{"id":26415,"date":"2025-11-06T17:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T17:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=26415"},"modified":"2025-11-06T13:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T13:04:08","slug":"from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise\/","title":{"rendered":"From HR and IT to million-pound travel success: Lee and Louise\u2019s inspiring journey with The Travel Franchise"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #101010;color:#101010\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #101010;color:#101010\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise\/#a-leap-from-corporate-life\" >A leap from corporate life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise\/#overseas-mentorship-retreats\" >Overseas mentorship retreats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise\/#teamwork-support-and-success\" >Teamwork, support and success<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/from-hr-and-it-to-million-pound-travel-success-lee-and-louises-inspiring-journey-with-the-travel-franchise\/#looking-ahead\" >Looking ahead<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>From IT systems and HR spreadsheets to free trips to The Galapagos and luxury cruises \u2013 Lee and Louise Trowbridge\u2019s story is proof that you don\u2019t need a travel background to build a million-pound business.<\/p>\n<p>In just eight years, this husband-and-wife team have transformed their lives with The Travel Franchise, turning their passion for holidays into a booming enterprise generating over \u00a31 million in commission and \u00a32 million in sales in 2025 alone.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-leap-from-corporate-life\"><\/span><strong>A leap from corporate life<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI just hated getting up to go sit at a desk for eight or nine hours, then driving home and doing the same thing again,\u201d recalls Louise who used to work in HR.<\/p>\n<p>Craving flexibility and fulfilment, she began exploring self-employed opportunities that offered financial potential and personal freedom.<\/p>\n<p>After researching several options \u2013 including animal care franchises \u2013 a serendipitous meeting on their honeymoon in Jamaica changed everything. When rain forced them into a beach bar, they struck up a conversation with David Walker, one of The Travel Franchise\u2019s most successful consultants.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe said he was a home-based travel agent, and the rest is history\u201d Louise explains. \u201cSix weeks later, I did my training to become one!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Amazed she could start a travel business without prior experience in the industry, Louise completed her five-day training with The Travel Franchise and was soon booking holidays from home. Lee joined a year later, leaving his IT role to help grow their budding enterprise.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"overseas-mentorship-retreats\"><\/span><strong>Overseas mentorship retreats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While there are many opportunities for ongoing training \u2013 weekly webinars from suppliers \u2013 the turning point for their business came from one of two overseas training retreats included in the company\u2019s most popular Elite package.<\/p>\n<p>Louise says that these were worth the franchise fee alone. As soon as they returned from The Millionaires Retreat in Mallorca, hosted by co-founders Paul Harrison and Steve Witt, the business skyrocketed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a real penny-drop moment,\u201d says Louise. \u201cBy the end of the week, I\u2019d got several bookings and the confidence to really take things seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Later, the couple joined the Elite Experience, another overseas training event in a luxury location (in 2025 Japan and Mauritius) which is designed to help franchisees refine and scale their businesses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Millionaires Retreat helped us get sales and customers; the Elite Experience helped us improve margins and stability with smart tweaks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since that breakthrough, Lee and Louise\u2019s business has flourished. They\u2019ve made nearly 2,000 bookings, reached \u00a32 million in holiday sales in 2025 (with months still to go), and hit the incredible milestone of \u00a31 million in total commission.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve even opened a retail travel space in their hometown \u2013 a move that\u2019s driven steady growth. \u201cWe get a lot of foot traffic and a good percentage of bookings from people walking past,\u201d Louise explains. \u201cMany locals still prefer that personal, face-to-face touch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Their savvy use of social media has also paid off. \u201cOur biggest ever booking was for \u00a385,000 \u2014 and it came from Facebook while we were on holiday in the Maldives!\u201d laughs Louise.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"teamwork-support-and-success\"><\/span><strong>Teamwork, support and success<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As business partners and life partners, Lee and Louise have found the perfect rhythm. \u201cLee handles social media, and I focus on sales and bookings,\u201d says Louise.<\/p>\n<p>Their \u201cteam meetings\u201d often happen on dog walks, and they\u2019ve enjoyed incredible travel perks \u2013 from Louise\u2019s fam trip to the Gal\u00e1pagos Islands this year to Lee\u2019s spot on The Travel Franchise\u2019s first-ever river cruise in France with Riviera.<\/p>\n<p>They credit much of their success to the company\u2019s ongoing mentorship and community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have weekly calls with our Business Development Manager and have had one-to-one sessions with Paul and Steve,\u201d says Louise. \u201cThe support is phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The couple also praise The Travel Franchise\u2019s investment in technology. \u201cThe new T-Profile quoting tool has been fantastic,\u201d Louise says. \u201cIt lets us send beautiful, branded quotes and track when customers view them. And Vision, our CRM system, gives us insights that keep us motivated to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"looking-ahead\"><\/span><strong>Looking ahead<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With a growing team and a thriving retail hub, Lee and Louise are now planning for the next stage of growth. \u201cWe\u2019d love to expand, maybe open more premises, and build the infrastructure that allows us to step back a little,\u201d Louise says.<\/p>\n<p>Their journey from HR and IT professionals to million-pound travel entrepreneurs is a shining example of what\u2019s possible with passion, hard work, and the right support.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe work for ourselves, travel the world, and have met amazing people we now call friends for life,\u201d says Louise. \u201cThe Travel Franchise will do whatever they can to help you grow. They\u2019re on an incredible journey \u2013 and we\u2019re proud to be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Interested in starting your own travel business?<\/p>\n<p>Learn how you can follow in Lee and Louise\u2019s footsteps below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From IT systems and HR spreadsheets to free trips to The Galapagos and luxury cruises \u2013 Lee and Louise Trowbridge\u2019s story is proof that you don\u2019t need a travel background to build a million-pound business. In just eight years, this husband-and-wife team have transformed their lives with The Travel Franchise, turning their passion for holidays [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":26418,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1490,223],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-the-travel-franchise","category-leisure-franchises"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Louise-Lee-Trowbridge-2.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}