Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Washington.
Hi Dana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m from Charlotte, NC, born and raised! I was always one of those over-achiever, nerdy types from a young age, so I quickly found my knack for numbers and, eventually, engineering in my early teens. I graduated from the largest HBCU in the nation, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, with a Mechanical Engineering degree. I moved to LA one month after graduating, and I’ve loved LA ever since! I have been working in the Aerospace industry for almost ten years, and it still amazes me the types of projects I’ve been able to be a part of, like, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope that just launched this past Christmas. Work was my life for a while, as I was chasing career goals to become a Program Manager while earning my Masters’, that was my only focus. See, back home, you went to work or school came home, ate dinner, prepare for the next day, and repeat. There wasn’t really a culture of dream chasing or exploring passions for me growing up compared to a city like LA.
So this city really opened my mind, considerably, to a new way of living and thinking; and that was that work isn’t everything, RELAX! Engineering was something I was good at, it paid the bills, it was interesting enough, but I wasn’t truly passionate about the work I was doing. I quickly found my passion for travel after that first trip out of Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX! I found a pretty cheap flight deal to Rio de Janeiro, from there the rest was history! That trip was such a life-changing experience, I had to keep seeing what else was out there. Since then, I’ve been blessed to have seen over 25 countries across five continents. Special thanks to my travel buddies for always being down for a trip! We have had some amazing, life-changing experiences abroad that I will cherish forever. Soon enough, the questions came rolling in about my travels and how I was able to afford to travel so often; and that’s how theTravelPointe was born! My main goal was to simply be a resource to my community, to inspire others to go after those experiences for themselves, to help other women, especially black women, realize that traveling abroad is safe nor out of reach, and to try to take the stress out of vacation planning altogether for those that need it.
“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.” – Anthony Bordain
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world, you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” – Anthony Bordain
Mr. Bordain was able to eloquently describe the feeling of world travel in words better than I ever could. I believe traveling is such a beautiful agent for growth and that is something I simply want to share with everyone! My hope is that everyone is able to experience that type of feeling at least once.
Since our inception, we’ve been able to help numerous clients plan trips they didn’t otherwise think they could take, we’ve launched our ‘Budget Travel 101′ e-book’ to help others save money while planning on their own, and we’ve created ‘pre-built’ itineraries for special destinations based on my personal experiences. But my story is far from over! While I continue to grow my travel business, I’m tapping into my entrepreneurial spirit in multiple ways. I’m also on the team of a black-owned travel tech startup called BuddyPass Inc., I’m a host on Turo, I invest in real estate developments and other small businesses, and will be looking to launch a mobile hookah service, called Luxury Smokes LA, in the Spring – All while continuing to travel the world!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Absolutely not! Not only did I have those internal battles and second-guess myself on literally every decision I needed to make, but getting my business noticed isn’t that easy for me. The need for constant promotion, marketing, posting ‘pretty’ content in order to successfully market your business in this day and age is not my forte at all. So that part of the business definitely needs some work. If you know any content managers let me know 😀 But I have all these big ideas and a million things I want to do, but I am literally teaching myself how to do it from ground zero. From website creation to automating email responses to retaining clients, it’s a lot! But honestly, when it comes to anything travel, it doesn’t feel like work, so I don’t mind the extra time and effort I need to put into it, especially if I can help others. Thankfully with the support of my tribe, I’m motivated to keep going!
We’ve been impressed with theTravelPointe, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
theTravelPointe is a travel planning service where we build custom, budget-friendly itinerary options for our clients! We’re considered a one-stop shop for all our client’s travel planning needs where we build custom itinerary options within a budget that is set by the client. Itineraries include flight options, accommodations, tours, excursions, entry requirements and other country-specific info at minimum. Every traveler is different, so all of our plans are custom to our client’s wants and needs! The process is super simple, and there are no hidden fees when working with theTravelPointe. We provide a personal experience for our clients that include 1-on-1 sessions to answer any and all questions personalized support as you are booking your trip and while you are on your trip! And I believe that’s what sets us apart – the personal, hands-on approach that we take with ensuring all of our clients’ experiences are seamless and enjoyable. We also provide pre-built itineraries for more experienced travelers who need a guide for their trip but don’t need planning assistance. Our pre-built itineraries are for multiple special destinations we have personally traveled and experienced. We launched our ‘Budget Travel 101’ e-book as well, available on our website. In the e-book, I share all of my favourite tips, tricks, and resources to finding the best travel deals and saving hundreds while booking your travel. I simply want to serve as a resource for anyone who is interested in traveling, whether experienced or novice.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the travel boom has definitely hit amongst millennials at this point for sure and will only continue to grow as younger generations become more aware and knowledgeable of the world travel experience. In the next 5-10 years, I expect to see international travel significantly increasing, while the need for planners like myself will come with that demand. As technology evolves, planning and booking will become simpler and simpler, but knowing where to go for the best experiences and best discounts is knowledge that can only be passed down from experience itself. That’s where I hope to still fit in while considering other avenues of growth within the industry. Who knows, I may even have my own line of travel accessories one day!
Pricing:
- Small Groups (< 12) and Short Trips (< 14 days) – $60 flat
- Large Groups (> 12) and Long Trips (> 14 days) – $75 flat
- 1-on-1 Consultation – $30
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.thetravelpointe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetravelpointe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theTravelPointe
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/livingherdream/
