Her Story
About Sasha
I've spent over 20 years in the wholesale side of the travel industry, and it's truly my wheelhouse - I've done it for so long and I'm so good at it. I worked at Classifications for over 15 years where I was top producer every single year for over 10 years straight - number one out of everybody in the top 10. What I did was book all high-end travel for travel agents, all signature travel. My most favorite place to work was UJV because I dealt with in-travel and agents called me directly on my dedicated desk. I helped start the dedicated desk concept where your agents call you directly - they had my cell phone and I'd respond 24-7, any time of day, handling emergencies and taking care of whatever they needed. I'd put whole itineraries together - agents would tell me what the client needs, sometimes a full Italy trip where they don't know what hotels but have a budget, and I know what hotels are good from booking them for so many years. Whether they have a $20,000 budget or $7,000, I can still put them at good places because I know them all. I also worked as business development manager for Frenzy Travel app with Asher, setting them up with appointments from all the agents I knew - it's like Travify and I really believe in these boys. Currently, I'm rebranding myself and working as an IHSS caregiver to a very close friend who had a massive stroke and has aphasia. I'm working through his aphasia and getting him back to his health so he can take care of himself - he's an MSNBC cameraman. I've helped him with all his bills, got him sorted out financially, and become his safety net because when you have a stroke you have a little bit of paranoia, you're scared and vulnerable. But travel is what I love and I'm looking to land myself at the next place in the travel industry, whether on the wholesale or hotel side - it's like riding a bike for me.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sasha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a team player, which I learned from playing sports when I was young. I've always played sports, so I've always been a team player, and that has transcended into my adulthood and carried over into my work. At work, I've always been a team player - if there's a problem, let's fix it, let's get it done collectively, with grace, no screaming, no yelling. In the travel industry, if something's wrong, you can easily get screamed at, but I don't like that approach. Being a team player means working together to get the job done, and that's what has made me successful throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from somebody I interviewed with, and he told me: 'Get out of your own way.' That has always stuck with me. It's such powerful advice because sometimes we are our own biggest obstacle, and learning to get out of my own way has been invaluable throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say work hard and learn as much as you can. Be nice - be nice to your coworkers and have respect for everybody around you. I'm gonna tell you, just between me and you, this industry can get really mean and dog-eat-dog. It really is, and I don't like that. I've never liked it. You can burn bridges when you act that way, and then where are you when you need to make a change or move on? So my advice is to work hard, keep learning, treat people with respect, and don't get caught up in the negativity that can happen in this industry.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
For me, getting back into the travel industry would be very easy - it's like riding a bike. I've been in it for so long and know it so well that jumping back in wouldn't be a challenge at all. The industry itself is one where people are surprised to learn travel agents still exist, but when you've got good clients and good clientele, it's an absolutely great business. The opportunity for me right now is finding the right next place to land, whether on the wholesale or hotel side, because I know I can step right back in and excel.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, honesty, being loving and caring, and being trustworthy. You have to show up - showing up and being someone people can count on is essential. In the travel industry especially, you have to be very trustworthy because people are depending on you for their trips and their experiences. These values apply to everything I do, whether it's my work in travel or my personal life, like being there for Steve as his caregiver. He needs to count on me, and being trustworthy, showing up, and being that safety net for him when he's vulnerable has been so important. It feels good to see somebody who's scared and vulnerable know they can rely on you.
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