Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittany Patterson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brittany, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am happy as a business owner, I love the freedom of it all and I get to stay home with my kids, however I do think about going back to a regular job… ALL THE TIME! I am a stay at home mom of two and my boyfriend supports us, and as a business owner there is no guarantee of sales, leads etc. I have this thought quite often honestly because not only do I have bills to pay but running a business is also costly. I honestly did apply for a job because I was so frustrated with not having any leads or getting any sales. So I applied for a job and got an interview and took it, but my boyfriend actually asked me why I was taking an interview, and I told him because I know that he needs help with the bills etc. He told me that he was fine and that he is invested in me and my business. Although that works for sometime, things always seem to come up (finance wise) and it makes it really hard to stick with having a business where there is no guaranteed income. But I constantly go to team meetings, watch webinars and trainings to keep myself motivated, everyone says trust the process you never know who is watching, and this is something that constantly weighs on my mind.

Brittany, 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 own Just Go! J & A Travel Co., I am under a host agency Archer Travel/Evolution Travel. I got into this industry because I was an independent contractor, working jobs like Uber, Grubhub and Walmart Spark! After the holiday season things really dried up and I wasn’t making any money. I already knew I wanted to start my own business so I started watching tiktoks about being a travel agent because I was seeing it everywhere when I was looking for a work from home job. I loved everything I was hearing! So I went on linkedin and uploaded my resume and went on the search. My mentor reached out with the information, I went to the webinar and signed up immediately. I am a service based business, I plan and book destination weddings, trips for families and groups who are going to places such as the Caribbean & Europe. Not only do I plan and book their travel but I offer custom trip itineraries, 24/7 indestination support, and payment plan options! The thing I am most proud of when it comes to my business is my brand, I love the design & creativity & I love what I stand for! There are alot of agents out there, where this is just a job for them, but for me it’s about making sure my clients have the most amazing trips and experiences. We do all the planning so you don’t have to! Just pack and go! My services are for those busy families who don’t have time to plan a trip, or who simply don’t want to because it’s not their favorite thing. And for those who are getting married and are overwhelmed with the planning process or those who simply need help with getting a room block.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Ever since I started I have kept going, through having back rent to pay and my car battery dying and owing the state. I still stay determined to make this business a successful one and mostly for my kids.

When I graduated from college, I was excited to start my career in the entertainment industry, I was a performing arts major. During that time I was working full- time at Starbucks to support myself.

Soon after graduating, I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter. This news came as a shock to me, because I was a recent grad and hadn’t even started in my career. Also, I knew working at Starbucks wasn’t going to cut it financially . MY whole world turned upside down, and I began to worry about my job and my future.

A month before the whole world shut down, I was fired from Starbucks after having been working there 5+ years! So I knew then that I needed and wanted to start my own business but I think that during that time I was just too impatient. So I continued to do Uber/Lyft and Walmart spark in my spare time to make money during covid and even after things started opening back up.

Unfortunately those apps started to slow down and I wasn’t making any money, but I still always wanted my own business, so one day I stumbled upon the idea of becoming a travel agent. I had always loved planning trips and exploring new places, and she thought that this would be the perfect career for me. I spent hours researching the travel industry and learning about the different types of travel agents.

Within a few weeks, I decided to take the plunge and pursue becoming a travel agent full-time.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Ever since I was a little kid, I knew I wanted to be somebody. Although I never cared about the fame or the riches but just someone who was able to take care of her family and make sure they want for nothing, Growing up we didn’t have much, and I wanted to make sure that my kids could have everything they wanted any more!

Since I was young I was always a writer and had big aspirations, I always wanted to come to LA even though I had never been there and barely saw it on TV. I just knew that’s what I wanted. When I turned 18 and moved out here for school everything was great but then the realities of living on your own and now having kids took a toll on me.

6 months after having my daughter I was fired from my job and then the world shut down anyway, we had to fly back and forth to Philly for family matters and only living off of government assistance. After everything ended I was back to Uber/Lyft but my boyfriend stayed home with our daughter so we only had one income, then when things seemed okay, I got pregnant with my son and I had to stop working although my boyfriend still didn’t have a job.

A month after our son was born he got a job, but now he’s the only one with the income. So about 7-8 months after having my son I started Uber again but this time I would bring my son with me because he was exclusively breastfed, I just knew this couldn’t be my life and I knew that while my boyfriend has a job and makes a good living, I need to get on top of starting my business and keeping it going.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.justgojandatravelco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justgotravelco_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justgojandatravelco/
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justgotravelco_