Come with Me Groups. $1.5M niche w/a work-life balance. Lessons from FB hack. Meet Veranda.

Come with Me Groups. $1.5M niche w/a work-life balance. Lessons from FB hack. Meet Veranda.

Author: Host Agency Reviews July 22, 2024 Duration: 1:17:42
****** Transcript + Show Notes: https://har.news/vol30 ****** Special thanks to today’s sponsors: Travel Edge and Uniglobe Travel Center Today’s guest got her start in the industry with the inside sales team at Travel Impressions. After a reorg, Veranda Adkins decided to start her own agency, Travel Legacy. She gave herself 6 months to see if she could make things work. She’s yet to look back. Having been in the shoes of a supplier, Veranda tells us how advisors—even those just started out—can strengthen supplier relationships to help grow their agency. Celebrating 10 years of business, Veranda has grown her agency to an impressive $1.5M in annual sales. In the past decade, she’s evolved from selling mainly cruises to now doing destination weddings as well as escorting 8-10 groups a year around the world. A firm believer in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, Veranda focuses her destination wedding business with one supplier, resulting in an elite status that helps to ensure her clients have an amazing stay AND results in a client satisfaction rate of 99%. And for those feeling like work encroaches on their personal life way more than they’d like, our guest has managed to find the work-life balance that eludes many entrepreneurs. She shares with us how avoiding FITs is part of her strategy to ensure she continues to love her job and has downtime to rejuvenate. You’ll hear how to avoid losing your business Facebook page after a hack. From first hand experience, Veranda gives us two simple fail-safes so you can avoid the heartache and hassle she experienced. Join us as we dig into groups with our globetrotting guest!

Hosted by the team at Host Agency Reviews, this audio channel blends two distinct formats into one practical resource. The first is Travel Agent Chatter, a quarterly series of spotlight interviews that dive deep into the experiences of working travel advisors. These longer conversations explore the real stories behind the careers, covering the nuances of building a business, personal client triumphs, and the cultural insights gained from a life in travel. The companion series, Friday 15, operates on a completely different rhythm. Every week, a focused fifteen-minute episode tackles specific questions from the travel industry, offering direct advice and timely insights that are both concise and immediately useful. Together, this podcast creates a balanced mix of inspirational narrative and actionable strategy. Whether you're seeking motivation from peer journeys or need quick answers to pressing professional questions, the channel is designed to support the daily realities of travel entrepreneurs. It’s a resource that understands the industry's blend of passion and pragmatism, delivered through the authentic voices of those who are deeply embedded in this world. Tune in for thoughtful perspectives that are as varied and dynamic as the travel profession itself.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Travel Agent Chatter | Friday 15
Podcast Episodes
CC Auths? Charging Fees? Switching Hosts? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:50
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Uniglobe Travel Center! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us!I have several corporate clients that pay with the same card throughout…
Suppliers? Rebranded? Credit Card Authorizations? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:05
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming NEST Plus with April! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us!When choosing a supplier to work with, what are some questions to ask the…
Reasonable fees? Preferred Suppliers? Thresholds for access? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:41
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Travel Leaders Market Square with Kelly and Rochelle! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! How do I decide what reasonable travel f…
Chargebacks? Partnerships? FAM as new advisor? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:38
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Sava Travel and Byrd! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! How can travel advisors protect ourselves against fraudulent chargebacks…
Client communication? Niches? Quoting Clients? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:25
This week for the Friday 15, we're opening 2026 with OASIS Travel Network and Chelsea! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I have been listening to past Friday15’s and s…
Family travel? First year focus? Marketing activities? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:17
This week for the Friday 15, we've got a final in-house HAR special with the entire HAR crew, Shayna Zand, Abbey von Gohren, Rita Perez and Jenn Myers! So much to catch up on, plus some questions to discuss this Friday a…
What to Expect With Hosts? LLC’s? Partnerships? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:29
This week for the Friday 15, it’s the RETURN OF STEPH LEE as she cohosts with Lori Speers of Levarte, now a KHM travel company. So much to catch up on, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I…
FIT best practices? Costs to join a host? Niche and make money? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:53
This week for the Friday 15, Shayna co-hosts with Sheila Folk of Travel Industry Solutions. We’ve got a bunch of great questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I'm very confused and overwhelmed by the FIT…
Help with BDMs! Group Bookings? Commission Splits? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:35
This week for the Friday 15, Shayna co-hosts with Jennifer Dugan of Dugan’s Travels! This week we’ve got a bunch of great questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST, and you know it’s gonna be good. Join us! I worked…