Sam Hepburn

Tell me about your journey, how did you get to be a Hottie?

I had recently moved back home with my future wife from a stint in Europe, when my father said that he had seen an add in the Wairarapa Times-Age about the sale of House of Travel, Masterton. I wasn’t entirely sure I had the credentials, but I knew I had a degree in Marketing, a degree in Tourism and some sales experience, so I thought why not? I titled my application ‘Thank God it’s Cold’ and went on an embellished rant about how I was lighting the fire and saw that the local branch of House of Travel was for sale and apologised for missing the deadline. Thankfully, Jayne Alldred and Tracee Buckenham saw the funny side of it and invited me for an interview. I am somewhat convinced I was the only candidate, but they firmly believe it was my cheeky response that caught their eye. Anyhow, after many meetings and some negotiations we became the proud owners of House of Travel, Masterton.

Take us behind the scenes - what does a day in your life look like?

A day-to-day snapshot of life entails four little kids getting ready for their day, and the mad rush to get to work on time. Often this is not achieved, and I am constantly buying the team a coffee for my lack of punctuality. Once there, it’s straight into emails to see who is considering a holiday and frantically going about my day. Life as a travel agent is exciting, full-on but rewarding. We get to send people to every corner of the world, and to fulfil people’s dreams of travel that they only ever dreamt of. Creating holidays for our clients is the highlight of our day. In previous sales jobs I used to have to beg people to buy our products. As a travel agent we get to listen to people’s hopes and dreams and then curate something that is truly memorable. I couldn’t think of a better industry to be in.

What advice would you give someone just starting their career or is interested in your role?

I would say to anyone eager and keen to join our industry that it’s an amazing space to be in, and to have ownership of such a fantastic business is definitely something they should strive for. HOT has an amazing support system and as Chris Paulsen (our founder) said, it’s all about partnership. The team at House of Travel HQ are fabulous, they have your back and will support you 100%. If you are keen, have a crack and they will give you the tools and knowhow to make it happen.

Is there anything people don’t understand about your job that you wish they did?

Sometimes I feel we compete with the online space and people sometimes think it is a click of a button to book a fabulous holiday. What differentiates us from online is our wealth of experience and our ability to think outside the box. A computer can’t do that. So, I guess I would like people to know how complicated travel can be, and to understand the huge amount of thought and research that goes into each and every holiday we create.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Fulfilling people’s lives through travel. It might seem somewhat cheesy, but I can honestly say in my ten years as a travel agent, I have made people’s dreams become a reality. Everyday we deal with people who are keen to see the world. They want to travel in their style, they want to achieve travel plans to their budget, and they want to ensure their hard-earned dollars result in a memorable and authentic holiday. One thing that I get complete fulfilment from is helping people in need. Often, we are called upon in times of difficulty; someone trying to see a loved one that is poorly, or it could be to see a memorable moment in someone’s life. That for me is the epitome of what we do.

How would you explain to your friends and family what working here is like?

Exciting, dynamic and fulfilling.

What is it about House of Travel that keeps you coming back?

As I touched on, before I love being part of a loyal and trusted brand. You simply cannot achieve the accolades we have received by being a one-man shop. Operating under the House of Travel brand gives you the scope and backing to give anything a go. If you think about all the amazing things we have achieved as a group, it is evident that the people behind the scenes are eager and wiling for the local operators to have a crack at anything they imagine.

What are you looking forward to currently, in your role and personally?

I would love nothing better than to be able to support one of our consultants into an ownership role. The opportunity that I have been given is something that I cherish. I started with nothing and now have a very successful business. A business that has allowed me to forge lifelong friends and a huge network of wonderful clients. I would love to pass that opportunity on.

Any last comments you’d like to make?

If you are thinking about a stimulating, forward-thinking and rewarding industry to be in, I could not encourage you enough to have a shot at travel. It is easily the best life/career move I have ever made. I have been in the industry 10 years and can’t see myself doing anything else. Jump on board!