We were lucky to catch up with Christine MacMillan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

She is what I now call my soulmate client. She posted a search for a Travel Advisor in a local Facebook community. A friend of a friend tagged my name in response to the post. This friend of a friend didn’t know my soulmate client, but she knew I own a travel agency and wanted to help. My soulmate client contacted me and we kicked off my travel planning process. It starts with clients completing an inquiry form, then we set up a complimentary Discovery Call where the client has the opportunity to dream big and paint the picture of their vacation desires. This client has a great sense of humor, is super friendly, and responsive – all factors which contribute to a fun and smooth process for both of us. She’s a working mom with a husband and two young children, and was anxious to take the stress and time of vacation planning off her plate. She places a high-value on the services, inspiration, expertise, and guidance I provide. She can’t wait to work with me to plan her next family vacation, and the feeling is mutual! Here is some of the story in her own words as well: “Christine is so organized and really thinks of everything. She helped me stay on top of things and get all of the paperwork in order. I had no concerns when I arrived for my vacation and the trip was seamless. Christine is a great listener. She knew what was important to me on this trip and made sure to make it her priority as well.”

Christine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! I’m Christine MacMillan of MacMillan Travel Design. I own a boutique travel agency, where I’m most known for curated travel experiences for families and couples. I most often serve working moms and when they struggle with the stress and time of vacation planning, I offer personalized travel planning services to help them turn their vacation dreams into reality.

After 19 years in business consulting, I decided to leave the corporate world to start my own business as a Travel Advisor.
I’m a lover of travel, wine, food, family, friends, and dreams. I’m also a working mom.
​So I get it. I know what it’s like to need a vacation and not have time to plan it.

My personalized travel design services are inclusive of all related accommodations, transportation, activities, excursions, and dining. We specialize in land and cruise vacations in the US, Mexico, and Europe. You will ultimately have a vacation experience designed for YOU, with all of the details covered.

Details on what is included in our services:
A discovery process to begin the travel planning experience for us to align with and understand your travel vision. This results in a completely customized trip plan, where we research and design every detail to your preferences.

A centralized itinerary in an online application, plus PDF printable version, tailored to your specific travel plans and includes confirmations, day-by-day activities (including concierge services such as dining and spa appointments), supplier contact info, destination info, and emergency resources.

Plus:
– Professional management of reservations changes and reminders.
– Ongoing communication to discuss all travel plans and Q&A.
– Access to exclusive travel perks, upgrades, and excursions.
– Benefit from leveraging a vetted portfolio of suppliers.
– A high-quality, fun, revitalizing, and unforgettable travel experience.
– A personal Travel Advisor in your corner who provides expert advice, peace of mind, and a collaborative partner for all your travel needs.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My career right out of college for about 19 years was in business consulting. In my consulting career, I had several different roles: I was promoted to increasing levels of management responsibility across 20+ different supply chain consulting client projects.
I managed client operations for the following services across a global 50-plus person team: Buying Center, Contract Services, Sourcing and Category Management, and eSourcing.
I oversaw the strategy and associated development of consulting offering assets, tools, content, and training activities in support of a targeted audience of consulting and technology businesses.
I led a team of 12 in providing an improved Knowledge Experience to a targeted audience of consulting practitioners.

For most of that time, I was at one large consulting firm and fell prey to the ‘it won’t happen to me’ syndrome/feeling. So I was surprised when in November 2019, I was let go from my role due to organizational restructuring. I inquired into and considered many different roles within the same company. Ultimately none of them seemed to be a good fit or excite me, so I left the company to find something else. That was the pivotal moment.

Because it was the end of the year, I spent some time enjoying the holidays and truly taking a moment to pause and think about what I wanted to do next.

I found – and devoured a book – entitled Designing Your Life, written by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. It discusses how to build a well-lived and joyful life. This book, and the exercises within, helped me come to a career choice that fits into the life I want to live (not the other way around) and led me to work that I’m passionate about. So, in January 2020, I started my business as a Travel Advisor. It has been a fun, fulfilling, and rewarding journey, and not once have I regretted the decision. And yes, I started a travel agency business during the pandemic, but that’s an entirely different story. :-)

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

Two months before a global pandemic shut down all travel, I decided to start my own business as a Travel Advisor. While my timing might not have been ideal, I officially launched MacMillan Travel Design in May 2020! My mission hasn’t changed: To design personalized travel experiences for families and couples. While I did have a few clients that first year, obviously we weren’t really able to enjoy much traveling at the time. However, I never regretted my decision because the reasons I started my business had not changed – only the circumstances. The slow down gave me an opportunity to learn everything I could about starting a travel agency and running a business in general.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MacMillanTravel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macmillantraveldesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MacMillanTravelDesign/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinegunn/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/macmillan-travel-design-alameda

Image Credits
Vivida Photography