Today we’d like to introduce you to Carie Hamm. C
Carie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
What a whirlwind! I actually started professionally in the travel industry almost 6 years ago. It started out as following my love of planning Disney trips and then it took on a life of its own. Once I implemented my “boots on the ground” approach to planning and being able to provide firsthand knowledge to my clients in all destinations that I offer, my business and reputation as a trusted travel advisor in the tristate area continues to solidify and grow. Not only do I specialize in Disney after my 200+ trips, but also Universal Orlando Resort and for the past few years, I have begun a focus on All-Inclusive travel, the Caribbean, Mexico, and other exotic destinations. I am a firm believer that you are a better asset to your clients if you have seen and experienced the destination firsthand.
As the business has continued to grow, I was asked to partner with West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV as their contact agent on site. This is a great way to interact and meet with my clients in person and help them navigate planning in an even more personal way.
Last year, I was also privileged to be chosen as Best in the Valley and Best in the Tristate as a Travel Advisor as well as being chosen for the GTM West conference for travel agents that have acquired specific status in the industry. There were only 109 agents in the nation selected to attend this elite event.
At this point in time, my client base has reached over 1700 plus families. I am so thankful that my main source of referral is word of mouth. My philosophy is that if you take care of your clients, they will always come back and bring their friends and this philosophy has helped me so much in growing my business in the tristate. I am thankful to have a small business in the tristate area and the support of such wonderful and loyal people.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Prior to 2020, I could have definitely said this was a smooth ride and that I was traveling at my own pace. However, we all know that Covid 19 had other plans. Being in the travel industry during a pandemic was anything but smooth. I think the hardest thing for me was feeling as if I was disappointing so many people by having to cancel trips and postpone lifetime adventures for my clients. It took a toll on my business and my mindset. But during that time of lockdown, I utilized social media to continue to interact with my client base and keep them engaged and tried to lift spirits with travel-themed dinners that we would share about online, trivia nights where we could interact via the web, and other fun things. It was like our lifeline to make it thru until travel was able to begin again. Then once things started to open up again, all those folks I had stayed connected with, got to celebrate together! Once again, I was making people happy and planning dream vacations and all is well!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I like to call myself a professional Fairy Godmother. A granter of wishes so to speak. I help my clients plan their trips from start to finish each step of the way! In fact, most of my clients do refer to me as their fairy godmother. They present their list of wishes for their trip, and magically I make those happen. I specialize in Disney and that is my obvious love. I guess I am most known for my frequency at the parks and my connections to Disney. I am most proud of being a thriving reputable business in my community. I am proud of the fact that this is a true professional to me and not something that I just do for fun. I take the business of memory-making very seriously! It may not be saving the world, but it does mean the world to my guests.
I am a concierge style boutique travel advisor with specialized knowledge of multiple destinations. I provide one on one, concierge style services to my clients at no additional cost. Helping with things like securing bookings, transfers, special events, in destination assistance, providing tips and advice for touring, and expert guidance regarding your destination, we are your one stop shop for travel assistance.
I definitely believe that what sets me apart is the fact that I invest in that boots-on-the-ground strategy. I want to be able to really know where I am sending my guests. I want to be that value-added to their trip experiences.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I have had a couple of amazing mentors in the travel industry and work with both of them currently. But the person that has played the biggest role in the support and success of my business is my husband, Gary. He is the jack of all trades so to speak. He is my website designer, sounding board, business manager, podcast editor, and blog producer. You name it, he steps in to do it! I don’t think you can have a successful business without this kind of support.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://travelwithcarie.com/
- Instagram: travel_with_carie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelwithcarie
Image Credits Megan Nicole Photography
