Brownell Rebrands Long-Running Mentoring Program as Brownell Startup
A 20-year training track gets a new name, smaller cohorts, and an updated structure for new-to-the-industry entrepreneurs.
Photo: Oxana Melis / Unsplash
Brownell has rebranded its long-running mentoring program as Brownell Startup, updating a training track that has operated since 2006. The revised program is now in market following a beta cohort that began in October 2025, with the next class scheduled to start this month.
The change reflects both a naming shift and a recalibration of structure, scale, and delivery. Brownell Startup is designed for new entrants building businesses from the ground up and will run in small cohorts—three classes per year, with a cap of five participants per class. Each class lasts nine months and centers on close collaboration with Brownell’s internal leadership and subject-matter specialists.
While the original Mentoring program has produced a significant share of Brownell’s current advisor base over two decades, the updated format is intended to better reflect how people enter the industry today, particularly career changers with experience in fields like law and finance. The program maintains an intentionally limited size, positioning peer interaction and access to internal resources as central features rather than scaling enrollment.
“Travel has changed leaps and bounds since 2006, and while our mentoring program stood the test of time, we have made some changes to ensure it remains a one-of-a-kind experience in the industry,” said Kerry Dyer, the chief development officer at Brownell. “Prioritizing the human connection has allowed this program to be successful over the last 20 years, and that will continue to be a core tenet of the program. We are thrilled with this evolution that will ultimately allow us to better meet people where they are, making them even more successful.”
Operationally, Brownell Startup sits alongside the company’s catalyst and hosting programs, which are structured for professionals with prior industry experience. According to the company, mentoring graduates represent 61.2% of its current advisor network, and Brownell reports a net promoter score of 82 among its advisors.
“Over our 140-year history, Brownell has always adapted to the times. We’re now seeing a new wave of applicants—career-changers from legal and financial backgrounds, for example—who are eager to apply their expertise to the travel space. By maintaining an intimate community of about 150 advisors, we offer these mentees a level of peer support and engagement that is unique in the industry,” said Margaret Haas Wolf, the director of advisor development.
Brownell was founded in 1887 and operates as an independent host agency with a deliberately limited advisor community. The Startup program continues that small-scale approach, prioritizing depth of engagement over volume as it enters its third decade under a new name.
The next Brownell Startup class begins this month, after the current beta cohort completes.
