In case you hadn’t heard, Dale won our Money-Back Challenge (MBC) in December, which means we refunded his £14,995 Elite franchise fee.
Our MBC Challenge requires you to achieve a set amount of commission in your first year. It’s a unique offering we’re proud to provide (no other franchise does this!).
And the best bit?
It’s always exciting to see how our franchisees choose to spend their prize money.
For Dale, the answer is simple: a 12-month journey around the world — while still booking holidays for his customers! So far he’s taken 74 bookings since leaving the UK in January and 21 bookings in March alone!
It’s proof that this business isn’t tied to a desk; in fact, it’s the perfect opportunity to combine work and travel.
From Reality TV Dreams to Real-Life Adventure
Dale’s idea of a worldwide trip began after he and his friend Lucy made it to the final stages of selection for the Race Across the World TV series but didn’t make the final cut.
Rather than being discouraged, they decided to take matters into their own hands and plan their own global adventure.
“It was a long, grueling process,” Dale says, recalling the application steps that included video submissions, phone interviews and face-to-face meetings.
“You spend months dreaming of it, then get an abrupt kind of closure. So, we decided to create our own trip, our own way.”
Their itinerary so far has included Sri Lanka, South Korea, Mongolia and Japan! Next stop: Bangkok. Once Lucy heads back to work, Dale will continue his travels with his friend Jamie, exploring Thailand, then on to Bali, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and finally North and South America.
A Business You Can Take Anywhere
Dale set off on his trip in January thanks to our business model which allows franchisees to book holidays and manage transactions from virtually anywhere in the world.
“As long as you’ve got internet access, you can take bookings and payments through secure links,” he explains. “I can work around UK time zones, but I’m also employing Amanda as a part-time concierge manager in the UK to help when I’m in places like Mongolia where internet access might be limited.”
While on the move, Dale is also making time to meet up with clients and fellow consultants.
“I met Helen, another consultant, at Disney and Universal to deepen my knowledge on those products,” he shares. “I get loads of inquiries about them, so I want to make sure I’m offering the best advice.”
He’s also meeting some clients in North America.
“We’re a big horse racing family and I’m meeting some customers who I booked to attend the Breeders’ Cup in San Diego.Then a couple of my other clients, Caroline and Ian, have invited me to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Miami with them”.
So after spending more than 25 years in financial services has this franchise changed his life?
“Definitely. Obviously, there’s not many other careers that could give you the opportunity to do this. And obviously, the perks are huge along the way.”
So on his return, what plans does Dale have for his agency?
“Ultimately I would love to grow a small team and have maybe three consultants work for me under my brand. I don’t want to be massive, but I do think my strength is in business development.”
So would he suggest others took the leap and join our franchise? Turns out he already has!
“Yes – one of my school friends Laura Torbert has joined Not Just Travel because of my recommendation. She did her training at the beginning of December. She’s a business manager in a school so she’s part time right nowbut she’s doing really well and I have already recommended another person, a hairdresser. So yes, I do think a lot of the company and their support is just getting better and better.”
