Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Sawhook
Hi Lesley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been a travel professional for 16 years and the co owner and CEO of Exclusive Travel Partners for the past 9 years. My husband and I own Exclusive Travel Partners and we have 42 incredible travel professionals on our team who are spread across the United States.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a travel professional is not an easy job. Our hours are very demanding and we work very hard without being paid until after our guests travel. I love what I do but it is a very challenging career. To be good at what we do we must travel often to different destinations to learn about the resorts, cruise ships, etc. all while maintaining our own clients and their needs. We work while traveling all of the time.
The biggest struggle I have had was during Covid. When the world shut down we had to find ways to pivot to domestic travel in order to keep money coming in. Leading a team of travel professionals can also be challenging as a business owner. We work very hard to keep morale high within our team and to show them love and appreciation so they know how valued they are. We work very hard to create a positive culture within our team.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am very passionate about social media and have used that to express my creativity, gain an audience and following and that has translated into immense growth for our agency from the leads that come in.
During Covid I worked very hard to grow my social media on TikTok (“Lesleyetp”). This past year I have also worked very hard on growing my social media presence on Instagram and Facebook (“ExclusivetravelbyLesley). I have been on many industry podcasts to help other travel professionals grow their reach through social media.
What sets me apart from others in this industry is my personal relationships with my guests. They may find me on social media, but they instantly feel like friends. I use the core values of Exclusive Travel Partners : “Connect, Invest and Love” daily with my guests. I get to know them and what they are looking for in a vacation and I consider myself a “vacation match maker” where I listen and match them to exactly what they want. I love being a part in the process and getting those pictures and happy texts when they are traveling makes my day.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Patience and Persistence.
Being a travel professional takes a lot of patience. We spend a lot of time on hold, dealing with some intense customer service issues and technical issues on most days. It takes a lot of patience so that you don’t become frustrated and want to throw in the towel.
Persistence is key in this industry if you want to grow. Every morning I wake up and think of creative ways to show up on social media to reach a new audience and gain new customers. Being persistent and consistent are keys to success in this industry.
Pricing:
- I do not charge a planning fee for my professional planning service.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Exclusivetravelpartners.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exclusivetravelbylesley/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exclusivetravelbylesley/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyetp
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lesleyetp/videos
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/exclusive-travel-partners-maineville
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lesleyetp
