From a very early age, Tammy Levent, founder of Elite Travel, knew that she was destined for entrepreneurship. At just 16, she made her way to New York, landing a job as a secretary at a wholesale appliance store. "I called the owner of the shipping company we used to ship our appliances and laid out reasons for why we should combine our two businesses into one full-service company," she said.
Thus, at 17, Levent became a founding partner of 7 Islands Shipping, a leading export shipping firm. "It was my first strategic partnership and formed my lifelong philosophy of successful entrepreneurship," said Levent.
After selling the company and opening a successful jewelry store with her husband, Levent and her family suffered a series of setbacks. In 1994, the store was robbed of 95 percent of the inventory, forcing the couple to close its doors. One year later, Levent's grandmother and children were in a car accident left her grandmother dead and her children in critical condition.
When asked by an ICU nurse what she would do if money were no object, Levent said she would travel the world.
Thus Elite Travel was born. For the most part, Levent, who is also the author of three books, attributes her success in the agency arena to her entrepreneurial spirit. "As a travel agent I'm not just an agent - I'm a travel entrepreneur, she said. "Passion, determination and the unwillingness to take no for an answer are just a few of the qualities that have helped me become the success I am today. I am also a visionary who thinks out of the box when looking for ways to grow and expand my business."
Another factor that sets Levent apart is her advocacy of the agency community at large. "I am one of the rare agents who believe in boosting up my competitors," she said.
On that front, she created the Travel Agent Success Kit, which serves as sales and motivational tool designed to put travel agents on paths to success. The kit, which features 15 hours of video, includes advice from a variety of entrepreneurs, including Kevin Harrington of ABC's Shark Tank. "I feel that everyone who has the willingness to succeed should have access to the tools they need to make it happen," said Levent.
For its part, Elite Travel, which was launched in the aftermath of 9/11, has grown consistently since its inception. "We started with one niche in corporate travel and grew the company into several distinct branches with agents that are experts in each division of the Elite Travel Group," Levent said
Each branch of the company manages a different niche. "Our current brands are Elite Travel Group for general travel, Elite Incentive Travel for corporate and incentive travel, Elite Destination Weddings, Honeymoon Giveaway and Elite Adventure Travel," she said.
Unquestionably, the agency places a high emphasis on customer service, as evidenced in a highly publicized account of an 89-year-old man, Dodge Melkonian, who broke his hip on a Black Sea cruise and was, for all intents and purposes, stranded with his wife in a Turkish non-English speaking hospital. The couple called Elite Travel, which immediately went into action.
"That call sent us into a flurry of activity, arranging transport to a better-equipped hospital, sourcing a local tour guide to act as translator for them, contacting the media and calling public officials from the Governor of Florida to Senator Bill Nelson to help the Melkonians receive the best possible care, and get their bills paid for by the cruise line that had so spectacularly failed them," said Levent. "I consider this once of our greatest achievements."
Dealing with - and overcoming - hardship and near disaster, however, is something that Levent has dealt with all her life. "When I was seven, my parents sent me to Greece on a transatlantic flight alone," said Levent. "Then a month later I was in an elevator crash -from the eighth floor - and was the only one to walk out with nothing. It's been a crazy ride. I was meant to be here."
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