Konrad Waliszewski

Building a social commerce unicorn for travel with 50m+ social media followers. Traveled to 100+ countries.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

We learn so much from our travels because it’s often the only time we pay attention to what’s around us

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

@ankurnagpal i do!

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Kazakhstan once tried to sue Borat. Now they’re quoting him.

The “Very Nice” tourism campaign is one of the boldest pivots in travel marketing.

Let’s break this down:

In 2006, the Borat movie insulted Kazakhstan on a global stage. The government banned the film and tried to sue Sacha Baron Cohen.

In 2020, Borat 2 launched to tens of millions of viewers on Amazon Prime.

But this time, Kazakhstan realized something… Millions of people were Googling Kazakhstan for the first time.

So Kazakhstan did the unexpected.

They launched a response ad using Borat’s “Very nice!” catchphrase.

The result? $11M+ in earned media, hundreds of press hits, and a massive spike in brand favorability.

But more importantly, they drove a record 9.2M tourists in 2023.

Most travel brands panic when mocked. Kazakhstan leaned in - adapting to the current culture with humor and pride - and it worked.

Mockery is attention. Attention is opportunity. Marketers who act fast, own the narrative, and have a sense of humor can flip cultural perception - and win.

Embrace the meme.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

@sweatystartup c,,

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

We had 5 videos get over 10m+ views on Instagram this week.

You can watch them here: https://t.co/5eJVyRioqa

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Expect airport delays after Sept 28.

The U.S. government is expected to shutdown on Oct 1, so if you’re flying in the States, budget for extra time and expect airports to be slower than normal.

While TSA is deemed “essential” and operating at full capacity, they won’t be guaranteed to be getting paid (although they always eventually did in the past) - so will likely be disgruntled, move slower, increasingly call out sick, etc.

Give yourself extra time and be kind as you pass through security, it’s not their fault Congress can’t do their job.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

50% off Southwest flights if you book by Sept 28... Just use the promo code WOW50 at checkout!

Here’s the fine print:
1. Travel has to be for Oct 24 - Mar 6
2. Applies to Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares
3. Blackout dates apply, such as holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas
4. Additional blackout dates for select destinations apply
5. Valid for one-way or round trip!

Travel deals like this don’t come around often, so send to a friend and book fast!

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

@danmartell SYNC

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

It was a surreal experience chatting with @richardbranson this week on his private island.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Most things are a waste of time.

Identify the essential few things that really matter and put all of your effort into doing them exceptionally well.

Ruthlessly ignore everything else.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

@heyBarsee free

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Vietnam, Lebanon, and Malaysia are ranked way too low on this list! 🇻🇳 🇱🇧 🇲🇾

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

All growth and wisdom comes from both enduring challenging experiences and then taking the time to reflect on it. Find joy in this process - don’t avoid or skip either step.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” - George Bernard Shaw

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

What got you here won’t get you there.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Going for a walk is often the most productive thing one can do.

[Michael J Boorman - Wisdom Made Easy @WisdomMadeEasy]

This has to be one of my favourite visuals.

It’s relatable, right?

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Don’t say ‘we' when you really mean ‘you'

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

At the end of a meeting, always ask for clear commitments from each member - what will they do and by when. Then hold each other accountable to follow through.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Want infinite progress and wisdom?

Step 1: Endure challenges, experience pain
Step 2: Take the time to reflect on it
Step 3: Repeat

Most people try to avoid Step 1 and skip Step 2

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

One lesson I learned in 2022 that I don't always follow (yet):

Life is better when when you stop drinking alcohol.

[Konrad Waliszewski @goKonrad]

Asking powerful questions that get to the heart of the matter is a much more impactful way to drive change than trying to come up with an impressive answer.