Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Mangold.
Hi Lindsey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve loved to travel my whole life. From my first plan ride at 6 to growing up going to Disneyland and Universal Studios, to countless cruises (my husband and I actually met on a cruise and just celebrated our 20th anniversary in June), I enjoy experiencing new cultures, foods, and wine. I’m a huge history buff and love architecture, ruins, and museums. I grew up going to Yosemite National Park, and I thoroughly enjoy the natural beauty that brings me back to nature and peace. My husband worked for the airlines for over 10 years, and we traveled the world during that time. I have also spent 17 years in the wine industry, which has brought me across the globe as well. I’ve been booking trips for friends in an unofficial capacity for 15 years and have always been told I should do this, and it was just a timing issue. A few years ago, I decided it was time to jump in fully and haven’t looked back, and now I own my own travel agency and travel club. I believe travel opens our eyes to other opportunities, helps us to be more understanding and caring, and seeing these things for ourselves vs. reading them in a book, changes everything. I’m a firm believer in experiences over things, and that when someone is gone, all you have are the memories. So don’t wait, take the adventure! I truly believe in making memories that last a lifetime.
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?
When starting something new, there’s always something new to learn, but overall, I’d say when I decide to do something, I jump in with both feet and partner with great travel suppliers that I trust, and together we make unforgettable trips for my clients. Education never stops for me either. I’m always on new webinars, going to meetings with suppliers across the globe, checking out new properties and ships so I can have first-hand experience for my clients, and I’m a quick learner, and right out of the gate, I had many certifications and soaked everything up like a sponge. I treat every trip for my clients like it were my own, and what I want to know or do. Starting my own travel agency, of course, was labor-intensive on the legal side and getting everything set up properly, but I’ve worked with some amazing folks along the way and have been very fortunate. I’d say I’m always learning and improving for my clients.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart from other travel agencies is several things. One is response time. As a consumer, I don’t like reaching out to a company and then days later getting a response or not answering half of my questions. I also don’t like having to check in with businesses to get updates, so I don’t want my clients to do that either. Communication is vital to me. Sometimes I may not have an update for a client as I’m waiting on a response myself, but sometimes that is the update. I just reached out to them to let them know I’m still working on it. I don’t have an update, but that is my update, so they don’t think anything has fallen between the cracks, or I forgot about something. If it’s Monday-Friday, unless I’m traveling, and my emails will say that, and my clients will know that, clients will have a response in under 24 hours because response time is important to me. I’m also very organized and thorough. I ask a lot of questions. I do 30-minute complimentary travel consultations for clients and potential clients. You don’t just fill out a form for me with a budget, and I send you some options. I want to get to know you, I want to know what you like and dislike. Even an all-inclusive resort is not a one-size-fits-all all. I want to know if you want nightlife, swimmable beaches, quiet, things to do, nice pools, etc. I take copious amounts of notes, and every trip is custom-fit to each client. There is nothing cookie-cutter about what I do. When it comes to African Safaris, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, the Middle East, I build day-by-day itineraries from planes, trains, tours, guides, hotels, transfers (all of it), and it’s custom-built to every client and what they like. I’m always happy to give suggestions and help from there, too. I’ve done consultations where clients had no idea where they wanted to go, but we talked, I asked a lot of questions, and then gave suggestions, and they loved their trip! That’s what I do. I also have a travel club. It’s for solo travelers, couples, and families. We meet every other month, and we have different suppliers who talk about river cruises, ocean cruises, Europe, Asia, African Safari’s and more. I get feedback from the group on the types of trips they’d like, and then I work with my travel partners, and we custom-build that trip for our specific group. If you’re looking to travel with others, come check us out! You get to give your feedback, and we do all the work! You don’t have to live locally to be a part of it, either. Also, our agency has massive buying power. We have amazing pricing on many cruises across the globe and can get our clients extras like onboard credits that can be used at the spa, for excursions, drinks, shopping onboard, etc. Some may include excursions, spa credits, and specialty dining, too. I work with ocean, river, small ship, yachts, luxury, premium, and entry-level cruise lines. I have something for everyone!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’m a calculated risk taker. I weigh the pros and the cons, and I pray about everything. I do believe that you never know unless you try, and you don’t want to live with the “what ifs,” so sometimes you just have to go for it and see where you land. Opening my own travel agency and bringing on my own travel agents is definitely a risk, but I wanted to build something that is my own. I’ve been in sales and marketing my entire adult career, I understand customer service and that this is a relationship business, and I want to build those relationships with my clients, and I need to do that on my own terms and build something I believe in and work with those who see that vision too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yourglobaltravelagent.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/vacay_and_vino
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1911768602413348
