We recently connected with Selene Di Flamminio and have shared our conversation below.

Selene, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

Starting my own business was an incredible journey, and the support I received from clients and colleagues was truly amazing. When I first started talking about my idea of opening a representation company focused on hotels, resorts, and DMCs with a shared vision around sustainability, the positive feedback was overwhelming. Having worked in the industry for nearly 10 years, I had built some strong relationships, but I never expected such incredible support.

Every single client I signed at the beginning came through referrals from both clients and colleagues. It was a humbling experience to see how much people believed in my vision. I made it a point to actively reach out, listen to their feedback, and continually refine my approach based on the insights they shared. This process helped me ensure that my vision was not only true to my ideas but also aligned with market needs.

The travel industry is full of entrepreneurs and independent contractors who understand the challenges of starting a business, and their support has been key to both starting and scaling up. Thanks to these strong relationships and a clear focus on shared values, I launched my company with three clients signed and managed to double that number within a year.

Selene, 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?

I started my journey in the hospitality industry at a very young age. At 15, I decided to enroll in one of Italy’s most prestigious hospitality schools. It was a rigorous program, and I spent five years commuting over five hours daily to attend classes and undertook summer internships instead of enjoying a free summer like my friends. But it was all worth it because it set me on the path to where I am today.

I moved to the UK right after graduation to learn English. My first job was as a minibar attendant, where I manually checked each room’s minibar daily to charge clients accordingly. It’s kind of crazy to think about now, given today’s technology. I started with a humble job, but I knew I had to climb the ladder one step at a time. I kept my head down and worked hard, moving from minibar attendant to server, then receptionist, and eventually to manager and beyond, all while studying full-time at university.

As a teenager, my ultimate dream was to move to the US and pursue the American dream. At 23, I secured an internship as a front office manager in Atlanta, managing a team of over 40 people. Despite the challenge of understanding the southern accent and managing the biggest team I had ever overseen, I persevered and learned a lot. My goal was to transition from operations to sales, and when the opportunity arose, I returned to Italy to join a hotel’s sales team for Starwood Hotels as a sales account director. I traveled the world, promoting the hotels I represented across the globe, from India to Taiwan, Shanghai, the US, and throughout Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East.

This role gave me the incredible opportunity to learn from different cultures and adapt to various environments. The diversity I encountered always fascinated me. I found immense value in understanding and appreciating the unique perspectives and traditions of each place I visited. This cultural exposure enriched my professional and personal life, allowing me to build strong relationships and succeed in a global market.

One night in Shanghai, during a client event, I met the General Manager of a prestigious New York City hotel. After a short conversation, he offered me a position in sales for his hotel. At first, I was speechless and unsure if he was joking or serious. But within two months, I found myself living in New York City, working for one of the most iconic hotels in the world.

New York stole my heart. The opportunity to live in this amazing city and work for such an incredible property made me think, “That’s it, I made it.” From a small town in Italy with a population of 3,000 to the Big Apple – it felt like a dream come true. But that was just the beginning.

New York is not just there waiting for you; it’s a city that allows you to be yourself and truly pursue your dreams if you want to. I spent four years working hard to build connections and prove myself. I gave everything I had to my role, and after four years and several promotions, I felt it was time for a change.

During a business trip to Brazil, I received an offer to join the sales team of a luxury property in the Maldives, focusing on the Americas market and still being based in the USA. This role marked a significant shift from city hotels to a purely leisure-focused property. When I first visited the Maldives, I was astonished by the beauty of this country. Learning about their commitment to sustainability from both the country itself and the hotels inspired me to make small but impactful changes in my daily life.

The pandemic, which hit six months into this new role, allowed me to reflect and reprioritize. I moved to Los Angeles to connect more with nature and create a more balanced life. I worked four years with this property, which will always have a special place in my heart because it opened my eyes to a topic I had never really considered before. It helped me put things into perspective and realize that even seemingly insignificant actions can have a big impact.

I became so passionate about sustainability that I also decided to study ESG and strive to keep myself educated and informed every day. I believe there is no magical recipe for sustainability, but each person can make meaningful changes in their own small way. We get so caught up in our own world and problems, that we sometimes fail to look at the big picture.

In 2023, I launched my own representation company, TERRA Collection, representing hotels, resorts, and DMCs that share my values of sustainability. This venture allows me to integrate my passion for sustainability into the sales aspect of my job. But this is not the only thing I do. as I have many future projects and side hustles that keep me busy and motivated. It was not an easy step to go from a multinational hospitality company to being my own boss, but I took all the lessons I had learned, and I continue to learn every day. I have come to understand that there is no final “I’ve made it” moment; instead, there are little victories in life, and I have learned to celebrate them, both big and small. There is no finish line, and we need to learn to enjoy the process more than just the end results, as difficult as that may be.

I am most proud of my journey and the resilience I’ve shown in pursuing my dreams, understanding that we change as people and can make choices. My experiences have shaped who I am today, and I strive to bring that passion and dedication to everything I do.

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

I believe several factors have contributed to building my reputation in the market. Initially, I covered the global market, but since moving to New York, my focus has shifted to the Americas Luxury Market. Here, I work closely with luxury travel advisors, promoting and educating them about the properties I represent.

Coming from Italy, a country known for its warmth and hospitality, I have hospitality ingrained in my blood. My education in hospitality taught me that “no” is never an answer and that there’s always a solution to make someone happy or at least try. Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with my clients because they know I will always do my best to support them, help resolve issues, and ensure they shine in front of their own clients.

Despite working with some of the most prestigious hotels and selling expensive suites, my modest background has always kept me down to earth. It’s easy to become arrogant and entitled when working in the luxury segment. Still, my ability to stay humble and genuinely show up for my clients has helped me create meaningful connections. These relationships have paid off, especially when I opened my representation company, with both hotels and travel advisors ready to support me.

Sales can often be transactional, focusing on creating an image rather than fostering deep connections. I’m not someone who opens up immediately; I prefer to listen first, and I can sometimes be quite shy and intimidated at first. However, I’ve learned to show my more real and vulnerable side over time, allowing me to form genuine connections. In fact, some of my closest friends work in this industry.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As I mentioned before, since I was very young, I dreamed of moving to the USA. It was always my goal, though I wasn’t entirely sure what drew me to it—I was just determined to make it happen. However, I never imagined how challenging it would be. In my early 20s, I started exploring different options and was accepted into a managerial training program as a first step, but it didn’t last more than a year.

When I got my sales job, I began looking at various options, applying, and understanding that I couldn’t just move; I had to be sponsored for a VISA, which is not easy to obtain. So, when the general manager of a luxury hotel in NYC offered me a job after a brief conversation at a client event in Shanghai, I could hardly believe it. I knew it wasn’t a straightforward process, and I kept wondering what he saw in me that made him willing to go through all the headaches and VISA process to bring me to the USA. But he did, and he made my dream come true.

When you are sponsored for a Visa like the one I had, you are tied to the company that sponsored it, which limits your career opportunities and forces you to adapt. I felt I couldn’t take risks or new steps for many years because I could only work for that company. During my over 8 years with the company in the USA, while I did make some career advancements, I was also limited. I knew I could have achieved more, but I had to accept the reality.

During the pandemic, I was not only worried about losing my job but also about being sent back to Europe if that happened. When you’ve built a life and a family, knowing that everything you’ve built could be taken away and you’d have no control over it is terrifying and demoralizing. Fortunately, the hotel I worked for did not lay off employees, as business picked up quickly in the Maldives, one of the first countries to reopen to tourists.

Despite these challenges, I was committed to working hard and obtaining my freedom through a green card. When I finally achieved that and decided to open my company, the feeling of being free and not having to depend on a single company for my future was incredibly liberating. This newfound freedom empowered me to take control of my fate and my destiny, leading me to start my own company.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terratvl.com
• Instagram: terratravelcollection
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenediflamminio/