Travel Business Unlocked Podcast

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Kim Wethmar

• Bec Morse

• ATIA - Australian Travel Industry Association

• CATO - Council of Australian Tour Operators

• Calabria & Sicily Tour

EPISODE SUMMARY

Episode Focus: Real Life, Real Business - Catching Up After a Long Break

Podcast sections:

The New Home

Travelling as a Mum

Isabella's Adventure

Perimenopause

Business Struggles

Hiring Claire

The Middle East Crisis

Team Stepping Up

Industry Support

Calabria and Sicily Tour

Hello and welcome to Episode 12 of Travel Business Unlocked. I'm Holly Velardo, the owner of HollyDay Travel, a boutique travel agency based in the beautiful Christies Beach, South Australia.

Wow, it is so good to be back recording. To those of you who've reached out to me and for my loyal listeners, thank you so much. It means a lot to me. It has been quite a while since our last episode, and I thought I'd come on here and tell you all why and what has been going on.

This podcast is all about real business, real life, and sharing the good times as well as the struggles. And this year has been huge for me.

There have been so many highs and also quite a lot of struggles and stress in my personal life as well. And I'm here to tell you the honest truth, because I'm hoping by sharing my story and what's been happening with me, that maybe there's some others of you out there who have been feeling the same, just needing that little bit of a boost of confidence and to just keep going because things will get better.

The New Home So basically, we have relocated. I am so excited. We are finally in our beautiful new home in Christies Beach here in South Australia. I have the most incredible beach views from my office and from our gorgeous living space as well.

So this has been an incredible journey. Building a new home has not been easy this time around. It is not the first time we've done it, but there was a lot of stress this time. The builders weren't the most amazing builders that we could have hoped for, but overall, we do have an incredibly beautiful home that I am so thankful for.

And without all of the hard work and everything that my husband and I, Angelo, have put in over these last many, many years, this would never, ever, ever have been possible. So even though I take a breather every minute and I look at this gorgeous view and I try and be extremely grateful for this home, it was an incredible stress to get here. Things were delayed, the cost of things went up. Just renting a house for me was just absolutely torture. And for most of you, or a lot of you, that is the only way that you can live, and renting, there's nothing wrong with it, but for me, it was the first time we've ever rented in our lives. And I know it's a huge privilege to be able to build our own home and have this incredible house, but having that invasion of privacy and people coming in and not being able to make our own decisions around the house and what we're wanting, that got stretched out from what we were hoping would be 18 months to over three years.

So also the cost of that, the cost of renting, the cost of building, cost of living, a lot of things happened in that period as well. So financially, the stress, it was real, it was there. But also the stress of not knowing when we're going to be in our home, not being able to plan, not being able to know really what was happening in the future.

But thankfully most of that is all behind us and we are living in this amazing home and we are just every day trying to add little touches to it so that it really, truly feels like ours and just appreciate and enjoy this beautiful, gorgeous place that we are in.

Travelling as a Mum So another thing for me as well is we have travelled a lot this year already and that is always so amazing for me, but it also can bring a whole lot of stress. And being a mum of five, this is something that if you don't know me and you only see me on social media or you see what's out there and you see that we host these beautiful tours which I absolutely love doing. And yes, I travel a lot.

But one of the hardest things for me is leaving my children.

It is an incredibly hard thing for me to do. The anxiety, the struggles, the guilt, the gut feeling every single time leading up to a trip of what's involved and the coordination of what needs to happen with all the children while we're away, who can help out, who we can ask for help, who you know is going to put their hand up, all these things as well as getting extras in to help out where the family can't help us. It is a huge stress and for me this year I think I found it even more so.

Our youngest children are 10 year old twin girls, Zalia and Amelia. And you know, they have been used to me travelling these last few years, but they are very much more aware of world situations now. They ask a lot more questions. You know, the tears start a week before I go away and you know, this is pulling on my heartstrings. This is something that is one of the hardest things as a mum to do is to leave them, but also teaching them that this is about life, them seeing their mum achieve her dreams, live for the things that she's dreamed of for so much, but also understanding that it is really, really difficult for me to leave them.

And it's not only the twins—leaving the twins—it's leaving Isabella as well. Our 22 year old, Jo who's 20, and then Dom who is 16 as well. It's really, really hard to leave them, to not be there for their them. Missing out on their things. Whether it's a soccer game or a choir performance or, you know, a dance concert, that mum guilt is huge for me. And you know, it's something that I do really struggle with.

And I do question sometimes, you know, do I need to be going on this trip? But something that, you know, it's one of those struggles. And something I've realised is teaching my children that life is not easy. There are so many tough moments, but knowing that they are safe and they are fine when we're away is great.

But it's that leaving them, it's that night before we're going to be at the airport, it's leaving for the airport. It's those tears. And I used to hide those tears from them. I used to, you know, give them all hugs and then I'd get in the car and I'd be an absolute mess. But now I cry freely with them. I talk to them exactly about how I feel. I let them know that I don't like leaving them. I let them know that I'm doing this to give them a better life and also to teach them to live their dreams, because these dreams are amazing. And once I'm there and once I'm on these trips, I am fully present. I talk to the children every single day. We message, we video chat, but they also understand that I'm working and this is part of life.

And by having to leave them has made them so much stronger, so much more resilient and incredibly responsible human beings. I am so, so proud of my children and who they've become and who they are becoming.

Isabella's Adventure And in saying that, another big thing for us this year was our daughter Isabella. She moved overseas, 22 years old. She has finished one medical degree and has decided to take a year off from that and travel and work and just fully immerse herself in life.

And she is having the absolute time of her life, living over… she started in London for a job that when she got there, didn't work out. So she has found another job very quickly and she's currently living on an island in Italy called Sardinia, working at a beach resort and living her best life.

And for me, seeing my children do this and have these opportunities and being free to absolutely love what they do and know that they too can make these choices in life, although they're not easy and although she's living away from me and I miss her so incredibly, she is living her dream and this is so important. And you know, we chat all the time and we message all the time, but you know, I'm also very respectful of her. And this is her living her dream. And you know, she knows where I am when she wants to chat. And we have really long video calls, and you know, I sit there with a glass of wine and the time she calls is always evenings here.

And I just love it.

I just sit down and I just hear all about her and everything that's going on in her world and how much fun she's having and seeing how happy she is and free she is, it means everything to me. And watching our children go through that as well, it's just amazing.

So that is another one of my struggles, but also a huge milestone to see Isabella living her dream and being so, so happy.

Perimenopause

And another thing for me as well is perimenopause.

I'm only 45, so for me, I didn't realise or completely understand that some of the reasons that I was really struggling with were because of perimenopause. I had so low energy, like incredibly low. And I thought it was all due to the stress of the new home, moving in, unpacking, 10 days later going on a trip to Japan, coming home two weeks later and hosting a tour to Italy.

And what I have recently found out is that that is not why I was completely exhausted. It was because I had extremely low hormone levels and a really huge sign of perimenopause. So I have realised that for at least 18 months, I have been struggling a lot emotionally as well as physically, and just not really sure of why I'm feeling a whole lot of things that I'm feeling or why I'm behaving in certain ways or why my brain just doesn't work. And I have literally had clients sitting in front of me and then I might forget their names. It's just crazy.

Like, my brain has been doing some incredibly crazy things, and I'm glad I've seen an amazing doctor and she has put me onto some HRT. And I know there's a lot of controversy out there and some people aren't huge believers in it, but I personally feel like for me, already just being three months in and onto this, I am starting to feel like me again. I'm starting to get my energy back. I had stopped going to the gym. I'm back at the gym. I feel like I am a better mum again. I'm not so snappy. I'm definitely a better wife. My poor husband Angelo has put up with a lot of moods and a lot of words and things that normally wouldn't come out of my mouth that were aimed at him. So I know now that there is hope and that there wasn't something seriously wrong with me and that I don't have to feel that way forever and that there is help out there. And there is so much more behind perimenopause than really I want to go into in this episode. But I know there's probably a lot of you out there who might not think you're old enough yet. And by just having this blood test done and filling out this questionnaire for the menopause society with my doctor has completely given me so many "Aha!" moments.

And I just felt this huge weight was lifted after this great conversation I had with my doctor. It was nearly an hour, she was on the phone, and she was unbelievable. And she just asked me all these questions, and I literally was like, "This is me. This is my brain. This is how I feel. This is my body. This is what's happening." And it was huge. I just thought there was something wrong with me, and I just didn't know. And you know, I talked to some of my friends and you know, different symptoms and things like that. But having that conversation with my doctor was unbelievable. So I've now joined that group of women who are rubbing creams everywhere all over us, popping pills. But I must admit, I am starting to feel so, so, so much better in myself as well.

Business Struggles And you know, also, it got me to a point where in my business, I just felt like everything was too hard. I didn't want to pick up that phone and talk to the clients, and I reverted to emails, and every day was a struggle. And I would sit here in my office and I would look at my to-do list, and I would just be so overwhelmed and so exhausted and just put on a brave face and pretend like everything was fine.

And I'd still see clients face to face, which I absolutely love doing. But even that was starting to feel like a struggle. And you know, and then the Middle East crisis hit, and for me, that created a whole lot of stress internally that I really didn't share with anybody. And I felt like, oh my gosh, this is COVID coming back again. We've just built this beautiful home. I've built this incredible business, and it's all going to fall apart. I'm going to lose it all because without my business, we can't pay the mortgage.

There was a whole lot of fears that came creeping in there and a whole lot of anxiety, which I don't normally suffer from. But there was a lot going on in my head. And this was all before I had realised that my perimenopause was so bad as well.

Hiring Claire And the week before the Middle East crisis, I had hired another staff member. I had got to a point where the financial stress of running the business, moving house, not really knowing where we were sitting financially, with all the unexpected costs of the home coming up and all those things. But I got to a point where I physically could not work 16 hours a day anymore.

I couldn't work. I'd gone back and thought about it and you know, my beautiful mentorKim, you know, she would always say to me, "Holly, it's not worth it." My family was missing out. My husband was missing out, my kids. I was missing out. I couldn't do anything I wanted to do. I was just stuck working crazy, crazy hours.

I couldn't cope anymore. I just could not cope with the workload anymore.

So I hired a new team member, Claire, and she's also in the Philippines. She is incredibly good. She came to me as a referral from one of my other team members, Bonn, and I've put her on—I'm going to spend so much time training her. I have a great onboarding system as well. Usha, my team leader, she runs the first two weeks of training. She goes through all of the programmes, how to use them all, all of our systems and all of those expectations. But she's not trained in airfares. So I had these amazing expectations that I was going to sit and train Claire with all the complex airfares that our clients love to come with us to book. And then the Middle East crisis started.

The Middle East Crisis So Claire was left with the rest of the team. Bonn was amazing, stepped up, has taught her so much that she needs to know. Usha is there still being amazing and getting her absolutely perfected on all of our systems. And then we were also in Japan during all of this. We flew off to Japan for an incredible familiarisation trip that we went on with Cruise Traveller.

We went on the Mitsui Ocean Cruises in Japan and that was an incredible experience. I also took one of my good friends, Bec Morse, who some of you will also know. She has worked on Channel 10, she's been on the radio, she has a great podcast, and she does a lot of work with us as well. So her and her husband James came on that trip with us, and that is the first time we have travelled together. And we had an absolute blast. And we got to know each other a whole lot more and got to travel around Japan in an amazing way.

But I will have Bec on in another episode and we will go into much more detail about that great trip and also another one she has as she celebrates her year of turning 50 this year.

Team Stepping Up So during all of that and the Middle East situation in the world, we were in Japan and I took my laptop with me and I did not open it. And this was one of the moments that I realised that I have built an incredible team. I was so grateful for my team. They all stepped up unbelievably. They were all able to talk to the clients. You know, if there was any anxiety happening, if there was any flights that needed to be changed, if we were needing to move them anywhere, then absolutely we were able to do that. They worked a lot of late nights, and I was constantly updated with messages from them of clients they'd fixed, things they'd done.

But I was also able to spend time really immersing myself in that cruise and that experience. Obviously being on a familiarisation, I'm there to have a look at it, promote it, sell it, but also have the real experiences.

So that was a really incredible and huge milestone and unbelievable feeling for me to go, "Wow. I was away for 11 days and did not open my laptop."

So that was really, really incredible for me. And I was so grateful for my team. And when I got back, I bought them all a special gift and thank you. I celebrate my team so much. They work incredibly hard, and I wanted them to know that I was so thankful that they were able to take care of it all.

They were able to help the clients. You know, Bonn was reading up on every airline and all the rules and how we could change clients and what we could do. And for once I was like, "I don't actually need to know all of this. I don't need to know every rule, because as long as I know enough and I can help my clients and I can reassure them, I can then hand all this over."

I'm not sitting there for hours physically looking for these new flights for clients. I'm not doing that. I can focus on what I need to, to get my business where it needs to be, but also have that time with my family and be available to the team if they need me. And that was huge. So that was a huge, huge, incredible milestone for me this year.

Industry Support And while that situation has obviously got a little bit better, we are still living in a world where we don't know what's going to happen. We don't know if that's going to all blow up again and things will, the airports will get shut down and who knows…

But right now I'm staying incredibly positive, seeing that the "Do not travel" warnings have been reduced thanks to the amazing ATIA and all of their work that they did behind that and also CATO together to get all of that done and talking to everyone and getting it out there. I mean, I shared it on my social media, I know a lot of other people in the industry did. And really just helping it become a little bit less stressful for clients travelling through those regions. So, huge thanks to everyone in our industry who did amazing work there.

Calabria and Sicily Tour And then, you know, just talking about something else amazing that happened. This year we took our first hosted tour—Angelo and I—to Calabria and Sicily. Now for any of you who follow me on social media, you would have absolutely seen this everywhere.

Everywhere that you could have seen this… it just was even better than we could have ever imagined. This was truly an amazing dream and something that warms my heart so much.

Italy is an incredible place for us. Angelo's family is from there. We have been there many times. The Italian heritage is big and strong in our family. We live our lives and raise our children with very strong cultures and beliefs from the Italian way of life. And to be able to take people to a place so special for me, when I first went there, I cried. Like, I just cried. And I could just see the love that Angelo has for this place, but also the warmth in the people that live there. And they embraced me like family immediately.

The minute we got there, I felt like I was part of their family. And that feeling has never gone. And every time we go back, it's the same. And to take a group there and introduce them to some of Angelo's family and show them the real side of Italy. You know, these towns, they're still living the real life. They're not full of tourists. There's not a million tourist sites. You can just wander the beaches. There's not people there. You can visit the gorgeous mountains as well. And there was just so many things. The food is incredible and that experience was just amazing.

But again, I will get Angelo on and we will chat about this in another episode. And you know, our 2027 tour is selling like hotcakes now because people are just so excited and they can see what it was all about and they want to join it. So I will talk about that and also talk about some of the struggles and what we had along the way and things that went right and things that went wrong and who we worked with and operators and all of that type of thing. Because I think it's really important to share that with you and be really open and honest about how that all works. So we will do that in another episode.

But thank you again for joining me.

These are just a few of the things that have been going on in my life that I wanted to share with you and I am back and I will, I'm not guaranteeing if I'm going to do weekly or fortnightly episodes at this point!

I think something for me right now with my life the way it is, is that I am absolutely committed to this podcast and I am committed to helping you and I want to share with you how I run my business, how things work, connections I've got in the industry. I want to connect you with amazing people in the industry.

But I'm not going to say how often it's going to be because it's time for me to do things for me as well.

It's time for me to realise that I can't do it all without putting myself first.

So I am making a huge, huge promise to myself that if I'm having a day and I'm not feeling it, I'm not going to jump on and record a podcast just because I said I'm going to. I'm going to do it when I feel amazing, when I really feel like sharing with you, and when I have something worthwhile sharing and I really feel into it.

So thank you again for joining Travel Business Unlocked. And remember, you can do this if you are running a travel business right now or any small business. Just remember there are people there cheering you along. Reach out if you have any questions at all. I would love to hear your stories, your struggles, what some of your biggest achievements for this year are. I would absolutely love to hear them. So until next time, thanks for joining us.

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Kim Wethmar

EPISODE SUMMARY

Episode Focus

• Prosperity redefinition: Beyond money to encompass love, happiness, relationships • Boundary setting: Strict adherence to work-life balance • Present moment: Focus on being present rather than constantly busy • Community building: Creating meaningful connections in all areas of life • Sustainable success: Building business without sacrificing personal well-being • Gratitude practice: Appreciation for current blessings while working toward goals

Personal Transformation Philosophy

Word of the Year: Prosperity

• Annual tradition: Setting a word of the year during Christmas/New Year period • Personal timing: Birthday coincides with holiday season (favourite time of year) • 2026 word: Prosperity - encompassing all areas of personal and business life • Holistic definition: Love, kindness, care, happiness, laughter, presence

Family and Personal Life

Family Structure

Beach Lifestyle

New Home Journey

Business Philosophy and Boundaries

Work-Life Balance

• Unsustainable past: 2-3 years of 16-hour days to build business • New goal: Finish work by 4pm daily • Family priority: Present time with family, long and happy life • Boundary challenges: Things creep in, working on urgent vs important • Commitment: Being extremely strict about boundaries in 2026

Wednesday Planning Days

• Reintroduction: Bringing back dedicated planning time • Structure: No client calls, no emails, no checking messages • Focus: Working ON the business, not IN the business • Activities: Marketing strategy, social media content, podcast batching, tour design, financial analysis, team goal mapping • Personal time: Beach walks for mental clarity and self-care

Team and Gratitude

Team Appreciation

Business Excellence

• Client focus: Detailed itineraries, solving challenges, celebrating milestones • Continuous improvement: Commitment to enhancing client experience • Innovation: Staying current with technology and travel trends • Personal touch: Maintaining human connection in all interactions • Community building: Going beyond transactions to create relationships • Local support: Promoting local businesses and mutual support

Relationship Philosophy

Financial and Future Planning

2026 Goals and Planning

Community and Industry Vision

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Anna Shannon

• Travel Agent Finder - Find a travel agent

• Find out how Travel Agent Finder works for travel agent marketing

EPISODE SUMMARY

Episode Focus Topic: Travel Agent Finder Platform - Connecting Travellers with Expert Agents Host: Holly Velardo from HollyDay Travel (Port Noarlunga, South Australia) Guest: Anna Shannon - Founder of Travel Agent Finder

Anna Shannon's Background Travel industry innovator and entrepreneur with 15+ years experience Former corporate marketing professional for leading brands Became travel agent, managed agency, developed loyal clientele Embraced home-based model focused on repeat and referral clients Returned to marketing during COVID to help small businesses with digital presence Combined marketing expertise with travel agent understanding to create Travel Agent Finder

Travel Agent Finder Platform Overview Mission: Connect travellers with right expert agents and empower travel specialists Current scale: Over 1,000 members (majority travel advisors plus supplier partners) Features: Thousands of monthly leads, hundreds of agent profiles, traveller reviews Growth: Evolved from pandemic passion project to thriving business Community: Travel Trade Connect Hub for industry resources and connections

Platform Inspiration and Development How the Platform Works

Key Platform Features

• For Travel Agents Two-tier packages: Different support levels available Profile optimisation: Specialist categories, badges, credibility markers Blog functionality: Showcase expertise and personal experiences (higher tier) Review system: Personalised links for client review collection Marketing resources: Monday Marketing Tips, how-to videos (5–10 minutes)

• For Travellers Search and compare: Filter by destination, travel type, specialisations Review access: Over 3,500 traveller-submitted reviews Specialist badges: Certified destination expertise visible Direct connection: Contact forms straight from agent profiles Trust building: Real person interaction, not just business logos

Holly's Success Story Recent bookings: Two bookings worth over $30,000 each in three weeks Profile optimisation: Used Anna's guides to transform profile effectiveness ROI: Annual fee paid back "100 times over" with just two bookings Client preference: Face-to-face meetings, personal connection valued Review strategy: Welcome home emails with both Google and Travel Agent Finder review links

Platform Development and Features

Anna's Marketing Philosophy Human connection: Advocating for personal service over automated booking Strategic planning: Platform designed during pandemic with 80+ hours/week to think Accessibility: Quick, actionable tips for busy travel agents Education focus: Step-by-step guides rather than just information Community building: "Rising tide lifts all boats" mentality

Review System Strategy Traveller behaviour: 99% check reviews first when comparing agents Reply importance: Agents should respond to reviews to show they're real people Trust building: Reviews show independent validation of service quality Warm leads: Travellers have already researched before making contact Dual platform: Encourage reviews on both Google and Travel Agent Finder

Industry Trends Observed Europe strength: Consistently strong search category Closer destinations: Shift toward domestic/regional travel Digital marketing evolution: Move from traditional to modern approaches Specialist focus: Independent and home-based agents most engaged Technology adoption: Need to embrace AI and digital tools or be left behind

Content Creation Strategy

Platform Success Factors

Advice for Travellers Specialist value: Working with expert will "amplify your trip" Platform quality: "Incredible, talented people" with high expertise levels Search process: Start with destination, then filter by travel type and preferences No bad choices: Quality control ensures all agents meet high standards Personal recommendation: Anna "would never travel any other way"

Key Takeaways Market need: Clear gap existed for agent–traveller connection platform Digital necessity: Travel agents must embrace modern marketing or be left behind Community power: Collaborative approach benefits entire industry Specialisation value: Matching right agent with right traveller creates better outcomes Personal service: Human connection still valued over automated booking systems

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• TIME Programme - get in touch with TIME Programme at [email protected]

• Matt Lewis - TIME Programme mentor

• Onlinejobs.ph

• Airwallex

• Sonia Leicester

EPISODE SUMMARY

Business Growth Challenge

First Hire - Usha (Sri Lanka)

• Initial role: Admin tasks, itinerary building, invoicing, email responses • Current role: Team leader, all-rounder, Europe specialist, client phone support

Second Hire - Uresha (Sri Lanka)

• Role: Europe specialist, client relations, detailed reporting

Third Hire - Mary (Philippines)

• Role: Bookkeeper and tax agent

Fourth Hire - Tracy (Philippines)

• Role: Content and marketing manager

Fifth Hire - Bonn (Philippines)

• Role: Opening to close Australian hours, airfare specialist

Hiring Platforms and Methods

• Personal connections: Most successful hires through recommendations • OnlineJobs.ph: Mixed results, required extensive filtering • Requirements: Own laptops, reliable internet, home office setup • Holly provides: Desks, proper screens, equipment for home offices

Team Management Structure

Daily Operations

Company Culture

Communication and Recognition

Financial and Legal Structure

Benefits of Remote Team

• Cost effectiveness: Significantly lower wages than Australian employees • Dedication: Exceptional commitment and work ethic • Flexibility: Mutual flexibility for emergencies, family needs, extended hours • Customer service: Incredible client relationships and service quality • Time freedom: Holly focuses on client relationship building and business growth

Challenges and Realities

• Staff turnover: 3 team members didn't work out over the years • Training investment: Initial time investment required for proper training • Interview process: Can be lengthy and challenging to find right fit • Trial periods: Probationary periods essential for both parties

Alternative Options

• Australian agencies: Companies that handle finding, interviewing, and managing VAs • Office spaces: Can hire office space in Philippines for team • Third-party management: Companies that handle all HR and management aspects • Trade-offs: More expensive but less hands-on management required

Training and Development

• Sonja Leicester: Travel Trainer provided customer service training • On-the-job training: Continuous skill development

Final Advice

• Just do it: Overcome fear and take the leap • Time investment: Initial training time pays long-term dividends • Focus shift: Allows business owner to focus on what they love most • Support available: Holly offers to share resources and company recommendations • Risk worth taking: Essential for business growth and personal freedom

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

Connect and get in touch with Kim Wethmar

• [email protected]

• Kim Wethmar

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Asking Leader

• TIME Programme - get in touch with TIME Programme at [email protected]

• Penny Spencer

• Traction by Gino Wickman

• Matt Lewis

• TED Talk by Dr. Darria Long

EPISODE SUMMARY

• Topic: The Power of Mentorship in Travel Business • Host: Holly Velardo from Holiday Travel (Port Noarlunga, South Australia) • Guest: Kim Wethmar - Former CEO, TIME Programme Board Member, Business Mentor

Kim Wethmar's Background • Former CEO who grew corporate travel business from £50M to £300M TTV with 96% client retention • Led teams of 200+ people, introduced automation and bio-analytics at scale • 25+ years across account management, operations, and executive leadership • Telstra Businesswoman of the Year NSW finalist • Runs "The Asking Leader" coaching business • Current TIME Programme board member

How Holly and Kim Met - TIME Programme • TIME: Travel Industry Mentor Experience led by Penny Spencer • One-on-one mentoring across all travel industry sectors • Kim volunteers as mentor, Holly was mentee • Programme connects emerging leaders with experienced mentors

Kim's Mentoring Philosophy • Core mission: Turn ambition into action through simple systems • Greatest joy: Seeing people realise their full potential • Approach: "No BS" direct communication style • Why she mentors: Paying forward the mentorship she received in her career • Energy source: Watching mentee ideas click into profitable plans

Holly's TIME Journey

First TIME Experience (Post-COVID) • Mentor: Matt Lewis • Challenge: Overwhelmed with sudden booking influx after COVID • Outcome: Scaled from solo operation to 5 team members in 6 months • Scholarship: Won scholarship for first programme

Second TIME Experience (with Kim) • Clear goal: Increase revenue by 50% • Challenge: Self-doubt and mental blocks despite business growth • Timeframe: 3 years more advanced than first programme • Pairing: Penny Spencer

Kim's Mentoring Approach

The Three Cs of Mentorship • Clarity: What to do next, stop doing, or start doing • Cadence: Rhythm and discipline of showing up prepared • Courage: Using someone else's belief until yours catches up

Key Tools and Frameworks • One Page Business Plan: From "Traction" by Gino Wickman (mandatory reading) • Urgent vs Important: Framework for prioritising tasks • Time management strategies • Strength identification • Employee engagement techniques

Transformational Impact on Holly

Personal Development • Changed internal self-talk and self-perception • Overcame self-doubt and vulnerability • Learned to think differently about others and possibilities • Built genuine self-belief

Business Structure • One Page Plan: Daily morning routine, weekly accountability • Planning discipline: No excuses approach to structure • Accountability: Weekly meetings with homework assignments • Strategic thinking: Focus on important vs urgent tasks

Leadership Growth • Understanding of delegation needs • Focus on building business rather than working in it • Clear goal-setting and achievement tracking • Improved team communication and vision sharing

The Mentoring Relationship

• Kim's Preparation and Care • Mentee-Driven Process

TIME Community Benefits • Generous community: Travel attracts "best humans" • Global expansion: Beyond Australia and New Zealand • Networking: Valuable connections and relationships • Support system: Ongoing community beyond programme • Scholarship opportunities: Financial assistance available

Kim's Leadership Philosophy

• Self-Discipline as Foundation • Personal Growth Commitment

Key Takeaways • Mentorship value: Essential for business and personal growth • Planning importance: Structure and discipline create momentum • Community power: Travel industry's generous, supportive nature • Continuous learning: Even successful leaders need mentors • Action orientation: Turn ambition into measurable results

EPISODE SUMMARY

Topic: Book Recommendations for Personal and Professional Growth

Book 1: Traction by Gino Wickman

• Recommended by: Mentor Kim Wethmar through TIME programme

• Key takeaway: One Page Business Plan with 3-year, 1-year, and 90-day goals

• Implementation: Daily morning routine, weekly mentor reviews

• Team impact: Quarterly review sessions, shared vision and goals

• Outcome: Mental freedom and clear business organisation

Book 2: Passion, Purpose and Profit by Fiona Killackey

• Author: Host of "My Daily Business" podcast

• Content: Step-by-step business building guide covering financial planning, marketing, operations

• Usage: Ongoing reference book with extensive personal notes

• Additional: Second book "Business to Brand" on reading list

Book 3: Let Them by Mel Robbins

• Core concept: "Let Them" principle – control your response, not others' behaviour

• Personal impact: Stopped taking things personally, freed up mental space

• Applications: Family management (5 kids), business relationships, industry interactions

• Family implementation: Shared concepts with children aged 9–21

Book 4: One Life by Tina Tower

• Author: Built and sold 4 businesses, hosts "Her Empire Builder" podcast

• Impact: Taught to dream bigger and believe in herself more

• Focus: Addressed self-doubt and "why me?" questions

• Mission: Helping create millionaire female entrepreneurs

Key Takeaways

• All four books made a huge difference in business and personal growth

• Suitable for both experienced entrepreneurs and beginners

• Essential to Holly's current success level

• Combination of business strategy and personal development

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Smart Traveller

• Google Reviews

• Hollydaytravel.com.au

• Travel Agent Finders

Free Resources

• Holly's comprehensive travel checklist

EPISODE SUMMARY

The Problem: Pre-Template Era

• Came from old-school travel agency (manila folders, handwritten notes)

• Every email written from scratch

• Rushed, inconsistent messaging

• Forgotten follow-ups

• Hours spent on repetitive tasks instead of business growth

• Time wasted copying from sent folder

The Solution: 90+ Email Templates

• Comprehensive library covering entire client journey

• From initial inquiry to welcome home messages

• Guides clients through every step

• Maintains brand voice while ensuring consistency

Key Benefits of Templates

• Time Savings

• Consistency & Quality

• Client Benefits

Template Categories & Examples

• Initial Contact

• Quote Templates

• Cruise-Specific Templates

• Visa Information

• Booking Process

• Post-Trip Templates

• Automated Templates

Implementation Strategy

• Getting Started

• Practical Steps

• AI Integration

• Template Maintenance

• Success Metrics

Call to Action

• Start tracking repetitive email tasks

• Create first few templates

• Share template ideas and questions

• Focus on exceptional client service through every system

• Implement gradually but consistently

READ THE FULL PODCAST TRANSCRIPT HERE

Hello and welcome to episode 6 of Travel Business Unlocked. I'm Holly Velardo, the owner of HollyDay Travel, which is a boutique travel agency based in Port Noarlunga, South Australia. If you are new here, this podcast is all about me sharing my journey in the travel industry and the lessons I've learned. All the practical tips to to help you build a successful business.

I believe in being real, sharing both the wins and the challenges with you and giving you so many steps and how-to's so you can implement things right into your business.

Today we are going to talk about something that has absolutely transformed my business and this is email templates and automation systems. It's been nearly 8 years since I started HollyDay Travel and when I first started I had no idea about systems. I'd come from a travel agency where I had to create my own invoices, everything was still in manila folders and we'd write on them. There really wasn't a whole lot going on on the computers back then and it was a very old-school way of doing things.

So when I started, I knew this needed to change, but at that point every single email was written from scratch. That meant that I was rushing emails, trying to get back to clients as quick as I can. The messaging was really inconsistent. I would forget to do follow-ups and I just spent so many hours on repetitive tasks that really I should have been spending that time to grow my business and work on the actual business and with the clients.

So I'm going to share with you today how we have now built a library of over 90 templates that we use.

This guides our clients through every step of their journey. This is from that very first inquiry all the way through to the welcome home messages and then of course everything in between. So I just want to remind you as well that if you are enjoying this podcast, I would absolutely love it, love your support by either subscribing, leaving a review so that other small business owners can also find it and see they may benefit from this too. So your support really helps me with continuing to create this content and reaching so many people in this industry.

So now let's talk about these email templates and the automation that we use. I know for some of you this might sound a bit boring. Yes, email templates, you know, or a bit technical. But trust me, this is one of the most powerful systems that you can really, really implement into your business.

So our templates cover everything from that initial inquiry email that we get. We have an a response that goes out to them through to visa information for specific countries, booking confirmations, quote documents, all sorts of templates for different types of travel, travel pre-departure checklists, welcome home messages, birthday emails, passport expiring and so, so, so much more.

Now what's really important, and I want you to think about this here, is that these emails are not about just being a boring template, being robotic, being impersonal. They're all about reflecting you and your brand. So each of our templates are carefully created. We make sure that we still sound us, we sound professional, we sound warm, and more importantly, we follow the HollyDay Travel values and we all sound on brand.

So we personalize each and every one of them for the clients. But what we have is that core structure and content that's there. So we can grab this template, fill in a few little bits and pieces, whether it's, you know, a country where the visa is going to be or if it's a quote and we've got some information, but we personalise it for that client. Whether we put a paragraph at the top about a conversation we've had with them, we just always try to keep it all about them so it doesn't feel robotic at all. But they're still getting all that information and the consistency.

So there's a lot of reasons and key benefits why you need to have some email templates and automation within your business.

Now firstly, and for me, most importantly is the time savings. Like, this is huge. Before we had templates, I would just spend hours and hours every day writing their emails from scratch, writing the same thing over and over again. Sometimes I would click over into the sent folder and copy information over. But realistically, I was doing most of it from scratch. But now what we've been able to do by having these templates is my team and I can respond so quickly to clients. It's consistent. You know, it's the same thing coming from all of us. And it also means we can handle more bookings without working the extra crazy hours that come with all the extra workload.

So as an example of this, we do a lot of river cruising and cruising and group tours. And one of the templates that we have set up is each cruise line specific template for that. So for scenic we have, you know, here's your check-in information, the check-in procedures, go and fill in your trip personalizer. Or for MSC, we have their check-in procedures and their booking information all in this email. All we need to do is just personalise that couple of details. The template is there, it tells them how to check in for that cruise, what to do, the steps that are needed, the apps that are needed, or if it's the website, it's all there. All we have to quickly put in is their booking number, which you can copy and paste from the CRM and stick in there so the email's ready in a couple of minutes rather than trying to find this information every single time.

So the second major benefit for us is consistency. So whether it's only you in your agency or whether you have a team, it is so, so important that every client receives that same high quality information and experience when they're dealing with you. These templates that we've created ensure that the important details aren't missed. Everything is there. We're not having to always think about what do we need to put in a booking confirmation email, do we need to put in what the changes are for their airfares or, you know, when the deposits are due for that tour or cruise?

We don't need to think about that because it's outlined in the template. We just have to fill in the date that it's due or maybe the amount that it's due. So these things, it just creates so much time saving and incredible consistency.

So this way, whoever is handling the booking, it's all the same as it comes from them. This has also been really, really important with training my team, allowing us to grow our business as well by having this template system in place. It doesn't matter if we've got a junior agent coming in or we've got someone who's highly qualified and has been here for a really long time, it doesn't matter. These templates are showing that we have the same information going out all the time to the clients.

So now you're probably wondering what sort of categories and templates do you actually use?

So there are so many. There are so many. As I said, we have over 90 templates, but the ones that we use are for our initial contact. So we have an online booking system in terms of where clients can contact us to make a time to see us, book in and see us, or if we get an inquiry via email, then we have that first initial email response that goes back out.

That initial response talks to them immediately. A little paragraph on who are HollyDay Travel, who are we as a team, what service are we going to provide them? And of course, we mentioned the fees that we charge for working with us. So this sets the ground rules very upfront. It shows them the incredible service, the relationship, what we're going to do for them very, very quickly. But it also sets the expectation that if you do want to work with us, there is going to be a fee involved. So there's so many different benefits to that.

So that initial email goes out and then obviously we have the quote emails that will go out as well once the clients are happy to pay the fee and go ahead. We have quotes that are set up for all different things. So we have like an all-rounder quote. If someone's looking at doing cruises, tours, flights, accommodation, everything, all in one, then we have that template. Otherwise we do have specific templates just for cruising, just for tours, just for flights. So we can quickly pull these in, put the information we need in, and each template is tailored for that specific booking type. It includes all the relevant information that the client's going to need without you having to rethink about that.

So as I said before, for the cruises, we have so many different templates for the different cruise lines. You know, every single cruise line has a different check-in procedure. The policies are different, they have their own apps. You know, the availability for check in might be different, it could be anything at all there. But we have that documented and, and send that out to the clients to ensure that they're getting that accurate information. They're not missing out on choosing anything it is they want on board, the shore, excursions, any of that stuff. And we're not having to remember to remind them we've sent it out and it's all there for them.

We also have an incredibly large collection of visa information templates. We don't have every single country in the world, but the ones that we use all the time, we just keep creating new templates. We put in a new template as that visa requirement comes up and we, we always link directly to the, either the Smart Traveller link or we will link directly to the visa application company. So wherever they need to apply for that visa or whatever that information is, we're not putting that in the body of the template because that would require so much work and so much updating because as we know things are changing all the time. So what we do is we put that link there for the current visa requirement. They can look at the traveller information, see what it is that they need and, of course, reach out if they have any questions. But they're getting the most up-to-date information by providing that link.

So then once we've got through all of this process, obviously we have our booking confirmation that goes out as well. Talking about deposits, deadlines, all of that type of thing, seat requests, meal requests, any special requests they get asked all of these things within that booking template.

So then we have our pre-departure templates. So these are things like our travel checklist. We have created a really comprehensive travel checklist. You can jump on my website, it's free to download, have a look at it. It is incredibly helpful. My clients absolutely love it. So feel free to jump on and look at that and add whatever's missing from your checklist or use it as a base for your own checklist. There's some really good things on there that remind your clients of what they need prior to travel.

Then we have our bon voyage emails and text messages that we send out and then our final document delivery emails as well. So these just help our clients know that they're completely well prepared for their trips. They know where to find all of their documents, they know where they need to go if they need any sort of support. And they really do feel that they're constantly being in touch with us. They know that we're there if they need them and everything is easy for them to find. And we're also again not having to pre think about what is it that we need to include in that bon voyage email, what is it that we need to tick off? Because it's already there in the template, it's already ready to go.

And then the other thing that we have, of course, is our post-trip templates. These are so important. These are things like your welcome home messages, feedback requests. These are probably the most valuable, I think in my view, templates that we have, we do request these and if we don't get feedback, we do request it again another week later. Because for us, we want to take on positive and negative feedback. We're here to improve. This helps us maintain these relationships with our clients after their trips and gather these valuable feedback. If we don't get these, then how do we know what we need to improve on? Or how do we know what we're doing really, really well? If they're not telling us, then, you know, we don't know and we don't know how to improve.

So these, these are the main templates that we have. We also have smaller templates replying to clients emails, you know, specific things like that as well, or if we get asked a question about, you know, an online booking engine and you know, pricing and comparison and stuff like that. We also have templates set up with how we reply to that.

But the most important thing you need to remember here is what I've just talked about is how these templates are for myself and the team and how they benefit us. But the more important thing is how these also benefit the clients. You know, this is allowing us to be completely professional. It's allowing us to provide exceptional service and people are then learning to trust us with their travel plans. The information is there that they need, they need. They're not constantly having to come back to us to ask us questions, do we need visas? What is this cancellation fee? What happens if I need to change this? The information is all there. It's given to them in the beginning so they know that they have this.

So from their perspective, it means that they're going to receive very quick and prompt responses. The information's thorough and it's very accurate as well. They're not waiting days and days and days for us to gather all that information, scramble around trying to find it all. It's there, it's very easy, we can just send it straight through.

Of course we also have travel insurance templates. That's a big one. Making sure that we ask all of the questions, you know, whether they're going to do any skiing or mopeds or activities or pre existing medical, whatever it might be. That's also another one as well. And as I said before, you know, allowing us all to have this consistent tone and level of service… rhis is really important across all the client communications. Our clients are always replying to us. They understand what's going on. It doesn't matter whether I've sent it or my team. That same template goes out, you know, they know that the, the level of my team, they understand it, they understand what's going on because there is that template. They can just pop in, send out to the client and the client feels at ease and feels like they're working with professionals as well.

There's so much time that we're saving by communicating this way. This means that I can dedicate so much more time to my clients. I've said before, this is what I love doing. I love sitting with them, I love getting to know them, I love learning about them, their preferences. Are they celebrating something special while they're away? Is it a special occasion? All of these things. But because we have these systems and these templates, you know, we send a happy birthday email. I cannot tell you how many of my clients respond to that. "Oh, wow. Thanks, Holly. That's amazing! Thank you for remembering!" Well, I'll tell you a little secret: I don't remember their birthdays. I don't remember it. We have it set up in our system. This is something we've automated. So on their birthday, there's a photo of me with some balloons in my hand and a little card personalised with their name saying, "Happy Birthday. Have a great day." And they absolutely love it. That's probably one of the biggest ones we get a response to is the happy birthday email.

So what I really just want to talk to you about was that there's 90 templates that might sound incredibly overwhelming. Okay? Really, really overwhelming. Now, remember that 90 templates includes quite a lot of countries, you know, for visa destinations, a whole lot of cruise companies that cruise lines that we use. It's not 90 different templates for, you know, completely different? Let's say they're just 90 or more sitting in our backend that we use.

So don't worry about that number. What I want you to think about is that just, you just need to get started. Just start somewhere, start gradually. Because to think about all of these templates that I've set up, it can be so overwhelming. And, yeah, it took me a long time and a lot of effort to do that, but I didn't do them all at once. I started with what was the most essential one, and then I gradually expanded our library. Every time I was writing an email or I was copying and pasting something I was researching for something I'd done before, then I just created a new template then and there. And when you do it like that, it takes 10 or 15 minutes and it's set up, and then you've got them set there and you can use them for, you know, to duplicate them for other templates as well.

But trust me, the investment of getting started on your templates and slowly building them up is absolutely worth it. It has been one of the most absolute valuable tools in scaling our business and maintaining our highest service standards. People are always commenting to us about it, about our emails, about how professional the team is, how quick they are to respond. These are things, the feedback we get because we have these templates and systems in place.

And remember, once you set those templates, they're there forever. They don't stay the same, though. They're going to evolve over time. Things will change. Your tone of voice might change, the way you think about things might change, destination information might change, but the base core part of those templates is set up, it's there already. And you can just do quick updates when needed.

So as you use them, you'll find out more ways to make them more effective, more personal, more aligned with your brand. But these are all good things. It should continue to grow and improve as your business grows and improves.

So before we finish, I just really wanted to share a few specific examples, I guess, of the templates that have been particularly valuable for us. So I mentioned before for our welcome home email and this really just going back to what I said before, it just helps us improve. It helps us reconnect with the clients though once we get that, we can then use these templates, use this feedback on our Google Reviews. We've asked them to put it there. You know, whether it's on our Travel Agent Finder reviews, whether it's on our website, our social media, this helps our business grow. These positive reviews and are going to mean that when people are looking for you, you can see this about us, you can see what HollyDay Travel is all about because other people are saying it.

So you know you can, this is so important without this welcome home email, without picking up that phone and saying "Did you have a wonderful holiday?" or "Would you like to share some of your highlights?" Then you know you're not going to get that feedback.

So this template has one of the highest open rates other than the happy birthday one. And this has an open rate of over 85%, which is huge. You know, when you're looking at emails going out all the time, not everyone's going to open everything, but this gets an incredible opening rate and then we also get a great response as well. And it's a simple way to maintain that relationship with your clients after their holiday's over.

So other than our birthday email, we also do have happy anniversary emails that go out as well. But other things are that we have is your passport is expiring again, they're automated ones that we have set up. So through our Zoho CRM system, I'm not having to think about them, but we put the client's passport details in and then seven months before it's due to expire, we send them an email to remind them that your passport is expiring soon and you need to get this updated. So they're small touches, but the clients love it. They're not always thinking about that. They're not always checking their passports. You all know that in this industry they're often forgetting to check that. So we provide this service for them and they're little touches and they don't take long to set up as well.

And like I said, you know, just the time saving, the time saving from all of this. I highly recommend that what you take out of this podcast today is sit down, write a list. The minute you find an email, you're rewriting an email. You're copying and pasting, you're looking at a booking confirmation, you're searching for, you know, change fees. Start creating a template.

Write a list of what you do, the most repetitive tasks every single day, what it is. Put a piece of paper next to you and you write travel insurance email, ticket every time you send a travel insurance email, every time you send a quote, every time you send a booking confirmation, every time you send any of those things. Then tick it. See what it is. See what anytime you send a visa information. What is it that you spend so much time? Is it responding to new inquiries? Have a welcome to HollyDay Travel email, or welcome to your travel agency or your small business. This is how we work. Here's a little bit about us.

So just work on a couple of templates first. Don't get completely overwhelmed, don't overthink it, and just start. And once you start, you'll feel the rhythm come. You'll see how easy it is to just create the new ones.

And of course, you all know I'm a huge fan of AI. Jump in AI and ask them to help it write… If you've got AI that's tailored to your voice already, the way your agency speaks, the way you promote things, anything that you've got set up in AI that is going to feel like you and talk like you, this is a perfect place to get these templates done. Obviously, you have to do the groundwork, you have to put the basics in there of what you want. But then AI is going to be a huge time saver for you to then create this. Yes, there'll be a little bit of research involved and a little bit of time involved to get them started, but just start, just start small and start on it.

So I would absolutely love to hear from you what templates you're working on, what questions you might have about some of our templates. You know, how you're going to gradually build up your library of templates, if there's any templates I didn't mention and you have in your business and you think are amazing, I'd love to hear about it. We're constantly adding templates and ways to save time and different ways that we can communicate with our clients. So absolutely, get in touch and let me know.

So finally, the ultimate goal from today is for you to work out how you can continue to build your business, how you can do this by providing this exceptional service to your clients. Every template, every automation, every system that you implement should have that service. And this is what you need to take from this today.

So thank you so much for joining me for this episode of Travel Business Unlocked. I hope you found it incredibly valuable and you're going away with some ideas that you can implement into your own travel business. Thank you for listening. And until next time, keep unlocking the potential of your travel business.

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Mel Robbins Podcast

EPISODE SUMMARY

Current Challenges Faced

• Train strikes in Italy

• Multiple flight cancellations across Europe

• Airport shutdowns and overbooked flights

• Typhoon in Hong Kong requiring client reorganization

• Team member illness and others on leave

• Holly working extended hours and handling unfamiliar tasks

Main Message: Finding Joy

Core Philosophy

• Find something that gives you joy, no matter how difficult your week

• Inspired by Mel Robbins podcast about improving life satisfaction

Holly's Personal Joy

• Visiting clients (Beautiful Winery in McLaren Vale, 15 minutes from office)

• Communication and collaboration

• Connecting with clients and discussing holiday experiences

• Building team partnerships

Practical Business Tip: Task Audit

Step 1: Document Everything

Step 2: Identify & Delegate

Holly's Delegation Examples

• Bonn: Flight bookings, research, queue checking, schedule changes

• Usha and Uresha: Commission reconciliation, train bookings, detail-oriented tasks

Key Realisations

• Increased gratitude for team members and their contributions

• Recognition of what truly drives business passion

• Importance of focusing on strengths rather than trying to do everything

Call to Action

• Reflect on why you started your business

• Identify what you love most about your work

• Share what gives you joy (via DM or comments)

• Focus on tasks that align with your passions, even if just for a few minutes daily

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

Downloadable Resource

• Holly's Comprehensive Travel Agency Systems & Processes Guide

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Zoho One (and all other Zoho apps mentioned)

• Travefy

• Calendly

• Google Drive

• Dropbox

• OneDrive

• Squarespace

• YouTube

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Threads

• LinkedIn

• TikTok

• Pinterest

• PoppyAI

• Perplexity

• ChatGPT

• My Daily Business

• Fiona Killackey

EPISODE SUMMARY

Why Systems Matter

Holly's System Background

15 Essential Business Systems

1. CRM System (Customer Relationship Management)

2. Project Management Tool

3. Document Management

4. Online Booking System

5. Email Templates

6. Website

7. Social Media System

8. EDMs (Electronic Direct Mail) / Email Campaigns

9. Automated Tasks

10. Planning Sessions

11. Financial Management

12. AI Tools

13. Team Communication

14. Payroll Management

15. Reporting and Analytics

Implementation Strategy

• Getting Started
• Align with Goals
• Free Trials and Research
• Seeking Support

Key Takeaways

• Systems foster growth: Business cannot grow without proper systems • Start small: Focus on immediate needs, not comprehensive overhaul • Purpose-driven: Systems should free you to do what you love most • Professional growth: Proper systems create professional, efficient business • Long-term investment: Initial setup effort pays dividends in time savings and growth potential

Connect and get in touch with HollyDay Travel

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

Connect and get in touch with Roslyn Rance

• Email

• Instagram

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

People and Links mentioned in this episode:

• Clare Cope

• Owen Cope

• Travel Agent Achievers

• Travel Agent Achievers Podcast by Roslyn Ranse

• Achievers Mastermind

• TravelAgentAchievers/Holly for more resources

EPISODE SUMMARY

Guest Introduction

• Roslyn Rance – Founder of Travel Agent Achievers, experienced travel business strategist, podcast host and mentor

• Over 15 years as a successful home-based travel advisor, former Director of Sales and Marketing in International Education

• Host of Travel Agent Achievers Podcast, creator of Achievers Mastermind and Travel Business Accelerator programmes

• Sought-after speaker at global industry events (ASTA, ATIA, Beyond Borders, Virtuoso Travel Week)

• Known for her mantra: "I'll believe in you until you believe in yourself"

Holly's Journey with Ros

• Discovered Ros during COVID when the travel industry was "completely upended"

• Started with Friday coffee connections, then joined the Mastermind programme despite financial constraints

• Transformed business from having no systems to achieving unprecedented growth

• Relationship evolved from professional mentorship to genuine friendship

• Credits Ros with providing a "lifeline" during crisis and ongoing business success

Origin Story of Travel Agent Achievers

• Started pre-pandemic after frustrating conversations with senior travel industry figures

• Industry leaders dismissively said "you just book the trips, we handle everything else"

• Ros recognised travel professionals do much more: sales, marketing, administration, household management

• Motivation: "We are not just that. We are so much more"

• Started with a podcast to support the industry, which grew organically through word of mouth

Core Philosophy

• Collaboration over competition – fundamental principle

• No dickhead policy – intentional community curation

• Sum of five concept – you become like the five people closest to you

• Focus on lifting each other up rather than pulling down

• Attracts "incredible humans" through authentic energy and genuine care

What Travel Agent Achievers Provides

• Mastermind Programme Structure

• Community Benefits

• Guest Expert Programme

• Personal Support Approach

International Retreats

Philosophy and Purpose

• Focus on human connection and deep conversations over small talk

• Not profit-driven – purpose-driven events requiring significant time and energy investment

• Opportunity for self-reflection and personal care

• Immersive experiences designed to take participants to "next level"

Retreat Locations and Experiences

• Fiji (first retreat)

• Bali

• Philippines 2026

• Sail to Scale cruise ship event

Lasting Impact

• Physical workbooks participants return to regularly for quarterly planning

• Long-term strategic guidance that influences ongoing business decisions

• Emotional and transformational experiences that create lasting change

• Some participants experience physical reactions due to intensity of personal work

Ros' Personal Approach

Authentic Leadership Style

• Introvert who prefers deep conversations over networking small talk

• Genuine care and heart-centred approach that "can't be faked"

• Receives feedback about bringing "beautiful energy" to industry events

• Word-of-mouth growth rather than aggressive marketing tactics

Business Philosophy

• Wants travel professionals to "treat their business like a business"

• Focus on knowing numbers, understanding marketing, loving clients

• Global mission to raise industry business acumen standards

• Belief that industry can rise together without fear of obsolescence

Personal Celebration Methods

• Team celebrations – meals, visits to Philippines team, bringing team to Australia

• Spa treatments and massages after major events for self-care

• Champagne goal-setting – writing goals on bottles, drinking when achieved

• Recognition that success comes from collaboration and team effort

Current and Future Vision

• Expanding presence in US market while maintaining global focus

• Continuing to help "thousands more" travel professionals

• Maintaining personal touch – "it'll always be me" as the face of the business

• Supporting industry growth through elevated business practices

• Quarterly planning sessions for ongoing accountability and goal adjustment

Key Takeaways

• Importance of community and collaboration in business success

• Value of mentorship and continuous learning

• Power of authentic leadership and genuine care for others

• Need for travel professionals to develop proper business acumen

• Significance of personal development alongside business growth

• Impact of supportive networks on individual and industry success