We recently connected with Alexandra Shearer and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Finding my purpose has been a whirlwind. I’m not even entirely sure I feel like I have fully found it, but I believe that purpose can shift and grow and transform as you go through life. So right now, I’m living my purpose. I feel fulfilled and excited about what I do and I’m so grateful for that. I’ve done a lot of self-reflection to find my purpose. I think so often in society we are conditioned to follow one path, often ignoring the obvious signs in-front of us showing us what to do. In my self-reflection I have looked deeply at what I’m passionate about. I think purpose and passion go hand in hand. When you are passionate about something you find purpose within that. I’ve always been passionate about culture, humans, getting outside of your comfort zone, and exploring the world. This was obvious from a young age. I knew that doing something along these lines only made sense as my purpose.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I started a travel agency with my siblings and am the managing partner and head travel advisor. I have loved travel since I was old enough to board a plane. I have been fortunate enough to visit over 60 countries and all 7 continents with my siblings and parents. We love to travel together and I think the passion we share is a huge bond not only in our relationships but within our business as well. It’s also why we decided it only made sense to start our own agency after planning countless trips for friends, family and ourselves for years.
We focus on luxury travel for groups, multigenerational families, and adventure seekers. We create tailor made itineraries for our clients all over the world. We have so much planned for our clients and company within the new year including group trips, unique destinations, and many discounts. You can visit our website for sample itineraries and to sign up for our newsletter where we share exciting news and exclusive deals.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most important skill for me in my journey with starting my own travel agency is an ability and willingness to learn. Having no prior experience or knowledge on how to start a travel agency, it required a lot of deep diving, research, and learning. Being open minded and open to new knowledge is so important in any journey.
Another important skill, in my opinion, is not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. This is something I have not always been great about but am working on. It’s okay to reach out to your network, your mentors, or your peers for advice. It’s usually necessary at times.
Finally, I think attention to detail is so important for this job specifically. There are so many moving parts in starting a company, and even more in creating personalized journeys for many people. Something can easily slip through the cracks. It will happen, but the more attention to detail you pay, the less intense the slip. Don’t rush through things. Be patient and double check.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We are always looking for people to partner with. We are mostly looking for hotel groups, tour operators or DMCs in the luxury travel industry who want to develop long term relationships and create opportunities for shared clients to increase loyalty and business. They can connect via our website or my email, [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jacatravel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaca.travel
