Navy Vet Finds Smooth Sailing in Travel Biz
by Maria Lenhart /When Jesse Mackey, a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy, became a travel agent he found his military training gave him the edge he needed to build his business.
Mackey, owner of J and L Travel, a NEST agency in Homosassa, Fla., spoke with Travel Market Report about his career transition and why travel has proven to be a satisfying chapter in his life.
How did your 28-year career in the Navy contribute to your success as a travel agent?
Mackey: The Navy gave me a strong work ethic and a sense of integrity, which is the most important thing you can own. A lot of what you do in the military can be a life or death situation, something that is not typical in most jobs. You also have some 24-hour work days. It really instills in you the need to do your best all the time.
I also learned to pay attention to details. There’s an old saying that if you take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves.
How has this manifested in your business?
Mackey: I have a client, a retired Methodist minister, who brings me a lot of group business. About four years ago, I did his first trip – a trip to Ireland. He said he had never worked with anyone who paid so much attention to detail. He’s been a regular ever since.
Did being in the Navy spark your interest in travel?
Mackey: My wife Lois and I have always had a travel bug. In the Navy, we saw a lot of the world and lived in Hawaii and Japan. While in Japan, I was able to take my kids to the Philippines and Korea. My oldest son, who’s now 41, can say that he’s been to every Disney park in the world – and a Disney cruise.
Is travel your second career?
Mackey: Actually, it’s a third career. After I retired from the Navy in 1990, I went to work for a company in San Diego that did training for the Navy. We trained admirals and their staffs in war games.
In December 2002 I retired from real work. I say that because I don’t consider the travel business to be real work. It’s too much fun.
How did you become a travel agent?
Mackey: I began selling travel part-time while I was still with the training company. In 1994, I went to the Carlson Travel Academy in San Diego – on the G.I. bill – for one weekend a month. Then I started working as an outside agent at a couple of different agencies.
When an owner wanted me to sign a contract that stipulated that all of my clients belonged to the agency, I decided to open my own home-based agency. I opened J and L Travel in 2001.
How did you build your business?
Mackey: In 2003, we moved from California to a gated community in Florida. I began networking throughout the neighborhood. I held cruise nights at the country club.
It took me about seven years to build my clientele. Now nearly all of my business comes through word of mouth. I have three ICs working for me.
What is your business focus?
Mackey: I do some land, but mostly cruise. Group cruises, in particular, are a great specialty. Recently we did a $95,000 group cruise on Oceania. It was a real thrill to get a commission check with five figures.