Life & Work with Sarah Sullivan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Sullivan.

Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have had a long passion for travel ever since I set foot in the British Isles at age 12. During this trip, I became enamored with the new sights, sounds and culture and was so excited by it all. Since then, I’ve spent a large part of my life traveling the world. I studied in Rome, Italy during College (and was lucky enough to meet my hubby there). And later spent five years living in Europe (Warsaw, Poland) exploring it inside and out. I started my work career in marketing and advertising in a project management role. I enjoyed managing the timelines, people and budgets of major advertising campaigns. When we moved to Europe, I took some time off from my marketing career and we began to grow our family.

While planning a milestone trip for my husband’s birthday to Machu Picchu, Peru I was overwhelmed at where to start so I used a travel advisor. I LOVED the experience! It made travel so much easier and stress-free knowing that the details were being handled by an expert. After returning from the trip, I knew that my travel experience/passion + my excellent project management skills could be combined to be one awesome travel advisor! From there, I started a training program to learn the travel industry inside and out and also worked in a mentorship role for a well-established advisor. After completing these programs, I was fortunate to join an incredible and well-respected travel agency, Epperly Travel. Today, I love helping clients create curated itineraries to make lasting memories in new and different places!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anything in life is ever a perfectly smooth road. It’s these bumps and hurdles that allow you to continue to learn and improve – to be a better version of yourself. They also help you appreciate the high points and successes even more. I think the biggest struggle I’ve had was believing in myself. I knew I was capable of being an amazing marketing manager but could I be a successful travel advisor as well? I hold myself to a pretty high standard so I made sure to do lots of training and development. I then took the time to immerse myself in the industry. I was fortunate to practice the day to day job through an awesome internship. And, then I was very choiceful in the travel agency, Epperly Travel, that I wanted to join. Over time, and with each successful trip I planned I gained a stronger belief in myself.

The interesting thing about the travel industry is that the road will never be smooth – there will always be challenges to solve (e.g., post-Covid travel, a tour guide not showing up, etc.) and more to learn (e.g., New resorts opening, different travel trends). I like this aspect of the job as it pushes me out of my comfort zone.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a luxury travel advisor. I help people plan custom-crafted vacations to create amazing memories. I have traveled as a student, an adult and as a mom. I understand that today, people and families are overwhelmed and busy. They need a getaway from the daily grind but don’t have the time to spend planning travel and scouring the internet to ensure their time and money are well spent. We understand that travel is not one-size-fits-all and that every client is looking for their own unique experience. I am here to help make the travel planning experience seamless and fun. I handle the big details (location, resort) and small (private dinners, activities, and more) so that my clients can relax, back their bags and enjoy!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.epperlytravel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelwithsarahs