Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Graham.
Hi Jon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For 16 years, I worked as a video producer for a non-profit. Then, for the first time ever, I received a meaningful year-end bonus—and decided to use it on a cruise. At age 52, I stepped onto my very first ship… and I was instantly hooked.
For the first time in my life, I actually vacationed. As the dad and husband, I’d always been the one making sure everyone else had what they needed, constantly checking the bank account to keep everyone’s dreams afloat. But on a cruise, everything was paid for, everyone had endless options, and I could finally relax. It felt like heaven.
I shared my new love for cruising (and soon, travel in general) online, and a college friend messaged me: “You should be a travel agent. Your passion alone would attract business.” I had no idea where to begin, but I joined a local host agency—and in my first 20 months, that passion led to over $1 million in sales.
Since then, I’ve poured my energy into large group cruises and similar group experiences. More recently, I’ve expanded my focus into luxury and expedition travel as well. The travel industry offers endless opportunities to learn and grow, and I absolutely love being part of it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I still remember the first time I created a custom itinerary for a client traveling through the Greek islands. She had very specific hotel preferences and leaned toward a luxury experience. Her total investment was close to $20,000—and I was a nervous wreck. She had entrusted me with so much, and I felt the weight of making every detail perfect.
When flight and ferry schedules started shifting, my stress went into overdrive. With the time difference, I barely slept—staying up through the night to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks and her trip stayed seamless. In the end, everything went beautifully, and that experience gave me something invaluable: the confidence to trust myself.
Working with group events brings huge victories and the occasional gut punch. People are quick to place a small deposit, but when the final balance is due, a predictable percentage can’t make it across the finish line. It can be discouraging when you envision big turnout, big sales, and big experiences—but over time, I’ve learned to trust the process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
One of the things that truly sets me apart in the travel business is the combination of life experiences I bring to the table.
I’m still a full-time video producer and storyteller, which gives me a unique edge. It helps me market destinations, group experiences, and itineraries in a way that resonates emotionally—and it also allows me to help my clients tell their stories.
I’ve also been a minister since I was 17. That background shapes the way I care for people. When a client faces a struggle—whether it’s a challenge during travel, a medical emergency, or the heartbreak of not being able to afford a dream trip—I feel it deeply. I genuinely hope clients experience far more than a simple business transaction when they choose me as their advisor.
And I’m an unapologetic outside-the-box thinker. I rarely accept the phrase, “We’ve never done it that way before.” My instinctive response is, “Fantastic! Let’s innovate and shake things up. There’s always a better, smarter, more creative way to serve people.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t believe in luck—I believe God places people in our lives at exactly the right time. When we show up with honesty and a genuine desire to give more than we receive, the rewards naturally flow from those relationships. I’m audacious enough to believe that the things I dream up can actually happen, and I try to spark those same dreams in the people I’m blessed to know. My goal is always to support, encourage, and elevate the dreams they already have.
Take one example: a friend of mine runs a Facebook networking group for people in the film industry, mostly in Nashville. Early in my travel career, I told him he should take his networking event onto a cruise—it would create a powerful shared experience and deepen the connections in his community. He agreed, and now we’re heading into our third year. The event has grown to over 100 participants.
Everything in life ties together—everything. You just have to be aware enough to notice the threads, and intentional enough to weave them into a vision that fuels your calling and your business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://justsayjon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grahamcreativevacations
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrahamCreative
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@grahamcreativevacations
Image Credits
All personal photos
