I have almost 30 years of experience in the travel industry, most of that time as a travel advisor. I decided to become an Independent Contractor 3 years ago and I stayed with my brick-and-mortar agency because I was happy there. Until I wasn’t. When management changed the IC contract I thought I would see what other host agencies had to offer. Being a Virtuoso member for 9 years I knew that Brownell had an outstanding reputation among supplier-partners and advisors. But I did my due diligence and vetted a half-dozen other host agencies before making the decision. It was evident that Brownell was the best choice for me and I was thrilled when they accepted me. My experience with Brownell has been phenomenal—from the interviewing process, to the onboarding, to the continual support that I receive on a daily basis. When I joined Brownell I traveled to the HQ in Birmingham for 2 days of training where I met several department heads. They could not have been more helpful or gracious. Every single person that I met ended the conversation with “if you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.” The owner of the company, Troy Haas, requested a Zoom call with me within a week of my start date so we could get to know one another. What a wonderful leader! Brownell has the best combination of a competitive commission structure AND lots of support. The Air Desk is awesome; the CRM/invoicing platform is new and modern (TripSuite), and if I need help with something (say, booking a hotel or train tickets or putting together a quote or itinerary) the Sales Department can take that off my plate for a small fee which is totally worth it. Brownell also has an Insurance Desk that can provide quotes for advisors. Brownell uses the Slack platform to keep all the advisors engaged; I can throw out a question regarding any aspect of travel and advisors will weigh-in with their experience and advice. The collaborative culture is amazing! Brownell’s website is awesome, highlighting all the accolades they’ve received over the years. I had my website (a microsite tied in with Brownell’s website) set up soon after I joined the company. I’ve only been with Brownell for 3 months and I already received a $20,000 European river cruise booking (from a general inquiry to Brownell; I sell a lot of cruises) and a $20,000 Hawaii trip from my microsite. As the oldest travel agency in the country, Brownell gets lots of leads which are passed along to the advisors. Brownell has a flat management structure which was important to me. I’ve met many of the amazing staff of 40 who are in place to fully support advisors’ efforts and business. Brownell’s core values (passion, integrity, graciousness, innovation, excellence, and curiosity) align with mine and they definitely “walk the walk.” Moving to Brownell is the best business decision I ever made. It’s my happy place!

As someone who is new to the travel industry, I have already heard so many amazing things about Boardwalk Travel Agency from family and friends who have been involved in the industry for years. The reputation this company has for professionalism, support, and creating unforgettable experiences is truly inspiring. I am excited to be a part of a team that helps make people’s magical vacations and lifelong memories come true. Looking forward to this journey and all the wonderful experiences ahead thanks to this amazing company!