We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tyra Bass. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tyra below.

Tyra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

At BHE Elite Travel we have done several group trips. The lead person in the group may have been a close friend or family member and after the trip we tend to get inquiries and bookings from those who went on the group trip. This is how we began to expand our clientele.

I do not expect my family and friends to support me all the time. Having that expectation will cause hurt feelings so I always keep business separate from my personal life. Family members and friends that do become clients receive the same quality service as a stranger. I have learned how to turn the switch on and off in that area as I am appreciative of their business and support.

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

I am a certified travel associate with Cruise Planners, BHE Elite Travel Agency. I was invited into the world of vacation planning through my sister who is the franchise owner. She recognized I had a niche for planning and organizing and initially asked me to assist her with planning a class reunion cruise. After the reunion cruise, she encouraged me to become a certified travel associate with her franchise. I completed the required training and received a referral for a family who wanted to go on a cruise that summer and plan their Christmas vacation.

As a travel associate I do more than find flights and make hotel reservations. After the flight, hotel, cruise and transportation are arranged, I coordinate client’s itineraries (daily excursions, dinner reservations, spa reservations, reserve meeting space etc.). Our goal is to limit the clients stress while planning. I communicate with the vendors on behalf of the client; some wait times before speaking with an agent can be 10 minutes to two hours long.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2020 due to COVID-19, the travel business suffered. This was something we had no control over. I stayed engaged with my clients via social media and email with self-care tips and encouraged them to make lists of future trips they would like to take.

Towards the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 I started receiving inquiries about traveling again. During this time I was able to market to families who lived in the same household. These families rented condominiums and vacation homes and chose excursions that offered private or limited participants.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Social Media and word of mouth has been the most effective strategy in growing my clientele. My clients share pictures with me to post or they tag my social media pages in their pictures and most of the time someone will inbox with an inquiry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tyrabass.bodyheadelitetravel.com/
• Instagram: BHEelitemindfultravel
• Facebook: BHEelitetravel.com-Cruise Planners