From WXXI news.

This is connections.

I'm Evan Dawson.

Our connection this hour was made with a group chat.

A group of women were planning a trip to Thailand for one of their birthdays.

One by one, people started backing out of the trip for various reasons finances, life events, the things that sometimes come up.

But the woman celebrating her birthday decided she was going to stick to the plan, and the trip became a solo excursion.

It wound up changing her life.

Tarshia Shanai Franklin is now one of the top ranked travel agents in the world, and her trip to Thailand, during which she hired a tour guide and a driver and posted photos and details about her experiences on social media, generated a lot of interest.

As Franklin told WXXI Raquel Stephen, people were excited and inspired by her trip and said they wanted to travel with her.

In 2016, Franklin quit her job because she wanted to be what she calls a travel preneur.

Now, Franklin has helped hundreds, probably more people, travel the world since then.

Countless people, and she has assisted more than 100 people as they started their own travel business.

Throughout the month of February, WXXI news is Raquel Stephen is highlighting black community members whose work may be under the radar to you, but making a big difference.

And it's no question that Tarshia Franklin is one of those people.

This hour, we're sitting down with Tarshia and Franklin to talk about her work, her travels, what it means to pursue her passion.

This conversation is part of a celebration of Black History Month and Rachel Stephen, health equity and community reporter and producer for WXXI news, keep bringing us these great stories.

I'm trying.

I'm trying to live up to why I was hired you.

You're doing it across the table.

Hello.

Tarshia Shanai Franklin, owner of Sky High Society Travel Agency and the First Class Travel Network.

Nice to see you.

Thank you.

Same here.

And welcome to Valincia Tyson, the owner of Union and Odyssey Travel Agency, which is under the first Class Travel network.

Nice to have you as well.

Thank you for having me.

Raquel, everybody's been in that situation where you got, like, a weekend plan.

You got a trip plan?

Somebody backs out, somebody else backs out.

I don't know that I I'd go solo.

I don't know if I'd have the guts to go.

So what did you do at all?

At all?

No.

Especially across the world.

No.

Buffalo.

Buffalo.

Maybe Syracuse, you know, probably Atlanta, but to Thailand.

No, that takes guts.

A lot of guts.

And I was very surprised to hear how that's what you started her journey.

That is an amazing story.

Take me back there, Tricia.

So, why did you decide I'm going to do this anyway?

It was my birthday, first and foremost, and I did it that way.

You could have gone to a lot of cool places for your birthday.

That's true.

But it was already planned, and I didn't want anyone to be in a position where they chose how I chose to live my birthday.

And honestly, I'd see it happen so much where people, you know, planned things.

And unfortunately, people drop out and they're sad.

Or, you know, I'm home and you see a lot of Facebook posts where people are just, hey, I'm, I couldn't go because so many people have backed out.

And so I chose to be the opposite.

Okay.

And how was it?

It was amazing.

In fact, I took my children back two years later.

So, I mean, what a great story.

How did you find this story record statement?

So Darcy and I are our friends on on social media and we go way back, but, when she started me you don't know on.

So.

No, I don't, you know, everyone is always like, two degrees separated, right, in Rochester.

So someone knows someone, or someone is related to someone.

But I've seen her, her travel, agency journey, her travel business journey through her photos.

Right.

And through her capturing these moments with her groups, her travel groups and, and also seeing the her accomplishments and the accolades.

She continues to collect throughout this journey.

I'm like, wow, how is she doing this?

And I know a lot of people are thinking the same thing.

Like, who is she?

And how does this how did this start?

And how can I be successful doing this?

Well, I mean, it it really is a great story.

And we're going to get Valencia's story as well here because you started your business union and to see travel agency, it's under the first class Travel Network.

We're going to talk about what that process was like for you.

Are you someone who has loved travel your whole life?

I grew up traveling.

What's the first big trip you remember?

Probably Disney.

Disney.

So my my family traveled a lot domestically.

We traveled 2 or 3 times a year growing up, so for me, even now, my whole family, they call us gypsies because you never know where you're going to find, anyone.

And especially on my mother's side of the family.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in, the Maple Street AME Street area.

Now, not not far from here.

No.

And you remember that Disney trip here?

Is that, like, been a Disney here at this time?

So I was taken to Disney as a kid and my, my dad got this picture of all of us standing in line to get back in the car because he called it line world.

He said he's never been in a place where the lines were so long.

He said it was like everything was just the longest line.

The longest line.

He called it line world.

The line ride.

I mean, I didn't want to go back.

And then a couple of years ago went back, saw Epcot, saw it in a different light.

Yeah, it changed me.

It took me, took me some time.

Do you still love it?

No, I'm not a big fan.

No, no, I haven't been, so I have, boy, I have three boys, but my oldest are 24 and 21, and I have not been back to Disney since they were nine and six.

Wow, wow.

I'm a Caribbean girl.

Yeah.

This year.

What is the first trip you remember?

Myrtle beach, South Carolina.

How old were you?

778.

Somewhere on there.

What do you remember?

What stands out?

Just spending time with family.

There was about 30 of us, you know.

And just the beach.

The beach really stood out to me.

So that was my very first trip.

I believe that I can recall, at least.

And where did you grow up?

In Rochester.

Yes.

So, I mean, we well documented your upbringing.

Your whole life was a vacation growing up.

No, I know it's that's overstating it for.

But, I mean, is it weird for you to hear people are like, oh, I want to vacation to to where you grew up?

Yeah.

I mean, when you.

Yeah, exactly.

When you, when you leave is when you realize like, okay.

Yeah.

I was living in Paradise.

I should cherish it a little more.

But for me, vacations was the United States.

Vacations were coming to New York City.

That's vacation going to Florida, right?

And, that's what our vacations were.

I wonder how early people need to travel to kind of get the bug in them, or to get the habit in them, because travel is expensive and we're going to be talking to our guests this hour about how they advise people and how you help people have kind of achieve what they want to achieve.

Knowing that not everyone's in the same situation, it can be really, really challenging.

But, but certainly you start earlier, right?

So recall for you, I mean, you were probably traveling pretty early on.

Yeah.

Pretty early on, like, you know, jumping from island to island, like island hopping.

That's that's where I remember.

That's an amazing.

That's an amazing.

Most of it.

Yeah, I like ferries.

They take ferry ferries or little planes or seaplane.

Seaplane.

Yeah.

Planes.

This is exactly what it sounds like.

You take off on the ocean, you land on the ocean.

Or in the Caribbean Sea.

But I really didn't cherish it then.

I think now that I'm older and I really.

I will take it.

I will take it all in.

Or especially is like, if you've got, like, a girls trip or something.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, like we got, we travel, we got to put some on the calendar for our, our psyche in some way.

Right.

Yes, yes.

And that's what amazed me with with her.

She is like career because this is, this is something that people this is a luxury right.

Traveling is a luxury.

And she turned it into a career and it's amazing to me.

Well so let's go through these these women's careers here because I want our audience to understand exactly how they kind of got to this point.

Toshio, when did you realize you wanted to quit your full time job and start your own business?

2018 so the whole Thailand thing was 20.

When was that 20 1726, 2017, I believe.

Okay, yeah.

So not long after.

Not long after.

So what was it for you that convinced you?

Well, I've been working at HR all of my life and I love human resources, but I just want a change.

I wanted to really have my own autonomy and things of that nature, and I really have a deep, deep passion for travel.

And so that is really what intrigued me to start the travel business.

And once I realized that it was profitable, that's when I started it, you know, diving into it a little more.

So what did you end up having to do to make that happen?

Because, boy, you make it sound easy.

It's not easy.

But if you stay consistent, it's definitely worth it.

And I tell any and everyone that travel is literally $1 trillion industry.

So there's people making tons of money, half a million six figures.

And obviously there's people who's making, you know, 10,000, 5000, you know, as well.

But I feel like it's what you make it.

Right.

And so for me, I started pretty much during Covid and so I just, I knew that world was going to open up again.

Right.

And so now I'm posting travel deals because I'm like, listen, the road is going to open up.

Pricing is amazing right now.

And so hop on these deals.

Why you can.

So that way you can travel in the future and every Tuesday I was posting, travel deals and people were looking forward to it.

If I didn't post it, they were like, scuse me, you forgot to post the travel deal and people were booking literally.

And when the world open back up, they were able to still go at these amazing prices.

So that's how I kind of flipped it during that time, people may be hearing this wondering though, like, how are you making a living?

Who's paying you?

So the suppliers pay me.

So am I able to name different places?

Sure.

Okay.

So like Marriott, Royal Caribbean, Disney, you know, those Hilton, those different people pay me and they so they pay you and you can kind of put the deals out there and let people see what's going on there.

Yes.

Okay.

How do you end up with a relationship with those kind of companies.

So do they come to you after you've got like a social media following?

No.

So you are as a travel advisor, you can set up your own relationship with these different suppliers.

And as you advance, let's say if you're top ranking and things like that, now, you know they may reward you with free trips to travel to various places and things of that nature, as being like a top sales, you know, or top ranking agent.

So you set up your own relationship with the different suppliers, and every single travel agent has access to them.

Well, in a moment, we're going to talk about, you know, maybe.

Well, in our second half, we're going to talk about what is out there now and what what they are seeing.

Because where people are going, what's hot right now, we're going to let both of our guests tell you a little bit more about that coming up here.

But I'll peel back before we kind of continue here and let Raquel tell us a little bit more about your goals for this month.

We had this great conversation last week.

We're having this conversation today.

And, you know, it was about a month ago.

You were talking to your colleagues and we were talking about during Black History Month that, you know, whether you're in schools, whether you're in media, we often tell the same kind of stories or it's the same kind of figures.

It's the obviously it's the historical figures that we ought to be talking about.

Yeah, but remind people again what your goal is this month.

Yeah.

Because there are people making history now.

Right?

There are people that are trailblazing right now.

And there are black young professionals that are trailblazing right now.

And I wanted to highlight those stories, whether it's a personal trainer, travel agent or a barber.

I just wanted to show the community that there is, you know, yes, we do have our pillars.

We do have our Martin Luther is our Harriet Tubman, our Malcolm X's.

But there's also Tasha's out there that are giving black and brown people the ability to travel the world at a great cost and explore we never thought we could.

Right.

And I think those are the that's history as well.

Well, and I really appreciate that perspective, because sometimes Black History Month feels a little too much to me.

Like check about what the media did this story or a school district taught this story, this story, and it's not as comprehensive as it can be.

So that's part of the goal here.

I did notice there, Valencia, you were nodding along with you think sometimes we're too often we check a box on black history Month?

Yeah.

And it's repetitive.

It's very, very repetitive.

So, yeah, I like Rocky's take on, you know, let's, you know, expose the community to different, entrepreneurs and people that's doing things in our own community.

Because a lot of times they're overlooked and they don't, and they deserve to be highlighted.

Yeah.

Well, now can't get overlooked if you're these are the stats here, ranked among the top 50 independent travel agents in the world by the American Society of Travel Advisors from 2020 to 2025.

If I would have told you that in 2019, when you were kind of really trying to put that dream together, what would you have said?

So I just want to clarify something.

It was ranked by the previous host agency from 2019 to 2025, so I was in the top 50, top selling agents, worldwide, excluding Canada, excluding it.

Yes.

And what would you have said if I told you that you're going to end up on that list?

I honestly never thought I would be where I am today.

I like I said, I've been working in HR since forever, you know, over 20 years.

And so I never thought in a million years that I would be where I am today.

You know, having the personal freedom, financial freedom and time freedom that I have today.

So, you know, it's been a blessing and truly grateful.

What is the work like for you now?

What what's an average workweek like for you?

So average.

First of all, I have a great work life balance.

It hasn't always been this way, but I feel like now I pretty much have a great work life balance.

So my days are pretty flexible.

So, it honestly just depends.

So I own a host agency first Class Travel Network.

So depending on the day, I do one on one coaching with all of my agents.

So if they schedule it, I do one on one coaching with them.

I may be on a webinar, just learning about new industry travel trends or anything like that, or learning about a new supplier to see if it's a good fit for my agents.

I also do team meetings, twice a month.

And, you know, so it's just it just depends.

I'm also booking trips.

I'm also, you know, doing reservations and, you know, logging payments and, you know, some administrative work as well.

And you say you do feel like at this point you've got a good balance.

Yes.

Good work life balance.

But you also told Raquel that for people who are going to try to blaze a trail in the way that you have, don't sit there thinking month one is going to be six figures of income.

Yes.

Tell me a little bit more about the patience that you need if you're going to try to do something like this.

Yeah.

So you have to have patience.

I think a lot of agents come in and, not to toot my own horn, but they're like, I want to book group trips like you and Valencia can attest to that, you know?

And, you know, I want to make this and I saw you post this, and I want to be that.

And they're expecting that in the first quarter.

And it's like, it takes time.

You know, we have to get your marketing skills up.

We have to build your clientele.

We need to get you educated with actually knowing how to book, how to resupply your confirmations.

You know, just the basics, that I call it basic one on one, that a lot of travel agents don't possess.

So it's kind of like, let's do the behind the work scenes first.

Now you can still book, but we want to kind of educate you, you know, on the basics.

And how long did it take you for you to feel like this is going to work?

Year three, year three?

Yes.

Year three.

I start making six figures.

Wow.

I mean, to me, that seems fast.

Yes, but for people who want everything right now, right away, that might feel like a long time.

Yes, but I can say one thing about it is that I was consistent.

It was like, no days off for me.

You know, like I said back then, I did.

I have a great work life balance to the point where I had to apologize to my children and say, I'm sorry, you know, fallen asleep with my laptop, you know, and my bed and things like that.

So, it definitely takes work, but it's definitely possible.

Year three.

And so again, the point of these kind of stories that bring news, it's not magic.

Not everyone is going to be able to do it exactly the same way.

Now, some of it, some of it.

Well, I think what makes it extraordinary, Raquel, is just how difficult it is to do this and to pull it off.

And and these are people you're profiling who are succeeding in ways that maybe you're outsiders looking in.

Go, how how are you doing this?

You're doing this right.

How the heck?

And I think is is important to note that, you know, her human resources background probably keeps her way organized and dealing with people way better than most of us would.

So it kind of like flowed.

It kind of was like a natural transition, I would assume.

Yes, it's definitely, learning different people, personalities, working with different individuals, learning individuals.

Because, for example, with my previous host agency, there were certain things that weren't allowed.

And, you know, certain sometimes agents have disabilities and different people learn differently, which is why I do in-person trainings, because some people can't learn via zoom.

They can't learn by reading a book.

So I offer various ways to learn to educate my agents.

So your first official trip as the owner of your business was where Dubai went to Dubai?

Yes.

How was amazing.

It was absolutely amazing.

We had a great time.

I mean, okay, I've never been to Dubai myself.

Been in Dubai?

No, no.

Yeah.

And once you.

Yes.

Oh, you've been to Dubai.

Yes.

It's gorgeous.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You'd recommend it.

Absolutely.

Okay.

So this is a question then for both of you.

So going to a place like Dubai then.

Yeah.

Is there any culture shock?

I mean, how this is going to be kind of a clumsy question, but how Western was the experience and is there culture shock?

Are there certain things you have to understand to be prepared for?

I'll, I'll start with you, Trisha.

What would you say about that?

Okay.

So I will say this a lot of times people get the wrong perception from social media or just, you know, maybe reading some false information.

Dubai is beautiful.

You can definitely have a great time if you want to party, if you want to experience the culture.

I know sometimes people are like, no, you have to be covered up.

You can't even wear a bathing suit on the beach.

That is completely false.

That is, the thing that I've heard the most, that you can't wear a swimsuit on the beach, and you definitely can.

I have pictures to prove it.

My group have pictures to prove it.

You definitely can, when you go to, like, certain temples, obviously, you have to be cover for the women.

The men for the knees and the women shoulders and past the knees, all the way down.

But other than that, Dubai is beautiful.

Okay, you want to add to that Valencia?

Yeah.

So for me, the experience of being able to walk the streets of Dubai, I went on a girls trip.

Everybody was not always up for being out and about late, but I'm a night owl.

So I would be out in the streets of Dubai exploring, looking at architecture until 4:00 in the morning.

It was so peaceful.

It was so calm.

It was so clean.

There was no light litter, there was no homelessness.

There was no signs of poverty around, which was, you know, you get so used to being in our cities and saying, oh, I don't want to far.

I never had that moment when I was in Dubai.

What surprised you the most?

Honestly, probably, the fact that I had a hard time finding alcoholic beverage.

That's why we're talking about this.

Like plenty of mocktails, plenty of mocktails.

But no alcohol.

There's alcohol, but a lot of restaurants don't really serve alcoholic beverages.

A lot of them serve mocktails.

Like, I hope the mocktails were really good.

They're good, they're good there.

They can be great.

They're good, they're good.

But there's they do have bars.

They do have places that sell alcohol.

But it took a while for me to realize, like, okay, this is really not alcohol.

The first night we got there, so yeah.

Yeah.

But like, how many nights were you there?

Eight.

Eight nights.

Yes, we did Abu Dhabi.

A lot of my friends.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

I mean, so this is a good example.

Yes.

Part of your job is to help people, not I. Eventually I assume your job becomes helping people.

Not be surprised or understand what they're getting into.

Depending it goes in the don'ts, the the dos and the don'ts.

That's what I call it, the do's and don'ts.

And is this the one where, you turned out that this was such a good trip that you cried when you left the airport?

Yes, we really did.

We literally cried like babies, literally when we left the airport.

That's how, like, such an amazing time that we had.

We we bonded, you know, we learned so much about each other and it was amazing.

So this is another I think good point to ask really everybody here because and I got a text from someone saying, wait, where is Raquel from?

You want to remind people away from Raquel originally I am, I was born in Saint Lucia, the West Indies, and I was raised in Saint Croix, U.S.

Virgin Islands.

Okay.

I sometimes I forget I should reset that every time because on the program.

But, you know, Valencia is talking, you know, laughing about having mocktails.

But you had a great trip, right?

Yeah, we had a wonderful time.

You loved the trip.

And and, you know, you hear Trisha talking about having a hard time even leaving.

This is not a place.

Dubai.

Probably when you're growing up that you think, well, someday I want to go to Dubai, you know, grow up in Rochester, New York.

Probably not the first thing on your mind.

What does it do for you, Valencia, to travel more of the world and see places that you never thought you would see?

What does it change your thinking about the world and maybe how you find yourself in the world so I have always been a person to try and see things from different perspectives.

I've always been a person, somebody you can come talk to for advice and be able to get things, maybe not necessarily how they want to hear it or how they thought about it.

So for me, traveling just opens that side of me up.

Even more.

I have to naturally, I'm a nurse as well.

So dealing with different cultures, dealing with diversity is a requirement, even though some people don't.

So I like the fact that now I get to go and actually experience these cultures in person and get a deeper understanding.

So now when I even when I come back here and I'm dealing with people or I'm dealing with, staff that's dealing with people from these cultures, I'm able to say, hey, you know, well, this is why they do.

This is how they do.

This is why they're responding to you this way.

Maybe try this.

And then I also encourage other people, you know, if you got outside of these borders, you know, then you will be able to understand a little bit more.

But, it I don't know, it just really makes me feel just a bit more whole.

Is there a single trip that has affected you the most?

Oh, I can't think of one.

They're all been really, really, really good.

I hope there's not one.

Like top the other for me, I think because I get out and experience the culture everywhere.

That for me, it's like it's all impactful.

Tosha, how has travel changed you?

I think travel has changed me by pretty much open up my eyes and one of my children to experience it.

My children are spoiled, right?

So how many kids I have three kids, two boys, one girl.

And how old are they now?

They are 18, 13 and four.

I know I look 21, but.

And yeah, so they're grown up with the with the mom who is telling them that the world is, is open to you.

Yes, yes, yes.

And I think sometimes when I go to different countries because I do go a lot to third world countries and things like that.

And just seeing, you know, how humble and grateful they are with, you know, the little that they do have, which is a lot to them.

You know, I have to take my kids to see this, you know, and hey, you know, look at this.

They're happy with the snack.

They're happy with a bag of potato chips, you know, just simple things like that.

So, for me, South Africa has really opened my eyes.

South Africa, South Africa.

Okay.

What are some of the things you you saw, I remember most from South Africa?

One mother in particular allowed me to come into her home, and it's literally the size from where Valencia sitting to here, literally just to, what, three?

A small room, a very, very small room.

But she was happy.

She was grateful.

The children they were playing, they were dancing, with the little bit that they did have.

And also I met a doctor who grew up in the community.

And so literally, it's like you know, poverty neighborhood, you walk two blocks down, it's middle class, you walk six blocks up, it's upper class.

And the doctor decided to stay in the same neighborhood to, you know, to still help the people of the community.

Is there a single trip, that has changed you in a way that says, I want to get back here every year if I can, or if I had to go back again.

I there's one that stands out that I'd say I'd go back here first.

No, no, no, I, I try to the road is so big.

Right.

There's so many different.

This is the problem.

See, the second you have the great experience and I bet you everybody listening can think of like best vacation, best trip you've ever had.

My question is, do you go back to that place?

Do you go back every year?

Do you go back every five years?

Because every time you choose to go back to somewhere you've been, you're foreclosing on a chance to go somewhere you haven't been.

And that's not easy if you love to travel.

I feel like the Caribbean.

I mean places in the Caribbean I've visited multiple times, you know, Jamaica, D.R., Mexico, etc.

but other countries outside of the Caribbean and I feel like, you know, you can visit them more than once, but I feel like the road is so big.

I need to see the entire road.

There's so many other places on my bucket list.

I get you there.

So is there one?

I mean, is there a place you've never been mikelle that you go?

Well, the irony in telling this story is that I'm not a big traveler.

Like I like.

You grew up on seaplane things.

I guess it's just my, you know, my, my my slight fear of flying.

Like I like visiting other cities.

I just don't like having to hop on the plane to get there.

The woman who grew up on seaplanes now I don't think is like the safest form of travel, which is an airplane.

I don't know when that happened, because as a young I, as a young girl, I loved flying.

I loved taking off and doing well, like I was that girl.

Like what we're thinking of.

When did that change?

I don't know, I don't know if it was nine over 11.

I don't know, something something happened where I'm kind of like, I. I became a control freak.

Like, no, I to know what's happening so that part of it that's an interesting description.

Because the one thing I can relate to I, I as someone who likes to travel, I've said to my partner now I gets a little nervous with turbulence and I always say things like you're just math.

And the math says we're all going to be fine.

Yeah.

You know, like there are thousands of flights every day around the world and none of them go down and some of them are in nasty weather.

Yeah.

And they find a way and you go, oh, well, that was a bumpy landing.

Yeah.

What happened?

They'll walk away like they're all good.

Yeah.

The math says it's the safest way to travel.

And for some people that helps some people, it's just the logic of you're not special.

You're not going to be the one.

It's it is the safest way to travel.

But here's where you can't get past it.

Some people want to feel like, okay, I don't care about the safety numbers.

I want to be in control.

Yeah.

When I'm driving a car, it's my hands on the wheel.

I don't want one of those driverless cars.

I want to be in control.

And what you're describing is the lack of control.

It's out of your hands.

Yeah.

I think yep.

That's my diagnosis.

Okay.

I think that's what it is.

I feel like I, I having trust in trusting someone else with my well-being.

Okay.

Kind of.

Yeah.

All right.

Texture and plenty.

You got to work on her.

Yeah.

What are you going to do?

Easy.

Because I want to explore the world, I really do, and I feel my whole thing about her not being special on the math did not work.

I feel like traveling with someone that is, well, like, knowledgeable and well-versed and isn't uncomfortable will make me comfortable like I love.

I love going different places.

I just, you know, I it's amazing because I keep getting there.

Yeah.

Oh I have to say I'll just suck it up.

But I want to explore the world.

All right.

Yeah.

What do you got for Raquel and anybody like Raquel listening right now?

It's like, you know, I don't need to get another.

Just do it because.

Right.

You don't.

You don't want to wake up in that day and be like, well, I can't move at all anymore.

Mr.. You're saying when you, when you're younger it's better time to do it.

I'm just saying we all have our day where we don't have the ability to move like we used to.

And get up and go and, or it takes a lot for us to do it.

And we look back and say, you know, I should, should've, coulda, woulda, I wish I did.

Yeah, you don't want to be that person.

And you know, when you're in your 20s, you think your 20s lasts forever and you're going to be invincible.

And it's like, you know, the future is forever.

I'll figure this out.

You get your 40s and you're like, I bet I better go back.

We better get going.

We back out.

I better get here.

Yeah.

Halfway through and I'm.

Yeah, yeah, I got it.

I actually have a lot of.

Did you say you're almost there?

No, no no, no.

Rocky Baeza.

She's.

I'm almost there.

Oh, Rocky.

Huge 40.

I'm almost 40.

This is painful, but I feel like we know.

I mean, look, I'm not downplaying fear of flying.

I'm not trying to downplay it out because, like, I, I get it.

And there have been times where I'm sitting there going, like, I don't be on the ground.

I just want to be on the ground.

But it is it's kind of miraculous how safe it is overall.

Yeah, it really is an amazing, amazing thing.

Every time I'm we're flying, I'm looking around, going like, I can't believe human beings invented this.

Like, how did this even happen?

And then I do think about what, you know, Mark Twain sort of famously said, and, you know, especially as someone who grew up with a ton of privileges, travel is is, you know, it is the way to kind of tamp down on prejudice and, and lack of understanding about the world.

I mean, I'm summing up with Mark Twain said, but yeah, I mean, like when you talk about wanting your kids to see, for example, how other people live and understanding their gratitude despite the circumstances.

All right.

That's powerful.

That's hard to do from afar from a book or from an internet.

Yeah.

Yes.

You know, from their phone.

So, so I appreciate that, but I'm not downplaying.

I mean, I know once I'm up there, I'm, I'm like, there's no turning back.

Well, that is I, you know, I get as comfortable as possible, but, yeah, I, I, I do want to travel the world, so I'm just gonna suck it up.

We are.

Do it.

Just do it.

I got to get to the other side of this break, because we're going to finish up with Tarshia Shanai Franklin's story, the owner of Sky High Society Travel Agency and the first Class Travel network.

We're going to talk a little bit more with Valincia Tyson about how Union and Odyssey Travel Agency came to be, and what Valencia wants to do.

Raquel Stephen is with us, health equity and community reporter and producer for WXXI News, bringing us this outstanding series this month of some of the community leaders and really people standing out in this community during Black History Month stories that might have been under your radar, but not anymore, thanks to Raquel.

So we'll come right back here on connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Thursday and the next connections.

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This is connections, and before we go any further, just in case listeners want to follow along, I should ask, well, all three of you, if you because you all follow each other on social work, well knows everybody.

Where do people find you on social work?

All, you can find me.

I don't go by Raquel on social.

I go by Rocky Beach.

Yep.

So you can find me, on Facebook.

Instagram.

As Rocky B, I don't do TikTok.

I, I want to keep my social media meter at a certain there's like a limit.

Yeah, limit.

I think I've seen the way TikTok really consumes the general population.

And I don't want to be that person where I saw interview.

I hate to say this, but I saw an interview with this young influencer.

I really love the term.

I get it, it's part of the world.

And they asked him, what do you do for fun?

And he said, nothing.

I just stream all the time.

And they said, why?

And he said, every time I start to do something for fun, I think, well, I could be getting paid to stream.

And I'm like, yeah, I got a life.

Yeah, I know what.

But but at the same time, that work life balance.

Speaking of work life balance, that's what we were talking about earlier.

It's it's hard to find that balance when you're on social.

Where do you want people to find you?

My personal was Tasya and I and my business first class travel network on our platforms and sky high society on our platforms as well.

Valincia, Tyson, Valincia, Tyson on Facebook and, also Union and Odyssey Facebook.

Julian underscore Odyssey on Instagram.

Well so these are these stories about travel.

There's a lot of fun involved here.

But there's also I think, a community impact level here, especially in the black community.

So looking at some data here, and some some of Raquel's reporting safety and feeling welcomed remain top priorities for black travelers, with 79% citing these factors as highly influential in their travel decisions.

And you said this comes as no surprise given the historical and ongoing challenges that black travelers have faced when venturing into unfamiliar territories.

So, Tasha, what do you do about that when you're working with clients or people who are would like to travel but maybe have some of that anxiety?

Yeah.

So it just depends.

So we have different type of travelers.

So there are solo travelers.

There's family, travelers.

There's also group travel.

So whenever there is a group travel and I'm on site, obviously I'm there.

I also provide a document, you know, dos don'ts, what's required, what's not, you know, things of that nature.

And, so if there's a solo traveler, I actually have a cheat sheet that I pretty much give everyone, depending on which destination they're, traveling to.

So some people like to stay on the resort.

Some people like to venture off.

And so it's just always being mindful, you know, of your surroundings no matter where you are.

And you're someone who would know you've been to how many countries now?

49, 40 came back from Cuba.

So that's my 49th.

So the next one is going to be number 50.

Yes.

Where's it going to be?

I'm undecided, but I'm going somewhere next month for my birthday.

But you don't know yet.

I don't know yet.

Now that's wild to me.

Like that's next month.

That's coming up.

Like, what's on the list?

What's the possibility?

Fiji.

Bahamas.

I've been to Bahamas, before, but I'm thinking about going back there.

Also, I'm thinking about going to the Maldives.

Amazing.

Okay.

Let me ask Valencia a little bit about that idea of helping people make sure that they feel comfortable with where they're going.

Welcome.

I know that the data tells us, and a lot of the individual reporting tells us that black travelers are sometimes hesitant, if they're going to feel for any reason threatened or anything like that, what do you tell people?

So, one of the big things is everybody looking at these alerts that the U.S travel advisory put out and their level for their.

And I'm like, yeah, they've been a level four.

You know, they just are restating that for whatever reason.

But it's really make sure you, you are where you're supposed to be.

Depending on the destination, I can tell them like, Puerto Rico, don't go to La Perla.

You know.

Right.

Or, you know, Hotel Zona Cancun, don't go past the strip mall because, you know, the certain things can get a little sketchy.

So it depends on the region, but also, depending on, like, a turkey that depends on a traveler and what they're doing.

So making sure maybe they have a reputable private driver, you know, to have them be secure, they get to where they're supposed to be.

And again, just directing them, making sure they know where the embassy is.

So if anything happens, they lose their passports.

They're not, you know, they they have some U.S., foundation to be able to go and get some assistance if there's any type of emergency and piggyback off that.

I also let my clients know specific instructions.

When you arrive at the airport, pick up your luggage, go straight.

There's going to be tons of people at the airport.

Do you need a driver or do you need a driver?

I'm willing to take you like just say no or don't, you know, ignore them.

Continue to go.

This is the company that you are scheduled with.

They're going to be wearing blue shirts, khaki pants.

I'm very specific with that instructions.

So that way there's no issue there when you've been traveling 49 countries?

Yes.

Have you ever felt like you were treated the way you were treated because you were a black woman and not a white woman or not someone?

No.

No, never.

You've not had that experience?

I've never experienced any sort of racism.

I've never experienced any type of like, you know, oh my gosh.

Like I've never had that moment and many am I many years of traveling.

Do you think people are surprised?

Do you have friends, family who are surprised about that?

No.

I'm just really, like, an outgoing person.

And I'm I'm open.

I'm open minded.

So there's certain regions specifically Asia, where people may come up to you like, you see the color of her bright, you know, they might just touch it without even asking.

Oh, talking about a purple braid.

Yeah.

Or braids in general.

They're just going to touch.

Yeah.

Honestly though, braids in general, it's a culture shock.

And so I always let my clients know that too.

You may be taking a picture and ten people are coming to you taking pictures just in your picture.

You know, so I kind of, you know, let people know about those type of things as well.

But that doesn't bother, you know?

Okay.

I was just in Cuba, literally taken a video and like 20 people just came in my picture and, you know, interrupted my photo shoot and just and I was just like, okay, you know, that's my I love it.

But, you know, I'm pretty much used to those type of things.

Valencia, have you ever felt like you were treated a certain way because you were a black woman outside of these U.S borders?

Yeah.

No.

Never.

Never.

And I think is a shock to people because we're so used to it in our society that when we go to other countries and we don't get that, like you expect it, because it's just like you can be in Walmart, you can be at the bus stop, you can be at work, you can be so many different places here in it can just hit you out of nowhere.

Right?

But no, when I travel outside of this country, I have not felt, threatened.

Remarkable.

I had heard that people say, from my standpoint, Spain and Dominican Republic, they felt different, you know, discriminated against or they treated darker women differently and things like that.

But I've never been to Spain yet.

But I have been to D.R.

and never experienced that personally.

Spain on the list for you it is.

That's like the one that I got on you.

That's why it's on the list.

Next year.

So Valencia started Union and Odyssey Travel Agency when, by the way.

So Union and Odyssey, luxury destination weddings and honeymoons is actually a new baby for me.

I started off with memories travel by vow.

That is my leisure, travel company.

I still operate memories travel by vow.

I started that in 2020 December 2020.

So in the midst of covet, when people that travel was not happening, I started booking travel and I've been booking pretty much sense.

Okay.

And Union and Odyssey is under the first class travel network.

It is.

They both are.

They both are.

Union Odyssey is actually deviate off of memory travel by Val because I wanted to give people something unique for romance travel.

So Union Odyssey is strictly romance travel.

So destination weddings, honeymoons, vow renewals, engagement trips, babymoon, stuff like that.

Where I can take my time and actually curate something specific for my clients.

Where do most of those clients want to go?

Where are people looking right now?

So it depends on what it is.

So like, destination honeymoons.

I specialize in Caribbean, Latin American, South America, travel.

So I would say a lot of people are doing, Dominican Republic in Mexico, right now for destination weddings.

Are Jamaica a little bit too, for destination weddings?

But those are more family friendly.

Property is like, destinations for honeymoons.

People are looking for stuff like Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Maldives.

Your backyard over there.

Rocky.

Yeah, yeah.

Something where it's like more of a adult only type vibe, more laid back feel.

As far as the Caribbean goes, those are the top right now.

Okay.

And so I know no business is like a perfect straight line to success.

That's one of the lessons and records reporting this month so far has been a lot of patience, a lot of perseverance, giving yourself a little bit of grace and a cushion when you make that first misstep and it doesn't take you apart.

And I know that you've said to the woman next to you has helped you make sure that you've gotten through some, some tremendously.

Yeah, tremendously.

So as I stated earlier, I am a nurse.

I've stepped away from facility work, so now I have the freedom.

I do private duty nursing and home.

So I'm not as stressed as most nurses are right now, but, I am naturally a nurturer.

I'm naturally giving.

So I have had the tendency of putting my own dreams and desires on the back burner to help other people out of their situations or to make something come to fruition.

So, that has caused my business, it, my businesses, because I also have a trucking company as well to lag a little bit.

And she's always been able to say, hey, you're doing it again, get back on track.

And when I have fallen off, she has not shown me.

She has not scolded me, she has not.

She's just been like, okay, what can we do to get you back on track?

You know what you're doing?

Just come on.

I need you to get back in a, She's a real one.

She has a she's a real one.

So, Trisha, why don't you tell people a little bit more about what First Class Travel Network is, is doing?

Yeah.

So first class Travel Network is a host agency.

And what that means is that agents can independently, you know, own and operate their own travel agency but still have access to the perks, you know, a first class travel network.

So we just started in October.

We are 50 plus agents.

We are working on our journey to 50,000, sales right now for agents.

So I'm developing and coaching just for a specific group of individuals.

For that, we are doing fam trips.

So there's agents that are going on fam trips.

Valencia can talk about, some of the fam trips that she's going on.

And these are familiarization trips.

So, I get invited, whether the company or as an agent to go visit countries, right, for free or very little.

And, you know, you get to look at the different hotels to inspections, you know, meet the sales manager, etc.. And so we have a few of those.

I'm so excited about that.

That agents are going to be able to go out and explore.

We have people who've never travel.

And this as an agent, they, you know, this is their first time traveling with people who have been an agent for many years, and they've never experienced it with their former host agency.

But now with us, they're able to experience that.

So I'm just excited, super excited.

So in five years, I want you both to describe what you're going to be doing in five years.

I the goal is because I'm big on manifestation.

The goal is to, I believe that I'm going to be franchising, sky high society.

I will be having, you know, hundreds of agents at that point under First Class Travel Network and helping thousands of people explore the world at that time.

Okay, so for me, in five years, I do see myself with a small team.

I don't want to, in five years, be the the only person handling this.

But I do see me in five years completely stepped away from nursing.

Strictly focused on the luxury travel, brand Union Odyssey and memory travel by hours.

Still, because I do luxury travel for that as well.

But, in five years I will be a complete empty nester, so, Four year old.

Yeah, I would be a complete empty nester.

So I look to be working, my businesses from my home on Island, pretty remarkable stories this hour.

Raquel.

And are you seeing any common threads so far in your reporting this month from especially these entrepreneurs?

Wow.

Just the the resilience and and the persistence, and the selflessness.

Just I think a lot of people so far, it's not about them.

It's not about the source.

It's about how they contribute to making people's lives better.

Now, that's a that's a really interesting observation, because when they're successful, the guest today guest last week successful making other people's lives better their their their own business gets better.

Yes.

Yeah.

So success for my my spotlights thus far has been seeing other people meet their goals, seeing other people happy, making other people look good.

Well, before we close the hour here, I want to ask a question that I have about travel.

So, when I was, when I was a younger traveler, I love to travel, but I really thought for a long time that, like, I love going to a place if it's new country, great.

But whatever it is, if it's new to me to and just trying to experience what the rhythm of life is like in that place.

So not not necessarily a big resort, more of, I want to kind of be among the people as best I can.

And then, you know, you have kids and your life is so crazy.

You know, I can stick my toes in the sand.

It turns out like I could do it.

I didn't think that would be me, but I could slow down and do it.

I want to start by asking what you prefer, and then I want to ask about how you help people plan trips.

But just briefly.

Valencia, are you a tows in the sand and relaxed or get it among the people and learn about what the rhythm of life is like in a new place.

I'm kind of mixed in.

I'm a thrill seeker.

I love culture, I love, but I also have to have my downtime.

Prioritize that self-care moment.

I love to sunbathe.

I love getting nice and toasty in this.

That's I. I love the Caribbean, but, I would say the bigger part for me would be to get out into we we do a so I travel a lot with my fiancé and we do a lot of walking through the communities.

We do a lot of walking, and just stopping in a different stores and, you know, trying a different fruit stands and just seeing what it's like for life for people in the community.

So I would say more so being out there, you I am ABCd, I like it all.

I love adventure, so I'm going to be the one that's going to go ziplining in the jungle at night.

You know, I'm going to be the one that's going to do the sand.

You know I'm going to do everything sand boarding, you know?

So I am very adventurous.

I'm a partier.

I am, you know, I just love it all.

But as of I would say about two years ago, I was just like, you know what?

I just want to go on vacation and relax and just chill alone.

And I loved it.

Just slow down, I loved it.

I, booked a property that was very relaxed, but they did have, you know, some entertainment.

And I loved it, you know, no fighting over the cabanas at the beach, plenty of cabanas to relax in.

It was very it was very special.

So I love that.

But I am definitely adventurous about 90s.

You can help people plan even minute details.

Yes, yes of course.

And they want you to sometimes.

Oh yes.

Day by day itinerary.

What are some examples?

Day by day itineraries.

You know, day one.

Plan a dinner.

They want VIP service.

They want a yacht party.

You know, different things every major.

Yes.

I even have a customer that we provide, private jet service for.

Rick.

I just looked over me, like, did she say, yeah.

Wow.

My five year plan is.

Getting on that yacht.

Our five year plan is getting invited to this booking with Sky High Society.

And let's see, cruises are really big right now too.

Oh yeah.

Very cool.

And a lot of money.

And plenty of briefly.

Are you someone who can also kind of do all those little details for travelers.

Absolutely.

From concierge service at the airport to, beachside massages to private dinners, whatever it is that the client is needing.

Well, these are a couple of stories this hour that, maybe at the outset, it just looks like.

How do you do this?

I mean, how do you build a business?

How do you find clientele?

They have done it.

It really is a lot of hard work and hustle and and perseverance, as Raquel has said.

And I really want to thank them for taking the time to come in.

So, Tarshia Shanai Franklin, where do people need to find you if they want to contact you in the future?

Sky high society.com.

If you like to be an agent or get more information.

First Class Travel network.com and you can find all of our contact information on those sites.

Valincia Tyson.

They can email hello at Union and odyssey.com, or they can send me a message on IG or Facebook at Union and Odyssey.

Thank you very much for being here telling your stories.

We really appreciate you both coming in.

You're very welcome.

Thank you for having me.

Thank you.

Matt 49 countries, 49.

I'm I'm still just in Greece, New York.

I felt like I was traveling.

Raquel.

Stephen, great work as always.

Thanks for coming in.

A lot of fun.

We'll see you later this month for the launch.

Later this month.

I'm.

Yeah.

Next week, next week, next week.

We have feature someone else.

All right, we'll be here.

We'll be okay.

You know the time.

And from all of us at connections.

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for watching whatever platform you're finding us on.

Thank you.

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