How Travel Advisors Can Realign for Success After a Challenging Year

Denise Canon, owner of award-winning Kansas City-based travel agency Travel Concepts, is hosting an intimate retreat for travel agents September 18-22, 2022. Hosted at the Secrets Akumal Resort & Spa in Riviera Maya, Mexico, the four-day Pivot & Prosper Retreat will focus on affirming foundational business and marketing skills, cultivating a resilient mindset, and building a community of success-minded travel pros.

Canon founded her agency more than 26 years ago and has grown it through industry-shaking events like 9/11, the 2008 recession and the recent pandemic – all challenging events that fundamentally changed the industry. She credits her longevity and growth—she now has 10 ICs and two employees pulling in $7+ million in annual sales—to figuring out how to run a business effectively and meet challenges with creativity.

“It’s not enough to know travel,” said Canon. “To succeed as an agent today, you need a rock-solid business foundation, from executing a clear business/marketing plan to ensuring all your legal ducks are in a row. And as the year has shown us, you also need to be agile in the face of adversity—that’s why this retreat will focus on cultivating a creative mindset and giving yourself permission to pivot.”

The 3^rd Annual Pivot & Prosper Retreat is a follow up to Retreats Canon hosted in November 2020 and May 2021, which were well received by attending agents. The first retreat revealed how hungry agents were to connect with their peers and work on their businesses, so Canon quickly organized the second event to capitalize on the momentum. Now, in its third year, past and new attendees are looking for personal growth and to level up their businesses. Travel pros will learn to become the masters of their businesses with techniques that will allow them to embrace their own inner strength and succeed.

One repeat attendee was Sarah Key, owner of the Keys of Travel, who credits attending the retreats with boosting her business in a big way. “Attending the first event in November 2020 helped reignite my business after a tough year,” said Key. “I had the best 3 months of business after this event, and I know for a fact it was because of the inspiration and knowledge I gained from everyone at the Pivot & Prosper Retreat. It’s an invaluable event for travel advisors looking to grow personally and professionally.”

Canon will be bringing in passionate subject-matter experts sharing what you need to know for massive growth: a Travel Law Attorney (take the legal worry out of your company), a CPA/Accountant (accounting and taxes can make or break your travel business), Marketing Strategist (build your brand, website design, build social media confidence, create comprehensive digital marketing strategies) and an Editor with a prominent Travel Trade Publication (how and why to be noticed in the media) all to strategize with attendees during focused workshop sessions.

A large portion of the event will also be dedicated to making connections and building community. Reflecting to past major travel industry conferences canceled or moved online, Canon laments that many travel agents feel like they’re going it all alone—at a time when community is most acutely needed.

Canon says the retreat is a good fit for agents on the precipice of change—whether that’s a newer agent ready to uplevel her client base or move into a new niche, or an experienced agent eager to grow a team. Above all else, though, attendees need to be “in it to win it,” says Canon. “This event is not for hobbyists. My goal is to facilitate connections between travel pros ready to dream big and set a foundation for long-term success.”  Interested participants who are coachable, crave community, and absolutely committed to success, are ready to take their businesses to the next level!

To learn more about the 2022 Pivot & Prosper Retreat, visit travelconceptskc.com/pivot-and-prosper.