Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Nelson.
Hi Lynn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When our children were young, my husband and I seriously discussed whether college funds or travel were more important. At the time, we were a single-income household (and still are for the most part), and each dollar had to be stretched as far as possible. We concluded that we wanted to build memories, have family experiences and help our kids become world citizens. From that time forward, we have saved very carefully to travel as a family and have been able to see several European countries, 3 of the four corners of the continental US. Quite a number of the 50 states, including Alaska, we’ve been on three cruises, to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, and going to Disney whenever we can manage to save some extra. Next, we have our sights set on a trip to Iceland, which will take a few years of saving. I started posting pictures of our trips on social media with the traveling. I enjoyed sharing our experiences with friends and family and documenting them in a way that would allow me to revisit them in the “memories.”
A couple of dear friends of my husband’s (through the music industry), who are also globe trotters, started a travel agency called Swan and Sparrow Travel. They intended to be able to offer knowledge and service, along with their passion for travel, to clients. Because of my regular posting, they could see that I was also passionate about traveling, and they asked if I would be interested in joining their team. I am exceedingly grateful that I was allowed to become a travel agent, and I truly do love it all. From the educational part of being an agent (I get to learn so much!) to see the pictures from a client’s dream-come-true vacation, the rewards of being an agent are incredible. As a full-time, homeschool mom, I am nowhere near a full-time agent yet, but the sky is the limit in the travel agent world, and I look forward to the growth in the years to come.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes and no.
The couple I work for is so encouraging and patient, allowing me to grow at the pace I need to right now without feeling the pressure of someone breathing down my neck. The travel agent world is constantly changing, and there are always new things to learn. Thankfully, I have a bone-deep passion for traveling. I love the learning process, and, as I said earlier, I also love seeing the payoff when clients can experience the magic of travel. When you combine who I work for and what I get to do, it is not a hard job to do. The less than smooth part has been learning through covid and an almost total shut down of the travel industry! That being said, everyone else in the industry was experiencing that alongside me, so I certainly did not feel alone.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
This is an interesting question. I went to college for Physical Therapy, where I spent the first 15 years of my career. I love the art and practice of medicine, and I wouldn’t be where I am now if it were not for a life-altering injury. After my injury, I had the privilege of devoting my time to being a full-time mom and then a homeschool mom. A job that is not for the faint of heart! I was not looking for another career, but it found me, and here we are! I have been a travel agent for about 5 years and am slowly building a client base and a knowledge base. I’ve often said that being a homeschool mom is more than a full-time job, so juggling that has been challenging, but I welcome the opportunity to grow in this area and share my love of travel with others. Funnily enough, what I am “known for” is my love of ice cream. I love ice cream, and I love to share that love with others. When our family went to Europe in 2016, I ate ice cream or gelato in every country we visited (7) and many times on the cruise ship and posted a picture of every single time I ate it. It was pretty funny. Since then, I have been trying ice cream everywhere we travel and sharing pictures of that on social media.
What I am most proud of is sticking to it. It has been a trying few years for our family. My husband is a self-employed musician, and that is a difficult job to support a family in the best of times. We have had some hard personal struggles in addition to that. It’s been a lot, and we are very weary. Despite that, I have stuck with the learning and ethics of providing the type of service to my clients I would want to receive. I always try to be available to answer questions, address concerns, and go the extra mile for everyone who trusts me with their travel. Regardless of what life has served me in the background, I treat my clients the way I would want to be treated, and I feel proud that that is something I have never wavered on. I think that this is also something that has the potential to set me apart from others. It means a lot to me when people trust me with their travel plans; traveling is something that most people have to work for, and when it finally happens, we all want it to go as perfectly as possible. I do whatever I can to help things go smoothly, from beginning to end. I take that trust, and their travel, seriously.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Honest communication. I feel like honest communication is the foundation of any relationship, from the ones we have with those we love the most to those we have with folks in our business lives. If I mess something up, I will be honest with you. If I know that you can find a better deal elsewhere, I will be honest with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.swanandsparrowtravel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vacationsbylynn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynnnelsonwithswanandsparrowtravel
Image Credits
Lynn Nelson
