Red Flags, Green Flags & the Contract Nobody Reads (So You Want to Be a Travel Advisor, Part 2)
Lauren Levesque says at least five times a month, one of her guests asks what it's really like to be a Travel Advisor. She tells them all of it, the good and the hard. That's the spirit of this episode, the continuation of our So You Want to Be a Travel Advisor conversation. Part 1 covered what the job actually involves. Part 2 takes on the question that comes next: if you do this, who should you do it with?
Amy Blades is upfront from the first minute. Nobody here is telling you that you can't be a Travel Advisor, and Goofy Getaways isn't the only good agency out there. The goal is to give you the red flags, the green flags, and the questions worth asking so you can decide for yourself.
In This Episode:
Meet the Advisors
Who This Job Isn't For
Amy starts with the honest list. If you're signing up for discounted travel, you'll be disappointed. If you aren't comfortable talking to people, or telling friends about your new business, this will be a hard road. And if you aren't willing to keep learning through supplier training, fam trips, and agency education, you'll fall behind.
Lauren put the selling part well: "Disney sells itself. All of these destinations sell themselves." Her guests usually arrive knowing where they want to go. What they need from her is help making that destination special for their family.
Independence With Real Support
Every Goofy Getaways advisor is an independent contractor running their own business. Jess walked through what that looks like in practice: training, Canva templates, dashboards, a CRM, and a team she can message when she's stuck. Lauren, who calls herself "not good at technology, period," leans on that team constantly.
The most personal moment of the episode came here. Lauren grew her business so fast that she hit a wall and told Amy more than once that she was out. Instead of letting her go, Amy set up a mentorship and helped her build boundaries (yes, a 2 a.m. text can wait until morning). Amy says the experience changed how she leads: if someone keeps asking a question, it means the answer wasn't made clear enough somewhere.
Green Flags When You Interview an Agency
Amy's biggest reminder is that you're interviewing the agency as much as they're interviewing you. A good agency can clearly explain its onboarding, training, systems, and ongoing supplier education before you sign. Ask who you call when a client is in a bad situation, and whether anyone answers outside of 9 to 5.
Ask whether you're allowed to build relationships with the other advisors, too. Amy's very first agency didn't allow it, and she says that should have been her first warning sign. Jess added her own rule: trust your gut. She also remembers her interviewer asking how she planned to find her clients, which told her right away that nothing would be handed to her.
Fees, Commissions, and the Contract
An agency should be able to tell you exactly what its fees are and what they pay for. You should know how and when commissions are paid, and what happens when one is missing 45 days after travel. Lauren remembers Greg sitting down with her to show her how to pull her reports and file lost commissions.
Amy also covered exit plans. Canceling and rebooking your clients' trips on the way out is bad practice, but the relationship itself belongs to the client, and they decide who they book with next. Whatever an agency tells you in the interview should show up in the contract, so read it. Amy also cautions against choosing an agency over a few extra commission points if it means losing the support behind them.
Red Flags: Downlines and Hobby Bookers
If your path to more money depends on recruiting other advisors, Amy considers that a red flag. Lauren agreed, pointing out how easy a downline would be to build from all those curious guests, "but it's not honest."
The same goes for anyone hoping to book one or two trips a year for their own family. With roughly 50 advisors, Goofy Getaways does pass along leads, but every advisor is responsible for building their own clientele.
In Their Own Words
To close, Amy asked each advisor how the business has changed their life. Lauren, a hairdresser for fifteen years, never expected to work from home or to get texts from guests announcing new babies and new houses. Jess, has since done VIP tours at Walt Disney World and Epic Universe, and planned a two-week self-drive trip through Ireland that she says will be forever in her memory.
Traveler Stories: The Jackson Family
This episode's Traveler Story comes from clients of advisor Amanda Worsley. When rain hit Magic Kingdom, they found a cove, threw on ponchos, and rode Tiana's Bayou Adventure during the fireworks, then sailed on the Disney Wish with their extended family. "There's no way that we could have had a second magical trip like this without her." Have a story of your own?
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you've made it this far and you're thinking this might be for you, we'd love to be part of that next step. Learn about our team, training, and support at goofygetaways.com/join-our-team. Still researching? Take these questions with you, compare agencies, and read the fine print.
If you're not looking to become an advisor but you are looking for one, meet our Travel Advisors and find the right fit for your next trip.
