Experience matters at SDI – your experience and what happens when you work with us, your guests’ experience and how inspired and motivated they feel, and our experience – 28 years of it with a team that has done it all, seen it all, and come through flawlessly.
Continuing our theme of Experience Matters, we’re welcoming you “Inside the Experience” – giving you a glimpse into the incredible team members that make working with SDI so exceptional.
Meet Jo Williamson, Account Manager
How long have you been with SDI? 
I just celebrated my 5-year anniversary.
What do you love most about your job?
The ability to travel as part of my job, not to mention experience amazing new destinations all around the world, is a huge bonus of working at SDI.
Why is incentive travel important?
Incentive travel gives employees the ability to see places they wouldn’t normally see, in a way they wouldn’t normally be able to experience. These experiences create powerful memories and give people something to talk about and connect over during, and perhaps more importantly long after, the trip. That has far more value than a cash incentive that is quickly forgotten.
What’s the most challenging situation you’ve faced in your role?
In 2019, we were managing a 150-person program in New Zealand, and our guests were spread across several flights to get from Auckland to Queenstown. Four planes were unable to land due to weather, and as they were rerouted back to Auckland, we quickly found and booked overnight stays for them there. The next day, the poor weather continued, and only two of the four flights were able to land. The travel-weary but resilient guests again were redirected to another airport, and we arranged ground transportation for the rest of their journey to Queenstown. Managing a large group of travelers internationally, adapting to disruptive travel, and most importantly keeping guests happy across three cities, multiple planes and buses was an extraordinary challenge.
What’s your craziest / funniest / weirdest travel story?
My most rewarding travel experience took place at the end of 2018. It was a jam-packed year of work – I’d completed 10 programs and needed some time to regroup. I traveled solo and hiked the Inca Trail in Peru for four days. It was amazing and recentering, and I’m so happy I was able to take that time and have that experience, reaffirming for myself the value and importance of travel.
What’s has been your favorite destination to visit with SDI?
To me the destination is all about the experiences it offers. I’m a fan of unique outdoor experiences that won’t be forgotten like whale watching or hiking in the mountains.
What’s on your bucket list?
So many things! I’m definitely anxious to get back to traveling. Top of my list of dream trips – climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, going gorilla trekking in Uganda and visiting Antarctica.
About Us: SDI Meetings & Incentives is the global-yet-boutique meetings, incentives and special events partner driven by the basic truth that Experience Matters. Creating custom experiences to reward performance and fuel growth, SDI taps decades of expertise to deliver solutions managed from concept through execution by one tenured point of contact. We’ve produced programs around the world, for groups from 10 to thousands, combining the exact right elements to support our clients’ goals and to motivate and inspire their attendees. Find out more and contact us at ExperienceSDI.com.
