You already know what a Travel Advisor's day looks like. Now comes the harder decision: which agency do you trust to build your business with, and how do you spot one that's going to cost you?

This episode picks up where our "So You Want to Be a Travel Advisor" conversation left off. Amy Blades is joined by two more Goofy Getaways Travel Advisors. Jessica Hobart-Collis has been with the agency since October 2023 and is a big reason we now plan so much international travel. Lauren Levesque joined in spring 2024 and plans for families with little ones and sensory needs. None of it is rehearsed, including the part where Lauren admits she called Amy more than once ready to quit.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Who is not a good fit for this job, starting with anyone who thinks it comes with discounted travel
• What a good agency should explain about onboarding, training, and support before you ever sign
• Why an agency that won't let you talk to its other advisors is a red flag (Amy learned that one at her very first agency)
• How fees, commissions, and lost-commission claims should be handled, and why you need to read the contract
• What happens to your bookings and your client relationships if you ever leave an agency
• Why Amy refuses to run Goofy Getaways on a recruitment or downline model
• The two-week, self-drive Ireland trip Jess is proudest of, castle hotels included

This one is for anyone seriously weighing a career as a Travel Advisor, whether you end up with us or somewhere else. Amy says it on the recording: there are incredible agencies out there, and the goal is to help you ask the right questions. If you're a client who's curious about the team behind your trip, you'll also get a candid look at how we support our advisors.

Thinking about becoming a Travel Advisor? Learn more about joining Goofy Getaways at https://www.goofygetaways.com/join-our-team. Looking for someone to plan your next trip? Meet our advisors at https://goofygetaways.com/meet-your-advisors.

Subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss an episode, and find the full shownotes at https://goofygetaways.com/podcast/red-flags-green-flags-amp-the-contract-nobody-reads-so-you-want-to-be-a-travel-advisor-part-2

Every job has a best part and a hardest part. For a Travel Advisor, both of them might surprise you.

This is Minisode 3 of 3, pulled from Episode 2.8 of the Goofy Getaways Podcast, "So You Want to Be a Travel Advisor." Amy Blades wraps the conversation with Amanda Worsley, Noddea Skidmore, and Aaron Guest with the most candid part of the episode: what actually makes the job worth it, what actually makes it hard, and how each of them really built their business.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The genuinely rewarding moments that keep advisors doing this job, from milestone trips to clients who come back years later
• The realistic hard parts: high-volume communication, tight deadlines, and getting blamed for problems that aren't the advisor's fault
• The single biggest misconception about becoming a Travel Advisor, straight from someone who hears it constantly
• What advisors actually earn in year one, and why you don't get paid until your client travels
• How Amanda, Noddea, and Aaron each built their own client base from nothing, through referral programs, local community investment, and a strong personal brand

Curious what it looks like to build a travel business with Goofy Getaways? Visit https://www.goofygetaways.com/join-our-team to learn more about our team and training. Looking for an advisor of your own instead? Head to https://goofygetaways.com/meet-your-advisors and we'll connect you with the right person.

Subscribe to the Goofy Getaways Podcast for expert travel planning tips, destination insights, and real conversations about what it takes to build a career in this industry.

You can find the full show notes for this episode here: https://goofygetaways.com/podcast/what-nobody-tells-you-about-becoming-a-travel-advisor-goofy-getaways-podcast-episode-2-11

Think hitting "confirm" on a trip is the finish line? Ask any Travel Advisor, and they'll tell you that's actually where the real work starts.

This is Minisode 2 of 3, pulled from Episode 2.8 of the Goofy Getaways Podcast, "So You Want to Be a Travel Advisor." Amy Blades continues the conversation with Amanda Worsley, Noddea Skidmore, and Aaron Guest — this time on everything that happens after a client books.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why "the booking is just the beginning," and what advisors are still doing behind the scenes for months (or years) after
• The kind of work clients never see: destination and supplier training, staying current on ever-changing policies, and learning entirely new booking systems
• Why a good advisor should have real travel experience of their own, and how advisors lean on each other's firsthand trips to fill in the gaps
• Why the most trustworthy advice includes the honest parts of a destination, not just the highlight reel

Curious what it looks like to build a travel business with Goofy Getaways? Visit https://www.goofygetaways.com/join-our-team to learn more about our team and training. Looking for an advisor of your own instead? Head to https://goofygetaways.com/meet-your-advisors and we'll connect you with the right person.

Subscribe to the Goofy Getaways Podcast for expert travel planning tips, destination insights, and real conversations about what it takes to build a career in this industry.

You can find the full show notes for this episode here: https://goofygetaways.com/podcast/the-booking-is-just-the-beginning-goofy-getaways-podcast-episode-2-10