Becky Lukovic, proprietor of Atlanta-based Bella Journey Planning, an affiliate of Journey Consultants. (Picture Credit score: Bella Journey Planning)
Success Tales concentrate on veteran advisors and the way they achieved success through the years. Right here’s a have a look at Becky Lukovic, proprietor of Atlanta-based Bella Journey Planning, an affiliate of Journey Consultants.
How did you get your begin as a journey advisor?
Like many individuals in our trade, I discovered myself planning journeys for myself and consulting others on their very own journey as favors for household and mates. I had accomplished some large-scale occasion planning for conferences, concert events and festivals and knew I actually loved placing logistic and experiential puzzle items collectively.
I used to be standing on a bridge in Sorrento after an incredible journey I deliberate and thought to myself: I might do that for a dwelling. My subsequent query was: Who would rent me? Being entrepreneurial my total grownup life, I simply thought to myself: I’ll simply create my very own firm and cost a price to seek the advice of individuals who wish to journey like I did.
I used to be fortunate sufficient to have some wonderful mentors in these early years who correctly launched me to the inside workings of the journey trade.
How did you construct your online business?
The bottom line is sticking round lengthy sufficient the place folks belief you with their mates, household and colleagues.
Attending honeymoon or native festivals with a sales space additionally helped me develop my consumer record in a focused means. It’s important to search out one of the best match – and you need to have a measurable objective of success at these reveals. Simply attending a random present doesn’t actually work – you need to research the demographics of the present, who attends and what are they in search of.
What attribute make you a profitable advisor?
I like to collaborate with my colleagues and I attempt to deal with my companions with respect – I believe that is essential. Nobody desires to do enterprise with an adversary. We will get within the weeds generally if there is a matter, however I all the time wish to circle again with kindness and respect.
I care deeply about my shoppers’ travels and about them as folks. Even after 20-plus years as an advisor, I nonetheless really feel it’s an honor to plan somebody’s journey. I prefer to suppose my shoppers really feel that from me. My creativity and problem-solving expertise additionally come in useful.
What have been your biggest challenges been?
Discovering the time to get every part accomplished and taking over far more than I can chew – it’s a perpetual downside with me, as I wish to assist everyone.
Studying when and how you can fireplace a consumer. If our relationship begins taking over an adversarial tone and course, it’s doubtless an indication we’re now not a superb match.
Work-life stability can also be a problem for me. It’s simple for an outsider to have a look at my life and see the glamour. In the long run, I’m on my laptop on the seashore attempting to get a bit of labor accomplished and I’m up early or late when touring to verify yet one more e-mail. Evenings, Saturdays and Sundays carry extra work duties to do. I prefer to say that it’s the immediate-response-world we stay in, however once I look nearer, I’m the one within the driver’s seat. It’s on me. This can be my greatest problem proper now. It’s not about shoppers calling me, however fairly it’s about my very own time administration.
What have your biggest accomplishments been?
Going to a number of the finest journey reveals, the primary 12 months of constructing $1 million in gross sales and having colleagues acknowledge me as an influencer within the trade all gave me psychological high-fives. Having my reserving assistant develop to the purpose the place she is a rock star journey advisor herself with a superb guide of enterprise can also be extraordinarily rewarding. Getting by the pandemic with no debt and being able to proceed enterprise was an enormous accomplishment. That took some work, fortitude, and imaginative and prescient for the long run.
What suggestions are you able to present advisors new to the trade?
Discover a mentor. Uncover your core values as a journey advisor. Ask your colleagues questions – questions are an indication of curiosity not weak point. Be knowledgeable and act the half. Construct a tribe of colleagues you belief. Pay attention extra to your shoppers and discuss much less. Automate what you possibly can – it’s life altering. Proceed studying about trade finest practices and undertake one thing new every year. If it’s accessible to you, be taught Sabre. I do know it’s not a preferred opinion, but it surely’s a time-saving instrument. It’s not as scary as folks would suppose.
