30 Years, 30 Questions: Part 3 - What Matters Most

An interview with Maria Chevalier

Why does Grasp exist? Who does it serve? And what does it mean to truly solve a customer’s problem? Maria Chevalier on the product philosophy and customer obsession that have defined 30 years.

PRODUCT: INNOVATION WITH PURPOSE

What makes a product genuinely useful—not just impressive in a demo?

It’s really simple: you’re solving a problem. All great products fix something—they make things better, faster, more accurate. And when you solve the right problem, look at everything that follows downstream: the ability to source more effectively, to build more accurate strategies, to make smarter decisions. It all starts with the problem.

How do you think about innovation without chasing every trend?

You’ve got to be careful about running after trends. The first thing I’d say is: innovation doesn’t have to be big. So often we think we have to invent the next Apple product—and that thinking stalls people before they even start.

My favorite story about this: I’m a gardener. I love putting out hummingbird feeders in the South—but the South has sugar ants, and they invade feeders by the thousands. I tried everything. Vaseline. You name it.

Then I went to a local bird store and they had this little $20 red cup with two S-hooks. Ten cents worth of materials. The insight? Ants can’t cross water. You fill the cup, hang it on the feeder, and the ants are stopped cold. Simple. Elegant. And it’s a multimillion-dollar company selling that little cup.

Innovation doesn’t have to be grand. Sometimes the beauty is in the simplicity. Find the problem. Solve it cleanly. Don’t stall waiting for a lightning bolt.

What product capabilities do you believe customers will value most in the years ahead?

Faster. More accurate. More integrated. More actionable.

How should AI improve travel operations in practical ways?

Our industry is challenged by disconnected/fragmented systems and data, reactive operations and some manual workflows. We will all win by focusing on proactive travel operations, operational automation, predictive decision making and unified data intelligence and systems.

What does “simple” product design mean to you?

Don’t think you have to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes you just need to add another spoke—and that makes the wheel more reliable. That’s it. Simplicity in service of reliability.

CUSTOMERS: THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT DRIVE US

What have customers taught Grasp over the last 30 years?

The value of great data. That’s really what it comes down to. And the ability to be a great partner across all sorts of different economic climates and industry disruptions—that’s the constant of great partnerships.

What do the best customer relationships have in common?

The blurring of the lines. When you forget who works for who—when you are all committed to the same goals, the same success—that’s when a customer relationship becomes something special.

What’s one customer challenge you’re especially passionate about helping solve?

I love solving problems. Full stop. My sister—who is a psychologist—once said to me, “You see the greatness in things.” Whether it’s a chair on the side of the road that I’ll literally pick up, fix up, and donate to someone who needs it—I see the potential.

I see the potential in people. I see it in companies. I see it in customer opportunities. And I am genuinely obsessed until that potential is fully realized—whatever it takes, whatever segment it’s in.

How do you want customers to feel after working with Grasp?

That we are a critical part of their team and that we make their jobs eaiser and their programs better. That we have the best travel data and know it better than anyone else – we are their partner, their trusted advisor.

If you could thank every Grasp customer personally, what would you say?

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to support your business, travelers and teams.

Thank you for your partnership, feedback and even your challenges — because each conversation has helped us to improve, innovate and grow stronger.

Most importantly thank you for believing in us and what we are building.   Our goal was always to help bring clarity to complexities, create confidence in decision making and make travel programs work better for the people who rely on them every day.

Your success is what drives us.   

We are grateful for your trust, proud to partner with you and excited for what we continue to build together.

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