media
Ted Gushue is founder of ERG Media, a digital strategy and marketing consultancy. His resume includes titles like Editor-in-Chief at Porche's
Type 7, Global Ambassador at
St Moritz and Creative Director at
Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano. Ted's work has taken him to all kinds of fun places around the world. He loves Aperol spritzes, Slim Aarons, a great blue suit, and his Leica camera. And, his favorite car is a Porsche 911 S, built in 1976, of course.
Ted
is much more than your average multi-hyphenate ex-New Yorker, though. He's been a successful DJ; is a trained photographer, shooting for publications like
Architectural Digest; has written for
The Observer
; worked in marketing at
Grandlife Hotels; and was the former Editor-in-Chief of
Super Compressor
watch magazine. He later moved to LA to be Editor of classic car site,
Petrolicious – ticking every luxury editorial box. And, that's all before turning 30. It's no surprise that he's amassed a bunch of excellent travel intel along the way.
Read on for travel inspiration from Ted Gushue.
What is the most unique hotel amenity you've ever encountered?
will embroider your initials on your pillow cases – one of the coolest things I've ever come across.
What hotel room design element can you not live without?
I like being able to have my shoes polished when I leave them outside the door at night before bed. It's a small thing that really makes my day.
What are your favorite bouji offices while traveling?
My whole life is one long string of lustworthy offices. Today I'm working from a houseboat on the Thames river just off of Chelsea Embankement. Yes I am listening to Yacht Rock on Sonos.
You travel for work, a lot. How did you get into doing what you do?
I built and ran a few magazines while living in New York which lead to me having to hire a lot of people to do things that I wanted to do. Like go to events around the world and document them from the inside. Picking up my camera again in 2015 really changed the course of my life. It allowed me the freedom to tell a story from end to end. To not just be the writer, but also the photographer and the editor and the publisher – all in one.
What advice would you give someone who wants to get into the travel industry, or have travel as a critical part of their job?
If you are waiting for a dream company that will give you a $200k annual travel budget, you're not going to find it. You can however train your work environment to let you work from where you need to be happy. I'm happy on the road, but you might be happy working from Barbados while your company is based in Boston. Depending on the nature of your work, there may be a way that you can do that same job while filling in the gaps with your own pocket money.
If you could swap suitcases with anyone in the world at baggage claim, who would you swap with?
Who is your dream co-pilot and travel partner?
Haven't met them yet. Traveling alone is bliss. No waiting.
If you're going to a new place, and your friends have not been there, what do you consult for advice?
I'm quite lucky that I have a really engaged group of people that believe in the work that I'm doing, or at least are fans of what I share on instagram. If I'm in a new place (Bangkok for instance, where I did this interview for you!) I will take a photo of a landmark, and say I'm new in town and want to know whats up. 10/10 times it results in someone fascinating reaching out and meeting up with me for a beer. The world is much smaller than it seems, and the chances that you know someone who knows someone who has been to the little town you're currently visiting is higher than you think.
Best travel advice you've ever received?
"Buy the ticket." – Justin Shaffer
Anxiety and burn out are side effects of modern living. How do you combat them, and how do you use travel to do so?
Nothing cures a bad hangover like getting on a plane and fleeing the country, or even better – the continent.
Do you have any favorite travel hacks (ways to score an upgrade, methods of getting your meal first on a flight, etc)?
Bank your points with one airline alliance. I keep Exec Platinum status with American which lets me use the 1st class BA lounge at Heathrow.
Travel can be about the little luxuries, like an amazing cup of coffee. Where was the best one you've had?
What is your favorite travel book?
What's your favorite room service experience ever?
I once had my sunglasses removed from my backpack in my bedroom at the
Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St Moritz Switzerland and brought down to the outdoor bar where I was eating steak tartare and it had become too sunny. Never before had a hotel offered me that level of service.
If you could quit your job and follow the Mamma Mia dream (ie. open a small hotel in another country or on a remote island), where would it be?
Italy, Porto Ercole to be specific.
Beach, city or mountains?
Mountains. I'm the global ambassador to St Moritz so I think I have to say this?
Travel alone or with someone else?
Alone.
Is in-flight wifi a good idea?
No.
Lost luggage, or lost phone?
Luggage.
Airplane food?
Sure!
Fantasy mini bar/fridge item?
Sparkling water.
Early check-in or late check-out?
Both.
In flight cocktail?
Bloody Mary.
Favorite travel app?
Priority Pass lounge app.
Window or aisle?
Window.
