Regular 9-5 Employee announces his retirement after partnering with a solid company and leadership to market a $7 Trillion industry and creates his own freedom.
Atlanta, GA – July 4, 2006 – The 4th of July has been a special day in America for the last 230 years, a day that all of America celebrates its Independence with our Stars and Stripes flying proud and high, back yard barbecues and fireworks. This year, July 4th has a special meaning for Doug Bauknight who celebrates his own independence with YTB Travel Network, an internet based travel agency, which uses referral marketing to build its business.
Thanks to both travel commissions made from his state of the art booking engine, and lucrative compensation received for helping others start a home based travel agency of their own, Mr. Bauknight has retired from the 9-5 grind of being an employee, to being his own boss. “I’ve always wanted to do my own thing, and have financial security, but never had any success.” Doug looks back “I began to feel as if success and prosperity was meant for somebody else, not me.”
Then on January 16th, 2005 Doug and his wife of 9 years, Ronda, joined a little known company called YourTravelBiz.com. “I remember thinking, what’s the worst that could happen?” Ronda smiles “We get to take a couple vacations a year with our two children, and because we own our own Agency, we can now claim that same vacation as a tax deduction. Even if we didn’t make a fortune, we’d still save far more on taxes than if we continued to vacation like we were.” That was only the beginning of what the Bauknight’s would learn about the travel industry and all the advantages a home-based business really had.
YTB Travel Network is a 5 year old, debt free, publicly traded internet based travel company, headquartered in Edwardsville, Illinois. Offering Franchise type support to tens of thousands of Referring Travel Agents across the country, YTB competes directly with other highly advertised internet travel companies such as Expedia and Travelocity. 72 year old Founder and CEO of YTB, J. Lloyd Tomer, affectionately known as “Coach” within the company, believes YTB Travel Network can surpass any and all other travel companies out there by choosing “referral marketing” as their marketing strategy.
“It’s brilliant! Who do you know at Expedia?” Doug asks “Do you even know where Expedia is? If I tell anyone I’m a Referring Travel Agent do you know what the very next thing out of their mouth is?” Doug answers “Can you get me a deal to_______?” So far it seems to be working, booking over $50 million in travel services in 2005 and thus far 2006 is showing indications that the company could exceed 5 times that amount, with expectations of $250 million in travel bookings for the current fiscal year.
Doug also believes there are other reasons he’s been able to succeed with YTB where he has failed before. The first being market appeal. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor, everyone dreams about, talks about, and wants a vacation. The second is inventory. “Not having to maintain any inventory is a big bonus for me.” Doug says “My inventory is a 160,000 ton cruise ship down in the Port of Miami right now.” The third is the current industry shift. 85% of all travel is now booked on line, and with Baby Boomers now starting to retire, there is substantial growth in the market for at least the next 20 years. “Baby Boomers have always dictated what will be explosive markets from the time they were born.” Doug points out. These same Baby Boomers will now retire once every 8 seconds for the next 20 years. Doug asks “What are they going to do with all their spare time?” His answer is “travel”, and industry experts agree that the current $7 Trillion industry will double to $14 Trillion by the end of the decade.
Jim Sloan, who also retired as a Police Officer and is Doug’s Sponsor with YTB, has worked with Doug for the last 18 months and considers him one of his closest friends. Jim looked back to when he first started mentoring Mr. Bauknight. “Doug was just like everyone else. He had the same dreams we all do. He just needed help in how to turn the dream into reality.” Jim recalls “Most people don’t understand that they didn’t form their current mindset and habits in a day. It takes time to learn new and better ways of thinking and working to create this type of independence.”
Jim credits most of Doug’s success to having a simple willingness to learn. Doug’s own research and personal development and growth, began to set a course to achieve success, something he once thought was meant only for others. Doug states, “There is some really good information out there, more information than you could ever imagine.” He continues “It’s just a simple matter of opening your eyes and mind to ideas and principles that have honestly been around for thousands of years.”
Now Jim believes that the student has become the teacher. “Doug would always thank me for what I would do for him.” Says Jim “I told him that the best way for him to thank me would be to teach others and help others the way I helped him.” Susan Hynes who joined Doug’s team from across the country in January of 2006 agrees “Doug was the first one who asked me what I wanted out of the business. That told me he really cared. He has a great desire to help. I just knew, I signed up with him on the spot.”
Doug Bauknight named his Marketing Company “Just Picture It Now” He believes this industry brings up vivid images and pictures in everyone’s mind. “If you keep those pictures in the forefront, and actually feel the emotions they create on a daily basis, anyone can achieve the independence I’ve received.” Says the newly Independent Network Marketer “It’s all about passion and emotion, it’s really that simple.”
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Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
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