We often talk about the mechanics of building a successful travel business: the marketing strategies, the sales techniques, the operational systems. But my conversation with Anna Harrison of Travel Observations on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast recently reminded me that the real foundation of success lies somewhere deeper - in our willingness to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for transformation.

Anna has become the advisor our Gifted Travel Network community turns to when facing their most challenging moments. As an Accelerate Mentor and 2025 Top Producer, she's built a reputation for helping advisors navigate difficult conversations with grace. At our 2025 Symposium this past March, she captivated the room with her presentation on "Navigating Difficult Conversations," demonstrating how conflict can become connection when approached with the right mindset. She is also regularly featured in Travel Market Report's "Ask An Advisor" column, where she shares insights on crafting those uncomfortable emails and transforming tense client situations into collaborative solutions.

But Anna's wisdom doesn't come from textbooks or theory. It emerged from a lifetime of deliberately choosing the uncomfortable path.

She spent three years without electricity or running water while serving in the Peace Corps in West Africa. She worked in international education, bringing foreign policy discussions to local libraries and recruiting students from around the globe. Each experience taught her to lean into uncertainty, to find comfort in the uncomfortable.

This philosophy became the foundation of her business approach. When she transitioned from side hustle to full-time travel advisor in 2019, her commissions doubled instantly. This didn't come from luck; it came through deliberate focus. She learned to say no to the small, time-consuming bookings that drained her energy. Instead, she poured her passion into what she loved, focusing instead on requests such as luxury train journeys, Portugal adventures, and Alaska expeditions.

The shift from "getting" to "giving" transformed everything. Rather than chasing six-figure bookings, Anna focused on sharing her genuine enthusiasm for specific travel experiences. She wrote extensively about Rocky Mountaineer routes, created guides for customizing luxury train trips, and became the resource travelers desperately needed. The sales followed naturally.

When her son arrived, Anna faced a choice many of us know too well. Rather than apologizing for her new reality, she created boundaries that honored both her business and her family. She structured a maternity leave with clear expectations, using a simple form to filter serious inquiries from casual browsers. Clients who valued her expertise waited. Those who needed immediate attention found other advisors.

Today, she manages her million-dollar travel business without full-time childcare, proving that success doesn't require sacrificing what matters most. She works during nap times and blocks time on the shared family calendar to focus on her business. She has learned to ask for help, something she admits doesn't come naturally but has become essential.

Her advice to advisors seeking their own breakthrough centers on viewing progress as daily victories rather than distant destinations. Every uncomfortable proposal sent, every boundary maintained, every passion-driven blog post written - these are the building blocks of sustainable success.

Anna reminds us that confidence isn't inherited; it's practiced. Like going to the gym, you don't bench press your goal weight on day one. You start with the basics, build your foundation, and gradually increase the load. She acknowledges that sometimes the travel industry will knock you down, as its extreme highs will inevitably come with some crushing lows. But if you're not willing to sit in that discomfort, you'll never move forward.

Perhaps most importantly, Anna has discovered that owning your value isn't arrogance but necessity. When you genuinely believe in what you're offering, when you're excited about the trips you're planning, that energy becomes magnetic. Clients feel it. They trust it. They invest in it.

The journey from booking friends' cruises to crafting six-figure itineraries isn't linear. It's a series of small, brave choices to step into discomfort, to value your expertise, and to trust that when you lead with passion, success inevitably follows.

If you love hearing stories like Anna’s, tune into The Travel Business Unpacked podcast! Each episode dives deep into the real stories, practical strategies, and transformational moments that turn travel dreams into thriving careers. Listen and subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and check out Anna's full episode here.

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