Jennifer Doncsecz, president of VIP Holidays (Photograph Credit score: Jennifer Doncsecz)
Success Tales focuses on how veteran advisors achieved success. Right here’s a take a look at Jennifer Doncsecz, president of VIP Holidays in Bethlehem, Pa.
How did you get your begin as a journey advisor?
I began as a company agent with a journey company doing company journey and conferences, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) for his or her accounts. Even whereas I used to be dealing with company journey, I liked planning Disney holidays and solar/enjoyable journeys for mates and households. I finally grew to become the go-to agent for leisure enterprise among the many workers of the company accounts that I used to be dealing with enterprise journey for. When 9/11 hit, the company accounts pulled out of their agreements, however the workers that had booked their honeymoons with me nonetheless traveled. I immediately shifted focus to leisure journey and honeymoons.
How did construct your corporation/area of interest through the years?
9/11 compelled many journey businesses in my space to shut their doorways. I doubled down on using an internet presence (which in that point was not targeted on) and I began promoting within the bridal market, which included bridal exhibits, bridal magazines and bridal web sites.
I wished to construct a romance model, which meant using particular colours that might entice newly engaged {couples} (gentle pink), concentrating on romantic locations and specializing in resorts that oozed romantic experiences (Sandals/Seashores Resorts).
By 2003, elopements have been morphing into a brand new development – vacation spot weddings. The expertise I had with MICE teams helped immensely with organizing and managing group vacation spot weddings.
Moreover, the ”romance” journey branding that VIP Holidays had been targeted on began to shine. After profitable a number of awards from Sandals/Seashores and The Knot.com in 2004 & 2005, VIP had credibility and that helped drive much more enterprise.
By 2012, I opened a distinguished storefront in a big pink Victorian on a busy road in Bethlehem, Pa. The within crew has grown to 13 and we even have just a few unbiased contractors. We’ve gained over 200 awards, and to today we’re prime sellers of Sandals/Seashores Resorts.
What attribute makes you a profitable advisor?
I consider my superpower is tenacity. I additionally suppose that I’m at all times trying to be taught new issues and enhance.
What have been your best challenges been?
If I look again through the years, there have been many challenges. I bear in mind feeling powerless when the airways eliminated fee from airline tickets. Then the occasions of 9/11 made me rethink if I ought to depart this business. Zika hit the honeymoon/romance area of interest very onerous and the ‘tainted’ alcohol in Mexico disaster was additionally tough to mitigate.
However COVID-19 managed to make the mixed 20-plus years of challenges seem like a stroll within the park! Nevertheless, each a type of challenges can’t examine to my private battle with breast most cancers in 2019.
What have your best accomplishments been?
The moment reply to that is making a thriving household enterprise – my husband and grownup youngsters additionally work at VIP. Moreover, I’m very proud that VIP stored our total crew of journey advisors employed throughout COVID. Past VIP Holidays, I’m very proud to have shaped the Feminine Leaders in Journey Conclave in 2019, which was the muse for the creation of the Journey ALLIES Society that was established in 2021.
What suggestions are you able to present advisors new to the business?
First, have a development mindset. Second, discover a circle of individuals on this business you could be taught from, achieve help from and obtain recommendation from. Third, let integrity be your compass, as a result of belief is vital with shoppers, distributors, co-workers and business relations. Fourth, above all, maintain your self – eat wholesome, drink numerous water, sleep nicely and benefit from the contemporary air. You may accomplish numerous your objectives if you find yourself wholesome!!
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