From the FBI to Travel Advisor: How One Entrepreneur Made the Ultimate Career Switch

After several years working for the federal government in Washington, D.C., Amelia Colton was burnt out.  

Initially recruited by the FBI straight out of college in 2015, she worked in external communications for the National Security Branch, then became a policy advisor in the White House’s National Security Council. The demanding roles came with long hours, but the lifelong traveler took personal trips during any time off she had – and continued planning travel for friends and family, as she was always known to do.  

Colton had already decided to move back home to Tampa, Florida, when she found her dream job was just around the corner: luxury travel advisor. She has now been the owner of Earhart Travel Consulting since 2023. 

“Leaving D.C. meant there were fewer opportunities for long-term career growth. Moving home gave me the chance to get out of my comfort zone and build something of my own,” she told Travel Market Report. “When I first learned about the role of a luxury travel advisor, something clicked and I knew it was the perfect fit for my skills, background, and interests.” 

Transitioning Between Careers 

Juggling competing priorities. Working under tight deadlines. Managing different personalities. Paying strict attention to detail. These are the skills Colton developed in the high-pressure environment of her previous career, which now serve her well as an advisor. 

Her time in government began right after graduating from the University of Virginia in 2015. For about six years, she represented the FBI’s national security mission, engaging with private sector and international law enforcement. When she did travel for the job, it was to establish and maintain relationships with foreign security partners – official business that’s worlds apart from the FAM trips she embarks on today. 

In 2021, she transferred to the White House, where she worked with policy experts on important projects – “a really amazing experience,” she said. Still, it all led to feeling burnt out, and she returned home to Tampa in 2022. The experience she gained was also invaluable for her new career path. 

“Dealing with a travel crisis is a big part of our business – a missed flight or an unhappy client – and that can be challenging,” she said, “but I just have to remind myself that it feels manageable compared to, say, responding to a request from the U.S. President at 10 p.m. on a Sunday, so it puts everything into perspective.” 

While Colton valued her time in the nation’s capital, she wanted the freedom and unique responsibility of being her own boss. And being able to work from anywhere in the world – as opposed to sitting at a desk day in and day out – didn’t hurt much, either. 

“Being a business owner, you manage your own success. You’re in charge of your own success and your own failures, as opposed to working for a large entity where you can feel that bureaucracy,” Colton said. “I was really ready to see the results of my hard work pay off.” 

Building Earhart Travel Consulting 

When she moved home, Colton connected with a travel advisor to learn more about the industry – then began researching Virtuoso-affiliated host agencies to see which aligned best with the vision for her business. 

In March 2023, Colton completed Brownell Travel’s Brownell Academy, and Earhart Travel Consulting was promptly born. She named the agency after her namesake because “I strive to uphold Amelia Earhart’s legacy of adventure and innovation in each trip that I create,” she said. 

Colton first found clients through her networks in Tampa and D.C. and has quickly turned them into repeat customers. Most recently she’s gained new clients through Brownell and Virtuoso channels, as well. She books all kinds of travel, from Caribbean getaways to ski trips in Japan, and prides herself on personalizing the little details.  

“My favorite clients are those who really trust me to make decisions for them or really tailor the trip to their needs and interests, instead of maybe relying on what they’ve seen on Instagram or the internet,” she said.  

Though still fairly new to the industry, she’s been able to evolve the business steadily over the past three years. Notably she’s hired two other agents. This wasn’t something she sought out, but oftentimes, people come to her asking how they can enter the travel industry, as well. In these cases, it was a great match.

“It is really nice having other people on my team because sometimes, as like a solo entrepreneur, you feel you’re on your own,” she said, “but having a little bit of a team, we can bounce ideas off of each other.” 

Other ways she grows her business are through FAM trips and attending industry conferences. 

“I also love being able to meet advisors from other agencies on trips, see how they’re running their business, and staying in touch with them,” she said. 

Living and Breathing the Travel Dream 

When working for the FBI, there was a clear delineation between a work trip and a personal trip. Now that she works in the business of selling vacations, those lines have been blurred. When she’s traveling for leisure, Colton usually squeezes in a site visit – even on a recent family vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. And when she’s traveling for work, well, there’s surely some fun to be had, as well. 

Personally, her favorite types of travel are ski trips and places that are up-and-coming. Later this summer, she has a personal trip planned to Poland and Austria that she’s particularly excited about. 

“I really like going places that I feel like are about to become a lot more popular,” she said, “and I definitely feel that way about Austria, with the Dolomites really blowing up, especially after the Olympics.” 

Colton also keeps busy with FAM trips: She recently did a Greek Islands FAM with the tour operator Iberia and a Spain FAM with Small Luxury Hotels of the World. In November, she’ll embark on a Tanzania safari with Thompson Safaris. Though she’s been to Africa before becoming an advisor, she’s excited to view the continent through the lens of her new life’s work. 

“It’s so important for us to see the destinations that we sell,” she said. “Being able to travel a lot now, being able to just take my laptop and still be in contact with my clients and work from wherever I am around the world – that is a huge perk.  

“Having that flexibility has been such a game changer. I really, I really love it,” she added. “It was the right change for me. I feel so lucky, honestly, that this is something I get to do every day.”