PHOTO: ©ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES

THE BASICS
Name: James Rodriguez
Title: CEO
Company, city: Atlas Ocean Voyages; Fort Lauderdale, Florida
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, so, while I didn’t exactly know the meaning, I knew the word, and that’s what I wanted to be. My grandparents owned a barber shop and a dry cleaner, so it was instilled in me to build and grow something.
Fun fact about yourself: I’m a decent Latin and country music dancer and I’ve won a dancing contest.

If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why? Asia; I’ve been everywhere, probably twice, over the past 25 years, but Asia always eluded me. We’re launching Asia in 2028.

A LITTLE BIT MORE
What two nonessential items would you want if you were on a deserted island?
Pictures of my kids and a copy of the book I read that changed my life: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

What person or experience most influenced your choice of career?
In my late 20s, I read the book Start with Why and it helped me realize I needed to chase my passion, not a salary. Our why at Atlas Ocean Voyages is travel changes peoples’ lives and we can play a small role in that.

What is your favorite song, and/or who is your favorite musician/band?
The band I’ve been a fan of for the longest amount of time is the Pet Shop Boys, and especially in my formidable young years like high school and college.

If you had a time machine, would you travel to the future or back to the past? Why?
I’d go to the past to see my grandparents and parents, show them photos and thank them. They couldn’t see the fruition of what they worked so hard for in pursuit of bettering our family.

THE BUSINESS
How would you describe your leadership style?
I’d describe myself as a servant leader; my role is to support the team and empower them. I’m not an ego- driven person, and I’m here for the people who are here for you.

What predictions do you have for the travel industry over the next year?
AI is changing everything. The question will be, “How well are you using AI?”

What is your or your team’s proudest professional achievement?
Building this team at Atlas is my greatest achievement. We turned a startup around in four years. Atlas Ocean Voyages was only announced in 2019, and COVID-19 resulted in a long pause with really no plan forward. I brought in people I had worked with before, and here we are today.

What project are you currently working on?
Atlas Adventurer, a next-gen luxury expedition sailing yacht, will launch in 2028. There’s very exciting tech behind it; it will be able to visit out-of-the-way ports and it’s being built entirely to our ethos.

AS A TRAVELER
What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned about customer service? True engagement with the guest is so important, especially in the luxury market.

What’s the first vacation you can remember taking? It was a bit of a traumatic experience, actually. My parents took me to Disney when I was about 5–6 years old and during a parade, I decided to climb a tree and watched as my parents frantically looked for me.

What are your travel pet peeves? People who don’t use ear pods or headphones on their phones; I may carry a second pair with me in case I need to passive aggressively pass them along.

Share your favorite travel experience: I traveled with my kids on Atlas Ocean Voyages to Antarctica; it’s such a powerful destination. We were kayaking and a whale surfaced just 10 feet away.