Say hello to Ashley Butler, one of our Franchise Sales Consultants

Having been with Travel Counsellors for almost a decade, Ashley has played a key part in supporting many of our business owners through their journey. We caught up with her to find out her approach to finding new Travel Counsellors.

Hi Ashley! Tell us a little bit about you

I’m married to my husband, Liam, and we have our three sons - Teddy, Beau, and Smith. Working full-time with three kids is hard but the flexibility my job offers certainly makes life easier and I never take that for granted. In my spare time, I love to enjoy trips away and socialise with my friends and family. I’m also a massive Manchester United fan!

How did you first get into recruitment?

After leaving college and working behind a bar, I decided to register with a recruitment agency in the hope of finding a ‘proper job’. I never fancied university as I was too impatient. I just wanted to get on the job ladder and start earning good money. I was offered a job with the recruitment agency, and I quickly worked my way up from Administrator to Senior Consultant. Over the years, I’ve worked for a few different recruitment agencies in various sectors including IT, construction, and office services.

What brought you to Travel Counsellors?

My manager from a previous recruitment agency joined Travel Counsellors and reached out to me to see if I would be interested. I was on maternity leave at the time after having my first son and was keen to find a role that offered flexibility. Travel Counsellors ticked all the boxes.

What do you love most about your job?

I love that it’s not a hard sell, as the company sells itself.  The people I speak to genuinely love travel and want to make a career out of it. I honestly feel like we have the ability to change people’s lives. It’s very rewarding to see people taking that initial leap of faith and going on to grow an incredibly successful business and enjoying the work-life balance they’ve always wanted.

What’s been your highlight so far during your time at Travel Counsellors?

Being asked to lead a group of Travel Counsellors on a 10-day trip to California! They had won one of our global incentive trips and I was lucky enough to go along with them. I made friends for life and have memories to cherish forever!

What can prospective Travel Counsellors expect from the recruitment process?

They can expect a very informed journey with absolutely no pressure. You can take everything at your own pace. We give you opportunities to ask any questions, meet with some of our franchisees, attend events, watch webinars, and see the systems in action. We’ll make sure you’ve seen pretty much everything before you make any decisions. That way, you should get that ‘gut’ feeling and know whether Travel Counsellors is right for you or not.

How do you reassure people who have reservations about becoming a business owner?

I listen carefully and understand what is most important to them. I’m also very honest and transparent. It's not my job to convince people this is right for them, as it might not be. Everyone does this for different reasons, so it’s my job to help them make an informed decision. I wouldn’t offer anyone a franchise without feeling confident it will work.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to set up their own travel business?

Timing is important. There’ll never be a ‘perfect’ time and you’ll always have nerves - that’s normal. However, you need to do this when you have a financial cushion in place to help ease the pressure while you build up your business. Your commitment is also very important. You need to be able to fully commit and be as engaged as possible with the business and the wider Travel Counsellors community. You will learn a lot from other franchisees.

Your network is also important. Don’t worry too much initially about who will be a customer, think more along the lines of who could be a good contact. It’s not just about who you know but who do they know? Who can they put you in touch with who could potentially be a good customer? Think outside the box and always back yourself!

In your opinion, what do you think sets Travel Counsellors apart from other travel franchises?

From a recruitment point of view, I think the fact that we’re selective about who we bring on board speaks volumes. We don’t just sign you up and wish you well, we’re there with you every step of the way. We are only as successful as our Travel Counsellors, so it’s in our best interest to make this work for you. That’s why we strive to find the right people. Someone who is genuinely passionate about travel, fully committed and wants to do right by people. The customer must be at the heart of everything you do. We have an excellent reputation here at Travel Counsellors and we are incredibly proud of it. We protect that brand by only bringing the best people into the business.

If you’ve got a genuine passion for travel, a people-first approach, and are ready to commit to running your own business on a full-time basis, Ashley and the rest of the New Franchise team would love to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s have a conversation about whether Travel Counsellors could be the right path for you to go down.