We chat with Rachael Seymour Founder & Director, Cornerstone People Solutions on taking leaps of faith, believing in your own abilities and the philosophy of selling travel, in conjunction with the inaugural Women in Travel Awards in November.
I started my career after I fell in love with travelling as I was growing up. Being fortunate to visit many wonderful places, I was drawn to study a Bachelor of Business majoring in Travel and Tourism. My first job was working for Swain Destinations in Philadelphia when I was a wholesaler who sold travel to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
Once I returned, Flight Centre gave me a chance at the age of 21, which was amazing. The philosophy of selling intrigued me and I worked hard to prove myself as both a successful consultant and a leader, becoming a Victorian area leader at 26.
At 30 I took a leap of faith, one that seems bigger now than I thought it was then, to start my own business with Cassi Tormey and Nadine Mathieson, both colleagues from Flight Centre.
We tripled turnover last year – I will always bite off more than I can chew but we usually pull it off. This is me both at work and at home. And I would say failures have not defined my success as much as past leaders and role models. When you are young and inexperienced you don’t know what you don’t know, so when you have inspirational people guiding and mentoring you it shapes who you are and how you want to drive personal and business success.
The percentage of women is high in travel agencies across retail, corporate and wholesale but as you move away from the selling coalface there are more men. One observation I would make is that women in the industry need to become better self-promoters and believe in their ability.
Travel Weekly is proud to present the inaugural Women in Travel Awards in Sydney on 17 November.
Award entries are now closed, and finalists will be announced on Travel Weekly only 1 November.
Winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on 17 November in Sydney. Earlybird tickets are on sale.
Any questions, contact Daisy Melwani on 0401216294 or drop her a line here.
Read other Women in Travel interviews in this series:
Simla Sooboodoo, Hands On Journeys
Eliza Woodward, SmartFlyer Australia
Jennifer Vandekreeke, Carnival Cruise Line
Bella Tipping, Airline Activist
Ainslie Hunt, TMS Asia Pacific
