Abby Penston, who was Focus Travel Partnership’s chief executive between November 2019 and February 2024, has launched the practice to help travel executives in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) enhance their communication skills.

Called myexec, the practice enables senior leaders to develop a clearer vision for their organisation as well as hone their business management and conflict resolution skills.

“Being a leader or senior manager in an SME travel business can often feel a lonely role and can seem overwhelming at times” Penston said. “As a former chief executive myself I am well familiar with the challenges and pressures that SME business leaders face today.”

The initiative follows research from the Harvard Business Review, which found that 61% of executives report feelings of loneliness in their role while Centre for Creative Leadership data highlights a link between high levels of loneliness and organisational performance issues.

“If you look at most successful business organisations around the world, and at the most powerful, innovative and influential business leaders, the vast majority have benefitted from senior level coaching and mentoring,” Penston added.

“I have discovered the techniques and strategies for dealing with those pressures and I’m passionate about passing that knowledge and advice on”.