Joined in January 2024
Former Group Product Manager at Microsoft
Based in Mercer Island, WashingtonFrom managing product at Microsoft to creating itineraries at Fora
Jen Lyon built her career creating seamless user experiences for millions. But after 17 years at Microsoft leading product teams for widely used tools like Outlook and Teams, she was ready for something different.
“I quit Microsoft with no plan whatsoever—I just knew I wanted to do something I was more passionate about and spend more time with my 11-year-old daughter,” she said.
During her corporate years, Jen and her husband had traveled to 31 countries; their daughter was even born in London during Jen's stint at MSN UK. Friends constantly sought her travel recommendations, joking that the family were “travel influencers” with their constant adventures.
Jen heard about Fora through a friend of a friend. Given her background in tech, she was particularly attracted to Fora’s tech-forward approach. She realized becoming a Fora Advisor would be the perfect fit for her next chapter.
“I wanted to help people discover the world,” she said. “In products, the main thing is listening to the customer—really hearing what they need and why.”
Jen applied this same approach to travel advising, listening to her clients’ travel goals and using Fora’s online platform to research, plan, and book trips.
“Knowing that it was modern and tech-forward, I mean, that was a no-brainer,” Jen said of Fora, especially since she was “coming from Microsoft being passionate about tech, knowing what tech can do to make your life easier."
Transforming workflows through Fora's platform
When Jen started using Portal, Fora's integrated booking system, it transformed her business operations. As Fora’s team added more features to Portal, Jen's productivity skyrocketed.
“What I get most excited about is just the sheer amount of efficiency and time Portal has saved me,” Jen said of Portal. “My time to proposal has probably gone down by 10x.”
What I get most excited about is just the sheer amount of efficiency and time Portal has saved me. My time to proposal has probably gone down by 10x.
Jen Lyon
joined January, 2024
Portal also gave Jen more confidence in her recommendations, even though she could now spend less time researching and verifying her recommendations.
“Knowing that I do not have to search 10 other sites to verify that I am giving my client the best value is a game-changer,” she said. “I can pull it up, scan through the tabs, and give my client the best value without having to spend another hour searching.”
How Portal helps advisors book with confidence
Jen's tech background gave her unique insight into what makes a booking platform effective. She knew the power of a well-designed platform, and appreciated Portal's consumer-like interface despite it being a business tool.
“Portal looks pretty compared to something that would just be for in-house users,” she said. “It's simple, but it's effective. You can do exactly what you want to do without overly complicated features that could introduce potential errors.”
Fora's easy-to-use Portal makes Jen's workflow more efficient
Portal, Fora's booking platform, is a business tool with a user-friendly interface, streamlining research, bookings, proposals, and commission tracking.
The streamlined experience eliminated booking anxiety.
“A bad booking platform can be scary,” Jen said. “You want to be able to book with confidence, especially when you quote a client.”
Portal's intuitive design, excellent search functionality, and valuable client-data integrations gave her confidence that she was booking the correct rates, room types, and dates every time.
Using community reviews and feedback to build trust
Portal's property reviews, penned by fellow advisors, became a secret weapon for closing sales. The real-time feedback from her Fora peers gave her confidence to recommend destinations she hadn't personally visited.
“I have the confidence of knowing I can turn to feedback from other advisors and know I can get my clients to the right place based on that insider knowledge,” she said. “To hear the feedback that clients trust me—because they know I have a network that has proven itself time and time again at getting them to the right property they want—has been huge."
The integrated reviews eliminated the need to search forums or switch between platforms. (“I have what I need right here,” Jen said of Portal.) This insider knowledge also became a competitive advantage as she continues to grow the thriving business she’s created.
“I love this job so much,” Jen said. “I love sending people around the world. I literally would spend every free moment doing it, because it does not feel like work."
How Fora made success possible
Efficient tech: Reduces time to proposal while ensuring best client value
User-friendly design: Modern, intuitive interface prevents booking errors and provides confidence when handling high-value reservations
Property reviews: Real-time advisor feedback builds confidence to recommend unfamiliar destinations and close more sales
Preferred partners: Streamlined filtering and trusted partnerships ensure clients receive maximum value and perks
