For Penny Cordner-Maas, head of content marketing at Luxury Escapes, being \u2018too much\u2019 means bringing passion, excitement and joy to the things that matter.<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of our Women in Travel Awards 2026 series, we spoke to Cordner-Maas about the woman who taught her to take up space, returning to leadership after maternity leave, reinventing her team for the age of AI and why women should never be afraid to ask for what they deserve.<\/p>\n Passion and excitement. I\u2019m deeply in<\/span>vested\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the things and people I care about, and I don\u2019t believe it\u2019s ever too much to show that joy to others. When we launched our rebrand last month, I was genuinely jumping with joy, sharing it with everyone and feeling so excited to see it finally come to life. That excitement was contagious, and I could see others sharing their own joy and pride\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the work too.<\/p>\n Definitely my mum. When a teacher once scolded me for asking too many questions, Mum went\u00a0in<\/span>to the school the next day and said, \u201cPlease don\u2019t tell my daughter not to ask questions. If she has questions, probably others\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the room do too.\u201d She\u2019s empowered me ever since to speak up, clarify, query and back myself.<\/p>\n Returning from my second mat leave with a nine-month-old and a three-and-a-half-year-old,\u00a0in<\/span>to a studio team of more than 25 people and a world being reshaped by AI. I hadn\u2019t touched a computer\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0nine months, so finding a way to reinvent us for the future felt\u00a0in<\/span>credibly overwhelming. I\u2019m proud to say that nine months on, we\u2019ve almost entirely reshaped the way we work, and the team is\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the strongest position for success it\u2019s ever been\u00a0in<\/span>.<\/p>\n Back yourself and be your number one cheerleader, but remember you don\u2019t have to do it alone. Find safety and support\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the people around you. I find that having a strong network of\u00a0women<\/span>\u00a0who see your worth can help you step outside your own doubts and encourage you to ask for what you deserve.<\/p>\n You\u2019re stronger and smarter than you think, and you can do this. I mirror this with my four-year-old daughter when she\u2019s feeling nervous or afraid: we take a deep breath and say, \u201cI know I can do this.\u201d<\/p>\n My Kindle. There\u2019s nothing I love more than escaping\u00a0in<\/span>to a fantasy novel on holiday and devouring multiple books\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0one trip. I\u2019d never be able to carry enough books with me otherwise.<\/p>\n The Women in Travel Awards 2026 will take place on Wednesday, 2 December at ivy Sydney, bringing the industry together for a night dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women across the sector.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nWhat does \u201cNever Too Much\u201d mean to you personally?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Who was the woman who showed you it was okay to take up space?\u2028<\/b><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the trip, role or moment that felt almost too big to reach for?\u2028<\/b><\/h2>\n
What would you say to the woman who\u2019s still convincing herself to ask for less?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What do you tell yourself in<\/span>\u00a0the moment before you step up?\u2028<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the one\u00a0travel<\/span>\u00a0item you can\u2019t live without?\u2028<\/b><\/h2>\n
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