If you don't know me and have never heard me tell this story I think it's pretty good. If you do know me, I am sorry I have probably told you 19319 times.
Here it goes.....
I was born to go on vacation.
I don't mean like "yes girl I was born to go on vacation", I mean I seriously was born to go on vacation. In Massachusetts everyone knows The Cape is where you went for summer trips, and my family had a 4th of July house booked and we were not missing it. My mother the saint she is had all 9pds 3oz of me on June 30th and come July 2nd we went straight from the hospital to vacation. That's right no going home for me, it was time to go on vacation!!
Unfortunately for my dad, mom and now spouse's wallet I really truly took that to heart and have lived by that motto ever since and have encouraged others to do the same.
34 years later.....
It was November 1, 2023, and myself and about 160 of my coworkers had our whole worlds turned upside down, when it was announced my current company was shutting down.
(Don't worry I handled it like everything else in my life and laugh cried for a couple of hours, had a panic attack, and then said OK I got this...)
Spoiler Alert: I in fact DO HAVE THIS!
So... after taking a good hard look at my options I decided that I would take the leap of faith and do what everyone in my life has been saying I should do and what I have been doing for years... just without getting paid for it... I was going to become a travel agent. After I had the internal battle of is this mania or are these normal thoughts. I immediately contacted Shannon at The Wander Network, and I was off......like a herd of turtles in peanut butter.
No, seriously there is so much learning, and knowledge you need to get done first. Not to mention LLC, tax ID, Insurance etc. None the less, I was moving towards this career and I soon realized this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to help EVERYONE to TAKE THE TRIP.
So I jumped into learning, feet first with a notebook in my hand and an open mind.
(This was my mind)
I severely underestimated the ride I just got on (it's like Everest at Disney, what do you mean this thing goes backwards?). Thankfully your girl chose the right Host Agency and Shannon and Kellie were right there every step of the way! They set me up to learn as much as I wanted about as many suppliers, locations, and things as I wanted, always answering my 134911 emails I used to send. In truth my training never stops we actually meet up for Wander Wednesdays (a continuous training program they implemented).
It was now time! Armed with my new laptop, work phone, and an ungodly number of positive affirmations, I felt confident enough to start booking clients. I mean I had been helping my friends my whole life, what's the difference am I right? Don't tell your partners but yes, they are actually right on this. I have always understood the importance of "vacation". I have worked since I was 16, I understand spending hard earned money wisely, vacation days, and getting sitters for everyone else in life who depends on me. I knew if I never lost sight of that, I would succeed.
Now for the not so fun part...
In my new conquest in becoming the best for you; I also had to sit my humble self-down and say, "what's your worth?" Have you ever done that? I mean we accept our employer saying you are worth $$ an hour but turn around and ask yourself "What dollar amount makes me worth it?" It will make you question everything about your existence. I mean I called friends and family looking for external validation, researched market trends, and battled with it for months, before coming up with what I am comfortable at charging. Services | WORTH THE MILES TRA (worththemilestravel.com)
If you don't like it that's cool! I am just not for you. When you spend 2 weeks researching and tweaking itineraries for that perfect vacation for someone and they ghost you like a bad tinder date enough times, you'll see why I charge. I mean I thought the booklet I made of what our future kids would look like for our first date was so sweet, why would you just ghost me like that???
When I got that first client, it turns out I actually never understood that whole find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life saying. Not until I started planning your trips.
From my first client to my disaster of a trip clients (not because of me or them), to all my current and future clients I still love it. I get to see you be excited for all of the little things, I get to talk to you, learn what you like, hear your stories, find out what kind of vacation style you have (yes we all have a vacation style). I get to help you surprise propose to your partners, plan that honeymoon, create an epic destination wedding, babymoons, kids first trips, girl trips, bachelor/bachelorette trips, divorce trips or just a weekend away. I can make sure you don't have a 45-minute connection in DFW (you'll never make it) and when you miss it, I am the only phone call you have to make. I get to be part of your memories.
So I sit here now with a successful business and a grateful heart, typing a mediocrely funny blog about how a terrible day turned into a life changing career for me.
As always...
TAKE THE TRIP!
-SAM
Worth The Miles Travel
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