International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated on March 8, is a global occasion honoring the incredible achievements of women worldwide. This occasion continues to serve as a reminder to us of how far we have come, and how far we still have yet to go as we strive towards equality for women in all aspects of life. In honor of IWD, we felt it was the perfect time to highlight Lisa Federico, the founder and President of Academy Travel Agency and its sister media company The Kingdom Insider. This year, Academy Travel Agency is celebrating 25 years in business, with incredible accolades and hundreds of Travel Agents on the team.
Lisa Federico, an experienced travel professional, founded Academy Travel as a full-service travel agency in 1996. She also established a Disney-focused division, MickeyVacations.com, and became one of the first Disney-focused agencies in the country. She then trained a team of agents to specialize in planning Disney vacations. Lisa has received many honors, including the 2017 Travel Professional of the Year.
Throughout the years, Academy Travel has focused on providing quality travel service, while working hard to assure that our clients receive the lowest available prices, and customized itinerary assistance. Lisa has built a leadership team with years of experience, plus a team of agents across the country who genuinely care about their clients.
As one of the original “EarMarked” travel agency partners with Disney Destinations, our agency has earned EarMarked status every year. We are extremely proud to be one of only a few DIAMOND-level Disney EarMarked Travel Companies in the country. Our team of agents is trained to always provide the lowest available pricing, to Disney or anywhere in the world.
Academy Travel also has a team of agents that specialize in other destinations, such as Hawaii, Europe, South Africa, Australia & New Zealand. Plus of course Cruises, the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, and other destinations throughout our beautiful world.
Q & A with Lisa Federico
- When & why did you start Academy Travel?
- I started in the travel industry in the early 90’s as a stay-at-home mom after being too sick to return to work. I was a mom with two small toddlers with a household income that did not allow much breathing room, let alone extra money for a yearly vacation. I searched for a career that allowed me to stay at home with my children, earn extra income, and have the ability to take my children on vacations to Walt Disney World. I loved to travel, and I loved Walt Disney World, but I never thought, or even planned, for this to be my lifelong career – a thriving business and a way to help others experience the same magic.
- How long did it take for you to get it off the ground/ go full-time?
- At first, I worked for a local brick-and-mortar travel agency as an outside sales agent. After one year, I received a call from a local Disney sales representative asking who I was and how I had so many Disney sales. My oldest son was in kindergarten in a small town at the time and I was the only travel agent in the area. I started booking for friends, family, teachers, and parents in the school; I loved it so much and to my surprise, it exploded.
- What is one of the hardest obstacles you’ve had to overcome as a female business owner?
- I was the first travel agency specializing in Disney Destinations, so there were no examples, and no one to help or guide me. It was just the beginning of the internet / .com era and in the early 90’s, a home-based travel agent was unheard of. Researching how to build a company, network, and grow my business was difficult – information and resources were not at my disposal. I had to spend all of my early years in this business educating myself and creating my own opportunities. No one believed I could make money with a business model I had to create on my own. Even my accountant asked me over and over – “but how will you make money?”. Over 25 years later, I am so proud of what I created and the amazing team of staff and travel agents that I get to share it with.
- How did you go about building the right team to run your business?
- I wouldn’t say I always built the right team. I learned hard lessons over the years. It took time, and I realized who truly believed in me, and what I was and still am trying to create. The team I have surrounding me believes in the same magic that I do and it is such a rewarding feeling to continue building upon that.
- If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
- Probably to embrace failure or hiccups as a learning opportunity.
- How has Academy Travel evolved over the last 25 years?
- At first, Academy Travel was just a small group of friends who were booking travel for their small networks of friends and family. At that time, I was inspired to help mostly women friends who were also stay-at-home moms and needed part-time income. Over the decades, I have trained thousands of women and men to be travel agents and, with this, made this agency one of the leading revenue drivers in the industry amongst a multitude of suppliers.
- How has being a female in the travel industry affected the way you think/manage/market your business?
- Being a woman, and helping other women succeed in their own business, has affected me in so many ways. It is the greatest feeling and achievement to know you are helping others. I have met the most amazing people who shared the same vision as me when I started. So many have thanked me over and over for something I did not even know I was doing; giving them independence, extra income, or an opportunity to leave their job to stay home and raise their children and, of course, take them to Disney. We all learned together, we grew together, and I am so proud of the women in this agency who stand alongside me and help make Academy Travel what it is today.
- What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own business?
- Whatever it is you want to start a business in, you must love it. You must be truly passionate about it and put your heart and soul into it. Believe in yourself, dream it, build it, work hard at it, every day, and the rest will come.
- What makes a good travel agency / what makes Academy Travel different?
- If you are looking to break into the travel industry, I always recommend finding a good agency to work with. It’s okay to be selective; find a place where your values and goals align and there is a team that is dedicated to supporting you. I have held the same business model for over 25 years. My travel agents do not pay to work for me; we charge no start-up fees and there are no membership dues. I want my team to feel valued, supported, educated, and prepared to do this job and do it successfully – whatever success may look like to them.
- What is your biggest/favorite marketing tip?
- Be social! Yes, social media has helped travel agents reach clients, but I started before there was social media. In-personal socialization and networking are key. Whether that is at your children’s local school or workgroup, chamber of commerce, local clubs, gyms, or church; all are great places to build relationships with potential clients. The best pieces of sales advice I give my team are, 1. People do business with whom they like, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine, and 2. Never be afraid to ask for a sale, whether that means something as simple as handing a potential client a business card after a friendly conversation. Use your voice and use your network.
- What are five FUN facts about yourself?
- Well, people think I’m funny, but I don’t see it!
- I don’t like roller coasters or fast-moving rides, yet I’m in the theme park industry and love going to Disney – go figure!
- I swore I would never get on a ship, but now I don’t want to get off one (I’ll see you all on Disney Treasure later this year!)
- My favorite character has always been Snow White.
- My favorite movie is Moana!
- My all-time favorite vacation spots are Walt Disney World in the Fall, aboard any of the Disney Cruise Line ships (specifically the Disney Dream, but any itinerary! Adventures by Disney – Italy will always be my favorite and my number one must-do if anyone is looking for a bucket list trip.
Has Lisa inspired you? Academy Travel is currently accepting applications for new Travel Agents! Click right HERE to learn more and fill out an application!
We had so much fun interviewing Lisa and learning more about how she started one of the most successful travel agencies out there. Academy Travel truly is the best at what they do, whether you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation, ready to set sail on a cruise, or even looking to immerse yourself in the culture of a new country, look no further. You can click right HERE to fill out a vacation inquiry form, and an Academy Travel Agent will reach out to start planning your next trip!