Teresa Chope and Keith Meacham talk all things GALLIVANT

Gallivant Founder Teresa Chope sat down with dear friend and client Keith Meacham for a conversation about the philosophy behind her process, the quiet power of intentional travel, and what it truly takes to build a bespoke experience that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

Q: What was the aha moment that made you realize you wanted to start a bespoke travel company?

TC: It’s funny you ask, because it happened during a time in my life when I wasn’t using any of my creative side—none at all. Working in biotech and pharma, creativity wasn’t really allowed. You can’t exactly be creative when you’re writing drug labels for the FDA.

I realized I was frustrated with work because I wasn’t doing anything creative day-to-day. Sure, you can be creative in science to some degree, but you always have to report the data, stick to the facts.

So I spent about a year and a half figuring out what I wanted to do next. Once I made the decision to leave biotech and pharma and wind down my career, I thought, “What’s something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life?”

I realized I’ve always been curious about the world—about learning, educating, and sharing that passion with others. That curiosity eventually evolved into a travel company. I saw a need for something more personal—something not just about high service, but about truly valuing people’s precious time away. Travel is so personal, and I envisioned a company that reflected a deeply personal approach.

Q: How did your background in science influence the way you run your travel company?

TC: Even though I left the sciences, my analytical brain didn’t go anywhere. That part of me is still very much involved in the business.

We have a really strong foundation around our process—it’s anchored in rigor. There’s no guesswork. We literally have something like 57 steps (it used to be 82!) to make sure nothing is missed.

For example, our favorite hotel in Paris right now is J.K. Place on the Left Bank. They closed the hotel out of nowhere for four weeks. If we hadn’t called five days before just to double-check everything, we wouldn’t have known. We’d already called two weeks before, but we checked  again closer to arrival.

Because we caught it early, we were able to secure an upgrade for our clients at the best Parisian apartments instead. Those rooms were like $6,000 a night!

It’s those little details that make a huge difference. We’re constantly checking, double-checking, and troubleshooting behind the scenes so our clients never have to worry.

Q: How do you balance the creative and logistical sides of the business?

TC: We love the creative part—it’s exciting work for us! But because we’re so solid on the process side, we’re free to focus on creativity without worrying about dropping the ball.

We also talk a lot about not giving clients “homework.” When we present ideas or itineraries, it’s never overwhelming. We filter everything through what we know about our clients—their preferences, their travel style—so they don’t have to sift through endless options.

We’re constantly learning. Our team is wildly resourceful, and we prioritize ownership and thinking on our feet. If a client wants to go somewhere we’re less familiar with, we immediately tap into our global network of experts.

Q: What advice do you have for families transitioning from having kids at home to kids in college or the workforce?

TC: Time is the ultimate constraint. If you can carve out time with your family—whether it’s over a summer or a long weekend—you should absolutely seize it. Those moments are priceless, and they only get rarer as kids grow up.

It’s important to “lay claim” to that time early. Block it off on the calendar and protect it.

Q: How do you get to know a new family and design travel that fits them so well?

TC: We ask thoughtful questions. What’s your favorite hotel—not just what it was, but why? What didn’t you like about past trips?

The “why” behind preferences tells us so much. Some families want every minute planned; others want lots of flexibility.

Every family is different—even within one family, the travel style changes depending on who’s going. A trip with your girls looks very different than a trip with your partner. We pay attention to those nuances.

Q: I’ve recommended you to so many people, and I love how private and low-key you are. How do you balance being so involved while growing the business?

TC: That’s really nice to hear. Honestly, I love when clients call! I didn’t build this company to hand it off to someone else.

We’ve grown in a way that allows me to focus on what I do best—innovation, big-picture thinking, staying connected to trends—while having an extraordinary operations lead who handles day-to-day details.

But I’ll always stay involved with our clients. I want them to feel like they have direct access to me and to our whole team. This work is personal, and it matters deeply to me.