Inside Beverly Jackson's Travel Bag

About this article:
Take a peek inside the work-travel adventures of marketing leaders who spend a good amount of the year on the conference circuit. Whether you’re heading to your tenth event or prepping for your first, what you pack—and how you travel—says a lot about how you show up.

Our What’s in My Travel Bag? series highlights the must-have gear, routines, and mindsets that make conference travel feel more fun and rewarding.

Built to Be Ready for Anything

I used to say I was a horrible packer. The truth is, I just travel enough that guessing — and improvising — stopped being an option years ago. 

At a certain point, you realize the goal isn’t packing lightly or packing stylishly — it’s packing correctly. My travel bag is the result of years of iteration, trial and error, and a very low tolerance for friction. 

I’m not romantic about travel. I’m intentional about it. Everything I bring has earned its place, and everything has a backup. 

If I’m bringing more than one pair of shoes, we’re already past the point of pretending this is a minimalist situation. Compression cubes and vacuum sealers aren’t hacks; they’re necessities. If a trip is more than four days and it’s winter, I’m checking a bag. Clothes are heavier, layering is unavoidable, and I plan accordingly. Summer, warm climate, under four days? I’ll carry on. At this point, the decision is automatic. 

My suitcase is a Tumi soft‑sided roller board, continental size. It has to have four wheels that rotate smoothly, an extra‑long padded telescoping handle, and an expandable zip for last‑minute chaos. Tumi is the workhorse — I have two or three versions because when something works, I don’t experiment. 

But honestly, that’s just where my clothes go.

I’ve Built an Entire Travel Ecosystem

My work bag is where the system lives. I’m a luxury handbag person — that’s where I spend my money — and I rotate between my Louis Vuitton OnTheGo (the large) and my Birkin 35. 

Yes, that Birkin. It’s Borania leather, traditional Hermès, purchased secondhand in beautiful condition. Now it has a few scratches, and I like that. I wanted it to have a story. My life is full of them, and I travel enough that my bag should reflect that. 

These bags are big, structured, and capable of carrying everything I need without collapsing into chaos. And there is a lot in there — intentionally. 

I travel with multiple pairs of AirPods, different generations, fully charged. Redundancy isn’t excessive when you’re on planes as often as I am. I live in the desert, so cuticle oil is mandatory. I carry two phones, my MacBook, and my iPad — that’s my core tech, the infrastructure that keeps me connected and productive no matter where I land. 

I always have gum, mints, and snacks. My go‑to is a KIND breakfast bar (dark chocolate cocoa) and a bag of nuts I occasionally grab from the Zillow office when I’m there. I’m also a terrible water drinker, so I force the habit with Crystal Light packets. My favorite water bottle is a TikTok gift to society: screw‑top so it doesn’t leak, and a flip that holds your phone so you can watch videos hands‑free. Efficient. Excellent. No notes. 

I need a black Moleskine notebook, a blue pen, a black pen, and a Sharpie. I wear glasses — and reading glasses — so I travel with multiple pairs, plus a cleaning cloth because fingerprints are unacceptable. Chargers matter: an Anker battery, a multi‑prong charger, and one cable that can power my phone, watch, and AirPods at the same time. I also carry Lysol or Clorox wipes because I am, unapologetically, a germaphobe. 

Decisions Made Once 

One thing I’ve learned over time is that travel gets easier when you eliminate decision‑making. I don’t want to think about which charger to bring, which bag works best, or whether I packed the right adapter. Those decisions were made years ago. 

I pack the same way every time because it works. The same tech setup, the same backups, the same routines. When travel volume is high, consistency is what keeps everything running smoothly. It’s not about having more — it’s about knowing exactly what you need and never second‑guessing it. 

The Ecosystem in Motion 

Because luxury bags don’t come with trolley sleeves, I use a belt bag to secure mine to my suitcase. It keeps everything upright and accessible. 

I also always travel with my passport, because you never know when somebody invites you on a last‑minute international trip. I keep an AirTag in it — just in case. 

I’m a million‑miler Delta flyer, and since I travel often, I typically see the same crews on my flights to and from Las Vegas, where I live. I never leave home without goodies for flight attendants; they have a tough job. 

If I’m running late and need to check a bag, I’ll take it through TSA and gate‑check it. Security dimensions are different than overhead bin rules, and as long as it clears the scanner, you’re fine. Lastly, frozen water bottles on long trips are a reliable way to stay hydrated during my flight. 

How I Show Up at Conferences 

When you’ve been to enough conferences, you develop clear standards for how time, space, and people should be treated. 

My pet peeves are specific: slow walkers, five‑abreast formations, close talkers, surprise filming, aggressive sales pitches, and unsolicited hugs. I love staying after sessions to talk with people, but don’t sell to me — and please tell me why you’re recording me. 

Know the moment, and respect the space. 

I think about swag in a similar way. I love Moleskine notebooks, quality leather goods, and anything genuinely thoughtful. The TikTok water bottle is elite. Zillow’s Baggu bag that folds into itself is genius. But one of the most memorable swag moments I’ve experienced was when Apple hosted a women’s luncheon at Cannes and gifted every attendee a custom portrait. It was personal, unexpected, and something you actually wanted to keep — the kind of detail that makes an event feel considered.

What doesn’t make it back home? Non‑Moleskine notebooks and cloth bags. I think the era of cloth bags is finally coming to a close. And the branded phone chargers? Unfortunately, they just do not work. 

The Energy I Bring With Me 

If I had to describe my conference vibe in one phrase, it’s Destiny’s Child, early 2000s. 

Destiny’s Child was great because of coordination and precision — delivering something inspiring and enrolling doesn’t happen because one person is amazing. It happens because of the team that gets you ready. I don’t talk about myself or what I’ve done; I talk about the teams I lead and the work they make possible. There’s an entire army of PR people, designers, and coordinators behind every polished moment. 

That’s Destiny’s Child energy — unique, coordinated, magical, excellence personified. 

Being Ready for Anything

At this stage of my career, travel isn’t about the experience. It’s about readiness. When everything around you is variable, your systems shouldn’t be. 

My travel bag isn’t about luxury or volume. It’s about eliminating guesswork so I can show up composed, prepared, and fully present — no matter where I land. 

That’s what years of travel teach you. And that’s what being ready for anything actually looks like.