My Journey to Becoming a Travel Advisor

Becoming a travel advisor was never part of my plan. My story started years earlier, with a Disney trip and a love of planning I didn’t know would turn into a business.

I spent 32 years in healthcare administration, starting in 1992. I always figured I’d stay in that field until I retired. Here’s how I ended up building a travel business instead.

It Started With a Disney Trip in 2011

In 2011, my family planned our first trip to Disneyland. I did what a lot of moms do. I researched everything. Hotels, dining, transportation, park strategy, all of it.

What surprised me was how much I loved doing it. Learning a destination. Working out the details. Putting the whole thing together until it worked. That part stuck with me. At the time it was just something I did for my own family. I had no idea it would become a career.

I Built My Website Before I Became an Advisor

In October 2023, I created my website, Mini Travel Adventures 4 Us. It started as a simple place to share our family’s travel. Nothing more.
Looking back, I realized I was building the foundation for something bigger. I just didn’t see it yet.

One Facebook Comment Changed Everything

In February 2024, I was scrolling Facebook and saw a post from a friend asking if anyone had thought about booking hotels and vacations. I thought, that’s interesting. I’d like to know more. So I commented.

That one comment led to a message from the woman and now friend who became my sponsor. We talked about my background, what I did for work, and the questions I had.

Shortly into the conversation,  she sent me a presentation video. I didn’t even finish it before I knew I wanted to get started.

The part that got me wasn’t the travel. It was one of the top directors in that video who was presenting the business opportunity. She had spent years as a nurse, hit burnout, and decided to build something different.

After 32 years in healthcare, I understood exactly what she meant. Healthcare gave me a lot. It also asked everything of me.
For the first time, I started thinking maybe there was another option. My sponsor then introduced me to two other women who are now my directors, and we kept talking.

Why I Said Yes

One thing stood out. Everyone came into this for a different reason. Extra income. More flexibility. Paying off debt. Traveling more. Building something for later. There was no single right reason.

That mattered to me. This wasn’t about fitting someone else’s idea of success. It was about building something that fit the life I wanted.

I’m not someone who does things halfway. When I decide, I go all in. So I invested in myself, which was something I hadn’t done in a long time. I wasn’t asking anyone to hire me. I was choosing to build something of my own.

Learning the Business While Still Working Full Time

I jumped into training. Weekly calls. Daily sessions. One certification after another. I became a Disney Destination Specialist, a Sandals Specialist, and a Puerto Rico Specialist, among others.

I did all of it while still working full time in healthcare.

The part I appreciated most was that I could build around my own schedule. Some evenings I’d join a training. Other days I’d work on my website or finish a certification. The more I put in, the more I learned and the more the business grew.

I didn’t know everything. Not close. But I loved learning it. Every certification gave me a little more confidence. I wasn’t just learning how to book trips. I was learning how to run a business.

Leaving Healthcare After 32 Years

Just before Thanksgiving 2024, my healthcare chapter came to an end. After 32 years, that wasn’t easy. When you’ve spent your whole adult life in one field, you don’t expect it to close.

But I already had something in motion. I had already invested in myself. I had already started building.

After the holiday, I sat down and started mapping out how I wanted to build this business full time. Not because I had it all figured out. Because I believed in what I was building.

What I Focus On Now

Today I help families, couples, and groups plan travel, with a soft spot for Disney, Sandals, the Caribbean, and Mexico. I still love the planning part as much as I did in 2011. Now I get to do it for other people too.

Thinking About Becoming a Travel Advisor Yourself?

If my story has you wondering whether you could do this too, I put together a full guide on where to start. It walks through the real steps.

How To Become A Travel Agent

About the Author:

Building a Business While Being Present

If you’re exploring what it might look like to create more flexibility, freedom, and breathing room in your life, I created a free guide especially for women who want to build something meaningful without sacrificing what matters most.