- What products or services do you provide?
SevenTravel is a positive-impact, luxury travel company. We specialise in crafting tailor-made milestone trips that expand travellers’ worlds, through unique adventures and authentic experiences across the globe. Our team act as navigators, designers and advisors for clients who are looking to plan their next milestone trip that is consciously curated with experience at the heart of it.
- What type of businesses do you work with?
We are a client-first business. We work with our range of customers closely to tailor-make bespoke, meaningful and conscious travel packages, allowing people to linger for longer in the places they are looking to visit.
To ensure we have the best product available, we partner with a range of suppliers, tour producers, accommodation and transport agencies across the world. This allows us to stay ahead of the curve with the best travel options, whilst creating bespoke packages for each client. Many of the businesses we work with are independent, boutique and undiscovered properties or impressive five-star destinations, so clients can enjoy unique, luxury accommodations at their desired location.
- What problem does your company solve?
In the post-pandemic era, safety, flexibility and privacy are paramount to travelling with confidence. Leading with a considered mindset, SevenTravel focuses on slowing down travel, encouraging individuals to travel for longer and connect deeper with the places they visit. We discourage fast and over-consumptive travel which can be bad for the planet. To support our ethos, we created our ‘Travel Better’ Pledge, a series of commitments to help clients travel in meaningful ways without compromise.
- What are your company values? Have you ever had them challenged and if so, how have you dealt with it?
Our company values are centred around our brand pillars. These include Freedom, Access, Sustainability and Connection. Our pillars are based wholeheartedly around our client’s enjoyment of our services. We want curious travellers to see that the world is their oyster, and we want them to have the access to the world’s top experiences. Most of all, we want our clients to enjoy the beauty of our world in a conscious and considerate way.
We have been challenged on our sustainability principles in the past, as any luxury travel company faces in its lifetime. We’re not perfect, we’re on a journey, but every step we take as a business is a step in the right direction. This is what drives our passion to work closely with our ground suppliers to create itineraries that are considerate of impact – socially, economically and environmentally.
We also have our positive impact fund: for each trip we book, we donate £50 to a collection of global charities which support and empower local communities and conservancies – harnessing the power of travel as a force for good.
- How do you ensure that you recruit a team that reflects your company values?
As a newer company, the recruitment process is very personal, and we have a small and intimate team. During this process, we ensure we are hiring knowledgeable individuals who are aligned with our company values and core pillars. Following the hiring process, we have an extensive training programme that incorporates our brand values, ethos and values and cements each team member as part of the SevenTravel family.
- Do you have any tips for managing suppliers and customers effectively?
With the current market and the demand for travel being so high, we find that communication is key and keeping everyone in the loop means that expectation is managed, but creativity is not hindered when putting together ‘wow’ itineraries in each destination.
- Any finance or cash-flow tips for new businesses starting out?
Budget, then budget again after 6 months! With any new business, it is near impossible to predict cash flow in the first year. The key is to consider team structure, advertising, marketing, and ensuring your business is getting in front of the right people, as well as having a unique proposition.
Travel is a highly competitive space online; you have to differentiate or die and have the right agencies and strategies in place. The first year is always tough, but so worth it when you receive incredible feedback from your clients and begin to see those repeat customers.
- If you could ask one thing of the government to change for businesses, what would it be?
I would love for there to be more support for women coming back to work after having children. Progress is being made, but the rising costs of childcare and other determining factors can make it very tricky for the return-to-work process, which is impacting the gender pay gap. It would be good to see more done in this space, I would like to see even more mothers in business.
- What is your attitude towards your competitors?
I admire all of our competitors for different reasons. I know how competitive travel is and finding a niche is key and also very difficult, so those that nail it are really admirable. I also believe that there is enough business for everyone, so there is no need to work against one another but in unison to make the travel sector better. Working collaboratively is important, as is holding each other accountable to continuous improvement.
- Any thoughts on the future of your company and your dreams?
Starting SevenTravel was the beginning of realising one of my dreams. I always had an aspiration to create a travel company with a strong pledge to make the future of travel more meaningful. I had already worked in the travel world for over 10 years building my events business www.sevenevents.co.uk which focuses on creating bespoke once-in-a-lifetime reward trips for corporate businesses. But why stop there?
I wanted to create itineraries for families, couples and friends who wanted to see the world too. The previous experience was a bonus as we already had a strong network of suppliers and experience in global travel which allowed us to home in on our company values and proposition.
My next goal is to open a USA office in 2023/2024 as it’s a growing market for us. Part of my vision for the business was to create a travel community of like-minded people and this is very much still in the making. Watch this space…
