How does an advisor nearly quadruple year-over-year sales to book $9 million in travel in her third year of business? I recently caught up with travel advisor Katy Caldwell-Cole, the founder of Touring Folk, to discuss just that.
A big part of her success had to do with strategic hiring, which we examine in this issue’s cover story, “Hire Power.” Last year, Caldwell-Cole brought on a part-time employee, and this year she hired an additional full-time employee. But it’s important to note that this plan did not come easily to her. She is a self-described “Type A” person who prides herself on accountability and high-touch service. So, she’s had to create a hiring plan that works for her — a boutique employee model — and improve her delegating skills. To do that, she reflected on what parts of the work brought her the most joy and embraced the idea that growing her business required a team.
“I’ve got a quote on a sticky note on my computer screen: ‘The tighter you cling, the slower you will grow,’” she said. “I look at that every day. If you’re clinging to everything and want to be the expert on everything, you’re going to stay where you are.”
Hiring a new person takes a big leap of faith. This is a challenge that we recently had here at TravelAge West, where we made our first new hire in more than a decade. Because our team is so seasoned — with an average of 15 years on staff per person — it was no easy feat.
So, after culling hundreds of resumes down to the applicants with the best experience and skills, one question helped us narrow down our search even further: Who wanted to grow with us — and who would also help us grow? Because we kept this idea central in our hiring, we know we have a bright future serving advisors in new and meaningful ways — and we wish you equal success in tapping into your own hire power.
