Adam Schwab: Building Luxury Escapes, Taking Risks & Why Success Is More Than Money

Sarah Grynberg (0:00)

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Adam Schwab is the co-founder and CEO of Luxury Escapes, one of Australia's most successful travel companies, transforming the way millions of people book holidays. But behind the business is someone who has spent decades navigating risks, setbacks, rapid growth, and some of the toughest moments any entrepreneur could face.

In this conversation, we talk about building a business from the ground up, leading through the uncertainty of COVID when the travel industry came to a standstill, making decisions under pressure, the role luck has played in his career, and why the best leaders know when to trust their instincts and when to challenge them. We also explore ambition, resilience, family, and what success has taught him about perspective.

Adam Schwab (1:25)

You want to leave the world in a better place, you can find it. I've been super lucky in so many respects, and I still consider myself in the growing phase. The point we need to harvest whatever wealth you can get, whatever benefits I've got, and how do you make the most impact with that, and that's going to be a whole new challenge. I think it's probably 10 years away, maybe less, maybe more, I don't know, but call it circa 10 years away, where you flick from building a business and creating wealth, to using that wealth to make a positive impact, and easy to say, because I'm not really doing it now, that would be a massive challenge.

Sarah Grynberg (2:07)

Through my years of studying and researching the connection between human behaviour, personal growth and transformation, I have discovered the keys to unlocking greatness within others. In this podcast, I share stories and experiences from my own teachings along with conversations with inspiring guests to help you learn the simple tips, habits, practices and strategies to cultivate an extraordinary existence. My hope is that this conversation reminds you that greatness isn't measured by titles, wealth or achievements. It's found in the way we respond when life tests us, the courage to begin again, and the willingness to keep believing in ourselves when the path ahead isn't clear.

Adam Schwab, welcome to A Life Of Greatness.

Adam Schwab (2:56)

Thanks for having me.

Sarah Grynberg (2:57)

So, most people know you from the brand Luxury Escapes that you're the CEO and one of the founders of. But take us back to the early days, you know, growing up, what kind of led you into this entrepreneur background? Because that's not really where you started.

Adam Schwab (3:18)

Yeah, it's, entrepreneurs have such a different way to get there. Because there's no university course for being an entrepreneur. And to go up, my dad was a builder, he had his own business, highly entrepreneurial. But I don't think he ever really thought of himself as an entrepreneur. And my mum was originally a teacher, and then she worked with my uncle in just a sort of family business. But certainly when I was growing up, I had an uncle who was a lawyer and a cousin who was both successful lawyers.

So I just wanted to be a lawyer, because that's sort of all I knew. And there's a sort of bit of a right that if you can get good enough marks, you do Law or Medicine, or maybe Commerce, but usually Law or Medicine. So if you feel like you don't want to waste the marks, I'll do something that sounds good. But I actually did want to be a lawyer, not really knowing exactly what the job entailed.

You watch the TV shows, but that's not really what a lawyer is. The real lawyer would make a really boring TV show. But I managed to get into law and...

Sarah Grynberg (4:11)

Where did you study it?

Adam Schwab (4:12)

I studied at Monash. I studied Commerce Law. I was always probably better at the commerce stuff than the law. Okay, law marks, but that was just through grinding it out, not through being a naturally... There's much smarter people who do law. I got a job at a law firm called Free Hills, which is still one of the best firms in the country. But working with super smart people and knew relatively quickly that I was never going to become... I think that two or three percent of people become partners. And you kind of... I knew I was never going to become a partner because you got to be, A, ridiculously smart and be that kind of person that wants to do that stuff. And it just wasn't for me.