Rules for Rulebreakers (but make it Tourism)

Before my grandmother (Mamma Jan) passed, she pulled my husband aside and said:

“Drew, this one right here. You can tell her anything you want—and she’ll listen. (pause, impish grin) Then she’ll do whatever the hell she wants.”

And I’ve never felt more seen.

Because rulebreakers like us aren’t reckless. We’re decisive.

We listen. We observe. We consider. And then we choose the path no one else is brave enough to take— not to be rebellious, but because we see what’s possible.

So in the spirit of Mamma Jan—and every woman who ever broke the mold without breaking her soul— here are my Rules for Rulebreakers (yes, even in tourism):

1. Listen Loudly. Then Move Quietly. In strategy and in life, listen to all of it: the data, the drama, the trends, the tea. But when it’s time to move, you decide. Tourism is full of “best practices” that aren’t best for you. Break them.

2. Know the Line Between Ethical and Acceptable. The industry will often reward mediocrity if it looks polished. You’re not here to play safe. You’re here to stay clean. Hold your morals tighter than you hold your metrics.

3. Don’t Confuse Consensus with Vision. Groupthink is a disease. Especially in boardrooms. If everyone agrees, you’re not innovating. DMOs: stop crowd-testing your creativity. Vision is rarely voted on.

4. Break Rules, Not People. Be kind. Be direct. Burn systems, not humans. You don’t have to become the villain to shake the castle walls.

5. Be the One They Whisper About. If they say you’re “too much,” you’re probably just on time. If they say “she’s a lot”—translate that to she’s a leader.

In tourism, it’s easy to get labeled difficult when you’re just telling the truth too early.

6. Don’t Wait for Permission to Tell the Truth. If you know the campaign is weak, say it. If the agency’s lying about attribution, expose it. If the work isn’t honest, walk away. You don’t need a committee to co-sign your courage.

7. Let Your Legacy Be Loud. Build the kind of brand that outlives you. Create ideas so big they outgrow slideshows and live in hearts. You don’t need a plaque. You need impact.

Mamma Jan knew the truth: I’d listen with my whole heart. And then I’d do exactly what I knew was right, no matter how uncomfortable it made the room.

You don’t have to become someone else to be respected. You just have to become fully, unapologetically you.

That’s the Destruptor way.