One of the genuine pioneers of the online travel world actually started his business, alongside business partner David Litman, as a call center operation.

The Hotels Reservation Network, as it was then known, was born in 1991 and used a game-changing process that became the merchant model now favored by countless online travel agencies.

Lawyer Bob Diener and Litman spent time persuading the hotel community that their idea of taking the reservation funds from travelers and then paying the hotel after the customer had stayed was both revolutionary at the time and allowed the company to grow on its own cash flow.

Before switching to a web business and renaming to Hotels.com, completing a successful IPO and navigating an eventual sale to Expedia, HRN also developed the affiliate model and illustrated how PR (rather than advertising) could drive the profile of a brand.

Diener joins us for the latest episode of How I Got Here.

HIGH is a weekly show produced by PhocusWire and Mozio, aimed at getting the inside stories behind startups and innovation in travel and transportation.

Other episodes: on PhocusWire and Mozio.

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