Meet Kiera Smith | Travel Agent (TravelByKi)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kiera Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kiera, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always had a passion for traveling. Between traveling with my family growing up, to girls/friends trips as an adult, and traveling the world with my now husband, I’ve always enjoyed exposing myself to different cities, cultures and experiences. There’s just something about stepping away from the monotonous day-to-day and being at peace in an unfamiliar setting. For me, traveling is my favorite hobby; it’s my way to regroup, reset and refresh. However, everyone knows traveling isn’t always cheap, and, one thing about me, I’m a little bougie but all about getting the most bang for my buck!

Prior to starting TravelByKi, I would always naturally take the lead when it came to travel planning, and I learned pretty quickly that something about finding the best deals and prices interested/excited me. It also came pretty natural to me as well, surprisingly. Travel planning can be tedious and stressful for some, yet I always enjoyed the research, comparisons, reviews, etc; it would almost become like a game for me – trying to outdo what I’ve found previously and see just how low and how good of a deal I could find. My interest transitioned from not only finding the best deals for my own trips, but I turned into the unofficial travel planner within my friend group as well (just for fun).

After years of casually putting together trips for friends and family, it wasn’t until my husband started to encourage me to pursue my hobby seriously. Not once had I ever really considered being a registered travel agent, and it was honestly my husband who saw the vision, believed in me, and encouraged me financially benefit from what already came so natural to me. As a full-time civil engineer, who embarked on a strenuous career fresh out of college, I, at first, made every excuse in the book as to why I shouldn’t or didn’t have the time. I guess you can say I was nervous to step outside of my comfort zone and brand myself within the travel industry. If it wasn’t for my super amazing and supportive husband, TravelByKi would not exist.

Starting out, I knew nothing about being a registered travel agent with a host agency. What started as a simple inquiry and casual exchange with a travel agent on Twitter a little over two years ago, has blossomed into a successful and prospering business. I’m so glad I took a leap of face to challenged myself to purse something new.

My advice for anyone looking to embark on their journey as an entrepreneur, regardless of the industry, is: DO IT. You only get one life to live, and if there’s something out there that genuinely interests you, go for it. Put away the doubt, the what-if’s, negative thoughts like “oh, the industry is too saturated”, etc., and remember that there’s only one you and the sky is the limit. You get out what you put in, and you’ll probably surprise yourself once you see the results and what you’re capable of.

What should our readers know about your business?
I pride myself on offering personable, hassle-free travel services. My personal travel experiences have helped me be able to provide advice/recommendations firsthand. In addition to being a world traveler, what sets me apart from other travel agents is, I pride myself in offering my clients quality vacations. My motto is: If I personally wouldn’t stay somewhere, pay a certain price, etc., I am going to let you know. I’m super transparent and efficient when it comes to my work, and not only do I have a knack for finding the best deals, I genuinely care about making my clients’ dreams come true.

Getting to where I am now certainly was not easy, nor have I even come close to reaching my peak, but persistence and consistency is key. I’m most excited about how my business will continue to elevate and expand overtime, and gaining additional partnerships and travel-related invitations to high-end events along the way.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
1) Of course my incredible husband! He’s truly my biggest supporter, confidante and my favorite travel partner 2) My wonderful family for exposing me to traveling at such a young age and throughout my adolescence. 3) Last but not least, MY AMAZING CLIENTS. TravelByKi (TBK) would not be what it is today without the continuous support, belief/trust in me, and genuine love everyone shows on social media. TBK truly started from the bottom, and I love my village.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelbyki/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/travelbyki

Other: travelbykiera@gmail.com

Image Credits
Hakela Chase, Serena Smith, Bethel Yemenshwa, An’Cherise Taylor