Siler, who works full time at St. Norbert College, recently participated in the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Eagle Pitch Contest, where he introduced his new business, Directional Ventures Travel. While he offers vacation packages to destinations around the world, his niche is putting together custom packages for those visiting the Green Bay area.
“I got the idea over the past few years,” he explained. “I always wanted to own a business, but I had no idea what type of business I wanted to start. For us, it was an experience, not a purchase.”
His best memories were family vacations. He started thinking about how to turn his love into a business. His research led to the travel industry.
“I started researching institutions. It could be built on a larger scale, but it would require a lot of investment, so it just wasn’t realistic for me,” says Siler. So I signed the contract
Host agencies can negotiate with travel agents to get discounts that independent agents are unlikely to secure. Agents become part of a larger group and have access to a worldwide network. Other benefits include access to special promotions, marketing assistance, management systems and extensive educational programs, Sailer said.
His evenings are spent using learning modules.
But hard work and long hours are what he is used to. Syler grew up on a farm and says he can’t take time off when he has cows to milk or other animals to look after, a strong work ethic that has stayed with him throughout his career.
After high school, I worked on a farm and in a manufacturing company before studying hospitality at the University of Wisconsin-Plattville. That led to his career, and he held a variety of jobs at Prattville hotels, doing everything from managing the front desk to auditing.
“I learned a lot about customer service. After Prattville, I took on food and beverage management at the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan and then Toys R Us in Southern Wisconsin,” he said. .
He left Toys R Us just before the chain declared bankruptcy, met his wife and continued working in the hospitality industry before moving to Depert in 2018 to manage the St. Norbert bookstore. Sylar says he loves his job, but he also wants his business to be successful.
He was taking an entrepreneurship class at NWTC when Lisa Taylor, who manages the program, told him about a business pitch contest for students. Siler saw this as a way to move the business forward.
Siler said of the contest, “I thought it was a good way to get the word out. The feedback was good and being able to present was a learning opportunity. I was able to gather a lot of information about
All of this helps him learn more about the region and the tourism business. He has a rough draft of his business plan, but only six months later he admits he already needs to update. Business class at NWTC is helpful, but there are parts of the plan that are hard to predict, such as income estimates.
One of the challenges is getting more clients to book trips. Larger agencies are most successful when booking group travel. Simply booking a small group is not enough to turn a hobby into a full-time business.
“Cruise specialists made more money,” he said. “Booking a hotel is not a good way to make it big. We hope it will drive income and be successful as we develop our aspect of Green Bay. Once established, it will work.” must.”
He has developed a relationship with Discover Green Bay, which is listed as a partner. He has his Facebook page and his website and is registered with the Travel Leaders Network. There is also word of mouth when he is planning a trip.
One of the first things he put together included Green Bay Packers tickets, a concert at the EPIC Event Center, and a Hall of Fame tour.
“There are so many interesting things to do, depending on your interests. You can add fishing trips, winery tours, golf, and Resch Center events in addition to Green Bay Packers,” he added.
Sylar tries to experience every attraction he can so he can share his first-hand knowledge. That’s something an out-of-area agent can’t provide. His goal is to maximize the experience based on interests.
“‘Do you love tourism? Do you love history? My business is modeled on the service aspect that I learned working in the hospitality industry: serving others and doing our best,'” says Siler. said Mr.
Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is a co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and served as District Director for SCORE, Wisconsin.
This article originally appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay travel agency Directional Ventures customizes local tours