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You don't have to be a stay-at-home mum to be a home-based travel agent

One of the biggest myths going around at the moment is that only mums returning to work become home-based Travel Agents. But that's obviously false, and today we're going to show you why.

One of the biggest myths going around at the moment is that only mums returning to work become home-based Travel Agents. But that’s obviously false, and today we’re going to show you why.

Matt Schmitz is a Gold Travel Counsellor from La Trobe Valley in Victoria – just one of the 1600+ strong network of Travel Counsellors from around the world.

Like many others before him, he joined Travel Counsellors because he wanted more flexibility, freedom and a greater earning potential than what he had working in a traditional agency. He also wanted greater job satisfaction and the challenge of running his own business.

We recently got the chance to sit down with this busy Travel Agent to learn about his journey into the Travel Counsellors family and also why he could never go back to working for someone else.

Meet Matt Schmitz, a family man, successful Travel Counsellor and self-confessed work-a-holic.

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How did you discover Travel Counsellors and what made you want to join?

I lived in the Netherlands and recall seeing Travel Counsellors there. When I returned to Australia, I worked as a Senior Agent for five years. A friend, who was a wholesaler, referred me to Travel Counsellors – she’d worked there previously and loved the company. I took the leap because I was tired of working for someone else and I knew I could do better.

The reason why Travel Counsellors was more attractive to me than other “home-based” agencies was that I knew they had the backing of a huge international company and that the systems were second to none. Also, knowing that I would have 24/7 support, especially early on, was a real comfort. Being with Travel Counsellors means I get to focus purely on what I am good at – which is selling travel – and Head Office look after things like paying my wholesalers.

Ultimately, I joined Travel Counsellors because I wanted to be my own boss.

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How has Travel Counsellors changed your world for the better?

Travel Counsellors gave me the independence of owning my own business. It would be false for me to say that it’s given me balance, because I’m a workaholic.

But through real discipline, I’ve created work life that gives me flexibility where I want it. It has been the most financially rewarding career move I’ve made and the travel opportunities for me and my young family are great; I knock back famils now, whereas I was only ever offered one in the entire time I worked in an agency.

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What advice do you have for agents who are considering becoming a Travel Counsellor?

I think there is a bit of a stigma around home-based agents, particularly when it comes to stay-at-home-mums. To be a successful home-based agent, it requires real dedication,the ability to not get distracted when working from home, and  discipline. And with discipline, the rewards will certainly come.

What I love about Travel Counsellors is that I don’t feel like I work for them; they work for me and I have my own back office team. I treat my business seriously; I start work at the same time every day. I wear a uniform and have my car branded, so that people in my town know who I am and what I do.

I joined a BNI chapter, I created a network of like-minded business owners and I talk with my BD at head office, constantly finding different approaches to running a business. It’s important to surround yourself with business savvy individuals because selling travel is what you’re great at, but learning to run a business is the key to success and you need to remind yourself every day that you are the business owner and everything boils down to me – I am the one who is going to make this succeed.

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Thank you so much Matt.

Do you want to join Matt and the hundreds of other Travel Counsellors making their mark on the world and reaping the benefits of being a successful home-based Travel Agent?

Then visit here and start your new life today.

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