We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michele Simon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michele below.

Michele , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

As a child, I was always inquisitive about life, culture, and travel. My grandmother traveled the world for years before she married and gave birth to my mother. I remember many summer days at her home where she shared stories about her travels. She spent time in Europe and England and her pictures allowed me to imagine myself there. But more than anything, there was one piece of advice she gave me that remains in my thoughts, “Never limit yourself to what is in front of you Madame Butterfly (her nickname for me). Search for opportunities that will allow you to grow as a woman and an individual. You are worthy of more than you believe.”

As I grew older and started to develop my career and a brand for myself, I started to desire more than a successful professional career. I wanted to build something for myself, but also show the world that there is no limit to living. In 2019, I opened my travel agency, Travel Stamp Junkees LLC. I opened my agency to live out my passion for travel and to live out a legacy in honor of my grandmother and my mother. My mother had a fervent desire to travel, but health and mobility issues got in the way. My mission is to help families and friends create memories and to show people how travel can be a form of self-care and a way to recharge and reset. I want my clients to trust me enough to know that the itinerary I curate for them will give them a unique way to learn about geography and I want them to be so touched by the experience that they come back ready to plan another travel adventure.

Michele , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a 47-year-old MS Warrior, Supply Chain Consultant, entrepreneur, wife, sister, and sister-friend. I was born and raised in Chicago, and now a resident in the Atlanta, Georgia area for over ten years. My life focus is to lead with love, compassion, empathy, and ambition. I have three beautiful bonus daughters, seven lively and amazing grandchildren, and one fur baby.

I started my career journey in 2002 as a Chemical Engineer however, eleven years later I discovered my career passion was really in Supply Chain Management. I am very intrigued by continuous process improvement, analytics, problem-solving and understanding how value chains build the steps needed to create a marketable product. After ten-plus years of working in the Supply Chain industry, I am now consulting multinational consumer and technology companies on how to transform their business and improve their digital presence.

Along with Supply Chain consulting, you now know (smile) that I am the founder and owner of Travel Stamp Junkees LLC. I took my passion for travel and my desire to learn about other cultures and opened a travel agency to appeal to a customer base that loves travel as much as I do and needs someone experienced to guide them properly. My goal is to listen to my customer’s unique interests, preferences, and budgets and curate a travel experience they will never forget. Travel increases mood, decreases stress, and encourages creativity. And if I can make this happen for my customers, I know what I built has fulfilled its purpose. Travel Stamp Junkees LLC launched in 2019 and has serviced over five hundred customers and counting.

Outside of my consulting and entrepreneur life, I also live with a central nervous system disorder, Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I was diagnosed with MS over 16 years ago, and some of my symptoms include body numbness and tingling, pain and body spasms, and tiredness and weakness. It is important for me to share this about myself because having MS has defeated a lot of people. After diagnosis, your life changes in ways you cannot imagine, and because it is more of an invisible disease, people tend to not understand it. I enjoy educating people about MS, being an example of a survivor, and not letting it define me. I love who I have become and the greater person into whom I am growing.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

There are three areas of focus that have helped me build my reputation in the travel industry.

Customer Service: With every client, my focus and goal are to deliver exceptional customer service. I want my clients to know that I am always and actively listening to their needs. I want to provide personalized recommendations after understanding what their trip expectations are. And I make every attempt to address concerns and ensure a smooth travel experience. Some examples of my customer service experience include, scheduling several discovery meetings to understand what they want from their trips, understanding if any of my clients have travel restrictions (i.e., mobility issues, etc.), traveling with my clients or being available at all times to address concerns, and making them feel comfortable enough to know that they can trust me by being transparent, providing attentive service, and preparing them properly before their adventure begins. I also believe having an MBA with a concentration in Project Management allows me to use my skills to create detailed travel plans, effectively handle issues while my clients are traveling, understand the importance of timelines and itineraries, and ask my clients for post travel feedback to gather lessons learned.

Remaining Knowledgeable: I am a product of my business. Along with online training and attending travel conventions, I travel to learn firsthand about locations my clients want to explore. I build relationships with local tour operators and resort property management. I also tour different properties to get a feel for the vibe, quality, and service. Along with traveling to gain real time knowledge, I stay up to date on travel trends, airline policies, visa requirements, and local information to confidently answer client questions.

Content Creation: I recently started embracing content creation. Although I am very business minded, putting myself out there on social media was a struggle for me. I invested in a marketing team to assist with content creation. I have an inventive mind, but sometimes my thoughts do not always translate into creative content. I realized that to be successful and for people to really SEE what I do, I needed to be more visible. Investing in a team, was and is still a HUGE WIN for me. Do not ever think you have to win at business alone.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Client referrals and social media have been two of my best sources for obtaining new clients. My clients know the quality of service I offer and have been incredibly supportive when it comes to sharing my agency information with friends and family. And now that I have embraced content creation more, my followers can see visually what I have to offer, my experiences and my client’s experiences. My clients posting their reviews, their favorite travel photos and their word of mouth has helped grow my business a great deal. I cannot thank or show my appreciation enough to my existing clients. I am forever grateful to them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelstampjunkees/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravelStampJunkees
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-simon-mba-six-sigma-green-belt-167a9b100/

Image Credits

Dark Flower Studios
IG: @darkflowerstudios or https://www.instagram.com/darkflowerstudios/

Jean Pier
IG: @visoledesma or https://www.instagram.com/visoledesma/