Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Cannon.
Hi Mandy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My career in travel started out of a genuine passion for vacations…and all that comes with it! I enjoy every stage of the planning process and love helping others make their travel dreams a reality. While planning vacations for my family and friends I wondered why someone would pay a travel agent to do that for them so I did a little research and found out that you don’t have to pay an agent, they get paid by the suppliers they sell and they can get the same rate that you see online. It made sense to me that there are many people who would like for someone to do all the planning work for them. I was a school teacher who loved a good field trip and needed a side hustle. So I started planning field trips for adults- my favorites are the group trips that I put together and guide to amazing places around the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been bumps along the way. I opened my business in May of 2019, where things got off to a great start and I thought I was a rock star at my new side hustle. Then 2020 hit and everything was cancelled. Not all suppliers were eager to give refunds- which was quite upsetting to clients who literally could not travel.
Some mistakes have been made and as a small business owner the customer is always right- fixing those mistakes have been costly at times but I have learned from every one of them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tour Guide Mandy?
Tour Guide Mandy is a full service travel agency that supports clients in all aspects of vacationing.
I focus on providing excellent service while focusing on unique vacation budgets and needs. I have traveled extensively so I can share firsthand knowledge of the many popular destinations and cruises, Unlike booking websites, I am available after the booking for travel tips and to handle any hiccups that might arise.
I am most proud that 90% of current sales are from referrals or repeat customers. It means so much that clients trust me with their lifetime memories.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It makes me happy when the only notification that I get about a trip is when a family’s return flight just landed. Then I know that I did my job completely and everything ran smoothly for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://travelagentconnection.com/?agent=20038223
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tourguidemandy
