Name: Kate Conway

Agency name and location: Posh Travel, Lake St. Louis, Mo.

Host agency/franchisor: Travel Leaders, Chesterfield, Mo.

My former career: Flight coordinator/corporate travel

Why I chose a travel career: A travel career is so exciting to me. Making people’s dreams come true and having the ability to give them memories to last a lifetime is so rewarding!

Why I chose my host/franchise network: I searched online and did extensive research. I kept coming back to Travel Leaders. When I met the owner, Marcie Boyle, I knew it was the right decision. Her agency is full of knowledgeable agents who offer support any time.

My biggest challenge starting out: Choosing where to begin my training. There are many tour operators available to use. I just wanted to make sure I was starting my training with the most useful ones.

How I solved it: Marcie guided me in the right direction and gave me the necessary tools to begin my training. I researched each tour operator individually and looked for promotions that would benefit the customer.

My greatest challenge right now: Keeping up on all of the current promotions. It can be a little overwhelming to receive numerous emails from suppliers and to keep up with them. I have learned it is important to know what is current, both for my clients and for myself.

What I like best about the travel business: Every day is something new and exciting. It’s never the same trip day after day. That excites me! I also enjoy learning about unique locations, hidden gems that others may not think to introduce to a client.

What I hate about it: I don’t hate anything about the business. What I dislike is hearing from someone who had shopped me and then booked something online that wasn’t even close to what we had discussed – and they end up unhappy with their decision.

How my former career has helped me run my own travel business: My former career gave me the tools to plan for corporate meetings, events and travel. I understand the important questions that need to be asked and details that need to be given. This was a great opportunity for me to learn about the travel industry on the corporate side. As I strengthened my relationships with my clients through corporate travel, I began to plan their personal travel as well. The wheels were then turning [and I realized] this is what I wanted to do – plan travel for both business and personal needs.

Why I love what I do: I love that I am dealing with customers excited about making travel plans. It’s refreshing to have a job where you are talking with people who are excited and in great spirits discussing future plans. It’s not every day that you meet people who love their jobs. I am happy to say I am one of them!