1.) Travel and tourism industry is a huge market and Florida drew a record of 97.3 million visitors in 2015.
VRIN: If there are no people, there are no customers. The increase in the number of visitors per year in Florida is a great sign of growth, which means that the market for travel and tourism is enormous. Capturing and mastering travel routes early before everyone tries to capitalize it is key. I see Orlando being one of the hottest vacation spots in the years to come.
2.) Knowledgeable about travel and tourism.
VRIN: Working as a freelance translator and as a travel
agency gives me an edge over a lot of people due to the knowledge I’ve gained
over the years. Knowing what works and what doesn’t also gives me a legs up on
a lot of things many will have to do on trial and error. Being through that
stage already is a huge plus.
3.) Network and connections in the Florida Area.
VRIN: Without knowing the hotel managers, owners of different tourist attractions, and great local restaurants chefs, it’s difficult to set up a good travel package. Discounts on prices and special attention from other companies are a huge asset that can’t be bought.
4.) Family Support
VRIN: Great support from family. I think it is very important to have a support that is always having your back and supporting you through trials and your efforts. In my opinion, having a strong foundation through family really puts me over the edge.
5.) Investment
VRIN: I think this kind of goes with #4. I have a family that is willing to put their money/invest in me and my ventures. Family is able to help me with the money and I am able to venture into things and try different ideas out to see what works and doesn’t work. I think having the financial backings is important when starting a business because it gives you room to work with. Without having some leeway, I find it challenging to try new things.
3.) Network and connections in the Florida Area.
VRIN: Without knowing the hotel managers, owners of different tourist attractions, and great local restaurants chefs, it’s difficult to set up a good travel package. Discounts on prices and special attention from other companies are a huge asset that can’t be bought.
4.) Family Support
VRIN: Great support from family. I think it is very important to have a support that is always having your back and supporting you through trials and your efforts. In my opinion, having a strong foundation through family really puts me over the edge.
5.) Investment
VRIN: I think this kind of goes with #4. I have a family that is willing to put their money/invest in me and my ventures. Family is able to help me with the money and I am able to venture into things and try different ideas out to see what works and doesn’t work. I think having the financial backings is important when starting a business because it gives you room to work with. Without having some leeway, I find it challenging to try new things.
6.) Confident Mindset
VRIN: I am pretty confident in myself and my abilities. I think through years of working alongside professionals, I was able to sharpen my skills and abilities. Now, I see myself being able to complete and finish anything that comes my way. It is valuable to have confidence in whatever you do because if you lack self-assurance, you will be second guessing all the time.
VRIN: I am pretty confident in myself and my abilities. I think through years of working alongside professionals, I was able to sharpen my skills and abilities. Now, I see myself being able to complete and finish anything that comes my way. It is valuable to have confidence in whatever you do because if you lack self-assurance, you will be second guessing all the time.
7.) Getting a Degree from Univ. Of Florida
With UF’s undergraduate program being ranked at #16 among
public universities, I believe getting a degree at UF will put me over a lot of
other students around the world. Through networks in class, knowledgeable professors
and students, it is a great place to learn and be a part of. It’s something not
everyone gets to experience.
8.) Social/communication skills
Extremely valuable because tourism is a people business and knowing how to treat people the right way is the part of the whole point. Being able to effectively get your message across and being able to making them comfortable is a skill set not many possess.
9.) Been all around the world
I have been fortunate to be able to travel all over the world. Drove through all the States and been to Asia and Europe. I know what it means to be a traveler and knowing the other side of business lets you know what is needed and wanted in a travel agency. Seeing from a different perspective helps understand what to focus on. In my opinion, seeing and meeting new places and people is my most valuable resource.
8.) Social/communication skills
Extremely valuable because tourism is a people business and knowing how to treat people the right way is the part of the whole point. Being able to effectively get your message across and being able to making them comfortable is a skill set not many possess.
9.) Been all around the world
I have been fortunate to be able to travel all over the world. Drove through all the States and been to Asia and Europe. I know what it means to be a traveler and knowing the other side of business lets you know what is needed and wanted in a travel agency. Seeing from a different perspective helps understand what to focus on. In my opinion, seeing and meeting new places and people is my most valuable resource.
Reflection:
I think out of the 9 traits, my most valuable is the last one on the list. I was fortunate to be able to see all around the world hence giving me a broader views on things. I think it really helps me in a lot of different ways and I think it is valuable because it really opens the eyes and helps me understand how much opportunity there is out there.
I think out of the 9 traits, my most valuable is the last one on the list. I was fortunate to be able to see all around the world hence giving me a broader views on things. I think it really helps me in a lot of different ways and I think it is valuable because it really opens the eyes and helps me understand how much opportunity there is out there.
Hey there Brian,
ReplyDeleteMany of these resources listed give the impression that you are well prepared for this venture. Namely, your work as both a freelancer and a travel agent seems to give you an edge over many others. I also see the importance of the experience you gleaned from your travels. Best of luck.
If you’re interested, here’s a link to my post: http://madiganent.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-unfair-advantage.html#comments
Brian,
ReplyDeleteNice work. These are all very valuable skills and will likely play a large role in your ventures success. Your travel experience and broad knowledge and understand of the world will be key to developing this venture. If you can use what you have experiences to benefit other people and provide some sort of value to them, this would likely be very successful. Check out my unfair advantage here: http://apentrepreneur.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-unfair-advantage.html
Alex