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Redefining Success: Building a Travel Business That Supports Life’s Next Chapter with Lyndall Collins

Ros: Hey everybody. Welcome back to the travel agent achievers podcast. This is Ros your host once again, and today, I have another special guest. Today, though, we're talking about something a little bit different. We're talking about redefining success and building a travel business that supports you at every stage of life. I am very, very happy to invite my good friend one of our travels a top mobile advisors, and she has won several awards around this she's incredibly busy herself. Lyndall Collins, welcome to the Travel Agent Achievers Podcast. I'm so excited that you are finally here, my friend.

Lyndall: Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad I'm here. I love listening to your podcast in the car and listening to all your special guests and learning along the way.

Ros: All right, stalker, just kidding. Ahh, Lyndall, you and I have known each other for quite a while now. Um, when did you join itravel? Was it 12 or 13 years ago, or more than that?

Lyndall: Uh, just 14 years ago now.

Ros: 14 years ago. So I joined them just over 15 years ago. So I feel as though I've, I want to say, grown up with you, but you and I are about the same age. It's just your kids are a bit growing up with the kids.

Lyndall: Yes, yes.

Ros: With travel, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, you know, from your travel background, because you've been in the industry for quite a while. Was it your first job that you ever got into? So tell us a little bit about how you started and what the journey's been like for you over that period of time.

Lyndall: Yeah. So I was at school in year 11, and I wanted to do the Travel and Tourism course at TAFE. So that was one unit. I was going to Bankstown, TAFE once a week. I sort of came to the end of that in the August, September, and thought, if I'm not going to go to uni, I really want to just do travel. So I tried to get a job. I ended up everyone wanted experience. Ended up in an accountant's office for eight or nine months being the junior. You know, it was the best grounding for office work. And then I had that one year experience to get into travel.

Ros: Had you traveled much to yourself?

Lydall: Well, I fell in love with travel. I hadn't done a lot of overseas trips, but Mum and Dad took my sister and I around Australia. I was in year three or four. We went for three months, and it just made me fall in love with Australia as a country, and just being out and about, and I think that's why I thought I need to work in travel.

Ros: Yeah, right. So how long ago did you start your travel career?

Lyndall: It was 89 the end of 89 I worked with a wholesaler for Sunbeam tours. I was doing all their office work. And, yeah, loved, loved learning from the ground up.

Ros: Yeah. So started in the wholesaler, and did you then go into retail before starting out on Europe?

Lyndall: No, then corporate and conferences with a big company. So I was traveling. I ended up traveling with retrovision to Hong Kong, 400 delegates, doing delegate registrations and airfares and all that. And then dad was changing jobs, and thought, why don't we buy a restaurant? I was like, mm, why don't we buy a travel agency? So we bought mum, dad and I, we bought a travel agency in Bankstown Square. It was a You Tag Agency. It was the year I got married. 97 Jet Set ended up coming to us and saying, We don't want our wholly owning in banks house square anymore. We'll part we'll give you a a consultant and and all our files. So we changed to Jet Set. Going on,I had Alex in 2000 then I was pregnant with Sam, and we thought, we can't manage this anymore if I'm going to be having another baby. So that's when we sold in oh, three,

Ros: Oh, wow. So you actually owned your own retail agency with your parents. I did not know that that about you as well. And then you sold,

Lyndall: Yeah, and then I had time off with Sam. Peter actually got a job in Canberra, so it sort of forced me to be at home. He was coming home weekends. It was good because Alex had started school up the road. I really enjoyed spending time with the girls. And then I think Sam started school in when she was five, and I thought, oh, well, I become a teacher. Peter's like, why don't you just go back to what you know, travel? I was like, I don't know if I know how to sell anymore. What if everything's changed? They're using the internet. It was scary.

Ros: Yeah.

Yeah. So I got a job at travel world Liverpool, worked there for three or so years, and then wanted to go out on my own again, and spoke to Steve and, yeah, that was 14 years ago. And I tell people now that I worked from home before working from home was a thing.

Ros: Yeah, that's true. Before I say the same thing that it's now. I mean, definitely over the last five years or so, it's become the thing. But prior to that, working from home, how did you juggle the kids, the business and home? Were you quite disciplined? Have you always been quite organised?

Lyndall: Yeah, I'm, I think I'm quite organised, and I loved the flexibility. The school is literally walking distance up the road. So if the Easter hat parade was on, I could duck out. If you know when the kids were sick, I could run up and get them. If you know they're doing a speech in front of assembly, or their class was performing. I just loved that. Yeah, by the time they got to high school, they don't need you as much, but

Ros: Don't tell me that Jackson is only in year five. But I'm taking it all.

Lyndall:  Yeah, take it while it's there. But yeah, and even sports carnivals, and being the mum that could drive them to the Netball carnival and carpool and all that, I really, I really juggled the work around the kids. And, you know, there was some afternoons that I'd throw them in front of the TV and make them something to eat and quickly do another few hours or work on a Saturday school holidays was challenging, because running to the movies and bowling and all that was hard to get your work done, but, but they were good, they were good girls, and, yeah, they've grown up. They've grown up into lovely young women.

Ros: That's right, how precious those formative years with them and that you had that opportunity to juggle work as well as raising the girls along with Peter, of course, and managing the family life, you were able to make those choices, which I know a lot of people don't have, and I I feel very privileged that we do have that opportunity to be able to make choices like that, and that we can say no to work if we need to, or we prioritise and say, alright, as you just said, you know, you'd put the girls in front of the TV or get them a snack and make them do their homework, and you could go and do a couple of extra hours, or you put them to bed, and then you go and do the work that you need to get done. I think it'll work from home environment as well. You have that flexibility and freedom. So when you're your first few years of joining, I travel. I mean, that has that your business has grown a lot. So if we jump forward, you know, 10 years we hit the pandemic, what did you do?

Lyndall: I, I stayed at home and juggled the refunds for a little bit like everyone, because it was only going to last six months. Three months, orders are going to open in the South Pacific by September. By the December, a friend got me a job in a school. I think it was September. I was doing some office work. I was just helping out because someone was on leave, and then I did another day at another school, and then one school asked me, Can I just do eight weeks at the end of the year in the library that was stock restocking and stock taking? And loved it just there was no not that there was no responsibility. It was just really easy work. I loved being around the kids, having the girls grown up as well. I love that idea of little, little eight, nine year olds, Mrs. Collins. Mrs. Collins, like waiting on stage. It's so cute. And then the next year, the school asked me to gave me another contract for a year, and then the next year, they gave me another contract. And then it was really a hard decision. It was by the July, I suppose, 2022 that it cut down to three days a week at the school. And I had to decide which way I was going. And it was, it was hard, because the school was such a beautiful community, and I hadn't worked with people on a day to day basis before, either. You know, I, I went to the principal's wedding, like, I just built up a really good relationship with these teachers. And it I was really, really torn which way I wanted to go. And I think the flexibility of the travel and knowing that I wanted to re build my business again. It just, it just drew me, yeah, so by that December, I finished off at the school and went full on.

Ros: I remember talking to you at that point and how you were making those big decisions. It's like, well, I miss travel. I love travel. I. Um, but I also really have enjoyed this time in the school as well, to then jump back into travel, and you jump back in full on. I did, like I say full on, because as an outsider looking in, it was like you went from nothing, right? You got back into the travel business. And I know that you were still around, still doing bits and pieces throughout the pandemic, but it was like you just jumped straight back in and it went boom. For you, you feel as though, over that next 12 months, things just shifted massively. I mean, with the girls then grown up and they were out of school by this time, like they've got their own lives now, you know, did you feel as though you you just went all in you were doing all the marketing again, you're promoting yourself. Like, what? What happened in that shift there?

Lyndall: Yeah. So when, if we go back to 2011 when I left travel world at Liverpool, I didn't take any clients or anything, yeah, me. So I, I I was doing fly drops. I was going to the local schools. I was putting ads in in newsletters and all that thing. And it's funny, one of my girlfriends always says, because when we had the kids young, we would always go to Tupperware parties and yes, makeup parties and lingerie parties. And she said, I'll go to the opening of an envelope. So I was literally going to the opening. You know, someone says, I'm having a party, you know, come so then I was networking.

Ros: Ah, so that's what changed. You then went, right, I'm going to start networking again. But it's not what people would generally assume to be networking. You didn't go out into BNI groups or networking groups or anything like that. You were like, No, I'm just hanging out with my friends again.

Lyndall: Yeah. What do you do for a job? I'm a travel agent. Yes, yes, oh yes, I'd love a holiday. So that's how it came. And I did have a lot of so I probably, if I've been with, I travel for 14 years. You know, I had a business for nine years, so I contacted all those repeat clients. So it was a matter of, and they talk about 2023, being revenge travel. So everyone that missed out, they were going, yeah. So yeah, it was just about recontacting them and putting specials in front of them, or film nights or, you know, meeting for coffee, and just getting excited again about the world is okay, we can do this. And I also tried to go to quite a few places myself. You know, I went up to Cairns. I flew to Hawaii, you know, every time there was a special I'm like, yep, who wants to come? Who wants to come? Just to show people that, you know, I went away and I didn't get covid. I went away and I did the ESTA visa. No problem. I didn't get stopped at the border. So it was about showing them that you don't need to be afraid. 

Ros: You really led the way, and then just took everybody along for the ride with you. But reconnected. And this is one thing that I love about our industry, is the the human elements, like it is so important for us to be able to build those relationships human to human. And that's exactly what you did, even though you're like, Oh, I'm just gonna start building up the networks again and reaching out to past clients it was with did. Was there any fear in that to go, Oh my gosh, they're going to feel as though I'm just asking them for a sale. Or was there anything that came to mind? Or are you just somebody that goes, No, I'm just going to go and have fun and talk to people. 

Lyndall: Yeah, I think, I think I worked out a few years ago that you don't have to win it all. Win them all. So you know, if someone doesn't want to book with you, that's okay. Just spend time doing something else. And I think it's the like, It's okay attitude, if half glass full, if Mr. And Mrs. Smith decide not to go and you've spent hours and hours on that, let's concentrate on something else. So you've got to make sure it doesn't hurt you. I think, yeah,

Roslyn: I agree. I 100% agree. And I think that generally, the majority of people who are in the travel industry, and that are travel professionals, particularly, or as advisors, we are generally positive people that see the glass half full. We're always looking for the opportunity. We're always thinking positive. We're always wanting the best for our clients or wanting the best for their travel experience. I don't I've never met anybody that's like, Oh my gosh. Well, you're going to get to the airport and get the crappy seat in the middle, or you're going to get there and be not deny boarding at the hotel because, you know, the hotels oversold. There is none of that that happens, you know. 

Lyndall: And if it's raining in the Maldives one day, that's okay. You can read a book inside and still look at the view like it's not. I always say to myself, we're not saving lives. We're building dreams. We're building holidays. 

Ros: We're, yeah, it's we get. The fun stuff, I think, guess why time has gone so fast, right? Especially over the last 15 years, things have gone so fast, so much is moving and changing, and people are wanting to explore different areas of this world, and new places have opened up, and there are changes that happen every day, but hearing what you've done is to rebuild your own community, and that has just grown and grown and grown. So when you and I were there and your conference, and were you won your award, Did that surprise you? And can you just share what that award was?

Lyndall: So that was top three within I travel, so top three sales. 

Ros: So I, as I said, a mobile home based advisor. And this is a fairly large network of mobile home based business owners travel advisors as well as franchises, and then they've got head office and a whole bunch of other things. So this is the top three advisers in sales over that one year. 

Lyndall: But then, then I got a marketing award because I put together a Royal Caribbean film Night. You know, thinking there might be 18 to 19 people, I think in the end there was 50 or 60 people. Did hundreds of 1000s of dollars worth of sales on the night, yes, by myself. And this is the thing, when we had the agency, I know what the turnover was. And when I came back in full, guns blazing in 2023 I was shocked that I had, you know, I had three, there was four consultants in the office. And I know people are spending more money these days, and things cost more, but my turnover was more than the four consultants. So you sort of look and think, How am I doing this? But then, so that was, I think that was more like the revenge travel. And then I got to sort of pare back a little bit, you know, Alex was having a baby, and I wanted to make sure that, you know, I was around for her

Ros: Back in that 2023 though you say that's revenge time. You're, you're so humble, you just push those awards down. This is, importantly, little you won these amazing awards. And one thing that you and I remember us going to the bathroom together, and I said, Be careful, Lyndall, like everyone is going to come out of the woodwork. Everyone's going to want to work with you. Make sure you stay true to yourself. Work with who you want to work with, the suppliers that you love. You are an incredible human but watch what changes. And there were conversations in there as well that you and I had where we would talk about different destinations. I'm like, Lyndall, just tell me, like, what are some of the things that you've done? You're like, Roslyn, I could sell Bali all week. I can have a 10 grand booking come in three times. You know, in a day done. No problem. Like, so turn it over, yep. Were these some of the things that resulted in those huge wins, 98

Lyndall: People on a three day cruise. I was booking them with my eyes closed, and, you know, sending out emails, yep, yep.

Ros: It was it all though, like the there was no systems or processes in there. It was just all in your head. You were just working with it. Yep, you find in that year, so in the 2324 you were working your absolute butt off, um, or was it like? No, this is just, yeah. What I did.

Lyndall: I was working, yeah, I was working six days. I was working six days a week, head down, bum up. I wasn't going to lunches, you know, I was canceling coffees. I I wasn't relaxing on a nine to or eight to six during the week. You know, I wasn't working till 10 o'clock at night or anything. But sometimes it's like, oh, it's three o'clock. I haven't even had a drink of water. I haven't had lunch

Ros: Where I didn't get up and go the toilet. 

Lyndall: Yeah, yeah, that's right. So I was head down, bum up, but I found it very rewarding as well, because, you know, and I never did any, you know, I don't do 50, $60,000 bookings every day. They come in every now and again. It's, you know, it's a lot of little stuff, and it's volume, volume,

Ros: Yeah, and this is what we're talking about, the the volume and the turnover, and the amount of people that you were helping to travel and process and book and those sorts of things that in that time, did you then find from 24 and winning the awards that things changed for you? I know that there were some life changes. So with Alex and Sam.

Lyndall: So well, first with with the clients as well. I thought that I can't sustain and and you gotta make sure that your customer service doesn't drop as well. So when someone's calling you at 930 in the morning, you really need to ring them back by two o'clock if you're in the country. Uh, so I was kind of guiding my clients into booking their own tours or guiding them in different ways. So I, I had always grown up with the one stop shop, you know, I'm going to do your transfers. I'm going to do your hop on hop off bus. I'm going to do your accommodation in London, your travel insurance and your flight tickets, and then I'm going to make sure you know where the local restaurants are. I don't really do that anymore, because I just don't have the time. And yes, I've, I've made plenty of notes about our recent Alaska trip. You know, when you're in Juneau, you need to do this Skagway. So when someone books Alaska trip, I just say, here are the things that we did go on to the trip personaliser, and you too can do that Husky experience or or the gondola ride. So I have been giving, and you have to work out the client as well. I've been giving the clients the tools. And obviously, if they say, oh, Lyndall, there's no way I can book that. Okay, let's get together, and I'll do that for you. But yeah, I've sort of been trying to help them, because you, you, you're not going to help them check in at the airport. You, you can walk them through the process, but when they get to that hotel, they've got to find the voucher, so they've got to be confident. Yep, Lyndall told me where that London hotel voucher is. She also told me that when I do my hop on, hop off bus on the app, I just open the app and there's my ticket. So I was helping people to help themselves.

Ros: Yeah, giving, giving them the responsibility as well. And it is a two way street, 100% between us and the clients, also educating the clients so that they can take a little bit of control. It's their trip as well. So I love that you have given them the authority to do that, and you've empowered them in a way, to work with you and partner with you on those experiences, because it makes it more meaningful for both of you. You're not necessarily just holding their hand every step of the way which some people do. Some people will do their online check ins and all the rest of it and powers. You know, go to go, go, you guys. I don't have the time for that, but it is walking with the client. And one thing that I love about that as well, is, for me, I get to see their excitement. They get to see my excitement. And it's like that whole journey of coming together. And you know, what can we do now and all the exploration, and say, Yes, you are also an avid traveler yourself, so you want to share those experiences with your clients or future clients. 

Lyndall: Yes, yes, that's right. And I was just talking to a client earlier, actually, and they've got to investigate the destination, just because I've been to Nashville and New Orleans, what I like or seen the destination might not be what you want to see. So I use the example of, you know, some people are big quilters, so there might be some quilting Association in Nashville. I would never pick that up, yeah. But if you're going to Nashville, you need to look up what you're interested in. 100%

Ros: Yeah, I was just doing that, as you say about New Orleans the other day with a client. Nah, don't go there. This is but I'm like, Yeah, well, this is their journey as well. You've gotta give them all the options. So what did you personally learn about boundaries and burnout as an example, or saying no during that 2324 period where it was just coming at you, was there anything that you learnt about yourself and also from a business perspective?

Lyndall: Yeah, I made a conscious decision that, you know, I wasn't going to work past six o'clock at night, because of the burnout and and because you need to have a break and working from home, it's so easy to come back in the office. It's so easy to grab your laptop, be on the you need to be present at home as well, because you're going to lose sight of, you know, the things that the kids are doing. And, yeah, and, you know, there were some times that I did have to work on Saturdays, I don't miss out on much. And I think part of educating the client a bit more and not letting you be at their beck and call non stop is something as well.

Ros: Yeah, educating the clients. And you've you've also just learned to say no and have those boundaries, and you've educated the clients to say, Well, I'm not working after six o'clock. You know, that's family time. Well, that's when I need to be doing other things, because that's really important to you. And what I certainly see is advisors who get into becoming a mobile or a home based business owner that then the boundaries go out the window, yeah, because they're just trying to do all the things make it all happen, and that does lead to burnout. It does lead to friction within the household and all of these other things, but they are just trying so hard. And there is nothing wrong with that, but there does come a time when those boundaries need to come into place, and it's to protect yourself as well as everybody else.

Lyndall: Yeah, because you think when you're tired, you're going to start making mistakes.

Ros: Oh, yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Lyndall: So why not go to bed early and get up early and start at it again. And I think when you're starting out, it is about gathering as much as you can and going to every event and connecting with people and trying to do all the modules on the different platforms. But you really need to slow down sometimes and and people will wait if and you need to prioritize. So if someone rings today and needs to fly out on Saturday, that's going to take priority off someone that sent you a wanted a quote for Fiji last Wednesday that you haven't got back to yet. Just be honest and open with the clients as well. I did get your email last Wednesday. But, you know, other things have come up, and I will get back to blah, blah, blah. So I think it is very important to prioritize. And I think the other thing is so fresh in our mind that it was just all ripped away from us so easily. So that's why everyone's trying to do everything, and you just, there's enough business for everyone. Just, yeah, look after yourself as well.

Ros: Yeah, absolutely, because it can all change in an instant. We see that time and time again. So now, with the girls grown up and having a grandchild in the mix, I see your face light up. And for those that are listening to this, you should see Linda right now. She is happy as what do you now value most? Because you've gone through these stages where it was about the business, then the kids were young, then the transition into having your own business, and then the pandemic, and now being a mobile advisor and building this beautiful, big business and doing all these things, but now you're in a new phase. You know, the mortgage paid off, and the kids out of home and a grandchild. So what's really important to you now?

Lyndall: It's about balancing both. You know, I had to drop everything last week because Alex wasn't, wasn't well, and I ran out to look after body. But being a mobile agent, you can just gather everything. And if something takes an extra day or two, as I say, we're not saving lives. It's not, it's not a big deal. Obviously, if someone's stuck overseas, I would drop everything for them as well. But, yeah, I just love trying to catch up with Bodhi, and it's a good outlet. You know, I might ring on a Monday and say I'm going to need to come on Thursday. So I work quicker and faster on Thursday morning and then spend the afternoon there. And I know that I've done enough work until the Friday, yes. So it is very rewarding. We love having him around. And,

Ros: Yeah, I can see that smile. How do you how do you stay motivated? Then when you do, you feel distracted. It's like, I want to go and play with Bodhi.

Lyndall: Yeah, I know.

Ros: Have you still got goals in the travel business? Or are you doing it because you love it, like what

Lyndall: We've been a bit of. Both. I do. I'm competitive within myself, yeah, so I do compete to get the sale. I do, like looking forward. I have a wall behind me over here with when the clients are leaving. So at a glance, I can see, oh, gee, I've got a lot of August departures. And gee, December's looking a bit quiet. You know, someone's quoting for December. Let's try and get that over the line. And, yeah, so I do have, I'm very visual, so I do have some goals that I want to set. It's, yeah, I it is very rewarding on a day to day basis. I do like the reward. You know, BOD is very exhausting at the moment, at 18 months. So I do like walking away the travel job is easy compared to running around the park with a ball? Yeah, I've taken up Pilates three times a week.

Ros: Good for you, looking after yourself as well. 

Lyndall: Yep, yep. And I just totally switch off. I totally switch off. Yeah, it's been really good, really

Ros:Yeah, it's been really good, really good. What does success now mean to you? I hear that you're competitive in yourself. You have the goals, but what does success mean to you now?

Lyndall: Success is doing like having happy clients, knowing that when they're coming back, they're pleased with what you've done, hearing a client say, Oh. So and So recommended you, and they said you did a great job, like just that sort of thing is really rewarding. Obviously, the sales, the sales just happen. I don't really record anything sales wise on a day to day basis. I do look back and reflect each month. But yeah, business is is really good at the moment, again, I'm getting those 2023, 2024, vibes again. And I did. I I had four weeks off to go to the US. 21 June, we left, and I was quite nervous, because I'd never really switched off before, and I was worried about the time zones, and I was worried about working away and traveling at the same time. So I felt I worked up and got all the documents out of the clients leaving, the people that weren't leaving. I told them exactly where I was, what the next step was when I got back, and I had a really good four week break, so that really motivated me to get back and know that I can do that again. Yeah.

Ros: Yeah, the confidence to go. You know what I can I can do this. This is okay. What's something that you now know that you wish you had have known, you know, 14 years ago,

Lyndall: Something I know now, yeah, that you don't have to work around the clock. You just have to, yeah, be friendly and tell people what you're doing. I do like helping people. I think I've said to you before, I don't feel like I'm in sales. It's really weird, and I understand. I don't feel like I'm selling. I'm sort of creating. Yes, and I do find it hard to ask people for money. I find that really challenging. I remind people that their payments are due, and then when I have to remind them again, I'm like, sorry, like, you have to pay otherwise you can't go, like, it's not me, it's

Ros: It's them, it's them. Yeah, that is hard, and I, I absolutely hear you with that. That is one struggle that a lot of advisors, you know that comes up for them, and it's, it may not even be something like that. It might be around asking a client for a deposit for a big trip, and this is where we often sell from our own hip pocket, because we may not, you know, spend $60,000 on a trip, correct? But our clients will, and they want to give you money. This is why they've come to you and they've said, Hey, I really want to do this African Safari. Hey, I really want to do this five star, amazing luxury cruise. Like they, they, they want to do it, yeah, but a lot of us as advisors then get caught up in our own money story and the fear of, oh my gosh. I've got to ask them for a $5,000 deposit, and then I've got all these things that have got to come it's, yeah, it's a real struggle. It's something that I think that we need to talk more about. Is that money story? Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna reach out next, and we're gonna do, do some more.

Lyndall: Other is the and then I have to tell them there's a credit card fee. What if they don't want to pay the credit card fee, and then, yeah,

Ros: Yeah, absolutely. And so now all of these transition points, there's been things that have happened for you where it's, as we said, you know, right at the beginning the business journey, the transition, the kids, the grown up and now being a grandparent, a hair now yourself. Is there any specific advice you would give to somebody else that is just starting out right now? Yeah, and they're going through these transition points too,

Lyndall: Yep. So just back yourself. I always figured that you know, even if you hadn't been to Antarctica, we can lean on a rep and say, Okay, what are the three things I need to talk about when I'm selling Antarctica? What is your ship different to the other ship? Let's talk about the zodiacs. So you don't I always find that travel. And even when I was teaching some juniors, back when we had the agency, we could always access the information, whether that was in a brochure or now on the internet. So be confident. It's okay to sell only what you know, but start networking with your local community. You know, always big. I think Sam was only nine or 10, and she's like I told the teacher in the school holidays that, you know, she needs to book with my mum. So like, Get everyone working for you. You know your mum and dad or your brother and sister, your husband at work, leave some brochures in the lunch room. Leave your cards. So especially when you're starting out, you can really.

Ros: Um, yeah, lean into those people, yeah. 

Lyndall: And really constantly succeed

Ros: Down, deep down, seriously, especially your family and friends.

Lyndall: That's right, that's right. And make sure your customer service, you know, go above and beyond. Email the hotel Mr. And Mrs. Smith are coming in December, and you know, they can't wait, and just let the hotel know that they're coming. Write a note in the room if they've spent a decent amount of money with you and you can afford it. It's very easy with the cruisers to put some chocolate coated strawberries in the room, just those little things, and the client messages. You can have to do that. You know, it probably cost you $14 it's so nice, little things like that. And then they'll tell their neighbor, and then they'll tell their friend, and then you'll be surprised.

Ros: Yeah, absolutely I agree that it's the little things that count to surprise delight that you know, if somebody was to do something nice for you, I still, when I walk into a hotel room and there's a handwritten note from the marketing person or the hotelier, I just, I'm, I feel so humble graciously. You know, it's, it's like, wow, they've taken the time to write this specifically for me. Like, I honestly don't care if it's printed out, but they've taken the time, and that means something, and that is that personal connection that we can have with our clients to go above and beyond that. You know, we talk about it, and it's, it's something that I see definitely in the travel agent achievers community, that majority advisor of advisors there are doing these above and beyond. And we'll talk about and go, but everybody does that. No, they don't like, they don't so

Lyndall: No, and a lot of time we don't even like, sometimes I don't even get to meet the client face to face. They've heard of me or and then I'll package up their documents, and I'll write a handwritten note, even though I've run through the documents, you know you'll be getting your airline tickets, your hotel vouchers, alright? And you know, thank you for booking with me. Can't wait to hear about your trip when you get back, because it makes makes a difference.

Ros: Absolutely, it's those little things that do make a difference. So you joined, and I'm so grateful that you did the achievers mastermind recently, you also attended our Bali international event last year, a destination that you know and love very, very much. What has the experience you know brought to you and your business so far, and also your personal growth? What sort of changed for you? Why did you even join in the first place? Because you have a very successful business.

Lyndal: Because I wanted to be closer to you. I wanted to see you all the time. Well, I went to I went to Fiji first, and I loved the little community that you've built. You know, all the men and women are are so beautiful and so eager to learn and share stories. I love sharing experiences, you know. So we, we're working from home. We're in our own little box. We get to speak to a res agent every now and again. You know, we're doing booking a lot of things online, because that's how the our suppliers wanted to be done so we don't get a lot of human contact other than our clients. So when you're sitting around a lunch table and someone says, oh, this happened to me the other day, Oh, no way. And then you know, someone might specialize in Germany, and you can just wreck their brains for for some information. So sharing that I loved your presentations and the self it's the self help and the self awareness that you don't get on a day to day basis, just booking, booking holidays, booking holidays. So I loved BG, loved Bali as well, and looking forward to the Philippines.

Ros:  Yes, I've built a group around, I know.

Lyndall: So I had, you know, if I'm going to go the Philippines, my friends are going to sit back and go, Why am I in the Philippines? So true, so true. Come over and then we're going to have a bit of a girls trip. And, yeah, why not?

Ros: I love that. It's combining your business learning, your personal growth, but also then bringing in your clients as well, and saying, Hey, I'm going to go and explore this new destination. Come along for the ride as well. You turn into your own little Pied Piper on these Lindell. I love it because your friends and your clients hear about it, they obviously love traveling with you, and you know, seeing all the different things that you're doing. And they're like, Yeah, I want to go to this thing too. This is awesome. Yeah,

Lyndall: Yeah, no, it must be good. Ah, so

Ros: I know I can't wait. It's going to be amazing, the whole event, but also being able to be. There with everybody is really, really cool, looking ahead, what's, what's one of your personal travel dreams, like, what do you want to do now? Personally, yeah, personally, where, where do you want to go? We're somewhere on your bucket list,

Lyndall: So I don't know if you knew, but Peter's not a big traveler? Yeah, no,

Ros: really bad.

Lyndall: I've had to have you listening to this yet broke my friends in. So he when we went to America, he just loved it. So we're tossing up other ideas. Now he has the bug, so I'd love, I've never been to Africa. You know, he's, would love to go to South America as well. Yeah, at Iceland.

Ros: Oh my gosh, Lyndall, I think you and I have the same bucket list. We should get Peter and Clint together and we can, well, you and I just have the most amazing experience I can see.

Lyndall: Yeah, sure, yeah. So, yes, I'll go at least. I love it. I'll go anywhere.

Ros: Really, really, yeah. What about for business? What are some of the goals that you now got and set for yourself?

Lyndall: So I just want to keep on the same sort of level that I am now. As far as sales, yep, I want to still be able to manage to do a few trips through the year and manage the business as well. So I love putting groups together. And sometimes it just happens organically, because, you know, one couple will say, I will go, then their neighbor, and then next minute, you've got 12 people. And then I love doing groups, and because I love concentrating on just one cruise or one tour, and then feeding everyone into it. 

Ros: Yes, and it might just be something that comes, as you say, organically, but you start talking about it, you start getting excited about it, and not, I'm assuming not your friend circle go on every single experience with no because you would obviously travel a lot more than them. But they're, they're able to sort of come and flow and join something and then do something a year later or a couple of years later. And yeah, it's a it's a beautiful community that you've built yourself around your clients as well, and this is purely through you getting out and talking to people, attending events, and asking people to share your business card and and that organic growth comes through because of the human that you are. Yeah, there are people are coming to you because of you. They're coming to you because of the stories that they've heard from their friends, or the experiences or they're attending an event with you. So I absolutely love that the journey that you're on. I am so thrilled that you are part of the achievers, and watching the transitions over the years of the girls growing up, and you and Peter and you know just where you're at now, is a real inspiration to so many so thank you, Lyndall, for sharing your journey and your story with us and how you've defined success for yourself over the years and where you're going now in the future, I'm really looking forward to seeing you organize and systemize the business a bit more in the coming weeks, but also getting that more of that time that you can spend with body and looking forward to the future, but you've always prioritized that. So I love that about you. Yeah, thank you. Thank you about building the business that supports the life that you want correct with the freedom, the family, the fulfillment. It's been all about that. And I absolutely love that for you, and that's one of the things that what we're doing within the achievers, is we want to help everybody create that. So thank you so much for being here.

Lyndall: No worries. Thank you for having me. It was fun.

Ros: Alright, everybody. So thank you a huge thank you to Lyndall for her time and sharing her story with us today, because it's really good to see from an outsider's perspective that there is a time to hustle in business, and there's also a time that you can really enjoy the fruits of your own labor as well. And what I've certainly learned is that the magic happens when you build a business that allows you to do both. And so with that, thank you for joining us today, and I look forward to catching up with you very, very soon. Make sure you check out all the show notes, all the events join us in the Philippines and everything that's coming up at travel agent achievers.com. We'll talk to you soon. Bye for now you.