Exploring Life & Business with Holland Eisenberg of Venture Boutique Travel Agency

Today we’d like to introduce you to Holland Eisenberg.

Hi Holland, 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?
I have been booking trips for my family and extended family for over 2o years. I guess it all started when I was pregnant with my last child. I wanted to take the family on a last hoorah before welcoming baby girl #3 so I started scouring the internet for the perfect place that would provide exactly what I was looking for: relaxation for my husband and I and fun for our two girls, ages 3 and 5, with the option of a kids club. After a lot of research, I settled on a resort in Bermuda and we had an incredible time. I had such fun putting it all together that when she was three years old, I was back at it; this time with a multi-generational trip which landed us in Myrtle Beach, SC. As time went on, I designed and booked more and more trips and I found I just love the process almost as much as the trip itself! I was an accountant by trade so the analytical part is second nature to me and my passion for travel, as a way to see new places, spend time with loved ones, break from the routine and learn about other cultures, only intensified. So when that baby girl #3 was off to college and I was reflecting on where I wanted life to take me next, I kept coming back to the idea of starting a travel agency. So many family and friends kept gently directing me back to that when I resisted (the idea of starting a business seemed so daunting!), but I eventually had to admit that nothing would be more satisfying to me. Being a travel advisor versus a travel planner has been a whole new journey of learning and I am (mostly) loving it!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
So back to the travel advisor versus travel planner part! Well, backing up a bit, I learned I couldn’t open a travel business in California without a seller of travel (SOT) number, which can be pretty cumbersome for a small agency just starting out. Plus, not having been in the travel industry before, I didn’t have established relationships with suppliers. So I decided to open under the umbrella of a “host agency.” It would allow me to operate my business under their SOT number and have access to their vetted suppliers, training materials, new business strategies and about 6,000 colleagues to lend support, all of which I needed! There were so many struggles along the way and, while I’m great at researching, planning and booking trips, I soon realized running it as a business would have so much more involved. What do I call my business? How do I structure it? How do I market it? How do I get it on search engines? Do I need a DBA? How do I protect against fraud? I even found booking travel couldn’t be done the way I had been used to: going to the airline’s website, booking directly on the boutique hotel’s website or searching Costco for a rental car. No, everything had to be run through vetted and trusted suppliers, both to ensure quality for my travelers and to ensure I would get paid. My husband is a small business owner so he was able to give me some guidance on the business side but the travel side has been a definite learning journey. And the industry is constantly changing so I’m sure the learning will never end, which I’m actually okay with!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Venture Boutique Travel Agency?
My travel agency is a full-service agency, so I handle as much (or as little) as a client wants, from the planning process to booking it: air, lodging, transportation and excursions. I handle all forms of travel: independent land travel (aka FIT trips – fully independent travel), cruises, guided tours and all-inclusive stays. Personally, my passion has always been FIT trips: I love finding a place I want to visit, putting it all together, and visiting it according to my own pace and interests. But not every destination is ideal for that and not everyone wants to travel like that. There are times when a cruise is more desirable (it IS nice to unpack once and see lots of places!) and, as I get older, I am really appreciating what a guided tour offers. Done with the right company, it can help you learn so much more about a destination. Plus, letting someone else handle all the details can be really, really nice. Destination-wise, I am most familiar with booking trips throughout the U.S. and Western Europe but that is constantly expanding. I have been asked to book trips to Japan, the Caribbean, Central America and Central Europe. My confidence to take on new destinations stems from the vast suppliers, destination specialists and colleagues that I have access to. The most important thing to me is and always will be my travelers. I want to deliver exactly what they are envisioning and help it come to life. That is why I went into this business. Not everyone has the time or interest to dive into the details so I want to do it for them and help them discover new places, spend time with people they love and take some time away. Seeing those smiling faces in photos is incredibly rewarding!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Being a small-business owner himself and much more computer- and tech-savvy than I am, my husband was instrumental in helping me get set up. Seeing him navigate the waters of running a successful business over the years gave me that last bit of confidence that YES, I can do this!. I also have learned so much from him about networking (not in my wheelhouse; I’m more introverted than he is) and taking great care of clients (if you do that, the business will come). My daughters, though, have been my biggest cheerleaders. For so long I was theirs and now the tables have turned. Well, not really. I guess I should say we cheer each other on now! They are always so excited to hear about a new client call or what fabulous trip I am planning for someone. When I struggle, they love to listen and give suggestions. And when I figure it out, they are the first to say how proud they are of me. I also have a few close friends and family members who are always ready for me to bounce ideas off of, would never think of booking a trip without my assistance, and/or are just always very encouraging. Running a business for me is similar to my motto of raising kids: “It takes a village!” I am grateful to have such a supportive and loving “village.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://venturebta.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ventureboutiquetravel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ventureboutiquetravelagency
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holland-eisenberg-2289b5260/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/venture-boutique-travel-agency-valencia?osq=Travel+Agents