Congratulations to Krzysztof (Kris) Michniewicz, one of nine Global Conference scholarship recipients.
Krzysztof will be attending our 2026 Global Conference in Abu Dhabi thanks to the generous support of SITE Foundation.
Here is Krzysztof‘s winning essay, where he spotlights his incentive travel career to date.
More than 20 years in the incentive marketing business is something to be proud of. My journey has been full of successes, but also hard times. I always tried to be brave and pioneering, sometimes reaching new heights, sometimes facing failures.
Each of these experiences taught me resilience, courage, and what it really means to be a part of this industry.
Over the years, my work has taken me to more than a 100 countries, where I helped deliver thousands of unforgettable events. I also supported suppliers and friends in diverse destinations. That was a great privilege and a gift.
Today, I am equally passionate about promoting Poland and my region as a destination full of opportunity, still relatively unexplored by many in our industry.
But in those early years, while I was traveling and learning, I also knew I needed something more, a place to grow, to share, and to feel part of a bigger community.
When I joined SITE over 20 years ago, I was hungry for knowledge and experience. Poland was just taking its first baby steps in incentive travel. We had no models at home, so I had to look abroad.
The United States, then, as now, the most developed and leading market, became my benchmark. I remember looking at companies that had created incentive programs for decades and thinking: this is what I wanted to bring back to Poland.
I absorbed everything I could, ideas and best practices, tried to transform them to fit the Polish market. It wasn’t easy; the market wasn’t ready yet, and in many ways I had to be a pioneer.
Some of the programs I designed were the first of their kind in Poland, inspired globally but adapted with our own creativity and local spirit.
This was also the time when I built Incentive Concept Poland (ICP), a brand that still exists today and became the platform for many of those pioneering programs.
Splitting my time between ICP and industry initiatives, I helped build one of the first associations of incentive travel organizers in Poland, serving on its board and later as President.
Along the way I mentored many managers who started their careers in my team and later built their own success stories. This is one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. It reminded me that what truly matters is not the programs we deliver, but leaving people better than we found them.
With time, I realized that as a Pole, I could bring a unique European perspective to our international community. The experience I gained, both in pioneering a new market and in building organizations, was not only valuable for me, it was also something I could share. That exchange of knowledge and perspectives is what makes our community truly global.
A time of successes & recognition
Over the years, I have designed and delivered hundreds of incentive programs worldwide. Some gained recognition nationally and internationally.
I am proud of the SITE Crystal Awards, the Oscars of our industry, which I received twice. They proved that even from a young market like Poland we could set global standards.
One of the milestones of my career was founding SITE Poland and serving as its first President. It wasn’t just about starting a new chapter — it was about building a community from the ground up and giving Poland its own voice in the international conversation. It was not easy, but with determination and teamwork we made it.
Today SITE Poland is strong, and I’m proud that what we started is still here for the next generation. SITE Poland gave me wings, and I became even more engaged, locally and globally.
That consistent commitment was later recognized with the Kevin Forde Spirit Award. It wasn’t for one project; it was for being there, supporting others, building bridges. This is exactly what our industry is about: a platform where we can learn, share, and grow together.
At the same time, I also wanted to give back in a more direct way. That’s why I founded the GO4HELP project, later a foundation, supporting local and international initiatives.
I realized that the skills we use every day in incentive travel: planning, logistics, storytelling — could also be applied to create real social impact. And what makes it even more powerful is engaging employees, clients, and partners along the way…and I did it.
Together we were not only running programs, but also renovating orphanages, planting trees in rainforests, supporting animal shelters, schools, and children across the world, helping local communities, and people at risk of exclusion. Simply: “give instead of take.” I truly believe we were changing the world for the better. These efforts were recognized by the Polish President with the Golden Cross of Merit.
I never chased awards, but I’m proud of them. They are the natural result of my passion, energy, and commitment.
And of course, behind every award there was always my family, who understood and supported me; my team, who gave their best every day; clients who were not afraid to take risks and believed in us; partners open to cooperation; and suppliers who supported us.
However, the greatest rewards were always something else: the smile of a child who received a new bike and could get to school more easily, a school kit their parents could not afford, or a renovated classroom and a handmade “thank you card” from children, as well as a blessing from an old lady who, thanks to us, had a Christmas different than usual.
These all are the awards that mean the most to me.
Has the industry shaped me? … probably yes.
Have I shaped the industry? … absolutely yes!
In the end a real win-win!
Hard times
My journey wasn’t only about success. There were hard times too. At one point, I had to close projects to which I had devoted many years of my life.
The decisions were incredibly hard, professionally and personally. This was my life; each project carried work, energy, and emotion. Those days hurt, but as we say in Poland, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Yes, hard times shaped me more than any success could.
Hard times made me stronger and they reminded me that true leadership is not about never falling, but about standing up again, learning, and moving forward. “Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights…
Yes, I was moving forward. What survived, and still survives, is the brand I created, along with the values behind it. That endurance gave me the strength to continue.
A new beginning: MrPoland
… and then came a new chapter.
Long before it became my company’s name, “MrPoland” was my identity within the global incentive travel community.
At SITE events and international gatherings, people would greet me with a smile: “Hello, MrPoland, how are you?”
It started as a friendly nickname, but it carried a deeper meaning, recognition that I was bringing the voice of Poland, and of my region, into the conversation.
After hard times, that nickname inspired me to create a company under the same name, so that “MrPoland” could live not only in the community, but also in the business I was building.
For me, it symbolized renewal, and the belief that every ending can also be a beginning.
Family & Mentorship
The impact of this industry reached far beyond me and it touched my family.
My older daughter spent a year at an American high school. That experience taught her tolerance, openness, and how to live in a multicultural environment. My younger daughter graduated in July with a degree in Arabic Studies, inspired by our travels around the world and exposure to different cultures.
Both grew up with the belief that the world is sort of like a book, discovered page by page. Today, they both support my business.
As for my wife, she teaches hospitality. Through her work she shows young people openness, responsibility, and the meaning of true welcome. That has often inspired me in my own projects. As we say in our family: “She brings the theory, I put it into practice”.
Another lasting passion is mentorship. For many years I’ve been part of the SITE Young Leaders program – running workshops, sharing lessons, opening doors. And for me, the most rewarding part has been watching young professionals grow.
In difficult times I learned one thing: stay calm, be clear, and have a plan B. These are lessons I carry with me not only in business, but also in life.
This is my story — full of successes, challenges, and failures.
But above all, it’s about… PEOPLE I met through the years, PEOPLE who inspired me and had a great impact on me, PEOPLE I worked with, and… PEOPLE who learned from me.
This is our INDUSTRY. … the COMMUNITY I belong to, the FAMILY, always by my side.
And that’s my story so far. As for the next chapters, they’re still work in progress…
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