IT Executives Cheat Code to Business Travel

A six-foot power cord with two USA sockets and two USB ports is the most valuable item on this list. You can be sure that anything you plug into the USB socket is protected from data transfer (this could happen without your knowledge via a USB socket in a public place). There are also scenarios where you could be wandering around the departure gate trying to find a power socket (of which there are normally shockingly few), but when you do find one, someone else is using it. With your own power bar, you ask to plug in, which will provide one extra socket and two USB charging ports. You can also use this to extend a hotel plug socket if you need to. Often the sockets on the bedside table are so overused that they do not work, and you need to use one by the TV. Finally, when you are in a country with a different outlet type you can use one adaptor with this power bar to give you two power sockets off one adaptor.

Pack an external portable screen that is 4k, is powered by USB-C (and no other power source) and has its own carry case. This is invaluable when you are facilitating a workshop or working session. You can use this in extended mode, allowing you to take notes on OneNote while you use your laptop screen for PowerPoint presentation notes and use the projector in the room for the main slides. I have also found this useful when you are meeting with a client in at a coffee shop and you want to show some slides. You can simply put it in front of them and then control what is presented from your laptop screen in the normal extended mode.

For North American flights, I now leave my house to get to the airport one hour before the departure time (90 minutes for international) and always make it. Regardless of how busy the airport is, as long as you have TSA Precheck added to the flight booking, you can sail through security even at the busiest airports (such as Atlanta).

Hilton and Air Canada are the two loyalty programs I use primarily. The points rack up pretty quickly if you also connect Uber to your loyalty program and use partner airlines as a backup plan in case your first choice does not fly to your destination. Hilton also gives a discount from its website and double points if you select the right room for a little more (usually less than $10). The flight loyalty program also gives you a lower zone number so you can get on the flight earlier and ensure you have somewhere to put your carry-on luggage.

I use Scotiabank Scene Visa Infinite. There are three reasons for a travel credit card. The first is to get points to redeem against anything you want to buy. The second is to get lounge access at airports. The third is to ensure there is no currency conversion charge, which makes expense reporting so much easier. With the travel card I can take the default currency conversion on the expense claiming app rather than having to put in a custom currency conversion rate every time.

It is important to be able to fit everything you need for one week in a carry-on case and laptop bag. This avoids checking luggage, which can cause delays, item damage, and extra walking through the airport. Sometimes you might make an impulse purchase while on a trip, which is why the expandable zip is crucial, as long as the bag is small enough to fit into the standard overhead compartment. When packing this bag, roll clothes like t shirts and jeans to reduce space and fold shirts and suits to avoid creases. There are many tutorials on suit jacket folding, which are worth looking at. And don’t worry, any crease in your shirts will come out after hanging them in the bathroom after a hot shower (assuming you bought non-iron shirts).

I have an Info-Tech-branded laptop backpack that accommodates my laptop, screen, headphones, tea, umbrella, cables, power cord, and business cards. That is everything you need quick access to during transit. The Info-Tech branding often attracts the attention of other travelers who ask about what we do, which is an ideal business development conversation starter. I also keep a very small umbrella tucked in a side pocket. I do not use it very often, but sometimes I am in a business suit and need to make a dash between the car and the building with no coat in the rain. The carry-on loop makes it far easier to sit your backpack on top of your carry-on luggage as you haul it around the airport.

I have been through many presentation remotes, and I have found that the Logi Spotlight is the best. It charges by USB and has a true spotlight feature on the slides (even on a projector) so you can highlight certain areas of busy slides. This is leaps and bounds better than the older laser pointer models out there.

This includes business cards, whiteboard markers, a Sharpie for name tags, Tide pen, USB adaptors, HDMI flexible connector (in case the client’s screen connector is so bulky it cannot connect to your laptop without covering other ports) and ballpoint pens. It is a good idea to have it open during a workshop or other facilitation session. You never know when you might need to explain something on a whiteboard.

During some flights it is nice to have a Bluetooth connection from the headphones to the screen. This avoids wires hanging everywhere when you are trying to get comfortable or sleep while watching a show.

I have Bose QC35 headphones, but any Bluetooth and cable noise-canceling headphones work. They should be an over-ear style not on-ear to improve noise-canceling efficiency (I am an audiophile in another life). They should also be able to run on a 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth. Generally, when running on Bluetooth the battery runs out much faster than when hardwired, but it appears the noise cancelation capability of the headphones takes very little power to operate. These are good to get some sleep in the noisy environment of a plane or an airport lounge or if you want to concentrate on working while at the airport gate.

If you invest in quality neckties and pocket squares, you don’t want them wrinkled by the time you arrive. I also wear metal shirt collar stiffeners and cufflinks. All of these items fit nicely in my tie case, which lives in my carry-on case at all times, even when I am at home, to make packing a little easier.

I have been caught off guard a few times while traveling, picking up a sore throat, cough, allergies, or something else while away from home. Now I pack some Tylenol (acetaminophen or paracetamol) and Advil (Ibuprofen) as well as Eno salts, Band-Aids (plasters), and Betadine sore throat spray (saved me more than once). I also pack some electrolyte tabs and Tums. You never know when you might stay out a little too late with a client but still need to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next day.

If you go to Starbucks and order a cup of hot water, you might be charged $0.20 to $0.50, but sometimes it is free. Once you have it, though, you can add your own favorite tea bag (some I have gathered from hotel stays – I recommend a good-quality loose-leaf tea in a bag) and additives of choice and you have a nice hot beverage for a fraction of the price, especially at airports where drinks seem to cost far more than they are worth.