From family property business to travel entrepreneurs: Matt's story

For Matt, travel has always been more than a holiday. It’s a passion, a source of inspiration and now the foundation of his own thriving business.

Before becoming a Travel Counsellor, Matt worked in his family’s property company, managing their Airbnb properties and helping with the interior design of upcoming projects. While he enjoyed the work, he had always dreamed of building a business of his own in an industry he genuinely loved.

“I’ve always been surrounded by an entrepreneurial mindset,” Matt explains. “Both of my parents are self-employed, so I wanted to create something for myself.”

Finding the right opportunity

Matt had been using Cheryl, a Travel Counsellor local to him, to book his own trips for many years. So, when he started considering a career in travel, Cheryl was the first person he contacted.

After a lengthy conversation, Cheryl told Matt she thought he would be perfect for Travel Counsellors. That encouragement prompted him to visit Venus, our Manchester-based Support Hub, where he met Ashley from the recruitment team.

It was there that Matt knew he had found the right opportunity.

“Seeing head office, learning about all the different departments and, most importantly, seeing how friendly and welcoming everyone was made such an impression on me,” he says. “I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

Matt joined with plenty of excitement and a clear ambition: to build his own travel business. What he discovered was that he wouldn’t be building it alone.

Building a business with the right support

One of the first people to make a real difference was Matt’s mentor, Elliott. From helping him secure his first bookings to offering guidance at every stage, Elliott gave Matt the confidence and support he needed to get started.

“We’re still close now,” Matt says.

Matt also quickly became part of his local Travel Counsellors group. He had joined to run his own business, but hadn’t expected to find such a strong community alongside it.

“There’s always someone to lean on, whether you need a question answered, some advice or simply a bit of reassurance,” he explains. “The longer you’re a TC, you’ll have friends up and down the country.”

For Matt, that combination of independence and community is one of the things that makes Travel Counsellors feel like home.

“You have the independence of running your own business, but you’re surrounded by a community of people who genuinely understand what you do.”

When the backing of a trusted brand really mattered

The value of that support became particularly clear when two of Matt’s clients experienced major disruption during their journey from London to Australia via Hong Kong.

Both of their flights were cancelled because of a typhoon, and the airline initially rebooked them onto a flight three days later. This would have meant missing several days of their holiday.

Matt and the Travel Counsellors Duty Office worked together to find another solution, successfully rebooking the clients with a partner airline for the following day.

“They were over the moon,” Matt says. “Had they booked everything themselves, they could easily have been left with the airline’s original option.”

For Matt, it was a powerful example of the difference Travel Counsellors can make: clients have a dedicated travel professional on their side, backed by a wider team ready to help when plans change.

Growing through authenticity

Matt has grown his business through a combination of word of mouth, social media and networking. But above all, he believes in being himself.

“I think people buy into people,” he says. “Showing my personality on social media has been a huge part of growing my business.”

His approach is built on patience, consistency and genuine relationships.

“A tree doesn’t grow in a day – but if you keep nurturing it, over time it will grow. I think building a business is exactly the same.”

Creating a career with purpose

For Matt, becoming a Travel Counsellor has given him the opportunity to combine his entrepreneurial spirit with his passion for travel. It has also allowed him to help people create unforgettable memories while enjoying new experiences himself.

His advice to anyone considering taking the leap is simple: “Do it. Build the life you want.”

Matt is honest that building a business takes hard work, but he believes the rewards make it worthwhile.

“Work hard, put yourself out there and say yes to opportunities,” he says. “If you’re prepared to give it everything, it really can pay off.”

Meet Matt at our Conference Discovery Day

Matt will be joining our Travel Counsellor panel at our very special Conference Discovery Day in Manchester on 14th November, where he’ll share more about his journey, the reality of running his own travel business and the support that has helped him grow.

Sign up to attend and hear Matt’s story first-hand, as well as having the opportunity to experience the power of our community and our flagship annual event. It could be the inspiration you need to start building a travel business of your own.