Rising Stars: Meet Eliseo Rangel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eliseo Rangel. 

Hi Eliseo, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The world beyond the U.S. has fascinated me since my single-digit years when I was running through the backyard armed to the teeth with sticks and imagination. I still remember the moment I stepped out of a Parisian subway station into a foreign city for the first time. Streams of people crowded the sidewalks, chatting in a language that glanced off my ears and disappeared into a haze of incomprehension. Gasoline and exhaust from the constant bustle of cars mixed with the smells of toasting bread from a nearby bakery. And the sounds! Honking, shouting, laughter, leaves rustling in the wind, footsteps, street market vendors calling to each other while packing up their stalls. I was instantly hooked. 

I went to school to be an artist, but a debilitating case of creative burnout led me to the travel lifestyle and I ended up working dead-end jobs just to save up for my next trip. The phrase ‘five-year plan’ was about as foreign to me as the countries I was visiting. I didn’t even enter the travel industry until 2018 when near-broke and unemployed from a cross-country backpacking trip, I answered a remarkably quirky ad for a student travel company. My time as a high school tour guide, wearing a neon shirt bright enough to be labeled a safety hazard, led me to corporate travel where I embraced a promising career path that lasted until March 2020. Covid hit the travel industry like a freight train impacting an unfortunately placed sandcastle, and I found myself unemployed and stuck at home with nothing to do but think. Where did I want to go? What did I want to do? How many times could I get away with wearing the same shirt in a row? (Spoiler: a lot). 

It wasn’t until late 2020 that I discovered Pickles Vacations. A small luxury travel agency that focused on incredibly personable customer service run by a woman who may just love cruises as much as her own children? That was exactly the kind of small company I was looking for. I’m now in the position I’ve always wanted to be in – helping others get out and experience all the wonder the world has to offer. Being out of the corporate ladder and building my own brand and name is both terrifying and elating, but it’s the impact I can have that makes it all worth it. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting as a home-based travel agent in the wake of Covid has been about as smooth as a rocky road ice cream cone scooped by a jittery ice cream maker on their sixth cup of coffee while their truck rolls backwards down the most pothole-filled dirt road you can imagine. Covid has a reputation for messing up the best-laid plans, and entering into an industry where airline travel and tourism took a sharp nosedive was not the easiest thing. 

I stay informed and focus on being an expert. Tracking other countries’ border policies. Planning vacations around the possibility that they can get canceled at any time. Marketing myself in a purely digital landscape with a peace of mind focus. There are constant hurdles, but as with everything I do in life, I look to take a positive spin. Put your head down. Figure out the next problem, and then the next. Smile. It may take time, but everything is figure-out-able! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in European travel, particularly Iceland, for busy couples looking to get out and have an exciting and/or romantic adventure with their significant other. Iceland is both my most traveled and recommended destination, and I never tire of encouraging people to visit its incredible volcanic landscapes! 

If Europe isn’t your shtick, I also specialize in Hawaii and the Caribbean for people who love to partake in resort life, feel the sand between their toes, and let the waves wash their worries away. 

My overall focus is on good-natured positivity. I love making people laugh, and being able to build genuine relationships with clients while helping them achieve their travel dreams is the driving force behind my job. Whenever one of my travelers comes back and tells me about their favorite dish or their standout tour, I feel incredibly proud that I can help them have that experience they’ll remember forever. 

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I absolutely adore getting a pedicure and having my nails painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Even though no one can see them, I get so excited when I take off my shoes after a busy day and get blasted in the face with color. 

I also love puns, and I will try any food in the world at least once. Snails are a particular favorite of mine and are emblematic of my mission to get out into the wild weird world and not be shell-tered. 

Contact Info:

• Email: eliseo@picklesvacations.com
• Website: https://picklesvacations.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/picklesvacations_el/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/picklesvacations.eliseo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqQzB0k7ZERDfyfMYYj6iwA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pickles-vacations-plano