Down to Business: Naperville travel agent specializes in cruises
Business: Expedia CruiseShipCenters Naperville
Address: 2775 Showplace Drive, Naperville
Contact info: 331-702-9200, www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-US/Naperville/home
Owner: Katie and Mitchell Powell
Opening date: Nov. 1, 2016
What does this business do? “CruiseShipCenters has been around for 30 years. It is a Canadian company. Expedia acquired it in 2008, so we are part of the Expedia brand. They were looking for agencies in the community to kind of go away from the online model. Expedia owns otherOTAs (online travel agency), Travelocity, Orbitz, Trivago, hotels.com, and so on. So being a part of the Expedia family allows our agents to have access to powerful tools. We book all travel, not just cruises, but we specialize in cruises.”
What was the impetus for opening this business? “We are both from Wisconsin. We moved around in the south for 11 years because he (Mitchell) was active duty military. When he separated from active duty, he ended up getting a job up here, so that brought us closer to family,” said Katie Powell, mother of two boys, who had built a home-based design business over the years. “I continued doing the design wear, but I was kind of looking for that next level of business ownership that would take me out of the home and being able to make a difference in the community that we live in. We came across this business on the VetFran (small business opportunities for veterans) because my husband is still in the reserves. And it was perfect.”
Did the city of Naperville help you or hinder you in your plans? “I know the city is a little stricter than others when it comes to building codes and such. I learned a lot. I can build a house, I feel. But they were very helpful. It was definitely a learning experience.”
What is the best thing about being located in Naperville? “It’s a great community. Everyone is about supporting local business.”
What is the biggest challenge? “We are the first in this area, so people don’t know who we are. We haven’t tapped into the Naperville market yet. I am really excited in the future to grow in the community, gain trust in the community, and really just elevate vacation experiences.”
When is your busiest time of year? “Wave season (January through March). That’s typically when cruises start booking the most. But we actually had our biggest numbers in December. People need to book early for spring break.”
What is the most popular thing you sell/service you provide? “Iceland is very popular. Antarctica. And really the only way to go is on a cruise line. But we do all travel. In fact, just last week we booked 40 airline tickets for a youth football team.”
What is a less popular thing you would recommend? “The Caribbean has been hit hard, but tourism is their livelihood and people need to go there and support them. And the cruise lines helped a lot of the communities to rebuild, because they have a vested interest in that, too.”
What is the thing you most like to do as part of your business? “I like interacting and being able to elevate people’s travel experience. I’m very passionate about that. And just bringing that extra care. I like empowering my agents and helping them be successful.”
What is the best thing about owning your own business? “I’ve been here from the beginning. I’ve seen it grow. Being here for my agents. Growing my client base. I just wear every hat, but that’s also a challenge.”
What is the biggest downside? “I’m one of the younger owners. So I’m at a different stage in my life. A lot of the other franchise owners are doing this as their second career after they retire. My kids are young, they are active, they play sports, they are 11 and 13, so managing my time has been the biggest challenge.”
What is the biggest misconception about your business? “People think right away they pay more when they work with an agent, when, in fact, they actually pay less. We, as agents, have tools to get you better rates. And people can certainly book their own, but they may not know what all is out there. Because we are under that umbrella of Expedia, we have the buying power and industry recognition. And because we constantly have to stay relevant to the traveler. We fight battles every day for our clients.”
How would you describe your business philosophy? “I started this business to change people’s lives in a positive way, and that’s what I strive to do every day.”
When it comes time to retire, is there a family member who will be taking over for you? “I’m really looking forward to bringing my older son (Hunter), when he is old enough to work, which should be next year, into the business, starting with the books and working his way up … to really just empower him with what it takes to build a business. Being able to train them in being entrepreneurial themselves, and really make it a family business.”
How has your business changed over the years? “The cruise lines are evolving. There’s 100 ships on order for the next 10 years. There are multiple new ships launching every year.”
What advice would you give someone thinking about starting a business? “I didn’t start this business for an immediate income. That’s why my husband is working. I started this as an avenue to make a positive impact in our community, and we will get there. It’s a retirement lifestyle for us. It’s not instant success and people need to be prepared financially. And we are responsible 24/7.”
Daina Saleh is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
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