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If you want to become a full-time luxury travel advisor but have no prior experience in the travel industry, Brownell Startup may be right for you.
Brownell Startup is a nine-month, structured mentorship and training program designed to help entrepreneurial professionals successfully transition into the luxury travel industry. Built on nearly two decades of expertise, participants work closely with Brownell’s team of industry specialists across sales, marketing, product knowledge, partner relationships, Virtuoso offerings, operations, and professional development. From this collaboration, they gain the education, support, and real-world experience that’s needed to build and grow a sustainable travel business.
There has been a lot of buzz around the resurgence of travel advisors. Beyond questions about how to plan a trip with a travel advisor, more people are now asking, “How do you become a travel advisor?”
While there are many training options in the industry, Brownell Startup set the gold standard for developing luxury travel businesses. Brownell Startup is the evolution of Brownell Mentoring, originally launched in 2006 and winner of the Virtuoso Award for Outstanding Mentoring & Talent Development. With a new name, updated technology, and years of refinement, the program continues to set the benchmark for advisor development. Brownell Startup was the first of its kind, and it remains one of the most comprehensive ways to enter the luxury travel industry with confidence.
Interview with Advisor Jessica White, owner of Jessica White Travel
Jessica White, an entrepreneur at heart, found that Brownell embraced her ambitions and provided the support she needed to grow. What really stood out to her was the company’s culture, which was a big factor when she was considering joining. During her research process, she kept hearing words like “community” and “collaboration,” and although many companies make similar claims, Jessica soon discovered that Brownell was different. After being in the program for a year, she could tell that the culture of Brownell was genuine and felt grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.
After inquiring about Brownell Startup, participants proceed through interviews and a business plan review with the Brownell team. Upon acceptance, participants attend a four-day, in-person training intensive at Brownell headquarters in Birmingham alongside a small cohort of peers. Throughout the program, participants learn Brownell systems, partner relationships, DISCOVER MORE, and core business foundations, while also taking part in more than 80 structured calls throughout Brownell Startup, including partner trainings, collaborative sessions, and one-on-one coaching.
Interview with Julie Sudderth, owner of Vivid Getaways
Learn about the positive experience of Independent Travel Advisor Julie Sudderth with our mentoring program, which she praises for its invaluable support and guidance. With her history of running multiple businesses, Julie knows first-hand the challenges of navigating the travel industry alone. However, she found the expertise and resources she needed to succeed with Brownell. Julie conducted extensive research before selecting a host agency and concluded that Brownell met all her requirements. The mentoring program provided personalized support, enabling her to learn from seasoned professionals and build a thriving travel business with confidence.
Yes and no. The heart of Brownell Startup remains the same as Brownell Mentoring, but thoughtful updates have been made over time based on graduate feedback. Brownell Startup is now nine months instead of a full year and uses a Learning Management System to house knowledge, concepts, and resources.
This allows advisors to access materials on demand, prepare for partner calls more effectively, and engage in meaningful discussions, rather than one-sided lectures. The changes allow us to meet advisors where they are and to continue enriching the program for years to come.
Think of it as a luxury travel advisor degree from the very best Ivy League school. Brownell Startup is a nine-month mentorship and training experience with a celebrated history of developing successful travel entrepreneurs. It provides the support, education, resources, strategies, and business development tools needed to launch your own luxury travel business.
Participants in Brownell Startup are independent contractors who are self-employed and hosted by Brownell, not employed by Brownell. As with any new business, you will be investing in your career. While you can earn income by selling travel during your first year, you should have the financial stability to support yourself while focusing on building your business.
Launching a new business is a full-time job and then some. There are limited circumstances in which it is appropriate for a mentee to begin winding down their current role while starting the program, but all Brownell advisors are expected to have no other work commitments. We know from experience that many mentees who have tried to do both have found that they have far too much on their plate, and either their fledgling business or their job suffers. Brownell Startup is a full-time program, and any other overlapping work commitments should be very carefully considered.
Costs include Brownell Startup tuition, start-up setup expenses, business operating costs, and some travel and marketing expenses. We advise mentees to expect to break even in their first year, but many exceed their sales goals and earn a bit of money.
Brownell Startup offers three Classes each year: winter, summer, and fall.
People interested in learning more about Brownell Startup should fill out our questionnaire, and our team will then be in touch. We spend time over several phone and video calls, typically including a business plan review, getting to know you and your business needs and aspirations. If we think the candidate is a good fit for Brownell Startup, we will invite them to apply (typically about two – three months prior to the start of each Class). Once a candidate is accepted, we share detailed onboarding steps and pre-training homework. We accept a maximum of 5 people per Class.