Meet Lillian Hocevar of Traveluxe Official

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lillian Hocevar.

Lillian, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey began at a young age riding in the Burley behind the back of my dad’s bike. We rode everywhere: to school, to Toucan’s Ice Cream Shoppe, to baseball games, and to visit family. I share this because these moments sparked my desire for adventure, my bond to the outdoors, and my passion for connecting with others.

Fast forward 29 years later, while on an eight weeks sabbatical, my husband and I were in the back of a bus on our way to Machu Picchu. It is about as cliche as it gets, but this is where I met my now business partner, Emily, founder of Traveluxe Official. Emily and I spent our remaining evenings together in the Sacred Valley [at the lodge we were both staying at] sharing our goals, our passions, and our values over Pisco Sours. I admired her determination to create a business from the ground up, her value for family, and her zest for travel.

In those evenings together, I decided to take a leap into the unknown and trust someone who I had met over the course of three days. A little scary. But what I knew in that moment and know to this day is that I am my best self when I am traveling, experiencing the outdoors, and connected to the people I love the most. My best life is the journey similar to what I experienced in the Burley at a young age.

Has it been a smooth road?
Life has bumps in the roads, but it’s how you respond, learn, and move forward that matters most. With that being said there are three ‘bumps’ that are most important to share. First, patience. I like to think I have patience, but man, it requires a lot of patience to get something off the ground. I read a quote somewhere and it was along the lines of ‘Many people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, but underestimate what they can accomplish in 10 years.’ I initially set out on this journey with a lot of big goals that I wanted to accomplish in one year. Some of those slowly unraveled during the course of the first year, but more importantly, I had to remind myself that I am a beginner. I am a learner. I need to be patient with myself and soak in as much information as possible. It can often feel that the amount of work that I am doing and the financial return I am getting back just don’t add up, which leads me to struggle number two.

I learned quickly not to define my worth and ability by the amount of money on my paycheck. Starting off and not making a paycheck for a few months was difficult, but the feeling of closing a booking and making that first dollar [on my own terms] was and still is euphoric. And struggle three, me. We are all our worst enemies. Self-doubt and fear of failure are real things and they love sneaking in and out especially when you care A LOT about the work that you are doing. Lately, I have been telling myself [sometimes even out loud] ‘Everything in my control, I am going to give it 120% because I always do. Everything out of my control, I am going to let it go.’ This has helped me manage my anxiety, stress, and productivity.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Traveluxe Official story. Tell us more about the business.
Traveluxe Official is a luxury travel concierge firm. We specialize in customized travel itineraries and are known for our attention to detail, our unwavering quality service, and our relationships with the most knowledgeable hoteliers, transportation services, and tour operators from around the world. We believe that luxury is not just found at five star hotels but is also found in the details and the ability to experience the unforgettable. We effortlessly merge travel with lifestyle.

I only want to speak for myself but I am most proud of the partnership Emily and I have. We work together in everything we do and share different perspectives along the way. We both have a team mindset and know that we can only go so far alone. I am honored to be on this journey with her.

What sets us apart is our desire to continue to innovate on the experiential part of working with our clients. We cater everything we do to what the client’s needs, wants, and desires are. Our primary focus is to enhance the travel experience in every way possible. We truly care.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see a few things already starting to happen that I believe will continue to grow over the course of 5-10 years.

The first is social media. Social media as a whole has supported us in not only acquiring new clients but also in staying relevant and connected to our clients and audience through storytelling. I think it is important to recognize the millennial generation in this. They have grown up utilizing social media in its entirety. Not only is social media a place to connect and gain knowledge but it also is a slippery slope into comparison of life and lifestyle, hence the term ‘Instagram-able moment’. There will be a constant desire for the capture-worthy moments and I think it is important as a travel agent to recognize that and continue to learn, discover, and share the one-of-a-kind and unique experiences.

The second thing that I see happening already is sustainability and give-back programs at many of the hotels that we are in relationship with. I believe as a travel concierge service that it is important these types of programs are built within the business model. Again, the millennial generation is making purchasing decisions oftentimes based upon do-good programs attached to the products and services that they purchase.

Millennials are already a part of our client base and will only continue to be a bigger portion, and then we will need to assess the next generation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.traveluxeofficial.com
• Phone: 2624837946
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @traveluxeofficial
• Other: @lillianhocevar

Image Credit:
Emily Lockard-Furry

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