Ex-Man Utd youth player tells Andrew McQuarrie about taking a break from football to launch a homeworking career with Travel Counsellors
Q. How did you get into the travel industry?
A. I have a massive passion for travel. When we used to have six weeks off during our off-season as footballers I always used to fly out the second we finished training. So the first reason I decided to jump into the travel industry was that passion for travel and the experiences that come with it. But the main reason for starting with Travel Counsellors was because of my mentor (fellow travel counsellor) Mel Hartley. She has known my dad for 49 years – they basically grew up together. She’s a lifelong friend and pretty much family. Last summer, after I decided to take a break from football, I sat down with Mel and she mentioned going into the travel industry.
When we used to have six weeks off during our off-season as footballers I always used to fly out the second we finished training
Q. Have there been any transferable skills from football that you’ve used in your new business?
A. Yes, 100%. I’m a goalkeeper and to be a successful one you have to be very confident, be a team player and you have to have real leadership qualities. I’ve been able to transfer all of those qualities into my new business. Working from home, you are your own boss. I’ve implemented a very strict routine and I set myself targets, which comes from being disciplined within football and playing the game professionally. I’m also a very outgoing person. My mum and dad used to laugh and say if I talked long enough I could get a response out of a brick wall. So in this industry, where you need to have that personal contact with clients and reassuring conversations, I want them to have confidence in me.
I’ve implemented a very strict routine and I set myself targets, which comes from being disciplined within football and playing the game professionally
Q. Who are your clients?
A. My main clientele at the moment is footballers – friends that I’ve played with and their families. But I’ve also had customers who don’t know me; people who have come across me from my friends sharing my details or seeing me on social media, which is something I’m very keen and big on.
Q. Are there any particularly memorable bookings that you’ve taken so far?
A. There’s one that stands out for me and it’s the biggest booking I’ve ever done, and it came through a football contact. It was to Orlando – somewhere I have a wealth of knowledge about – and the total booking came to about £34,000. Funnily enough, I actually did the booking when I was in Orlando with my dad and my brother while they were working.
My mum always said to me: “It’s better to have a Plan B and not need it than to need a Plan B and not have it.”
Q. With your involvement in Life After Professional Sport, what advice do you give athletes who are retiring or thinking about another career?
A. My mum always said to me: “It’s better to have a Plan B and not need it than to need a Plan B and not have it.” And that’s something that’s stuck with me, because sometimes things come out of the blue and stop you in the process. The advice I would give to a young player is to focus on football 100% and don’t take your eye off the ball and think it’s not going to work, because it can. But if the opportunity comes around where someone provides you with information regarding a Plan B, don’t turn it down because you never know when you might need it.
If someone provides you with information regarding a Plan B, don’t turn it down because you never know when you might need it
Q. What’s the equivalent in the travel industry of making a crucial last-minute save as a goalkeeper?
A. Football just hooks you and the emotion that comes over you is like nothing I can describe. But to put that into the context of the travel industry and my new business, I got that same feeling when I made my first booking and still do each time I get a big booking over the line. That feeling hooks you and it makes you want to do more and more.
What was the first booking you made?
The first booking was a mate from football. He asked me to book a trip for him and his girlfriend – it was their first big trip so they wanted it to be really special. I took care of it all and they loved the holiday in Mexico that I booked. Afterwards he said: “I love what you’ve done, you’ve been amazing. I’ll always use you now for any travel that I have.” He’s also gone a step further and recommended me to so many people. I’ve had calls from people I don’t know and they’ve said “you’ve been recommended”.
The fact that my first booking was within two weeks of me starting was a really proud moment
It was actually surreal for that to happen. It was quite a nice tie-in because my past was pushing my future, so that was brilliant. The fact that my first booking was within two weeks of me starting was a really proud moment. Not only because I got that booking, but also due to the feedback about my service, which was amazing considering I had never done anything like this ever before.