TravelManagers recently  announced their sales had increased 82 percent in the January - June 2010 period compared to the equivalent six months in 2009. Their personal travel managers were big beneficiaries with an increase of 127 percent in those achieving more than $50,000 commission, for the same time period last year.

Eight of the personal travel managers in the top 20 were not connected with TravelManagers in June last year and as a group they commonly echo that they have never looked back since signing with TravelManagers.

One such personal travel manager is Pauliina Kelly from Forde in Canberra who openly admits she wasn't a top performer in the previous company she worked for.

"I had other commitments which were a massive part of my work load so sales took a back seat for me. Joining TravelManagers has meant I can totally focus on selling and my clients' needs with lots of support when and if I need it."

Ms Kelly says setting up her own business was always a dream but the financial investment required put her off.

"It is stressful, I looked into it and on top of the financial investment there would have been countless hours of paperwork for the various approvals needed, establishing accounts with multiple suppliers plus all the accounting and reporting required with having your own business. Being a personal travel manager is perfect, it avoids all of that."

Ms Kelly says she investigated the options before signing up and knew very quickly that TravelManagers was the choice for her. 

"The back up and support in IT and marketing is incredible, the technology is superior and the commission levels are the best around."

Fiona Perry from Tarragindi in Queensland agrees that joining TravelManagers was the best thing she ever did.

"My relationships with my clients are stronger than ever ensuring a greater degree of loyalty from them. My clients love that they can always contact me, even after hours! I am far more flexible in regards to my personal life as I am not tied down to a '9-5' job. And the icing on the cake is that I earn 90 percent of everything I make."

Merran Wiggins from Warners Bay in New South Wales says despite being TravelManagers' 200th personal travel manager, she has never felt like a number.

"What stands out for me is I feel that TravelManagers treat me as an individual, they truly listen to me."
Ms Wiggins believes joining TravelManagers has made her a better consultant.

"It took me out of the comfort zone and as a result with their support I'm so much more confident in what I do. I'm so proud of what I have achieved and the behind the scenes support is a massive confidence boost, I don't feel alone at all. I really value my business partnership manager to bounce ideas off and for assistance with planning. Never have I had a marketing department to work with, it's a fantastic business model."

Ms Wiggins has some advice for anyone toying with the idea of becoming a personal travel manager.
"Sit down and take five minutes to think about your lifestyle, are you always rushing to get to the office, are your family missing out on you? I decided it was about working smarter not harder. I have two boys under four and I see them more than ever, I'm making more money and have more time for me. I've never been happier."

TravelManagers average commission income per personal travel manager grew 16 percent across the total network for the January to June 2010 period.