Post pandemic, the travel industry has undergone huge change; how people run their businesses is at the forefront of these changes. Travel Counsellor Mandy Walsh teamed up with fellow Travel Counsellor Donna Olohan at the start of 2022, and she shares how it has become crucial to the ongoing growth and success of her business.
What made you decide to collaborate with another Travel Counsellor?
With demand up by over 100% on pre-covid sales, I urgently needed assistance on a variety of levels to maintain the standards I like to deliver for my clients. Each enquiry and client means so much to me, so I needed to find a way to service the demand, while still maintaining the flexibility. I decided to look at having a team around me, so that my clients could get the service they deserve and I also get a little more down time to spend with family and friends. That’s where Donna came in helping with enquiries, ticketing and admin on a regular basis.
How do you find working together?
Communication is key, myself and Donna have been TC’s from the beginning of our business journey, and in the latter few years have become firm friends so we know each other well and most importantly Donna knows the standards I deliver to my customers. To be honest some days I would be lost without her support.
Donna adds “After the stress of the past two years I still knew that I wanted to say in the industry that I loved -travel. Mandy and I had trialled working together pre-covid, so I knew I wanted to try again. For me I not only get to continue working in the community, doing what I love, but to help out other TC’s who are so busy, is a great feeling. I’m now also covering for a few others and the earning potential is great too.”
Has the experience been rewarding?
It has been a learning curve. Before Travel Counsellors, I ran two busy retail offices with up to ten members of staff at any one time, so it feels like life has gone full circle and my business is growing to where I always want it to be. Donna and I work well together but we also offer support in many ways, both personally and the business.
Being self-employed running your own business can sometimes make it hard to ‘let go’ of some of the responsibility but I know by growing a team around me, the sky is the limit. The pressure of the last 12 months has been intense, so I am planning ahead for the next few years and having the help of people I trust means I can look forward to the future, knowing my business will succeed beyond my wildest dreams. As I continue to grow I will include more people in that growth and success.
