Today we’d like to introduce you to Joni Fincham and Dana DuTerroil.
Joni and Dana, please share your story with us.
A change in scenery also led to a change in careers for us. We met in Houston but both of us relocated from New Orleans where I worked as an attorney and Joni completed her MBA. Although both moves were prompted by our spouse’s employment, we had very different perspectives towards the change of address. For me, the move to Houston was a return to where I grew up and where my parents still lived. For Joni, the city was an unexpected new home that felt overwhelming. However, we shared a sense of professional restlessness combined with a love for travel and brainstormed our way into a new business idea. Drawing on our experiences as transplants to Houston paired with a gift for itinerary planning, we founded Trip Chandler in 2015 working from our homes and relying on word-of-mouth and social media to get our message out. With a mission to personalize the city for new residents, visitors, and locals looking for something new to do, we initially focused on providing tailor-made guides to the city for individual clients who were often referred to us by realtors and employers. We quickly expanded to the creation of Houston-based content for bloggers and businesses. The latest addition to our ever-expanding services now includes tours. After joining the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, we became Certified Tourism Ambassadors and have provided tours for convention attendees and media groups. As budding entrepreneurs on a budget, making personal connections has been the key to our growth.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
While running our own business is exciting and rewarding, we’ve definitely had challenges to overcome. Initially, our concept of personalized, self-guided tours was hard for some potential clients to grasp. They often wanted to categorize us as regular tour guides. We realized this was an opportunity to expand our services and now offer personalized, in-person tours for groups and individuals.
Like many small business owners, learning that persistence pays off was key to improving our sales. It’s hard some days to remember that a non-response from a lead doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in your services. They are busy like the rest of us, so you just have to keep at it!
Trip Chandler – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our name, Trip Chandler, is inspired by ship chandlers who supply provisions and services upon arrival at port, from staples to specialty items. We aim to do the same for visitors and residents with tailor-made guides containing suggested Houston events, activities and attractions tailored to each client’s preferences and time frame. Our clients are a diverse group including new residents, locals celebrating a special occasion, realtors, businesses, and bloggers with a Houston focus. We take pride in our flexibility and versatility that allows us to expand our services and customize what we do for each individual client. In addition, because we personally conduct our own research and reconnaissance, we provide local credibility by being a reliable source for Houston information and recommendations. Rather than being tastemakers, we consider ourselves matchmakers who pair people with the best the city has to offer based on their needs and interests (not ours!).
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Our passion is sharing our love of Houston with others. We define success through our clients’ new appreciation for Houston and the connections they make with the city through our services. We love seeing our enthusiasm for Houston spread whether it’s a local who visits the Menil for the first time on one of tours and can’t wait to share that experience with their family and friends, or a visitor who was expecting a city of strip malls and interstates but is surprised by all the unique neighborhoods and beautiful green spaces that make up the diverse landscape of Houston.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tripchandler.com
- Email: info@tripchandler.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tripchandler/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TripChandler.Houston/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TripChandler
Image Credit:
Trip Chandler
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
