Meet Trailblazer Valerie Borgen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Borgen.

Valerie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It all started when I was a little girl and got in trouble at my grandparent’s house. I don’t remember what I did, but I had to go sit in the corner. That corner would change my life! I grew up in a small New Mexico town. Like most little girls, I wanted to be a veterinarian. As time went on, I started writing for my high school newspaper and eventually earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism, from ENMU.

I remember telling people that I wanted to travel the world and write about it. I was fascinated with the world because that corner in my grandparent’s house opened my eyes to something beyond anything I had ever seen in my small town. That corner had a brown woven basket in it and that basket contained National Geographic magazines. I used to love reading those and quickly realized that being “in trouble” was fun! I could read all about the world while in my corner.

After college, I moved to Arizona for a few years and worked in media. I really enjoyed it but soon wanderlust consumed me and I moved to San Diego for a few months. Then, I decided to go to Hawaii on vacation and stayed for a few years. I met a young Swedish woman who had such an infectious desire to travel and it only fueled my dreams. I had been to Mexico, but nowhere else internationally,

She invited me to go to Bali for a few weeks. This was around 1996 or so. Well, that turned into about ten months. I loved and still love Asia. During that time, she and I went our separate ways and I solo traveled and met friends along the way. I visited Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Macau, Sweden, and Costa Rica. At that point, I ran out of money and was able to get back as far as Florida in the United States. My goal was to work a year and get back to Maui, but life took over and I ended up in Georgia for twenty years and became a Registered Dental Hygienist, which I still am.

During that time, I did not travel internationally for several years. One day, I was tired of talking about it but not getting anywhere. I packed my bags and went to Greece by myself and once again the travel bug took over my being and hasn’t stopped! Every year, I go to one or two countries. Last year was Sri Lanka and India. This year will be Malaysia and the Maldives.

Last year, I met a lady online who has traveled extensively. I reached out to her and we became social media friends. She taught me that I can travel for myself and book travel for others and get paid for it! I loved that idea! I can work from home, research vacations when I am not working in the dental field, get paid to book them, all from my laptop. Within a few days of talking to her, I had become an Independent Travel Agent.

Storymakers Travel has been in business for almost a year and my passion has turned into an income that I can do from anywhere in the world. I feel like I have the perfect balance between both careers.

Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That is how I feel about my travel business. Sure, I have to work to grow my business, but researching and booking vacations are my favorite pastime, so it doesn’t feel like work. I truly love it!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest obstacle I have faced is educating people that travel agents really do exist. We do and we are back! For years, the internet changed the career path of many travel agents, but we are making a big comeback and it is evident by the way business is growing. Many people have told me, “I didn’t know travel agents still existed.” But, once I share with them all the value of using Storymakers Travel to help them, people feel a connection that you can not get from an online travel website, that does not take the time to get to know you.

I think people love having a personal touch and knowing someone actually cares how they spend their hard earned dollars on dream vacations. I truly care. I want people to explore the world and see the cultures, taste all the amazing food, listen to beautiful languages. I was afraid of failure in the beginning, but the more I learned, the more motivated I became and that motivation has turned what I thought would maybe just be a hobby, into a real business.

My advice to other women who are starting their journey is to not let fear hold you back. Grab onto it and do what you have to, to reach your dreams. Of course, I was scared when I announced my business on social media. What if I failed? But, most importantly, what if I never tried?

I have so many friends that love to travel. I have since helped eight other people become independent travel agents. There are plenty of travelers in the world, I cannot possibly help everyone (although I would love to), but I can help other people reach their travel business dreams. I feel like my mentor gave me a gift and I can now pass it on.

We’d love to hear more about Storymakers Travel.
Researching and booking dream vacations is what I do! I have specialization certificates in cruises, honeymoon packages, special needs travel, Disney, and several others. I can do everything from a custom trip in any country to small and large group tours. Lately, Ireland has been a big destination choice, so I have been building my knowledge in that area. There are a million ways to travel. It is never boring!

I am most proud of the relationships that I have developed with clients. It started with friends and family, but now I am getting referrals and my circle is growing. I love seeing pictures of my clients on vacation. It warms my heart to know I helped them.

My motto at Storymakers Travel is, “you’re best stories begin here.” Perhaps that is what sets me apart. It’s hard to say. I just want the entire vacation planning experience to be positive for everyone. If my passion for traveling inspires others, then I’ve done my job and lived up to my brand.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
This a good question and a tough one to answer. My careers both in dental hygiene and as a travel agent, are female dominated. The women I know are strong, type A personalities.

Honestly, I have such a great support system with my travel agent mentors, and I try to do the same for my mentees. In the beginning, confidence was my personal barrier, but with an education that no longer holds me back.

Contact Info:

• Website: storymakerstravel.com
• Phone: 678-571-8349
• Email: val@storymakerstravel.com
• Facebook: Valerie Garcia-Borgen

 

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