NOW BOARDING

Katie Freiburger and Heather Martin met at the University of Michigan and have been friends ever since—through all of life’s phases. Freiburger owned an international children’s clothing business, and Martin practiced law. Both raised families on the North Shore and volunteered their time in numerous places— from their children’s schools to hospital boards to philanthropic organizations in Chicago. But the friends had reached a point in their lives where they were ready to write a new chapter.

“Neither of us was really interested in just getting another job,” Freiberger says. “What we wanted to do was bring together the knowledge we had from our past careers and combine it in such a way that created a true passion project. We realized that we’re at a time in our lives when we can redefine ourselves and that’s what we’re doing.”

Last August, Freiburger and Martin hit send on an email to their network of friends and colleagues letting them know that Friend-Trips LLC was available to craft unforgettable group and family adventures. Drawing upon their diverse backgrounds and global escapades, they have created a company that redefines group travel for all ages. Friend-Trips promises to custom tailor and enhance the way people explore the world together.

“We’ve been both so shocked at how this has taken off,” Martin explains. “Even though friends have been asking me for travel tips for years, you just don’t know how people are going to receive news that you’re turning a life’s passion into a profession. The two of us are so busy—we’re working five to six days a week. There isn’t a day that goes by that we’re not getting a call or a text that we respond to immediately. We’re loving it.”

Since their launch, Friend-Trips has planned sold-out group trips to Miraval (Tucson, Arizona), the Bourbon Trail (Kentucky), and Level-Up Pickleball Camp (Naples, Florida). “We’ve seen a shift in how people approach group travel,” Freiburger says. “What was once mere party chat about planning a group trip is now a reality with Friend-Trips. We’re the go-to resource for anyone looking to turn their travel dreams into unforgettable, specialized experiences.”

Friend-Trips has planned world travel for family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to six of the seven continents. While Portugal and Japan continue to trend as popular destinations, more and more Friend-Trips clients are choosing to travel for something specific—a concert, a hike, or even a tennis match.

“Travel is about creating memories that will last a lifetime. We all live busy lives, but most of us remember our greatest escapes and how they changed our perspectives. Traveling with your children teaches them about the world in a way a textbook cannot,” Martin observes.

At the core of Friend-Trips is Freiburger and Martin’s commitment to client service. “Travel planning is absolutely part of the service industry. People are under the misconception that working with a travel planner is more expensive,” Martin explains. “But often when we take over creating an itinerary for a client, we save them money on their bookings and can get them more amenities. We’re also able to anticipate things they may not because of our extensive travel. We won’t be signing teenagers up for a 7 a.m. walking tour or booking a grandparent on a rigorous hike. We know if anyone in your travel group has a food allergy, and we make sure that anywhere we send you knows this, too. If we don’t know something ourselves, we have someone on the ground that we’re working with who does.”

Friend-Trips star is quickly rising as Freiburger and Martin make a name for themselves in the luxury travel world. The duo has monetized their business by assessing a modest fee for creating an itinerary and receiving commissions from the hotels and tour groups they partner with. “Our business model is that we collaborate with the best in the industry,” Freiburger says. “That’s the value we provide above all else.”

Freiburger and Martin are still pinching themselves that they were able to start a travel company from the ground up. “We wanted to have our own brand, one that spoke for itself. We are the brand,” Martin explains. “When you travel with us, the level of service we promise is exactly what you get. We’re doing for others what we would want done for us. We’re not just booking trips. We’re building friendships.”

To plan your next vacation with Friend-Trips, email Katie Freiburger at [email protected] or Heather Martin at [email protected].