Marj Lindner completed her initial travel agent training in 2001, and within a month the travel industry was changed forever when the World Trade Center fell.

Nearly all travel came to a standstill. For a new travel agent, this was a major hurdle, to say the least.

But Marj continued to pursue her passion for planning travel at the brick-and-mortar agency that hired her after completing her training.

Gradually, more and more of her friends began to contact her about their vacations. With persistence and dedication to continuing her education, she was able to build her client base.

After 12 years, the owner of the agency where Marj was an outside agent announced his retirement. She began searching for something similar, and familiar to her.

“In my search, I read multiple reviews from agents from many hosts, and with KHM I often got the ‘family’ feeling,” says Marj. “I would not be a number, but a real person working for a common cause to help vacationers create many memories.”

She became an independent travel agent with KHM Travel in April 2013, and by December of that year she had reached our Pinnacle Elite level.

Marj says she’s still has old school mentality when it comes to marketing her Maryland-based agency, Plan Travel 4U. She just started using Facebook, and relies on email for a lot of her client communication, but most of her business comes from repeat clients or through word of mouth.

Her old school approach has benefited Marj by allowing her to develop personal connections with her clients.

“They have trusted me to plan their valuable time of travel and I do my very best not to disappoint,” Marj says. “I plan each trip as if it were for my own personal travel. If I am not happy, my clients will not be happy!”

Marj’s personal travels have taken her around the world. On one of her favorite trips, she explored Italy with eight of her friends and their husbands. Another of her most memorable trips was an Avalon Waterways river cruise from Paris to the Normandy Beach on the Seine River.

Marj has a wide range of travel specialties, including Europe, the Caribbean, and Disney, but she encourages up-and-coming travel agents to focus on the details.

“Be patient, don’t expect a lot in the beginning, but do your absolute best in planning your client’s trip,” she says. “Do not overlook the smallest detail and never assume everything is complete.”

As her career illustrates, patience and persistence are both definitely virtues as an independent travel agent. Congratulations to Marj on her success, and we thank you for sharing your experiences and advice!

Start your home-based travel agency with KHM Travel Group, and you’ll have access to all the resources you need to reach your business goals — including the expertise of our network of agents!

Fill out the form on the right or call 1-888-611-1220 to receive our free information packet with everything you need to know about becoming a travel agent.