Don’t Tell Me I Can’t… make a million!
Disillusioned with her day job, Palvi Harvey opted to take a big risk
Wandering around Disney World, Orlando, celebrating my husband Roga’s 50th birthday with our daughters, Leia, 15, and Sanaya, 14, I feel so proud I can treat them to such a special trip. As we check out the new Star Wars attractions, the girls giggle with excitement, while Roga, a huge fan of the films has a big grin stretched across his face. A luxurious holiday like this would’ve normally been well out of our budget, but it’d been a gift from my company, thanking me for all my hard work. And enjoying all of the different rides in the Floridian sunshine makes every risk that I’ve taken during the past five years worth it, a thousand times over.
In August 2015, after years working in marketing, I was bored and disillusioned with my career. I’d fallen into the job as it provided a secure wage as Roga and I brought up Leia and Sanaya, and purchased our own home. But now they were 10 and nine, and I was fed up with working long hours and missing out on so much time with them.
There were two things I’d always wanted to be; a personal travel consultant and my own boss. But buying into The Travel Franchise – which would allow me to do both – had never felt like a viable option until now.
‘You’d be amazing at it,’ Roga reassured me. It was a big step, but, with his support, I thought maybe, just maybe, I could make this work.
So we paid the upfront costs, which
‘I SOLD A £46,000 PERU TRIP’
included my own website, online training, a company mentor, and access to hundreds of suppliers. Then, I started building my business, Travel Pals, running it alongside my marketing job at first, offering packages to family and friends. I’d ask them for their wishlists, where they wanted to stay, activities they wanted to do, any extras, and then I’d source the best holiday possible within their budget. It was a buzz, making dreams come true.
In December 2015, I left my job to become a travel consultancy owner full time. Not having a safety net was daunting, but it freed me up to work even harder. I’d trawl through social media, and whenever family or their friends wrote that they wanted a holiday, or commented on a travel inspiration post, I’d message them with suggestions to make it happen.
It was a simple, but effective tactic, and word quickly spread. I provided a personal experience for competitive prices. I’d give as many recommendations as possible, so they could get the best out of their holiday – after all, people were spending cash that had taken them a year or more to save. I was eager to give them as much as I could for their money.
I sold holidays to Dubai, and Europe, then, in early 2017, I made my biggest sale yet – a £46,000 trip to Peru for a group of eight. Reporting my figures that month was thrilling. And the numbers kept creeping up until, by January 2020, I’d made £2 million in sales. The following month, the company treated us to that dream family Disney holiday.
Launching my own travel business has changed my life. I can juggle my hours around the girls – although sometimes I have to work late or at weekends. But the satisfaction I get is immeasurable. I’m so glad I took the plunge – it was a big risk, but one I’ll never regret.