Meet Athenee Graham, our new Senior Business Development Manager

As we grow our community of corporate travel entrepreneurs, we’re also strengthening the Corporate team at our Support Hub. Meet Athenee Graham, who we’ve recently warmly welcomed to the team.

As a Senior Business Development Manager, the main focus of Athenee’s role will be to win new business accounts that will be passed over to new Corporate Travel Counsellors, so they’ve got clients to work with almost straight away.

We chatted to Athenee to learn more about her, and why her role will play a pivotal part in the early success of our independent business owners.

Hi Athenee - welcome to the Travel Counsellors community! Could you tell us a little bit about your career so far?

I have over 15 years of experience in the travel industry. I spent six years at Hotelzon and then another six years at Corporate Travel Management. Seeking a change, I then transitioned to CIBT/Newland Chase, where I focused on visa and immigration solutions for three years. I’ve always worked in business development roles.

What brought you to Travel Counsellors?

I've always heard positive things about Travel Counsellors. When I learned about the available position, I knew I had to apply. I was also excited about the opportunity to work with Wayne Durkin and Mel Quinn. My previous manager had nothing but great things to say about Wayne, which made the position even more appealing.

What does a typical day look like in your role?

Every day will bring new experiences for me. Initially, as I embed into my role, I’ll be cultivating relationships with the Corporate team and the broader Travel Counsellors community.

Once I’m fully settled in, I’m excited to engage with potential customers, which will involve prospecting, making sales calls, meeting with clients, winning new business, and handling all necessary administrative tasks.

How will your role support new Corporate Travel Counsellors?

I’m excited to work with the new Corporate Travel Counsellors! All the new business I bring in will be assigned to them, helping them grow and expand their portfolios. I’m also available to provide additional support, whether that’s boosting their lead pool or assisting them with generating new business opportunities themselves. Together, we’ll build a strong foundation for their success.

Why would you recommend Travel Counsellors to corporate travel professionals who want to set up their own business?

I would highly recommend Travel Counsellors to corporate travel professionals looking to establish their own business for many reasons, including:

• A proven business model and established brand - Travel Counsellors offers a reputable brand with over 30 years of success, giving professionals a strong foundation to build upon.

• Comprehensive support and resources - From training programmes to 24/7 operational support, Travel Counsellors don’t have to manage everything alone. Back-office functions like finance, technology, and customer service are handled, freeing up time to focus on building client relationships and providing top-notch service.

• Flexibility and work-life balance – You run your business remotely, with complete flexibility over working hours and location, leading to a better work-life balance. This is essential for personal wellbeing and long-term success.

• Focus on client relationships - Travel Counsellors encourage a people-first approach, emphasising personalised service and relationship-building over transactional selling.

• Support with business development and marketing – Travel Counsellors offer new starters business accounts which are ready (or almost ready) to trade, meaning they can get off to the best start possible. There’s also dedicated marketing support to help them reach new clients.

Travel Counsellors offers the ideal combination of independence and support, empowering corporate travel professionals to run their own business while providing the resources, tools, and expertise needed for success.

If you’re already working within corporate travel, but want the freedom to work for yourself – with uncapped earning potential and no sales targets, we’d love to hear from you. To get a feel for our community and gain a better understanding of our award-winning franchise model, book onto one of our upcoming Discovery Days or webinars.