Luxury Ambassador of the Month

“I’ve always been a traveler but I didn’t always work in the travel industry. Growing up in Saint Louis, my dad encouraged my sense of adventure, letting me travel abroad during spring breaks in high school. Summers were spent with my grandparents, exploring new places together. I still remember my Gran Gran walking into a traditional brick-and-mortar travel agency, flipping through brochures, and picking a destination or cruise…she absolutely loved to cruise. Later, I had the opportunity to live abroad with my now-husband while he played professional basketball overseas. But despite my experience, it wasn’t until much later that I realized travel could be more than a passion.

Before becoming a travel advisor and agency owner, I spent most of my early career in major gift fundraising, securing million-dollar donations for universities and nonprofits. I was good at it but couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted more.

With a marketing degree, I gravitated toward development, which felt like a great fit, except for one challenge: constant relocation. My husband’s transition to college basketball coaching meant frequent moves, making advancing my career difficult. While I appreciated the freedom and support at institutions like the University of Florida and thrived on high-stakes fundraising goals, I found the work environment lacking. I knew I was capable of something bigger.

By 2016, I started seriously considering starting my own business. My stepmom’s friend owned a travel agency in St. Louis – the same one that had coordinated all the travel for my destination wedding – and our conversations piqued my curiosity. I decided to test the waters by enrolling in the Travel Leaders of Tomorrow program. In 2017, I joined my first host agency as a side hustle while working full-time. My goal was simple: to see if I could replace my income within a year.

My dad was an entrepreneur, and I’m also a planner – I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a business owner, having been raised with ambition, confidence, and resilience. With my business background and experience, I quickly realized where the real profits were – destination weddings and group travel. It didn’t take long before I started saying ‘no’ to anything outside my business model. I learned that mass-market travel wasn’t for me, but that was okay.

After my first year in the industry, I still found myself saying, ‘This can’t be it.’ So, I left my first host agency and spent the next year with Getaway Travel in Greensboro, NC, an agency run by an engineering couple who took me under their wing. There, I truly leveled up because I learned how the numbers behind the business should work. After a year and a half, I quit my day job fundraising in June 2018.

I picked up so much momentum that at the beginning of 2019, I decided to take the leap and become an agency owner, doing more aspirational, wellness, and bespoke experiences. Of course, that wasn’t too far ahead of when the pandemic hit.

Covid shook the industry, but it also reinforced my belief that quality over quantity wins every time. Instead of scrambling, I used the time to restructure my business model, prioritizing elite clients and strategic partnerships. If the pandemic taught travel advisors anything, it is that we must be intentional about how we run our businesses, from pricing strategies to choosing the right partners. The industry reset was a wake-up call and those who adapted became stronger.

In September 2020, I launched TRVLB, a luxury membership-based travel concierge with a retainer model and minimum spend. One of my post-launch events was Do Not Disturb, which connected me with the right people in private aviation, yachts, villas, and exclusive experiences. Even in uncertain times, my clients were still traveling, and I was there to deliver next-level experiences.

Despite leveling up my game, I saw many of my peers struggling. Travel Weekly’s 2023 Industry Report confirmed what I was hearing and highlighted some staggering statistics about advisors and financial challenges. The problem? A knowledge gap. Too many advisors operated like hobbyists instead of CEOs. Awards and industry recognition do not equal zeroes in your bank account. That’s why I created The Biz Huddle, a mastermind-style event happening July 22-25 in Austin, Texas.

This isn’t just another conference or trade show. The Biz Huddle is a ‘mini-MBA’ for travel advisors ready to build a business that works for them. I bring the best in business from outside our industry to discuss marketing, sales, operations, finances, and mindset to help advisors scale and sustain profitability.

Today, I am focused on elevating the industry, building my businesses, and helping other advisors do the same. I know success isn’t about luck but strategy, execution, and a relentless commitment to growth.”