Today we’d like to introduce you to Cari Miles.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started in the travel industry in 2005 where I worked for a well-known agency in Lafayette, Louisiana right after getting my Bachelor’s in business. I worked for this agency for a couple of years before moving to Houston in 2007. Upon my move in Houston, I began working in outside sales, which later lead me to oilfield sales. I have always loved to travel and have had a passion for experiencing new places in this beautiful world we live in.
While yes, I was making a good living in sales and happy with life, there was something I was missing. I left my last oilfield sales job in 2013 and decided to take some time off to really figure out what my next move in life would be. I pondered for a while … Do I go back into the oilfield or do I take a leap of faith and shoot for the stars? With the constant support from my husband, friends, and family behind me telling me I could do it, I decided to go back to my passion. It was a very scary thought for me. Where do I start? What if I fail? Are travel agents going to even be in existence in a couple of years with the internet? So many questions and concerns. My last thought was if I don’t give it a shot, I will always wonder ‘what if I had tried’. I reached out to a fellow agent from Louisiana, who now ran her own agency, and we had several conversations. She convinced me to come on board as a consultant with her current agency as the accreditation process for a new agency is extremely extensive and takes time. So, I took the first step and went to work as a consultant in early 2014.
Life was good. I wasn’t making as much money as I was in previous positions but I was so very happy and loved getting up every day to do my job. I was reaching for a lifelong goal, to have my own business in something I was passionate about; and that was travel! I worked through that agency while working on all of the requirements to gain accreditation and work on all of the other aspects of starting up a business. I have several friends who own business’ who helped me day to day. A great friend that just recently passed away, who owned her own business helped guide me from a business aspect as well. Her creative mindset helped me with everything from coming up with my agency name, to help me create my logo as she sat in her Vegas hotel room while on vacation with a pencil and paper. I feel like she is a huge part of where I am today.
My husband stood by my side as well through the endless workdays and all-nighters trying to achieve the goal that I set out for. There were many trying times but I was bound and determined to make this work with my biggest cheerleader by my side. Moving on, my business was taking off in a way I never thought it would and I thought, “wow, this is really working out”. I absolutely loved that I was seeking out my dream all the while creating lifelong memories from my clients. They have been a huge part of this too. They have no idea how much satisfaction they have given me by getting back from vacation and sending me pictures of their families, weddings, etc, letting me know what an amazing time they had. In 2015, I started the accreditation process and was a fully accredited agency by 2016 with the help of so many. Here in late 2017, it is so satisfying to look back and see where I can come in what feels to be a very short time. I am not here to just book my client’s vacations. I am here to help create lifelong memories that they will cherish forever.
Great, 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?
I would definitely say it has not been a smooth road. There were many of times I struggled, wondering how I was going to get from one month to the next, constantly looking at what money was coming in and when. Let’s be honest, we would all love to do something we love every single day, but if we can’t live, then that’s another story. It was pure determination and endless workdays that pulled me through the trying times. There are still trying times. Travel agencies do experience a slow season so there is a struggle of making sure the high season can push the business through the slow season. However, I am seeing that the slow season is beginning not to be near as slow as it was years ago and that’s a wonderful thing!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about MILES IN STYLE TRAVEL – what should we know?
Miles in Style Travel is a full-service travel agency. While we do travel anywhere in the world, we specialize in individual travel, honeymoons, destination weddings, and groups all over the Caribbean and Mexico. On side of that travel, we have done a lot of corporate travel as well, saving companies money by relying on our expertise to get the company the best price on travel due to our alliances and partner savings. We also do a lot of luxury travel from renting a private yacht to an island. If you can dream it, we can provide you with it.
I am most proud of the fact that I started this business on my own with little to no money, which is a huge deal to me. I had no business loans, no investors, just a little bit of savings, a lot of hard work, and a drive to succeed. I am also proud of the fact that we are a 24/7 travel agency that can provide everyone with the same cost (or better) than what they will find online, all the while providing them with a service like no other. We KNOW our customers. We know what they like, where they have been, and are ready to make new suggestions to them based on their past travels. This is our key to having repeat customers and getting referrals. About 95% of the business up to this day is based on referrals from existing customers. We must be do something right as we do little to no advertising.
As briefly mentioned earlier, Miles in Style Travel will match or beat any price you can find, better yet, we will find that pricing for you. We do not charge any booking fees on packages and at the time of booking, we go through an extensive price matching phase to save our customers money. We not only want to provide them with the best service but also at a great price they deserve.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
As the owner of Miles in Style travel, there are so many attributes that I feel has made the business successful. One main characteristic is when I want something, I will do everything in my power to achieve it. I am an extremely hard worker and definitely know how to multi-task. In this business, you may be pulled in 20 different directions in the matter of a simple hour. I strive to be the best in the business, always seeking out new technologies and opportunities that can advance the business. I am a passionate person who loves nothing more than to be able to provide someone with the happiness of fulfilling a dream they may not have thought was possible.
Pricing:
- Summer 2018 – 6 nights/ 7days all-inclusive Dominican Republic vacation package with non-stop flights from Houston at a 4-star adult only resort starting at $1060 per person.
- Summer 2018 – 6 nights/ 7days all-inclusive Dominican Republic vacation package with non-stop flights from Houston at a 4-star family friendly resort with waterpark starting at $782 per person.
- Spring Getaway 2018 – 4 Nights/ 5 Days all-inclusive Riviera Maya (Cancun area) vacation package with non-stop flights from Houston staying at a 4-star family friendly resort starting at $470 per person
- Spring Getaway 2018 – 4 Nights/ 5 Days all-inclusive Riviera Maya (Cancun area) vacation package with non-stop flights from Houston staying at a 4-star adult only resort starting at $592 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: www.milesinstyletravel.com
- Phone: 832-472-3333
- Email: info@milesinstyletravel.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milesinstyle/
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