Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Labarca.
Hi Michelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I have been married for more than 27 years. He has been my biggest source of support throughout my different career paths. I started out my journey as a teacher for special needs children, however, once we had our own children, I made the decision that I would really enjoy the flexibility of having my own business and running it out of my home.
My first home-based business was with Tupperware and I was able to build up a very successful career for more than 21 years. It was at this point in my life, where Mike and I had raised two amazing children who were off beginning to create their own paths, that I decided it was time for me to make a change. After much thought, I decided to purchase my own Dream Vacations franchise specializing in travel and vacation planning. With my 21 years of expertise in providing outstanding customer service – in addition to my experience with marketing and sales, combined with my vast love for travel – it was the perfect fit. The Michelle Labarca – Dream Vacations franchise was born.
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?
Unfortunately, a short time after my business kicked off, Covid threw a wrench into everything. Travel came to a screeching halt as the world began to shut down. I took this time to learn as much as I could about the travel industry, including the ever-changing Covid protocols, and I continued to keep the notion of traveling again in front of my customers. This definitely paid off as travel slowly came back to life and people were excited to get away. I was able to help my clients create the perfect getaways. People were beginning to realize that now, more than ever, enlisting the help of a good travel agent when planning a vacation just makes sense. Not only because of the ever-changing rules and protocols for traveling but also for finding the perfect fit for the best value. The right travel agent can help create lifetime memories for families, couples and friend groups.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a franchise owner with Dream Vacations and my mission is to work one on one with my clients to understand exactly what their next dream vacation should look like. I take the time to ask questions about everything from expectations, activity preferences, travel style, and budget. I then go to work to turn their ideas into a vacation reality. My job is to detail the entire vacation from start to finish saving my clients valuable time and needless frustration. My goal is to always provide them with an exceptional value no matter their budget. I also pride myself in delivering excellent customer service along with a personalized gift when the final travel documents are delivered. Building a relationship with my clients is very important to me -I want to be the first person that comes to mind each and every time they are ready to plan their next getaway.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Change can sometimes be risky, but it is often essential for success and fulfillment. Making the decision to purchase my own Dream Vacations franchise was a big step for me. I was choosing to leave a successful career that I had built for more than 21 years to start something completely different. One of my mottos in life has been to always be my absolute best, and if it was meant to be, it will be a success. What I quickly found was that my 21 years of experience with my prior business prepared me to be successful with my Dream Vacations franchise. It has been so rewarding for me to watch the successful growth of my business all while helping my clients create vacations full of lifetime memories. Becoming a Dream Vacations franchise owner was a risk that I am very happy that I took.
Contact Info:
- Website: mlabarca.dreamvacations.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLabarcaDreamVacations
