From the Boardroom to Bali: How My Portfolio Career Let Me Travel Luxuriously and Invest Smarter

I love my Portfolio life and career. It brings me not only to many interesting places, but gives me the freedom to choose work and clients that resonate with my passions. It allows me to apply my strategic thinking not only in my career but also in my personal life. I curate my life often, and I want to travel according to my personal sense of style, need for security, and most of all, in comfort. Because a portfolio life and career is not really sitting on an office chair all day and then on a sofa.

Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still find me camping under a million stars, scaling the heights of Mount Rinjani in Indonesia, or staying in a simple mountain hut. But you’ll rarely catch me in a faceless three-star hotel by the pool. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not what I need or enjoy. Maybe that resonates with you, too.

So let me go back a bit in time when I was first infected with a travel bug and the pivotal moment that later made me rethink my travel strategy.

The Accidental Luxury: My First Business Class Flight at Age 12

My first transcontinental trip was a transformational journey. At 12, I traveled with my parents to New York and on a motor home trip to the national parks of the Western USA. The excitement soared when my mother negotiated our way into Business Class on an overbooked flight. I was impressed by her determination and persistence as she fought through all resistance by the airline. This trip, with its clear lesson on standing up for one’s rights and seizing opportunities, gave me a glimpse of the perks of comfortable travel. Of course this was the last time I saw a Business Class from the inside until I started with actual Business travel.

My first Business trip in a private jet during the dot-com boom

Flash forward to the dot-com era, my first job interview, and group assessment at Anderson Consulting. Picture this: a chartered private jet whisking 80 candidates off to Cannes. Onboard, champagne flowed as though we had already signed employment contracts with the firm. It was a heady time, much like the current demand for AI specialists, where university graduates with eCommerce strategies and web coding skills were golden tickets.

Travel Evolution in My Portfolio Life

In my tech career, I frequently flew Business Class from Germany to Asian tech capitals with Singapore Airlines, then the pinnacle of aviation luxury. But the 2008 economic crisis ushered in a shift. Business class travel, once a company expense, became a personal cost I had to manage wisely. Initially, as my portfolio career evolved and I was working remotely from all over the world I accumulated miles through frequent flights. I had set-up my remote office in Bali and needed to be in person at important business meetings in Singapore.

Now, I travel less frequently but more strategically. Credit cards have become my secret weapon, helping me collect points that I convert into air miles and other travel perks. This way I can travel and invest the saved money in my favorite technology stocks. More on this in another blog post.

Edit you life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.

How I Travel ‘Lightly’ Now

Last year ended with a memorable trip to Bangkok with my sister, reminiscent of our 1998 trip to Thailand when we still traveled with a Lonely Planet guidebook and maps instead of smart phones (how was that possible ?). We met in the Priority Lounge in Frankfurt, flew Thai Airways to Bangkok, and enjoyed a complimentary suite upgrade in a beautiful hotel overlooking the Chao Phraya River. From free-standing bathtubs with skyline views to complimentary massages, our trip was a perfect blend of nostalgia and luxury.

For travels to Davos, Switzerland where I needed to be for a Female Leadership event as part of the World Economic Forum, I rented a car in Munich, received an upgrade, and saved around 30% on car insurance.

A bit later, I traveled to my second home, Bali, in Qatar Airways’ Business Class QSuite, using miles and a minimal fee of around 80 EUR. The new Al Mourjan The Garden Business Class Lounge in Doha was a haven of luxury, and the QSuite’s features, from fully inclined seats to a la carte dining, made the journey unforgettable.

On my birthday weekend, I stayed at The Apurva Kempinski in Bali, experiencing a triple room upgrade with own pool and ocean views and unparalleled comfort. I used the fast check-out desk in the business lounge of the hotel and enjoyed complimentary breakfast in one of the 3 breakfast restaurants with the largest cooking stations and buffets I have experienced. The Japanese and Korean selection alone were the size of a usual breakfast buffet in other 5* Hotels.

Back in Germany, I mostly use the German railway for travel, having given up owning a car due to environmental, energy, and economic considerations. I also use their Bonus Program to get free First Class tickets frequently. In Munich, I use taxis or rented cars for travel to corporate coaching sessions in the client offices, utilizing my credit card allowances for free taxi drives.

During a short trip to Valencia for an appointment, I rented a car on the weekend to visit friends at the Costa Blanca and saved about 200 EUR of car insurance covered by my credit card.

This summer, a quick flight on a girls trip to the Amalfi Coast with an economy ticket granted me access to the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge in Munich, courtesy of my American Express Platinum Card. On the return, I savored the VIP Lounge in Naples, the food was, as expected in Italy, great there, too!

For an upcoming ‘workation’ in Mallorca, I’ll fly Business Class for just 18 EUR return, thanks to a special deal between my credit card provider and Condor Airlines.

Now, I am curious, How do you plan to travel this year and what are your tips and tricks on traveling smartly? Would you share in the comments?