Nine years ago, when I first became an independent contractor in the travel industry, I had a pretty simple vision for what this little adventure might look like. I thought it would be something fun to do part-time. Maybe I’d make enough money to buy myself a new dress every now and then or treat our family to an extra vacation here and there. I loved Disney, I loved planning trips and I thought it would be a wonderful way to share that passion with others. And if it meant I could spend a little more time wearing my mouse ears, all the better!
Well, as it turns out, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into!
What started as a little side business quickly grew into a full-time career. Since then, I’ve planned nearly 3,000 vacations, traveled more than I ever imagined and built relationships with families who have trusted me with some of their most treasured memories.
Some of those families have been with me almost since the beginning. I’ve watched their children grow up, helped them celebrate milestones and planned trips that have taken them all over the world. And somewhere along the way, that little part-time hobby became a business I am incredibly proud of.
Knowing When It’s Time for a Change
Last September, I started feeling something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Nothing dramatic happened. There wasn’t one particular moment that made me decide I needed to leave. I simply began to wonder whether my time with my agency had run its course.
I started dreaming about what might come next. Different opportunities, new professional relationships and the possibility of building something that looked a little different from what I’d known for so long.
After spending 19 years in corporate America before becoming a travel advisor, I have always approached this career as exactly that: a career. I run a business. I have clients, responsibilities, expenses, goals and professional relationships. I happen to contract my business through a travel agency, but the work I do every day is very much my own. And I wanted to make decisions about its future based on what was best for that business.
Eventually, I asked myself a very simple question.
Why am I staying?
And the only answer I could come up with was that I was afraid to leave.
That’s a pretty powerful realization.
It was, quite simply, a business decision. It wasn’t even a move to make more money. I was simply choosing a different professional path for a business I had spent nine years building.
And for the past month, I’ve simply continued doing what I’ve always done: working hard, planning vacations and taking care of the families who trust me with their travel plans.
A Chapter I’m Proud Of
Kindness, grace and integrity have always been at the heart of who I am. They’re how I try to live my life, how I treat other people and how I’ve approached my business from the very beginning.
I can hold my head high knowing that Dixie Travels was built honestly, through hard work, dedication and relationships I earned. The overwhelming majority of my clients have found me through my blog, social media and personal connections. After more than 15 years of sharing our family’s adventures online, many of my readers feel like they know me long before we ever plan a vacation together. And in many ways, I feel like I know them, too.
Those relationships are something I genuinely treasure. What began as a connection through a blog post, a social media message or a friend’s recommendation has so often turned into a lasting relationship. Many of those clients have become people I consider friends. I don’t take that trust lightly, and I’ve never taken it for granted.
And while I’m genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead, I’d be lying if I said closing such a significant chapter of my life has been easy. You can know you’re making the right decision for your future and still have complicated feelings about leaving something that was part of your life for so long.
From the beginning, my goal was to handle this transition with professionalism, kindness and respect. I wanted to leave on good terms, with gratitude for the years behind me and excitement for what lies ahead.
An Important Update to My Contact Information
Whether you’ve followed along with my family for years, trusted me with one vacation or fifteen, or recommended Dixie Travels to a friend or family member, please take a moment to update my contact information.
My email address is [email protected].
My former agency email address is no longer connected to me. That address has been given to another travel agent.
- If you email my old address, you are not emailing me. The travel agent receiving your message is someone else, and your correspondence will not reach me.
- Please update your contacts, delete my former email address and use my current email for all future travel inquiries, questions and correspondence. I would never want you to unknowingly share your vacation plans or personal information with someone you didn’t intend to contact.
- If you’ve already tried to contact me at my former email address, whether you received no response or heard back from someone other than me, please reach out directly using my current email address.
I am still here, still planning vacations and still very much in business. I simply have a new professional home.
Looking Ahead
I’m especially grateful for the clients who have trusted me with their vacations over the years, the friendships that have grown from those relationships and the many people who have supported my little business along the way. What a gift it’s been to spend my days talking about something I love so much and planning vacations for other families with the same care and attention I give my own. I take such pride in what I’ve built and the trust you’ve placed in me. You’ve made these past nine years more rewarding than I ever could have imagined.
Nine years ago, I thought I was signing up for a fun little side hustle.
Instead, I built a career.
And as it turns out, this next chapter has a few surprises of its own. Stay tuned!
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