Your Stories: Silver Travel Advisor’s Julie Crumpton looks back at 35 years in travel

The Tipto award winner recalls spells at Thomas Cook, Travel Counsellors and making ends meet during Covid. Juliet Dennis reports

Q. How did you get into the travel industry?
A. When I left school at 16, I got a job in a bank – and I immediately forced them to teach me about foreign exchange, so I could get a job in travel. I badgered the manager at Thomas Cook in Wolverhampton till he offered me a job. I was 21. I’ve been in travel for 35 years.

Q. Tell us about your career at Thomas Cook.
A. I did 21 years at Thomas Cook and became a top seller within two months of starting, even though I’d never sold a holiday. I was promoted to assistant manager within three months – they could tell I was bossy and loved the job. I was assistant manager for four years in various stores, and manager of five stores in the Midlands. I opened two stores from scratch. It was a brilliant time. I got a certificate in business management from Loughborough University, which helped with marketing and business development.

I did 21 years at Thomas Cook and became a top seller within two months of starting, even though I’d never sold a holiday

Q. Why did you take a career break?
A. I decided to be a mum and not run a store for two years. I had my daughter in 2008 and funded myself to have a career break when she was three. It was a massive step. But within three months I was bored, so I did lots of voluntary jobs for local companies. I ended up as head of the school PTA. I went to one meeting, and ended up head of the PTA for seven years.

Q. Why did you become a homeworker?
A. I thought I could work for myself and work around the family. I joined Travel Counsellors, which was a bit scary. I had to fund myself in the first year, then build up the business and find my own customers. All the school teachers booked with me and then my sales just came from referrals – about 70% of my customers came from the latter. I worked long hours but took a break from 3pm to 7pm to do the school run, before working again in the evening. But I loved it. I don’t think I would have left if it hadn’t been for the pandemic.

I joined Travel Counsellors, which was a bit scary. I had to fund myself in the first year, then build up the business and find my own customers

Q. How did you make ends meet during Covid?
A. I had to find a second job because I’m the breadwinner in our family. I took a job answering calls and web enquiries, and then selling for a local window and conservatory company for eight months. I earned good money but the pandemic spooked me a little in terms of my ability and security because I was self-employed. I didn’t want to put my family in that position of vulnerability again.

Q. Did the pandemic prompt your move to join Silver Travel Advisor?
A. I reached the ceiling of where I could get to at Travel Counsellors without taking on staff, and I didn’t want to do 50-60 hours a week. In 2022, things were going well but something was niggling me. I wouldn’t have done anything had I not seen Silver Travel Advisor owner Lisa McAuley at a Celebrity Beyond event.

I’ve known Lisa for 35 years and noticed she’d got a new job. She told me to contact her if I was interested in working for her – I said I could help on the retail side, but not sales. I’d done Travel Counsellors for eight years, and as much as I love selling holidays, I had other skills to offer, such as business management and marketing, and wanted an employed role for the security. It was my chance to have a career again.

I’ve known Lisa [McAuley] for 35 years and noticed she’d got a new job. She told me to contact her if I was interested in working for her

Q. Tell us more about Silver Travel Advisor.
A. Silver Travel Advisor has been a publishing information service for the mature market for 12 years. When Lisa took over, she saw an opportunity for the retail side. We were giving fantastic information and people were asking how to book. Lisa set up a retail team. I joined last September and started to recruit homeworkers.

We now have a team of five, and we’re part of Hays Travel Independence Group. I manage the homeworkers and help them on a day-to-day basis with training and sales. We provide leads from the site, which has 140,000 members, to the team. We are always looking for more homeworkers – my target by the end of the year is 15-20.

What was it like to win the Tipto Independent Agency of the Year award in 2022?

It was one of the highlights of last year. I won it at the Agent Achievement Awards in July. Winning the award was so special because it was voted for by the suppliers and the Tipto team, which meant a lot. I always work hard to support suppliers that support us, which the Tipto members do, as well as offering great products and service to our customers.

I didn’t know I had won when I went to the AAAs – I just knew I had been nominated. I have never won an individual award before

To win this award just as I was finishing my eighth year of having my own business, through Travel Counsellors, and surviving Covid, was the icing on the cake. I was already in the process of joining Silver Travel Advisor, so to join as an award winner was a lovely feeling. I didn’t know I had won when I went to the AAAs – I just knew I had been nominated. I have never won an individual award before.

When I was at Thomas Cook, I won ‘large store of the year’, based on profit and service. But I was on maternity leave when we won that at our conference, so wasn’t there to accept it. And it was for the whole team, whereas this one is an individual award.