Sponsored by Cruise Planners Travel Franchise
After working in corporate America for over 20 years and holding management positions at some of the most well-known Fortune 500 companies, Chandra Brown was tired of constant change and uncertainty. She was frustrated with how often frequent corporate restructurings put employees in precarious situations. “I decided it was time for a change,” she says. Today, Chandra is a successful work-from-home entrepreneur, running her own Cruise Planners travel agency franchise. She’s now her own boss, can work from anywhere, and enjoys the freedom to travel the world.
But her path to where she is today hasn’t always been smooth.
Lessons Learned, Not Losses
Chandra’s move into the travel industry was prompted by her experiences as the wife of an NFL professional football player and mother of four. “I was always the central figure in planning (trips), whether it was a family reunion or a family trip, so I decided to venture into the travel world,” she explains.
Chandra initially decided to become an independent travel agent, but quickly realized it wasn’t for her. “It was a big, big, mistake,” she says. While she enjoyed the increased freedom of being her own boss, she also suffered from the downsides. She started at the lowest commission level, which made it hard to make enough and she had no support. “Everything I needed to manage my business cost money,” she explains of all the apps, services, and tools she had to pay for. Over time, the monthly fees really added up. “So I looked for a better opportunity, and Cruise Planners was the perfect opportunity,” she says. “And it was an amazing five years.”
Play Right
Today, Chandra is a top producer with Cruise Planners and consistently earns a place in the prestigious “Millionaire’s Club.” Looking back at her time working in corporate America, Chandra was often the minority, a reality she believes remains the same in the travel industry today. But she sees this as an opportunity to make a difference — not just as a business owner and travel advisor, but also by reaching out to those who don’t have access to travel advisors. “I’m a person of color and, frankly, I’ve spent most of my life in environments where I’ve really been the minority, and I still am the minority in the travel industry. This is a wide-open opportunity.”
“The future of travel is going to get more complicated,” she says. “If people want to travel more, they’ll have more choices and options. They’ll need more guidance and support. Getting from point A to point B isn’t as easy as it used to be. They need to navigate not just where to go, but how to get there and what to do when they get there. What we provide is insight.”
Let’s take a leap
If you’re considering a career change or want the flexibility of working from home, becoming a travel advisor could be the perfect path for you. Chandra Brown’s story shows that with passion, adaptability and support, you can have a fulfilling career in the travel industry and enjoy both professional success and personal satisfaction.
Learn more about Cruise Planners Travel Franchising
Read Chandra’s story here.
Now is the perfect time to start a travel agency – learn the industry, build a business foundation and capitalize on the travel boom.
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