Rewrite Your Story: How Nikita James Transformed Passion into Purpose

In a world where travel can transform not just landscapes but lives, Nikita James stands as a beacon of inspiration. After years of dreaming about exploration, a pivotal moment arrived when she took her mother on her first international adventure to London and Paris. This trip ignited a passion that led her to rewrite her own story and establish a travel agency dedicated to making dreams come true for others. Nikita’s journey is a testament to the power of connection, the importance of following one’s heart, and the incredible rewards of helping others realize their travel aspirations. Join us as we dive into Nikita’s story, filled with resilience, self-discovery, and a commitment to empowering others through the gift of travel.

Can you share the pivotal moment that led you to rewrite your story and start your travel agency?

The pivotal moment that led me to rewrite my story and start my travel agency occurred after taking my mom on her first international trip to London and Paris. I’ve had the travel bug for some time and felt like when I traveled, I was able to connect with locals, see historical sites and expand my knowledge. It has always fascinated me that our world is so vast and you can wake up one morning in one location and the next day, you could be in a completely different location across the world. My mom has always said she would love to travel overseas but something always got in the way, so I decided that I would ensure that she traveled to her beloved London and Paris. My mom is in her early seventies, and no one can predict the future. My Mom had a wonderful time and still talks about it to this day! Seeing how happy she was filled my heart so much. It was after that trip that I decided, I wanted to help others to travel to locations that they have always wanted to travel to in a stress-free and effortless way.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during this transition from corporate America to entrepreneurship?

The biggest challenge I have faced during my transition from corporate to entrepreneurship has been that I’ve had to keep working full time while starting my travel agency. It’s been my biggest challenge that has taken me some time to figure out how to balance. One thing that has helped is my passion for providing services to my clients and tying things back to why I started in the first place keeps me going.

How did the memory of your father inspire you to take the leap into a new career path?

The memory of my dad inspired me to take the leap because he was always my best advocate and would tell me you can do anything you put your mind to. Having grown up with someone that encouraged me to always be myself and to take the not so straight path at times, really helped. Also, I think living with him through his last days and seeing how short life can be shifted my mindset to not only focus on things that I had passions about but also my health and taking the time to live life and travel more.
What were some of the mental and monetary hurdles you encountered, and how did you overcome them?

Some of the mental and monetary hurdles I encountered included not feeling good enough, feeling at times that I wanted to just quit because it was just too hard to balance. I also had to invest in educating myself so that I could be the best travel professional I could be. This meant, carving out budget for joining a travel advisor mastermind, marketing and advertising expenses, etc. I had to make some hard decisions around reducing how I was spending money to ensure that I could commit the time needed for my education as well as the needed expenses to make my travel agency successful.

How did your experience in corporate America shape the way you approached building your own business?

My experience in corporate America shaped the way I approached building my business a few different ways. First, I’ve had to communicate verbally and in writing for the majority of my career. I think this is probably one of the biggest skillsets I gained by working corporate America that directly translated over to helping me in my travel agency. Being a travel professional requires a lot of interactions with clients and partners across the world that we work with to plan travel experiences for clients. A second one that I’ll also mention is planning and balancing priorities. I’ve had to plan and balance priorities throughout my career. I use these additional skillsets all the time in my business. From ensuring I have allocated enough time to meet with my clients and make sure they travel without any issue, to completing all my marketing activities, to keeping up to speed on changes with cruise lines and other critical travel related impacts across the.

What role did self-reflection play in your decision to pursue a career in travel?

Self-reflection played a major role in my decision to pursue a career in travel. It helped me muster the courage to move forward through the uncertainty, fear and all the unknowns.

How has your perspective on life and career changed since starting your travel agency?

My perspective on life and career have changed to become more flexible. I’ve learned that being a business owner is a huge change and you are constantly learning. I’ve learned to be comfortable with not knowing an answer and seeking good counsel when needed.

What strategies or tools helped you stay resilient during moments of doubt or difficulty?

The strategies and tools that helped me to stay resilient during moments of doubt and difficulty include vision boarding, being part of a travel professionals master mind and learning to trust myself.

Can you describe a moment when you felt particularly empowered in your journey?

A moment when I felt particularly empowered in my journey happened with my first client. I was so happy I could assist her and could not believe I knew what I was talking about! It’s funny for me to think about that now, but it’s so true. I told myself, I can really do this.

How do you balance building your travel agency while still working full-time?

I balance building my travel agency while still working full-time by time blocking and ensuring that I do not over commit. I’ve learned that you can quickly burn yourself out if you do not take any time off. It’s not good for you and it’s not good for business. I also work most evenings after work and part of Saturday. I take one full day off a week on Sunday. It’s important for me to have enough time where I’m available to meet with clients and build the business.

What advice would you give to other women who feel stuck in their current career paths?

I would advise other women who feel stuck in their current career paths to hang in there and take some time to figure out what you really love. While it will be a big commitment to start a business, it’s so worth it. You might not feel it at the beginning, but it gets better over time. I would also say go out and connect with other likeminded people, so you have a support system. Talking to someone that has been where you are and transitioned can be extremely impactful and encouraging.

How important is it to have a support system when making a major life change?

I cannot express enough the importance of having a support system when making a major life change. Having family members, friends, a mastermind group or any type of affinity group where you can get support will help with continuing to move forward. I think if I tried to start this travel agency without any support, I probably would have quit a long time ago.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your new career in travel?

The most rewarding aspect of my new career in travel is helping my clients travel to destinations that they have dreamed about in some cases for years. Just seeing their excitement for their upcoming vacation really warms my heart. I also love learning about new destinations where I may have only had limited knowledge that expands when I partner with new destination partners or just learn through my own travels.

How do you maintain your mental health and well-being amidst the challenges of entrepreneurship?

I maintain my mental health and well-being amidst the challenges of being an entrepreneur by having a cut off time every day where I completely shut down. This helps me to decompress and focus on something fun. I also make time for my own travel. It’s important for me to continue to travel to have experiences that I can share with my clients and just to enjoy.

What final words of encouragement would you offer to women considering a significant life or career change?

I would encourage women who are considering a significant life or career change to determine their “why” and make sure they really connect with the “why” in a big way. I can say that one thing has helped me to stay centered and move forward through fear and unknowns.

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