Our roundup of past Top 25 All Star Advisors is filled with great tips to get through the day and advance your career. Here are some highlights.
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Terry Bahri of TerryB Luxury Travel launched her own agency in January. What’s her secret sauce? “Just keep on offering great service. Travel is not a job for me and helping clients comes from the heart,” she says.
Earlier this year, Kim Goldstein of Journeys, Inc., bought the agency she had been working for. She travels frequently to resorts to get to know their onsite teams and consistently provides them with feedback. In turn, they often contact her with new policies and ideas to review. “Know your product and be an innovator. If you just sit behind your desk all day booking travel, you won’t be exposed to other opportunities,” she says.
Jennifer Byrne of The Tropical Travelers stresses the importance of focusing on specific niches. “You have to find your specialty and own it. Always look outside the box for fresh ideas and delight your customer. Push yourself to better your business,” she adds.
Susan Wolfson of Go Astro Travel also believes in specialization. “Find your niche and know it like the back of your hand,” she says. Also important? “Continue to educate yourself in your specialty and keep up to date with new ships, itineraries or amenities offered by the vendor.”
Daniela Harrison of Avenues of the World Travel supports the notion that advisors should be comfortable bragging about the great service they provide. She’s also keen on forging relationships. “Make lots of friends and be supportive to the industry community and you’ll be surprised how much support comes back around,” she notes.
Karen Daly of MK All Around Travel keeps it simple. “I believe being passionate about the business; continuously learning about new resorts and destinations is also very important.”
Tom Varghese of Travel Tom has a similar strategy. He firmly advocates getting out in the world to visit the destinations you sell and continuing your education on the industry. But you need even more to be an All Star: “There needs to be passion, perseverance and a constant desire to ensure your client always has the most amazing, memorable experience possible,” he says.
Terrah Van Meter of Legacy Travel is all about believing in yourself and keeping any fears at bay: “There is nothing stopping you from being at the top of your field but you,” she advises. “Don’t second guess yourself for a single second. Life is too short to be mediocre.”
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