Today we’d like to introduce you to Theresa Brady.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I used to work for a tech company in Woburn for several years, but then my husband and I wanted to start a family, so I decided to leave my great tech job. We soon we had kids and I started waitressing at night all the while trying to find a business that I could do from home. AOL had come out and was all the rage, so I researched jobs on there to find a business I could do from home. I finally came across “Home Based Travel Agent”.
Having never really traveled as a kid, I loved the idea of traveling to new places. I found a 12 week school to become a certified travel agent at a travel agency in a town nearby.
After I completed the course, I worked as an outside agent for that travel agency and for the next 3 years I went on as many FAM trips as I could. FAM trips are what we call Familiarization trips for destinations. Back then in 1997 a travel agent could travel for very little and these types of trips were often free because you spent the whole time being educated on the destination so you could come back excited and start selling to your client. I learned so much in those 3 years and built up my clientele while also running a friends Limo business on the side. In 2000, I was working a full week and was completely on my own now operating solely as Accommodating Travel.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I first got in the business a travel agent made 8% commission on airline tickets, but soon after I started working we were cut down to 5% by the airlines. Not long after that, United started a revolution of NO longer paying travel agencies any commission for tickets causing many travel agencies to close their doors. This started the revolution of more home based agencies, which I had already been doing for a couple years. Those of us that stuck with it started charging a fee for airline tickets and many people realize the value in that.
Another struggle was 9/11, as some people feared traveling, but most of my clients were not worried about this so much, but more about the stock market and jobs, so they were hesitant to go on expensive vacations.
The Internet has not been a hinder or a struggle, but helped my business in many ways.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Accommodating Travel – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I love my name Accommodating Travel. It starts with an “A”, so when I started in the business, it came up first in many of the yellow pages books the old days, but it also says so much about what I do and how I operate. I accommodate people with finding trips that meet their individual needs.
What many people do not realize is that in almost all cases you will not pay more to use a travel agent and you have a person working in your corner to get you the best price and can read the fine print on the many deals thrown at you these days.
I specialize in so many things and should probably cut it down, but let’s just say destination weddings, trips to Europe (River cruises, escorted trips, Italy, Ireland, etc..) and I can book trips to the Caribbean with my eyes closed, so to speak. When you have done something for 20 years, you know where to look and what to do to help a client get a trip that matches their needs and not just their pocket book.
What sets me apart is I basically answer my phone 24/7. Of course, that is mostly for emergencies, but I want a client to know that I am there for them and no question is silly. (well there are a few)
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I have always said that I am not going to hire and have employees, but I recently had a client of mine who was my first Destination wedding bride and she came to me asking how to be a travel agent and she is now working for me as an Independent contractor. I have learned to delegate the not so fun stuff like accounting and cleaning and now trying to focus more of what I do best. I hope in the future to hire and train some more agents and then have someone I can trust to take over for me so I can take more of the longer vacations and not take my work with me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 101 Fordway Ext.,
Derry, NH 03038 - Website: www.senduaway.com
- Phone: 603-437-3835
- Email: theresa@senduaway.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senduaway/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AccommodatingTravel
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