We were lucky to catch up with Emily Keough recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I’ve always been a risk taker, believing that great rewards come from great risks. At 18, I chose to attend a college halfway across the country where I knew no other students, in the year following graduation I left my first job and moved to a new city without a job, and several years after that I moved across the country again for a new professional opportunity. But there’s been no bigger risk than leaving behind a nearly decade-long career to start a business of my own.
My passion for travel began brewing in high school when I took a cooking class focused on different cuisines and cultures. The curriculum opened up a new world to me, igniting a desire to live a life of travel. Fast forward to 2023, I got married and began shifting my career priorities. Longing for an opportunity that filled me with pride and supported my family on my own terms, I earned my travel agent certification and began scaling up a business that could sustain a passion I held for years.
Leaving a traditional workplace for entrepreneurship is a true test of dedication. I never started a business before this so I leaned on mentors to help guide me toward designing a travel business that fit my expertise and personality. It was especially hard putting myself out there in the beginning and asking clients to trust me with the planning of their dream vacations; but stepping off the well-worn path of a typical job for the unknown of starting my own business has turned out to been incredibly rewarding.

Emily, 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?

As a full-service travel agency, I work with all types of travelers to craft personalized itineraries and build dream vacations. From solo travelers and couples, to families and groups, each trip can be designed to fit individual wants and needs. I can book flights, accommodations, cruises, rental cars and transportation services, excursions, and travel protection insurance – plus provide recommendations like the best time of year to travel to certain destinations or which restaurants to try in new cities. While many people only think about using travel agents for big international trips, I can also book domestic travel, accommodations for traveling sports teams, tickets to theme parks, and more.
Travelers benefit from having an expert plan the meticulous details, and they have my ongoing support during the trip if any travel issues arise.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Reputation comes from building trust. I work with some people who regularly jet off to new places and others that are less-experienced travelers or are skeptical of using a travel agent.
Each time a new client reaches out to me, I am upfront with the types of planning services I provide and try my best to manage their expectations right away. Listening to the individual requests of each client allows me to answer honestly which destinations may interest them most and helps me work with them to set a realistic budget for the trip. By keeping an open line of communication, clients can feel confident they will have an expertly-planned trip by departure time.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The most valuable way to help any small business grow in revenue or clientele is by personally recommending it to others. I’ve been fortunate to have the support of my family from the very beginning. My husband is always enthusiastic about sharing business posts online and telling his coworkers about my travel planning services, and family members have been extremely supportive in recommending me to friends in their own circles. These personal recommendations have been my best and most loyal source of new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gearupgetaways.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gearupgetaways
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gearupgetaways
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/95713018/admin/dashboard/