How to Plan Stress Free Trips and Make Unforgettable Memories | Travel Advisor Ali Raymer

I joined Cherise Walker on the Unbreakable Mompreneurs Podcast to talk travel, motherhood, and building a business from scratch.

How did I go from teaching to travel advisor?

I was leading my school's travel club, taking students to Europe and Central America, and I realized the thing that actually lit me up wasn't the classroom, it was watching kids see the world for the first time. My husband's aunt owned her own agency and told me I could be selling travel to people with money instead of high schoolers with none. That side hustle eventually replaced my teacher salary in 2019.

Does using a travel advisor really cost more than booking it yourself?

No, and it's one of the biggest myths in this industry. I earn commission from suppliers, not extra fees tacked onto your trip. You're not paying more, you're just getting a lot more value, more eyes on your itinerary, and someone who catches the details before they become problems.

What are the most underrated travel destinations right now?

Iceland is my consistent winner, no matter the season or the budget, it always delivers. Croatia is like Italy's hidden-gem cousin, with all the charm and a stunning coastline people don't expect. And Portugal is the one I end up talking clients into more than they request it themselves, and they almost always come back saying it was their favorite part of the trip.

How did I land my first clients when I was starting out?

Not through friends and family, honestly they're usually the hardest people to convince you're the expert. I joined a high-end gym I couldn't really afford just to be around the movers and shakers in my community. Showing up every day at 6am and letting people see my work ethic ended up opening more doors than any marketing I did.

How did motherhood shape me as a business owner?

My entire business burned to the ground three weeks after my first son was born, right as COVID hit. I was sitting in the ashes of everything I'd built with a newborn in my arms. Rebuilding through that season taught me a resilience I genuinely don't think I could have found any other way, and it's what made me unafraid to keep betting on myself since.

If you're a mom building something of your own, or you just love travel as much as I do, this conversation has a little of everything.