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Illuminating Career path Featuring Sally Peabody and Your Great Days in Paris Paris, brimming with historic culture and vibrant energy, is the sort of place that can capture your heart. There is so much to see, so much to do and so many people to meet, it seems that no visit could be long enough to cover it all. Then life intervenes and work gets in the way of endless vacationing. Unless you make it your job. Sally Peabody did what business coaches advise, and followed her passion all the way to Europe. She was working in the nonprofit world and making plans to be a consultant in that field when she took a sabbatical in Europe, much of it in Paris. She was so taken by the City of Light that she knew she wanted to come back again and again. She gathered up all her experience from running such nonprofits as Associated Grant Makers, where she was president for 10 years, and launched Your Great Days in Paris to provide private tours and trip consulting for travelers to France. She also offers classes on visiting the city and writes travel articles. She provides an insider's take on Paris. She spends her time there searching out great restaurants, interesting shops and unusual activities. She meets business owners and tour guides who can give her clients special attention. "I connect people with their passions," she explained. Whether travelers are looking for antiques, fine food or rare books, she can set up a complete itinerary that includes everything from famous monuments to obscure boutiques on quiet side streets. In a sense, she has turned her knowledge of the city into a commodity, which allows her to serve travelers on a wide range of budgets. Peabody is someone who travel lovers look at with a tinge of envy, but she says it isn't always easy. For starters, she launched the company just before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. As the United States headed to war in Iraq, the French government's reaction stirred up a strong anti-France sentiment that included renaming French fries. Still, she found enough interested travelers to get the business moving. Peabody's business has grown steadily, although she faces new challenges with the recent dip in the economy and the falling dollar. Everything in Europe is more expensive, and that is encouraging travelers to look elsewhere. It's of concern, but Paris has an enduring appeal that Peabody believes will last through tight times. She relies heavily on client referrals for new business, but also works to get her name out by writing for Web sites. As a niche player, she said she has turned the weakness of not being a large travel agency into a strength by focusing more on filling individual needs rather than offering pre-determined packages. "I have learned that selling Paris is challenging, because there are lots of very capable players and because France and Paris are totally well documented," she said. "But I have been able to bring an honest passion and skill to this work, substantial knowledge and an ethical approach that is client focused." |
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sally@yourgreatdaysinparis.com |
