Site Search
Social

Advertisement

My Exciting News…

by on June 2, 2011 · 110 comments

in Trip Reports

Tomorrow is the last day of my day job and first day of the newest chapter in my life – being a full-time blogger. It’s definitely bittersweet, because I’ve met incredible people working on Wall Street and had some really solid road warrior years – which gave me the inspiration to start this site.

However, travel is my passion and I am so grateful that the site has grown enough to be able to become a full-time endeavor. I’ve thought long and hard about this move and while there are always risks pursuing your passions, I know that now is as good a time as ever to focus on my own business and travel the world.

As a loyal reader, you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ll be devoting even more time to finding the best deals and providing exclusive tips to help you maximize the value of your miles and points, which has always been my site’s primary mission. I’ll also be developing new, innovative content, and bringing in fresh voices to cover additional travel and hospitality topics, so stay tuned!

Overall, I’m really excited to embark on this journey with so many unknowns and I’m thrilled I can share it all with you. In fact, after I leave the office tomorrow, I head directly for Tokyo. I’ll  spend three days at the Park Hyatt Tokyo and will take advantage of the numerous tips I got from the comments on my Tokyo post (with random giveaways for  readers who shared their advice – thank you!) Expect a full report of my Delta and Hyatt experience and many more reviews to come – so far this summer I will be in Vancouver (for the TBEX travel blogger conference), Madrid, Alicante, Barcelona, Sitges and Mauritius, and that only brings me to July!

Your feedback is immensely important to the growth and evolution of ThePointsGuy.com. I read every single email, comment, and question, so please continue to send them along. A fellow tall traveler TPG reader recently recommended that I review the showers in hotels – great  idea – keep them coming!

As always, I am so appreciative of your support of the site and I look forward to many adventures and travel deals to come. Thank you for flying with me!

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author.s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

Previous post:

Next post:

  • Scott

    Awesome!!! Congrats!! (and awesome for all of your readers…)

  • Steven

    I am very excited for you and look forward to getting even more information and insight. This is a great community that you have created here and I am very glad to be a part of it.

  • Mike L

    Congrats! And good luck

  • Mikedlk

    As Paulo Coelho wrote in “The Alchemist”, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
    So, it seems that you really wanted this change in your life and I’m very happy for you!
    I recently booked 2 r/t award tickets from NYC to ATH redeeming 60,000 miles for each one of them during the highest season, when all the Greek diaspora moves back to Greece for a couple of weeks. I’m working for one more now (has been put on hold again for 60,000) and all these thanks to you (and FT)!
    Wishing all the best!

  • Adam K

    Brian congrats man. You’re doing a fantastic job with the site and have great articles, keep it up

  • Joe

    That is really great news! Congratulations!

  • Lantean

    Congratulations Brian, you made a difficult but right decision! Your blog is my favorite and I’m excited you’ll be able to write even more now.
    Enjoy Sitges, don’t do anything I would not do.
    Haha
    All the best! ;-)

  • NL

    “The easiest way to work hard is to find a career you love.”

    Congratulations

  • Joshua

    Congratulations! Awesome news.

  • Maury

    Congratulations and thank you for all the great tips.

  • David Z.

    Congratulations and best of luck! I love your blog and look forward to more great content.

  • Sean

    How about an article on how to start a travel blog and quit your day job?

  • K

    Brian,
    Best of luck! I just started reading the blog a month ago and now it is one of the first sites i check every morning. I look forward to reading more of your postings and learning more of your tips.
    Cheers,

  • Vick

    Congrats!! Good luck! Looking forward to more material on here!

  • http://www.jungleoflife.com/ Lance

    Big, big congrats!! And….looking forward to everything that is to come here in this space!

  • http://www.mommypoints.com Mommy Points

    That is fantastic! Congrats for being brave enough to take that big step and follow your passion! I’m excited to keep reading the fantastic tips that you share with all of us. Enjoy Tokyo!

  • Zakon

    Brian, let me know when you are planning to be in BCN and I’ll gladly buy you a drink!

  • gpapadop

    I did this about 10 years ago and never looked back. The ONLY thing I missed working in the corporate world was my miles/points scores from business travel. Life is too short not to follow your dreams! Travel/miles/points is close to my first passion so I always wanted to combine them two:-) I would love to get a client in Australia or Thailand so I can expense my trips there:-)

    I thought you were doing this full time as you keep up the site very frequently. This is great news for us!! We all wish you the best in your new endeavor!

    I had no idea you worked in Wall Street! Investment banking?

  • Jon

    Congratulations! Following your passion for work is a great privilege.

  • AAP

    Brian, congratulations for leaving the “rat race” and pursuing your passion! I read your site daily, and you do a fantastic job helping others see the world.

    My wife and I travel every now and then for work, but thanks to you and the FlyerTalk community we’ve been able to “super-size” our award points. We’re sending this post from our 6 day/5 night visit to the Park Hyatt Maldives.

  • Dan

    Great news. Good luck. BTW, we loved Sitges. It’s ~35 minute train ride from downtown Barcelona. Nice place to spend a full day or overnight. The beach is fun.

  • http://suponcreative.com Supon

    “Work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do”
    Oscar Wilde

    CONGRATS! and I’m sure that you will “LOVE” it!

    PS. I was at Westin in Madrid last week and love it. Thanks for your recommendation. Tokyo is my next stop in July.

  • Jeff R

    A hearty congratulations from an avid reader and fellow former wall street employee. Looking forward to your blog being that much better! Thanks for all your hard work on this site and I’m glad to see its paying off!

  • http://millionmilesecrets.com/ Million Mile Secrets

    Brian – Congratulations! I’m delighted that you made this move. Enjoy Tokyo!

  • http://www.boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing Gary

    Congratulations, Brian!!

  • Paul

    You have one of the better blogs. I really like photos or screen shots of what you are talking about.

  • Connor

    Good luck to you! Last year I left a full time job to follow my passion as well. And because I couldn’t get enough time off for travel ;)

  • Frank

    Great news, now back to work…We just returned from Barcelona and it was wonderful..Check out the Bacardi House in Sitges for a tour and free Mojito’s!!! Good times

  • maksimk

    Congrats on the big move to full time blogging. It’s great that you’re following your passion! I’ll be following your work on these pages. Good luck!

  • M

    Congrats! Everyone wins! You get to do what you love full time and all your readers reap the benefits as well!!!

  • Ken

    Congratulations, and best of luck! Your blog is my number one go-to site for FF info so I’m sure you’ll succeed.

  • Ritam

    Brian – great news and I was so happy for you when we heard about your news at the Frequent Traveler Awards dinner. I have always been a true believer in following your passions and, along with that, great success will follow. Congrats!

  • TimeForSomeCheese

    Congratulations!! Thanks for all of the amazing tips and for taking time each and every day to help make us all a little bit more savvy in the travel department. I’ve gotta say this about your new gig, I’m jealous!

  • MattRob (Robert-Jan)

    That is really great news ! I wish you all the best in your new adventure !

  • http://techpedsdoc.wordpress.com/ MKEPediatrician

    Congrats! In Jan I went from seeing patients to a heath IT executive which exponentially increased my travel. An avid traveler prior to the new career, I always loved traveling for personal reasons and now love-so far;-)-the work travel. I have to say that your blog not only helped that transition, but got me to Delta Gold in only 6 months! I also have enough points to take my wife and 3 kids for a great vacation, which is why I really like to accrue those points!

    Glad to hear that you are making the transition and I look forward to the continuation of great travel advice!

  • http://boardingarea.com/blogs/unroadwarrior/2011/06/01/which-credit-card-to-use-for-car-rentals/ The Nomad

    Congrats Brian. You and your readers are really lucky!

  • http://italylovers.com ItalyLovers

    Exciting news for sure. Congratulations. And your income will probably double over the next year.

  • Colin

    Congratulations Brian! Quitting your dayjob to travel and do what you love? I’m so jealous and you’re so lucky!! :D

  • elle

    Brian, I’m so excited for you! I just discovered your blog last month when I was researching the Amex PR offer. I was so impressed with the useful information that you and your readers offered that I’ve been following the blog daily since then. As a NYer who works long hours and sometimes wonders about missing out on the world beyond Manhattan, I admire you for making what must have been a challanging decision. I want you to know that you are providing an invaluable service to us. Best wishes, e

  • Adam

    This is great news! Congratulations, and l can’t wait to see this blog thrive even more than it already is.

  • Glen

    Congratulations! And keep on truckin’!

  • pixel girl

    Congrats, PG! This is a big, exciting step, and we’ll support you all the way!!

  • Clara

    Great news for us! Your blog is great! I usually give up on reading blogs after a week – but you’ve kept me going for much longer than I ever anticipated. Part of my daily routine now. Good luck!

  • PowerJoe

    Congrats! all the best in your new endeavor.

  • JohnnieD

    Best wishes Brian!! Your info and advice has helped me so much! I can only see your info getting better. I also appreciate the fact that you answered my emails right away and with great info. FYI, without your info, i could not have gotten two RT US Airways awards in envoy class BUF>MAD for 110K miles!!!

    John

  • http://www.nicolechanphotography.com Nicole Chan

    I’m a new reader and a super excited one at that. I recently quit my full-time management consulting (TONS of travel… tons of points :D ) position to do something I loved… wedding photography. Crazy, eh? I think you’re going to love life a ton more than you ever thought you would. Cheers to a new chapter of life. I’m excited to peruse your blog and read your new posts! :)

  • Justin

    Congrats!!! I’m very happy for you!
    As another poster commented, how about an article about your transition from your day job to full time blogger?

    I’m very excited about this news, I love that you make an effort to post a new article on your site everyday. Best of luck!

  • evelyn

    Congratulations! I discovered your blog recently, I read it every day, and am very appreciative of the information you share. Hope this new direction brings you lots of joy and fun (and miles!).

  • Jason

    Best of luck to you.

  • http://www.euanross.com Euan

    Congratulations… look forward to seeing what you add to TPG!

  • Neil

    Congrats Brian!

    I, too, would love to see an article on your transition.

  • Rachel

    Congrats!! Looking forward to all your new content!

  • Steve K

    Your faithful readers will also benefit from your “upgrade” to full-time status!
    Many many thanks, and all the best!

  • The Points Guy

    THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AMAZING SUPPORT! I have been beaming all day reading these comments.

    As for the people who asked me to write a post about becoming a blogger and writing about my experience- I’m sure that will come in time, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself- I have a ton of work to do before I can advise others on this process. I will recommend a great post about the 8 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers: http://www.copyblogger.com/effective-blog-habits/

  • Will

    Brian,

    Thanks for making travel more affordable. Quite a nice contribution to everyone’s well being.

  • Coloradodude

    Brian, Congrats and thank you. I read your blog daily, you have helped all of us a bunch.

  • Alex

    Congrats on the freedoms. Based on how many times I check your blog, I am sure that you will only have further success.

  • Steve G

    Well done Brian!

  • Brent

    Congratulations on the move to being a full-time blogger! I’ve followed your blog almost on a daily basis and count on you to help me travel in style. Thanks for your hard work and good luck!

  • MichaelP

    Congrats and good luck!

  • http://www.thetravelersloophole.com Mary Alice

    Brian, I am so happy for you! Congratulations! Have fun with your new freedom/adventure/lifestyle and I look forward to reading all about it.

  • KeithH

    Like the old saying goes, “find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life!”
    Brian, well done on pursuing your passion! And thanks for all the great tips on travel!

  • jb

    Congratulations and All the Best! Thank you so much for your wonderful blog. Your joy comes through with your outstanding help and advice!

  • Sheila

    Congratulations! I’m excited for you! It’s a pleasure to read your blog every morning. Thank you for all your advice!

  • James

    Congratulations! You’ve done an amazing job writing here part-time — can’t wait to see what full-time brings.

  • John

    Wow! Congrats! Now you can make all these cool trips and not have to dread the work on the other side. Look forward to bigger and better things to come.

  • RH

    Brian,

    This is great news for all! It makes me very happy to know that it is still possible to turn a passion that some would consider a hobby or simple interest into an actual profession – congratulations. This gives me, a worn-out management consultant, and everyone else hope.

    Looking forward to seeing TPG grow now that you will surely have more time to put into it.

    Best of luck.

  • Zach

    Congrats! I hope youll get to visit Taipei one day! Looking forward to your experiences and more contents on TPG!

  • http://helpmetravelcheap.com Craig Ford

    Brian,
    I’ve been a huge fan of your blog and so I’m not surprised that this has paid off for you in such a big way. I wish you all the best going forward.

  • Jim

    Congratulations! I’m one of the silent majority who reads you every day (in between monitoring the miles piled up thanks to your tips).

  • Cindy

    Congratulations! I am one of many who benefit from your blog and wish you all the best moving forward!

  • http://www.AbsoluteADT.com April Thompson

    Congrats! I’m so excited for your new transition! I’ll be heading to Tokyo on the 8th so I look forward to your updates!

  • Theresa

    Congrats! Your blog is a daily must-read. Thanks and looking forward to a full-time TPG.

  • Wes

    Kudos…your blog is one of three Boarding area bloggers we read with our morning cup of Joe.
    Thanks for sharing your exceptional travel knowledge daily.

  • http://www.rentingoutrooms.com Mike

    Brian,

    You’re following your passions. I admire you for that, It’s something that I really really want to do.

    Congrats

    Live the Dream…

  • rohanfly

    Absolutely love this forum and thanks for all your help — completely new to this as of 2 months – question I have is that I want to fly from Houston to rio de janeiro and then to Santiago chile — should I use my aa miles or my ba miles? If you could help me understand the lay overs — I read your topics about this but do I just call up ba and say I want a ticket from Houston to rio then to Santiago and then back home — all for 40 k miles – since Houston Is not part of LAN hub is going from Houston to Dallas to rio to Santiago then back home all part of 40k.miles — sorry for long post still a novice at this — also would it be pushing to add a different city before and after the itinerary? Thanks for sharing your knowledge this is like a drug — but cheaper

  • http://boardingarea.com/blogs/mjontravel Marshall Jackson

    Brian,

    Congratulations!!!! I look forward to following your progress.

  • ilimas

    Congratulations Brian on following your passion. Your site is incredible! I wish you well and look forward to your future posts.

  • Dale

    Brian,

    Way to go! I always read your blog with my cup of morning coffee – and my evening glass of wine.

    Cheers,

    Dale

  • Joseph May

    Brian,
    I wish you good luck and good fortune. Follow your heart and live your dream and dream job. Success to you and thank you for all you have done for all of us.
    Sincerely and Jealously,
    Joseph May

  • Daniel

    Brian:

    I think that you are making a wise move! You are truly talented and I’m sure that your business will thrive. I look forward to reading your blog.

    Best regards

    Daniel

  • Jade

    Best wishes, Brian! I am sure you will be very successful… I do believe we should love what we do and do what we love. I really like your blog and I think yours is one of the best!

  • Claire

    Congratulations, and all the best to you! Being fairly new to the miles game, I appreciate not only your advice but also that you never patronize us newbies when answering our “beginner” questions. Likewise with your experienced readers who chime in — always helpful, never condescending. A classy bunch all around. :)

  • Maya

    Your passion is clearly evidenced in your blog…its the 1st thing I read & one of the best there is! You have inspired us to take trips we never thought we could ever afford. I wish you nothing but the best on your new “journey”…u truly deserve it! :)

  • Jeff

    Brian,

    Congratulations and best wishes! Looking forward to many more great blogs from you! Thanks for all your sharing!

    Jeff

  • Matt

    Brian, congrats and good luck. I know you’ve pointed the way for a few opportunities for free or reduced-price travel that I’ve taken advantage of and appreciate the knowledge and effort you put into the site.

  • Leo

    Congratulations Brian and good luck! Looking forward to more informative posts ahead!

  • http://www.euanross.com Euan

    Are you able to give us an insight of what great things we can expect?

  • http://frugaltravelguy.com Rick Ingersoll

    Congratulations Brian, I wish I had followed my dream at a young age like you. I look forward to swapping stories and info for years to come and sharing the stage with you at the Chicago Seminars this October.

    Best Wishes

    Rick Ingersoll
    Frugal Travel Guy

  • Sam

    Congrats TPG
    One of the best travel blogs out there…keep the good work coming…..

  • Jenny

    Yahooooo!! Way to go TPG! I am SO thrilled for you, congrats on following your passions! I never, ever comment on blogs but I love yours so much, I’ve done it twice! Keeping my fingers crossed I will bump into you in NYC or some Delta/Hyatt trip. You rock!

  • Shuji

    Congratulations! Have fun in Japan.

  • Viet Tran

    Congrats and good luck to you.

  • MJL

    Congrats and best wishes. Looking for more valuable information as always!

  • http://kareemahmed.com Kareem

    Hey man! I’m a new reader. Congrats on taking the leap of faith.

    -@kareemy

  • chontzy

    Congratulations Brian from a recent follower of your blog! The fact that you are following your passion is an inspiration.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelblow Michael Blow

    Just recently, I was thinking back to when you crashed with Mike Kelly and me at our old place in downtown Baltimore. You talked a bit about starting this during that visit. I thought it was a great idea for you and was completely hoping you would do it. At the time, you seemed hesitant. Now, seeing you able to follow your passion just makes me completely envious. :-) Congratulations and good luck, brother. And definitely let me know if I can ever help.

  • unscheduled

    I’m a reader from China, and I really like your high quality blogs. Thanks for your sharing and I’ll keep following your blog~

  • Pingback: Sunday Reader Email Question: Should I Rollover or Go For Higher Status on Delta? | The Points Guy

  • Pingback: US Airways Grand Slam 2011 Master Guide | The Points Guy

  • Pingback: Entrepreneurs, Passion, and a blog equals success!

  • Pingback: Check Out My New Site: Travelcreditcards.com | The Points Guy

  • Pingback: Why I Am Thankful This Week | The Points Guy

  • /Thanh

    Brian,
    Congrats and have fun !
    /Thanh – Montreal

  • Seoul Flyer

    Congrats on making the move to follow your love. I admire your gumption. And, I like your site. I’ve already found some of its advice very practical for earning extra miles I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise.

  • Pingback: Getting Approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | The Points Guy

  • Pingback: Destination of the Week: Tokyo | The Points Guy

  • Pingback: Credit Card Affiliate Links! | Travel Summary

  • Pingback: Credit Card Affiliate Links!

  • Pingback: #throwbackthursday: 8 Of My Most Memorable Flights/Trips | The Points Guy