Roslyn Ranse, Founder and Director of Travel Agent Achievers, explains why stronger travel businesses start with better decisions, better use of time and a clear understanding of value.

For Roslyn Ranse, one piece of advice sits above almost everything else for travel advisors: “Know your numbers.”

The Founder of Travel Agent Achievers believes advisors need to understand where their clients come from, what they are selling, their margins, operating costs and, ultimately, how much they need to sell for the business to work for them.

“If you don’t have sales, you don’t have a business,” she says. But sales figures alone can be misleading. An advisor selling $1 million in travel could potentially earn the same as someone selling $500,000, she points out, because turnover does not show whether a business is profitable or sustainable.

That distinction is central to the mindset shift Ranse believes advisors need to make.

“Recognize that you are a business owner, and start treating yourself and your business with the respect that deserves,” she says. “We need to stop measuring success purely by how busy we are or how much travel we sell.”

Being busy and being productive are not the same thing. Ranse encourages advisors to look closely at where their time goes and whether administrative work could be automated, systemized or delegated. Thirty minutes with the right client, she notes, could lead to a $10,000, $20,000 or even $100,000 booking.

“The mindset shift happens when you start making those decisions as the CEO,” she says. “Even if you’re a solopreneur and you’re the only person in the business, you’re still the CEO.”

Technology can play an important role in creating that space. Ranse is enthusiastic about AI and other tools, but says the goal should not simply be to fit more administration or more bookings into the day.

“Be more human. Use technology, systems, processes and AI to reduce the repetitive work, then invest that time back into relationships,” she says. It can be used to call clients, understand why they travel, meet suppliers, strengthen industry relationships and keep learning.

That human connection is also closely tied to the question of charging for professional expertise. Ranse does not believe every advisor must charge a fee, but she does believe every advisor needs to understand the value they provide.

“We readily expect to pay other professionals for their knowledge, experience and expertise,” she says. “Travel advisors should recognize that what we bring has value too.”

Ranse’s own Travel Agent Achievers podcast began as a way to make business education practical and accessible, before growing into mentoring, education programs and a wider community. Ultimately, she wants to help advisors become stronger business owners so they can better serve their clients.

“Being busy isn’t the goal. Building a profitable, sustainable business that works for you is.”

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From Travel Advisor to Business Owner
10 Moves to Build a More Profitable Travel Business and What the Top 1% Travel Advisors Do
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