Getting to know: Sean Shannon, Chief Operating Officer at Busbud

Busbud is growing and with growth comes great responsibility. So we’re extremely happy to announce the appointment of Sean Shannon, formerly Managing Director at Expedia Canada, Latin America and Australia/New Zealand as our Chief Operating Officer. After overseeing the growth of Expedia in these markets for the last 15 years, Sean brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and we couldn’t be happier to have him onboard.

Get to learn more about Sean through this short Q&A!

Busbud: What attracted you the most when you first discovered Busbud?

Sean: Having spent many years at Expedia, I have a love for how travel and technology come together. I was impressed by how the Busbud team had tackled the same basic opportunity in the bus space.

Busbud: And how did you initially get approached by Busbud to join the team?

Sean: I was introduced to the Busbud team through a mutual friend who was aware that there might be a good match. From the get go, it was a good fit where we shared the same vision for intercity bus travel, that finding and booking the right bus ticket option for anyone, anywhere and anytime should be easy and satisfying.

Busbud: What added value does Busbud bring to the industry?

Busbud brings a lot of value to both B2C and B2B fronts. Busbud brings new customers and “free agent” customers to our bus company partners. From the traveler’s perspective, the app and website makes it so easy to search, compare and book the bus ticket that is exactly right for them. And then of course we support them through their entire journey, making sure that all their needs are fulfilled.

Busbud is also useful to OTAs and Meta Search Engines, allowing them to expand their revenues via the fast growing intercity bus travel vertical.

Busbud: What experiences that you’ve learned from your time at Expedia can you bring to the bus industry?

Sean: Firstly, the customer is in charge! We need to offer a service that meets all their needs from first searching to taking their bus trip successfully. Secondly, our job is never done. The world of online travel planning and purchasing is constantly evolving and improving and we need to be at the forefront of that to earn our customer’s wallet. Thirdly, we can only be as successful as our business partners enable us to be and vice versa.

Busbud: How’s the transition going from a large public company like Expedia to a smaller private company like Busbud?

Sean: It has been a lot of fun and brings me back to my early days of launching Expedia in Canada and in Latin America with smaller teams within the larger Expedia Inc organization. There’s something exciting when you’re in “build mode”. Growing new markets, reaching new audiences and constantly learning from your customers. Busbud is a fast-paced company where we’re launching new features, campaigns and products every week, whether it’s new routes from a major bus company, new technology featured within our mobile apps or a new campaign featuring the latest data. The office is always bustling with activity!

Busbud: And what are some of the challenges you’ll be tackling in the coming year?

Sean: Helping Busbud and our various partners grow and be successful in the quickly emerging world of online bus ticket purchasing. The team is already operating at a high level. I’m impressed by what they’ve been able to accomplish with such a small headcount, and my goal is to mentor and help them reach that next level.

Busbud: You’ve been at Busbud for a couple of months now, can you provide a general feel for the workplace and its people?

There is a great spirit here at Busbud. Everyone is fully committed to doing their part to make us a successful bus ticket service provider. It is clear that everyone at Busbud enjoys our mission and working with each other. There is a real “can do” attitude at Busbud.

Busbud: Awesome, thanks for the insights Sean!

Sean: My pleasure!