Monday Cleghorn. (Source: Megan Cleghorn)
Success Stories focus on veteran travel advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Monday Cleghorn, owner of Such A Time As This Travel.
How did you get your start as a travel advisor?
From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to be a mom and I wanted to travel. And as I grew up, I loved serving and helping others. Although my travel experiences were very limited, I knew that the travel industry was something I wanted to be a part of. I had this great desire to see the incredibly beautiful world that God created, along with a desire to learn about other cultures. I also loved the idea of serving and nurturing.
I found some satisfaction in the hospitality industry in my early 30s as a director of sales for a few of our local hotels. But it didn’t quite feed my passion as I had hoped. It did connect me with people from around the world, but it didn’t help me to see the world the way I wanted to.
So, I decided it was time to bite the bullet and I purchased Joanie Ogg’s book, ‘How To Start a Homebased Travel Agency’ around 1999 and started doing my research. Joanie is such a sweet person and has been an incredible light and visionary in our industry. I’m so blessed to know her.
I joined a host agency around 2001. But it wasn’t until 2010 that I opened my agency, Such a Time as This Travel, and I’ve not regretted a second of it since.
How did you build your business over the years?
I mostly marketed to my circle and involved myself in our local chamber of commerce and hospitality committee. I involved myself in my community and quickly built relationships with people who became loyal clients and lifelong friends.
Of course, when Facebook was launched, I used it to my advantage. But over time, word of mouth became my biggest driving force and now I only book repeat and word of mouth clients. I don’t personally market anymore, but I do market for my agency.
Being relevant and having a good name was – and still is – extremely important to me. That alone will impel your career in the most honest and organic way.
What characteristics make you a successful advisor?
Honesty, integrity and passion are of utmost importance to me. When you love what you do and you’re passionate about it, you work it with a desire to be the best. That passion is displayed in everything you do to make your clients’ trips successful.
I’m very attentive to my clients and make sure that I hold true to my word. Integrity is huge. If you are in the service industry, taking care of people, being kind, having integrity and a good character means that your clients never forget the way you treat them – and they’ll always come back to you and tell others.
The Bible tells us that ‘a good name is better than great riches’ and it says to ‘provide honorable things not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men’ and it’s so true. I want to provide honorable service to my clients and to my team of outstanding advisors so that they know they are valued.
Happy traveler boarding a plane. (Photo Credit: Sirikarn Rinruesee/Adobe)
What have your greatest challenges been?
Dealing with the chaos of COVID was certainly the most challenging time for me. It was debilitating in the sense of everything halting and feeling so powerless and helpless to repair something that was irreparable. It was also extremely stressful, exhausting and heartbreaking to watch clients unable to experience the trips they had been planning for months. To see them lose thousands of dollars on vacations they had saved years for in some cases was heartbreaking.
I pray we never experience another situation like that again. But I can say that this industry is an exceptionally resilient one. And it’s one that I’m so proud to be a part of. Watching us come out on the other side like the warriors we are should be a true inspiration to the entire world! The stories we could tell…
What have your greatest accomplishments been?
I’m so blessed to have built an incredibly talented team of advisors and a circle of friends in the industry. I never want to take those people for granted. Having a community of like-minded people not only keeps you encouraged, challenged and always learning, but that community also helps to hold you accountable.
I’ve also been blessed to be a part of some amazing special events that I’ve helped to coordinate and execute. One was a fantastic event held at Epcot where we had families from all over join us for ‘My Royal Coronation,’ which welcomed children to go through a coronation process and meet Elsa and Anna before the two were ever introduced into the parks for meet and greets. This event was truly something special!
In addition, I’ve served two years on Disney’s Earmarked Travel Advisory Council, two years on the Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) Advisory Board, received multiple Gold Earmarked Awards, Universal U-Preferred Silver Award and the coveted Magellan Award along with several additional awards locally for Best Travel Agency. I’ve also been so blessed to be welcomed into Travel ALLIES Society and Female Leaders in Travel Conclave.
What tips can you provide advisors new to the industry?
Don’t get so overwhelmed that you give up. It’s not the easiest job, but it is the most rewarding.
Stay relevant. Always be learning about and experiencing the destinations you sell. Maintain integrity and honesty. Always listen to and hear your clients. Then advise them based on what you hear and on your expertise. You are the expert, so be confident but don’t let over-confidence and presumptuousness destroy your character. Kindness is completely free and always welcomed. And never lose your passion!
Finally, find a circle of like-minded individuals to encourage you and hold you accountable. This is not a competition with other advisors. There are so many people that you can learn from in the industry, so please don’t compete with them but surround yourself with them and glean from their knowledge and experience. You will quickly find that some of your dearest friends and confidants are within this amazing industry!
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