Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Smoak.
Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Travel has always been a deeply rooted passion of mine! From reading National Geographic cover to cover as a child, to devouring Anthony Bourdain’s shows and books as a teen — it has been a constant lifelong passion. I studied Language & International Trade at Clemson, where I was fortunate to spend a semester abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France. Following college I embarked on an eight year career as a flight attendant with a major airline, which allowed me to travel to over 50 countries before the age of 30 (and I have added a few more to the list since then). When I left the airline world after Covid, I knew that staying in travel was non-negotiable. I started researching possible career paths, and at the urging of friends and family, decided to take the plunge into starting my own business as a travel advisor! Three years later, I haven’t looked back with over 200 trips planned and countless memories made. I find so much joy in helping others see the world and look forward to watching my business continue to grow and evolve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning and operating a small business has certainly not been a smooth road as there is a huge learning curve to starting your own business. I have to wear a lot of hats as the CEO, the marketing and advertising director, the accounting team, and the customer service representative (all while handling the day-to-day operations behind the scenes). The ironic part is that planning travel was the easy part for me! It took a lot of trial and error in the early days to figure out the best way to serve my clients from purchasing the best itinerary software to implementing systems to help me stay on top of confirmation and payment deadlines. It also takes awhile to turn a profit in this industry, as most of our compensation is derived from commission that isn’t paid until after the clients travel. This is very much a “survival of the fittest” industry… client leads aren’t guaranteed, and the success of your business really depends on the hustle and creativity that you bring to the table!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sarah Smoak Travels?
The travel advisor industry is booming with thousands of new advisors emerging each year, but what really sets me apart is my firsthand travel knowledge. I’ve currently traveled to 56 countries and 6 out of the 7 continents. When you book with me, we go beyond the “top hotels and smooth logistics” packages that all advisors market and actually tap into my firsthand knowledge and insight to include the experiences and destinations that you didn’t know to ask for. I do focus mostly on luxury travel, partnering with 4 & 5-star hotels and custom touring companies, but beyond that I do not really niche down to a certain type of trip. I book everything from honeymoons and family vacations to cruises, rail journeys, safaris, private villas and everything in between. My niche is working with travelers who value high quality experiences and want to come home feeling genuinely transformed, whether that means stepping outside of your comfort zone, growing closer as a family, or learning something new.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to have patience and don’t be afraid to ask questions — Rome wasn’t built in a day! Many advisors join the industry expecting instant success (myself included) but it takes on average around 3-5 years to build out your systems, secure a solid client base, and generate consistent profit. The learning and training really never stops, as the industry is constantly evolving with new hotel openings, new destination trends, and partners who are constantly pushing the boundaries with exclusive experience offerings!
Pricing:
- Planning fees are quoted on request depending on the complexity of the itinerary
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sarahsmoaktravels.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahsmoaktravels
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahsmoaktravels
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-smoak-99529934
