Success stories focus on veteran travel advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Lindsay Epperly, owner and CEO of Jetset World Travel.
How did you get started as a travel advisor?
At the age of 19, I entered a travel agency for a brochure and came out with a job! I was in college and started by attending bridal shows and planning honeymoons, which eventually turned into building a book of business that supported my full-time income until I graduated.
How have you built your business over the years?
As the honeymoon business grew largely through referrals, I also became interested in mentoring other travel advisors. I developed a teaming model with the host agency I was a part of, which ultimately led me to realize the need for a host that provided clarity and consultation to entrepreneurial advisors.
This is what laid the groundwork for what was then known as Epperly Travel in 2014. Since then, we have evolved into the organization we are today, “Inc. 5,000” company, rebranded to Jetset World Travel, which was a great boutique agency that we acquired in 2021. About five years ago, I moved into the CEO role to bring the company to where we are today.
What characteristics make you a successful advisor?
I believe my success as an advisor and entrepreneur is due to meeting people where they are. I try to lead from a place of empathy and authority, understanding what the client really wants, especially when we are given the honor of planning a truly special trip; and bringing a level of knowledge that enables their confidence. I teach the same philosophy to our team of advisors at Jetset – there’s no client problem we can’t solve without empathy and authority!
What were your biggest challenges?
I spent a lot of time battling Imposter Syndrome. From the very beginning of my career, when I stayed in five-star hotels and had never experienced anything like that in my life outside of travel, I was always waiting to be tapped on the shoulder and told, “You don’t belong here” – until I decided to expand the business with the model we now have in Jetset, which was not done quite before.
We recently released a podcast in partnership with Jetset called “Who Made You Boss?” to address this very topic. I think Imposter Syndrome is actually a sign that we’re doing something right by putting ourselves out there, but it’s not talked about often enough in our industry.
What are your greatest achievements?
Five years ago, I set a goal to double the size of our company and be on the cover of an industry magazine within the next 10 years. Thanks to the decisions we made during the pandemic, we were able to reach this goal in two years—in fact, we quadrupled our size, which earned us a spot in the 2023 “Inc. 5000” list. I’m so proud of the integrity we’ve maintained during the pandemic and the way we’ve stayed true to our vision of being a beacon during the industry’s darkest hour. I believe that is why we come out the other side so much stronger.
What advice can you give to advisors new to the industry?
When I first started, I was so scared that I had to learn the whole world as my product. How can we be expected to be experts in everything? Instead, I focused on becoming an expert in my clients. By focusing on human relationships, we can bring a new level of customer service to our client experience, which is exactly where our value as advisors can shine.
For the latest travel news, updates and offers, subscribe to TravelPulse’s daily newsletter.
