Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tracy D Shorter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Tracy D thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Starting the travel business was just suppose to be an add-on offering to my wedding clients. As a wedding and event planner, I found myself working with couples, creating a wedding vision for themselves and their guest. Our time together ranged from six (6) months to one (1) year. What I found is that when it came to the honeymoon, this concept was not discussed with me or we had to get an outside travel agent involved in the process. When looking at how to scale the business, this was a missed opportunity I needed to correct, so Shorter Route Travel agency was born. But during this time, I was so unsure of myself, specifically whether the business could work.
It was not until I attended a women’s ministry meeting at my church, that clarity began to come into focus for me. The question was what did I need in my personal or business life to move to the next level. For me I felt I had a great concept, who wouldn’t want to work with a wedding planner, who was a one stop shop. After thinking about this question, my approach to my idea, I soon realized what I needed was to BELIEVE.
I decided to pray and ask God a specific question, “Was BELIEVE the word I need to stand on for 2016.” Through a prior workshop, I learned that if I ask God the question and earnestly expected an answer, then an answer is what I would receive, although not always the answer I wanted. So as I am waiting for this divine answer, I continued attending workshops, asking other entrepreneurs how they were doing things, and even found an office rental to set up shop to make it official. After a few months of this, I was growing weary and definitely in debt. I did get a clear yes that God wanted me to BELIEVE, but it was not just to believe in the business I was developing. He instead gave me seven (7) principles to model my personal and business life. Those seven (7) principles were:
B- Be Yourself
E- Empowerment is Key
L- Live Life Now
I- It’s Possible
E- Encourage yourself and others
V- Vision
E- Enjoy life, it part of the journey
It took a couple of years, but I realized the wedding side was declining and the travel side had significantly increased. It was hard, closing the first thing I started that made a little money. However, when I was honest with myself, I knew that my heart wasn’t dedicated to the event business. I knew I needed to focus on this new joy of travel as my next step.
But it was going to be different this time as the travel business has to be built on the seven (7) principle I now call my BELIEVE Framework.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Tracy D. Shorter: Inspiring Visionary, Certified Travel Advisor, and Advocate for Living with Purpose
Tracy D. Shorter is a dynamic force of inspiration, empowerment, and strategic vision. With over 15 years of expertise in strategic planning and event coordination, Tracy brings her unmatched passion for creating unforgettable moments into every facet of her work. A Certified Travel Advisor and owner of Shorter Route Travel, she has been curating extraordinary group and individual travel experiences since 2017. My mission is simple: To enrich lives through purposeful and transformative adventures that leave lasting memories.
Tracy’s journey is one of resilience, faith, and unwavering belief. In 2016, she embraced the word BELIEVE as her guiding principle—a message she would come to lean on heavily during a pivotal health challenge in 2018. That singular word blossomed into a powerful seven-step framework that Tracy now uses to help others discover their purpose and develop a plan to live it daily.
Her dedication extends beyond travel planning. Tracy is a published author and motivational speaker, with works including Believe and Rediscover: A 31-day Journal to Self-Discovery and contributions to collaborative books like SheCeo, Truth and This Scripture Saved My life. Whether speaking to groups or empowering individuals, her topics inspire growth, connection, and intentional living. From her signature B.E.L.I.E.V.E. Framework to travel as a pathway to self-care, Tracy’s wisdom resonates across a wide range of audiences.
As the founder of Shorter Route Travel, she combines her servant’s heart with years of professional expertise to support clients in fulfilling their visions. Her background as a wedding and event planner is the cornerstone of her ability to design tailored travel experiences for clients. From the sun-soaked beaches of Jamaica and Puerto Rico to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Alaska, Tracy’s passion for travel is as boundless as the destinations she curates.
When not helping others achieve their dreams, Tracy is devoted to her family and her faith. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Rolando, and together they have two children, Jasmine and Christian. An active leader at Revelation Knowledge Bible Church, Tracy serves as the Financial Director, Deaconess, and a member of the Special Events Committee, continuing her mission to uplift and inspire those around her.
If you’re ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery, purposeful living, or unforgettable travel adventures, Tracy is your go-to guide.
Connect with Tracy D. Shorter
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Shorter Route Travel
Private Travel Group: Adventures with Shorter Route Travel
Let Tracy help you turn your dreams into destinations and your purpose into a plan!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
It was October, 2018 and I was sitting at my desk finishing up my final task of the day. The prior Sunday morning during worship service, I had a medical situation causing me to seek the attention of my general practionioner . This particular Wednesday, the phone rang and it was my doctor wanting to discuss some test results. My symptoms really didn’t seem alarming to me as I was just having some headaches and my vision was not at it’s best. I sat at a computer everyday for hours on end, so it only made sense that my eyes were not top notch. The doctor informed me she felt my symptoms were the result of a Pseudo Tumor Cerebri and I need to see treatment with a Neuro-Ophthalmologist as soon as possible. For those not familiar with Psuedo tumor cerebri- its a condition that occurs when pressure inside the skull increase for no obvious reason. The symptoms mimic a brain tumor, with no tumor being present.
In all honest, my first response was why is this happening to me now? I was working hard to do all the right things, dedicated in my services to my family, ministry and community. My travel business was having it best year yet, and now this, really? After giving my husband and children the news, I got quiet. It was in this moment that I realize. Why not me? The storms and rain were going to come and I was even going to get a wet sometimes, but because I am covered by the blood of Jesus, I would not drown. So now it was time to fight….
I was blessed to get an appointment with the top neuro-ophthalmologist in the city and we worked to come up with a treatment plan for my long term success. It’s important to have the right people on your team, not just in business but your personal life as well. My new medical team members informed me that my treatment plan was going to be a challenge, but this moment was the opportunity to give me my life back in a more fulfilling way.
The next year was rough, we tried two or three combination of medicines before finding the right one. Almost every morning, I struggled to start the day, forced to crawl to the floor until my head and eyes aligned for me to stand. I was still able to keep my large travel account (over 100 people on a cruise), but processing all the monthly payment was done from the floor verse sitting at my desk. In essence, I got real connected with the carpet in my house. My clients had no idea of the challenges, I was facing during this time. With the help of my support group (family and friends) I was still able to deliver top customer service, the one area I always want my company to get rated the highest in our client survey.
It has been 6 years since the first diagnosis, and I have moved from the floor to getting out of bed with more of a spring in my step. The headaches have subsided, and healthier eating choices are a part of my daily lifestyle. In an effort to keep improving my health, I am working on the last part of the challenge -weight reduction, which I am happy to say is going very well.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Personally, I value customer service when determining where to spend funds with a particular vendor. So I wanted to make this the key focus for Shorter Route Travel. As a small business owner, starting out I didn’t have the funds to spend marketing to potential clients, even tho I understood how important this was to growth. So I work hard to be sure that when my clients complete our satisfaction survey, we would receive high marks in the customer service category. My mom would always say, “word of mouth can grow you and it could hurt you, work to allow it to grow you.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shorterroutetravel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shorterroutetravel
Image Credits
Captured Moments Photography