This month’s Hawaii Mentorship Alliance candidate is Whitney Norman, a 2016 Rising Star Travvy Award winner and Hawaii Specialist. When I first met Norman, owner of SunLover Travel in Lubbock, Tex., in 2012 her business was only two years old. Even then I knew I had met a passionately driven young entrepreneur destined for success.

Here are some highlights from my interview with Norman, including the story of when and she first fell in love with Hawaii, and why.

A ONE-WORD DESCRIPTION

I asked Norman to use one word to describe herself. For Norman, that word is “driven.” “I’m passionate about living life to the fullest while helping others, and I’ve always been a dreamer and big-idea person,”she says.

BECOMING A TRAVEL AGENT

”When I was a little girl I was obsessed with globes and maps. One of my favorite things was my parent’s atlas,” Norman says, adding that her father created a game called Where in the World. He would take the globe out, Norman would shut her eyes and he’d spin it. Once her finger landed somewhere on the globe they’d take out the atlas and encyclopedia and learn about the place together.

Traveling the world was the only thing I wanted to do when I grew up,” Norman says. “After graduating college in 2002, I looked into becoming a travel agent.” To her surprise, travel agents discouraged her from entering the field. “I was told the travel agent industry was dying and that I should focus on an industry that would last.

This was around the time companies like Expedia were forecasted to put travel agents out of business,” she says. “I was discouraged but my determination kicked in. I persevered, landed a job in corporate travel and two years later opened my own business.”

A YOUNGER CLIENT BASE

”While working in corporate travel, my passion for travel was contagious. Before I knew it, I was helping friends and family research travel,” says Norman. “The relatability of my age, and knowing the right amount of people got me started with good momentum. As a new business owner, I expected one booking a month, when in reality I was receiving three to four requests a week.

A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT

Norman watched her best friend from college lose a five-year battle with cancer. During those years, she inspired Norman to live the life she wanted to live - inspiring her to move from her childhood home in Lubbock to Arizona.  She was determined to live the life she always wanted. “When I see other people excited about life and travel, it fuels my own excitement,” Norman says.

A PERSONAL TOUCH

Norman made the decision to keep her business in Lubbock. “A lot of my clients are farmers and still prefer to pay in-person with a check or cash,” she says. “There was a time when clients came in with $17,000 in cash to pay for their vacation. It might sound crazy, but in towns like Lubbock, you need to have a physical presence.” Norman maintains her retail office and staff in Texas while operating from her home-based office in Arizona.

GETTING SOCIAL

Social media is Norman’s sole marketing source. She says Facebook alone generates one to two new leads a month, adding that word-of-mouth through social outlets is her No. 1 source for referrals. She is attracting larger numbers of younger travelers to the agency due to her willingness to communicate through texts and emails. “Even if it’s just a quick reply to their text at 10 p.m., they like that I respond immediately. They’ll make their final selections from my email recommendations and the next day they’ll send their identification and payment details,” Norman says. “They’re comfortable making decisions without ever talking to me.”

A PASSION FOR HAWAII

Norman fell in love with Hawaii during a fam trip in 2012. What she appreciated the most was the destination’s authenticity, rich cultural heritage and experiential diversity. She has connected the most with Oahu for having what she says is the “best of both worlds,” including Waikiki’s playful personality and extraordinary dining options paired with the laid-back surfer vibe of the North Shore country. Norman insists that all her clients include Oahu in their travel plans, and describes it as “the coolest place on earth.” She also fell in love with Maui and returned to both islands for her wedding anniversary and Hawaiian vow renewal.

TOP PICKS

Here are Whitney Norman’s top suggestions for travelers visiting Hawaii.

ALL ISLANDS

A Hawaiian Vow Renewal on the beach - even for honeymooners!

OAHU

Rent a Car! Outdoor adventures at Kualoa Ranch Excursion to Sunset Beach Soak in the local vibe in Haleiwa Town

MAUI

A meal at Mama’s Fish House Experience Old Hawaii in Hana

THE HAWAII DESTINATION SPECIALIST PROGRAM

Hawaii is a place like no other.  Six iconic islands.  Six unique experiences.  Learn uncommon details about what makes each island so distinctive, yet all part of one ‘Ohana (family). Once you complete the Hawaii Destination Specialist Program, you will possess the expertise to send clients on a journey to experience the aloha spirit that can only be found in the Hawaiian Islands. They receive the vacation of their dreams … and you receive boundless opportunity.  Visit Agents.GoHawaii.com.