So many advisors measure growth by how many new clients they can bring in. More leads, more bookings, more names on the client list, because more clients should mean more revenue and more referrals down the line. Growth doesn't always come from taking on more, but from staying small enough to consistently deliver incredible service to every client in your rolodex.

That's exactly the model Julie Ann Hargett, owner of H Luxury Travel and a three-time Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, has built. When I invited Julie Ann to join me on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, what struck me most was that her business runs entirely on referrals and repeat clients, and she got there by intentionally staying small. Her strategy is a simple one: don't get so big that you can't manage what you have and can't still deliver the level of service your clients have come to expect. She also has two kids and a husband with a demanding job, so staying small isn’t only about protecting her service, but also protecting her own time.

She shared a story about a client who came back from an Italy trip unhappy. The trip overall went well, but there was just one piece of it in Lake Como that didn't meet their expectations and put a damper on the whole experience. Julie Ann didn't shrug it off as one bad review that would get lost among all the good ones, but instead she went out of her way to make it right. Not only did that client come back for another trip, but they also referred a new client to Julie Ann for a trip to Spain. That's "sticking to your word," as Julie Ann put it, and I think it's worth noting that you cannot go out of your way for every client if you’ve already spread yourself too thin.

Another place quality over quantity shows up in Julie Ann's business is her partner list. She only works with partners who offer 24/7 in-country access, full stop. This is a requirement, not a nice-to-have, and it protects her clients as much as it protects her. If something goes wrong for a client at 2AM somewhere across the world, they need someone who can help right then, not an inbox that gets checked in the morning. Plus, part of having a good work-life balance is never having to be the one to answer that call at 2AM herself, because being an excellent travel advisor does not mean being a worse mom.

The same instinct shows up in how she's niched her business. Julie Ann primarily works with family travel and milestone celebrations, and she's genuinely comfortable saying no to requests that are not in her lane. She's not trying to be the expert on everyone's trip; she's trying to be the expert on her clients' trips specifically, and this clarity is a big part of what keeps her business both profitable and manageable.

I don't want to make any of this sound easy, because it isn't. Julie Ann was honest that flexibility sounds great in theory but is a bit of a misnomer once a business gets busy. She waited too long to bring on help, especially during the years her business grew fastest, and those were also the years she said no to a lot, socially and otherwise, to protect what she'd built. She told me people see the highlight reel of this business and assume it's effortless. What they don't see is the blooper reel: the growing pains, the boundaries she wishes she'd set earlier, and the years spent putting her head down because the sacrifice then would buy her something on the other side.

I hear from so many advisors who think referral growth means being available to everyone, saying yes to every opportunity, expanding the niche so nothing gets left on the table. What Julie Ann's story demonstrates is that referrals aren't just a numbers game, and staying small on purpose protects your ability to keep your word to not only your clients, but to yourself and your family.

If you love hearing stories like Julie Ann'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 Julie Ann's full episode here.

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