We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Clavia Howard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Clavia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If I were starting over I would immediately focus on a specific niche. Being a generalist can take up a lot of time, resources, and money trying to learn everything. Specializing in a niche allows you to perfect your craft and become the resident expert.

When I started my business I was being all things to all people. I was basically all over the place. When I started focusing on group travel I realized I was pretty good at it and dedicated my efforts to perfecting that skill while fulfilling a need of customers who needed assistance.

Clavia , 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’ve always been obsessed with all aspects of travel. I’m fascinated by innovative cruise vessels, am a self-proclaimed AvGeek, and as a child aspired to be a flight attendant. I also have great childhood memories of summer vacations with my family. So, you can imagine the excitement when I went on my first vacation without my parents.

I was fresh out of high school when I planned a trip with friends to the islands of St. Maarten and Jamaica. We enlisted the help of a travel agent, but we weren’t very clear on our travel desires. We just wanted the lowest price! As a result, we ended up in subpar accommodations and our vacation started off on a low note. After that debacle, I was determined to plan my own trips.

While being a do-it-yourself travel planner, I gained invaluable experience working in the airline/hospitality industry. With a background also in Information Technology, I acquired high analytical skills. Friends and colleagues noticed the level of detail and creativity I took with my trips and asked me to help them plan their personal adventures. Out of an insatiable desire to help others seamlessly explore the world, I founded Lazy Daze Cruise & Travel. I discovered the greatest need was assistance with group travel planning.

Since then I have grown as an award-winning travel advisor with amazing loyal clientele.

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

The best source of new clients for me has been through word of mouth. Many current and former clients have passed along my name to people looking to enlist the help of a professional travel advisor. The best compliment any business owner can receive is a referral.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I always make a point of keeping in touch with my clients. I send out newsletters periodically to keep them up to date on what’s going on with the company and in the travel world. I also reach out to my clients who are celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary. I’ve also started co-hosting a podcast called Dishes N Destinations which highlights the culture and culinary scene of popular destinations around the world

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lazydazetravel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lazydazetravel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lazydazetravel

Image Credits
Clavia Howard