Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Fairess.
Hi Nicole, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My love of travel inspired me to become a travel agent 12 years ago. At the time I was a stay-at-home mom and I wanted to find a way to bring in some extra money to help fund vacations that included annual trips to Walt Disney World. I worked for another travel agency for almost a year. Unfortunately, that agency went out of business and I was forced to either branch out on my own or forget it!
I opened WDWGetaways in March of 2011 thinking I would keep it small and not hire any agents. The experience with the former agency was difficult for everyone who was forced into the same position I was in, and I didn’t think I wanted that added responsibility. As time went on, some amazing people were put on my path showing interest in becoming an agent. I felt compelled to give them the opportunity because I remember when I was in their position.
Today, the person that wanted no agents, has almost 70! Each agent we have hired has brought something unique and amazing to the company, they have helped us all grow and in turn, the company grow.
The year I opened the company, one of my daughters was suffering from a debilitating health condition that required extensive in-patient and out-patient treatment and I booked my first client from a hospital room! I look back at the struggles, the growth, and the changes and see that it was all meant to happen this way.
I don’t measure our success in terms of bookings, but more in the environment, we have created for our agents and clients.
Even though agents are independent contractors, we work tirelessly to support them and their families and give them everything they need to be successful. Our company core values of family, commitment, integrity, authenticity, imagination, and stewardship are at the forefront of every decision we make as a company, for our agents, and for our clients.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been some big obstacles, but they have always led to personal and professional growth. I am blessed, and I believe everyone that works for WDWGetaways would say the same. We have had the normal growing pains any company has. The larger you are, the more compliance you are faced with, but the larger you are, the more chance of stewardship and giving back to the communities that support you.
Like my family, some of our agents have suffered loss and health issues that have had an effect on their family lives, but we have rallied together to offer our support to them.
Social media is a constant challenge as it seems to change constantly requiring us to change and adapt. We know it is essential to get our name out there and be successful for years to come.
Lastly, but certainly not least was Covid. We are happy to say that we did not lose one agent during Covid, and this was a time when Travel Agents were definitely moving on!
We concentrated on keeping in touch with our agents, constantly encouraging them, and taking the time to brush up on training. As the owner, I feel a personal responsibility to keep everyone motivated and positive and the last two years definitely tested that!!
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Wow! So many lessons.
First – never get comfortable in a space. That space can change in the blink of an eye, so you should always be open to learning new things and personal growth. We had to adapt to selling a lot of different domestic destinations for a while, and that was new to many of our agents. We all came out of it with an expanded knowledge of travel and destinations which turned out to be a good thing!
Second – support system. We have set up a fantastic support system with group chats, small support groups within our agency, and a clear structure of where to go when you need help. While the pandemic was so hard on everyone, the agents drew so much from each other and knew there were many others in the same exact spot.
Listen – agents and clients were distraught over the pandemic itself, the loss of their scheduled family trip, loss of income, and more. We realized that this was a situation that no one had the answer to and just listening and being encouraging about the future was sometimes all someone needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wdwgetaways.com
- Instagram: wdwgetaways
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055052004943
- Twitter: @wdwgetaways
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCljnG2SoD9RQDhFvneWzRqw
