Canada, 2009. Dalene and Pete Heck, two successful business executives, decided to leave the traditional workforce behind to travel the world. Over the next few years, they grew their travel blog to be one of the most successful in the industry, even becoming National Geographic Travelers of the Year along the way.
But Pete and Dalene soon realized they have a unique vantage point in the world of travel marketing. Influencers in their own right, they also have business degrees and years of experience. Combining these skills, they wanted to develop a way to help others in the travel industry connect with customers, grow brand awareness, and, ultimately, focus on authentic storytelling.
Enter HMI. Now a boutique team of passionate and experienced travel marketers with two Canadian locations (Alberta and Nova Scotia), HMI has fostered numerous long-term partnerships with some of the world’s most innovative travel brands. We help you market your brand through creative social media strategies, informative SEO-driven content, and genuine storytelling derived from multifaceted influencer campaigns.
In other words? We take the stress out of travel marketing so that you can focus on what you do best.
At heart we are explorers. Leaders in our industry. Influencers who know what works. And we’re here to help.
Our Team
Dalene Heck
Dalene Heck is a creative marketing entrepreneur with over a dozen years of experience. Starting as a multi-award-winning travel blogger – including being named a National Geographic Traveler of the Year – she co-founded HMI in 2013 to bring professionalism to the influencer marketing space (before influencer was even a commonly used word). With Dalene at the helm as CEO, HMI has since expanded to offer complimentary digital marketing services including social media and content marketing.
Dalene holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, is a sought-after public speaker on the topics of social media and influencer marketing and has published several successful ebooks on the topics. Dalene’s creative prowess steered HMI to a W3 “Best in Show” award for social media marketing in 2019.
Connect: LinkedIn
Looking to shift perspectives with a speech on social media, influencer marketing, world travel, and more? Move your audience. Dalene is an experienced speaker and available for your next event. See more about her topics here.
Pete Heck
Pete Heck brings a multitude of creative and practical skills as HMI’s co-founder and COO. Trained as a Certified Management Accountant, his career began in corporate Canada but then transitioned to executing innovative and large-scale digital marketing campaigns in the tourism industry. Pete is an award-winning photographer, talented graphic designer, SEO, and digital marketing advertising expert.
Connect: LinkedIn
Seattle Dredge
While completing her final year of studying physical geography/geology in 2011, Seattle launched a travel blog that quickly became her full-time job. She spent the next decade travelling around the world and earning opportunities to write for top websites, newspapers, and magazines. Alongside her travels, she delved into social media management, attracting a diverse national and international clientele. Eventually settling in Ontario, Seattle brings her expertise in social media, photography, videography, and graphic design to HMI, joining the team in April of 2023.
Connect: LinkedIn
Brenna Holeman
Brenna Holeman (she/her) has travelled to over 100 countries but is incredibly proud to call Winnipeg home. With a blogging career spanning over two decades, Brenna has worked with dozens of companies and tourism boards through her travel blog, This Battered Suitcase. With an MA in Creative Non-Fiction Writing from the University of London, she was once the editor and head writer for Expedia UK’s travel blog and has written for many top websites worldwide. Having worked with HMI on many projects over the past eight years, Brenna brings her research, travel writing, and copywriting expertise to the team.
