Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tashana Sinal-Pino. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tashana, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I have not overcome imposter syndrome yet. And honestly not sure if I ever will. In the travel industry, unless you have been to all 195 countries in the world, it is hard to plan and sell a trip comfortably to a place that you have not been to yourself. So I get nervous when I am approached to plan a trip to a destination or region I have not been to. So many things can go wrong if not planned properly, thus there is always a bit of worry and anxiety around the idea of, “can I really plan this trip properly? I have not been here, how am I going to sell it? What if they ask me questions I do not have the answer to? They are going to pay me all of this money for a trip, how am I going to ensure they have a great experience?”
I have tried to overcome this anxiety/imposter syndrome by doing my research and reaching out to my colleagues/community of travel experts within my company. I am fortunate enough to work for a company that has many resources and agents I can reach out to if assistance is needed. I am also very fortunate to have the internet containing blogs, reviews, and other useful tools and resources that make my search for anywhere in the world easy or as easy as possible. This technique has allowed me to build fantastic itineraries and trips/travel experiences that would otherwise have been impossible. I have some tried and true websites that are my go to for reviews and information. This has helped me curate amazing trips and helped me become more profitable and marketable within my company.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a travel agent and member of Independent By Liberty Travel (rebranding soon to “Envoyage”). I have been working as an independent agent for almost 3 years now and have been a travel agent for close to 10 years. Although I still consider myself a baby in the industry because the industry is so vast and large, I am proud of the trips and experiences I have cultivated for my clients thus far. This position as some would say is a side hustle for me although I used to do it full-time (pre -pandemic). My 9-5 is currently in the medical field and I love what I do. But travel is my PASSION! I could wake up doing this for free, but it is nice to get paid and to be able to monetize a passion of mine. I have traveled all my life having had a passport since being 1 year old. I am a child of an immigrant family and am very proud of that and how much my family has sacrificed for me to get to this country and to this stage of my life. I have been to 34 countries thus far and feel like I have barely scratched the surface. My husband enjoys travelling like I do–thank God– and when we start a family, we plan to have our kid (s) experience this big beautiful world.
Booking travel and travelling in general excites me like no other! Booking trips for myself and others truly gives me a shot of adrenaline and pleasure. This is how I became to know that this was my passion and something that I should pursue further. I worked full time as a travel agent years ago but the pay and benefits were not enough for me to make a living in New York state. Therefore I went into what I felt was a secure and stable field (medicine/health care). It was a great decision for me at the time because once the pandemic hit, I had job security unlike some of my former colleagues who were left unemployed when most retail travel businesses had to close their doors as no one was travelling in 2020. However one good thing that came out of the pandemic was the entrepreneurship opportunity being a member of Independent by Liberty travel has offered to those with previous travel experience. Having Independent by Liberty Travel as a host agency while spearheading my own business has been nothing short of amazing. It has allowed me to: make extra income, become a business owner, push myself professionally and emotionally, see the strength, skill, passion, and determination within me that I did not know I possessed.
What do I do? I curate trips all over the world according to what I would want to see and do, unless the client vocalizes anything specific they want to do or see. This structure has helped my business exponentially and allowed me to be successful thus far. For my business, I am focused on professional growth and profit. So far, I have more than doubled my profit each year and I hope to keep up with the pace of my growing business and look to surpass each year’s profit. I am hoping to expand with word of mouth and advertisement as word of mouth and referrals have made up 95% of my business. I post travel tips and deals on my social media. You can find me on Instagram @travelswithtashana.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
- Previous Experience: Having worked full time as a travel agent years ago helped me tremendously. It built the foundation I have today for how to properly curate trips. What to look for, key things to note when booking trips that others may overlook, and knowledge of best hotel and air brands. This all is crucial to help ensure the best client experience possible.
- Attention to Detail: I am a perfectionist by nature. I try my best to make sure I triple check things before booking as it is a crucial skill needed to minimize error. Any error on a travel booking can be costly anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands! So having a good eye and experience is very helpful in order to be successful in this industry.
- Knowledgeability: Another crucial quality is having knowledge not only of the destination but of reputable hotel brands, destinations and culture/customs. I cannot say enough how important and useful it is to have the level of knowledge I possess in many aspects of travel. Going to a travel agent is crucial when you are not familiar with a destination, its customs, cities, etc. Having someone to assist at the start of the trip and all throughout is priceless.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who knows what they want and some basic travel knowledge already. A client that is open to trying new things and adventures and not a penny-pincher. They understand the value I bring as an agent with my expertise and knowledge and have a certain level of respect for my time and effort.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/travelswithtashana
- Instagram: travelswithtashana
