Posted on: June 11, 2025 at 2:15 PM
After years of climbing the corporate ladder and holding management positions with several Fortune 500 companies, Chandra Brown made a bold leap—leaving the predictability of corporate life behind to pursue her passion for travel. She considered several host agencies and early on even looked into the Cruise Planners franchise, but settled on trying her luck as an independent agent.
Today, she’s not only a thriving Cruise Planners travel advisor—she’s also an Independent Advisor Director on the ASTA National Board of Director, leading the charge for professional development and advocacy within the travel advisor community.
Being in her leadership position at ASTA has given Chandra a unique vantage point to see what other travel advisors across different organizations have access to—and how Cruise Planners stacks up.
Her conclusion? It’s unmatched.
“I’m around travel agents all the time. Nobody, and I mean nobody, has what we have.”
One of the most powerful advantages she cites is Cruise Planners’ exclusive technology platform, CPMAXX—a proprietary tool that transforms how she manages her business and connects with clients.
“Second to none! Others do not have that. They have spreadsheets and reports. They do not have insights!”
For Chandra, the power of Cruise Planners goes beyond tools—it’s about community. As a franchise owner, she has access to a nationwide network of peers, mentors, and friends. Whether she’s seeking advice on a destination she hasn’t visited or insights on a cruise ship she hasn’t sailed, she knows she’s only a message or phone call away from expert help.
“We bounce ideas off each other. I can rely on their advice for destinations I haven’t been to, ships I haven’t been on… It’s a huge advantage.”
Chandra’s Top 3 Tips for Aspiring Travel Advisors:
1. Get Out.Don’t expect clients to find you; get out into your community. Unlike big-name franchises like McDonald's that benefit from immediate recognition, travel advisors need to build visibility and trust. Join business and networking groups, mom’s groups, or local clubs.
“You have to let people know not just who you are, but what you do and how you can add value to their travel planning.”
2. Get Niche.
Specializing is key. Chandra emphasizes that trying to sell everything to everyone is a fast track to burnout.
“It’s not possible to keep up with everything that’s changing in every single facet of travel. Specializing—whether by destination, demographic, or travel type—helps you stay current and serve your clients better.”
3. Get Goals.
Being your own boss means the sky’s the limit—but you need a roadmap. Set measurable goals, whether it’s a revenue target, number of new clients, or expanding your niche.
“You create it, you build it, you develop it.”
Chandra Brown’s story is a powerful reminder that success in travel isn’t about where you start, it’s about having the right tools, community, and drive to build something extraordinary. And with Cruise Planners behind her, she’s doing just that.
