Meet Katie Kennedy, an esteemed Advisor and Owner of Katie Kennedy Travel who embodies a unique balance of local dedication and global exploration. While raising her family in the heart of our community, she seamlessly integrates her passion for travel into both her personal and professional life. Through her expertise and firsthand experiences, Katie inspires others to embrace the beauty of travel, creating unforgettable memories for couples and families. Read more about her travels, how she can take you around the world to some of the most incredible places and her beautiful family.
How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
I have 3 boys, 14, 12, and 9
Where do your kids go to school?
We got lucky with the lottery, so all 3 are at Covington, but my oldest is headed to Seaholm next year.
What inspired you to pursue a career in travel advising, and how do you incorporate your passion for travel into your work and family life?
My parents have always been intrepid and adventurous travelers and they brought my sister and I up with the same sense of wanderlust and exploration. The process of learning by immersion was always so exciting for me and our family trips were generally to off the beaten path destinations that were not yet discovered by the masses.
I am an attorney by trade and worked both in private practice as well as the judicial system until the pandemic hit. When it did, it allowed me to really reevaluate what I envisioned for my future. Travel was always a passion that had to take a sideline due to my career, but I wanted to bring that to the forefront of my life and develop my own business around it. I knew I could use my extensive travel experience, knowledge, and attention to detail to create exciting memories through travel for my clients.
Much like my parents passed down to me, my kids have now caught their own travel bug and love to explore new destinations. It’s been so fun watching them learn through travel and experience new cultures, languages, and cuisine. I knew it was definitely going to be a lifelong passion of my boys when my 12 year old requested a personalized travel backpack for Christmas.
Location: Braemar, Scotland
Tell us more about Katie Kennedy Travel? How does it work, how to we go about planning a trip and how do we work with you.
I love planning high-end travel to really anywhere in the world, and I have a crazy amount of knowledge about destinations spinning around my brain at all times. It rarely makes sense to book your own travel as you can’t “VIP” yourself without a personal connection. As a plus you are supporting a small woman-owned business rather than a large public corporation. The best way to see if your trip is a good fit for Katie Kennedy Travel is to send me an email or head to my website inquiry form. There are a number of ways to work with me, and here’s a snapshot;
-Custom itineraries, which encompass everything from the moment you land in a destination to the moment you take off. These are your bigger investment trips, where all experiences and touring are pre-planned.
-Hotel-only bookings. This is where you either have a hotel in mind or you’d like me to give you a few options to choose from. I partner with almost every 4 and 5 star property across the world, which means I am able to pass along special perks to my clients that you do not get when booking on your own, including special promotions, and you pay the same price as if you booked direct! In addition, I have personal relationships with hotel teams and in-country partners, so my clients are always a priority over those who book directly or through their credit cards.
-Villas, yachts, private air travel and ultraluxe- I have access to the best of the best in every destination, as well as behind the scenes access to events. I can arrange experiences that you can’t Google.
Can you share some tips for fellow moms who aspire to pursue a career in the travel industry?
It depends a bit on whether someone is looking for a serious career or just a hobby. As I was coming from a successful professional career, I wanted my travel business to be a serious endeavor where I could continue to excel and produce elevated results for my clients. I’ve invested so much time and energy immersing myself in the travel industry and making great personal connections throughout the world. The first step was finding the right host agency (the oldest and most established in North America), and getting accepted into their exclusive and rigorous mentor program, which only accepts 1-2% of their applicants. I was mentored by the best in the industry to define my business and they supported me and introduced me to so many incredible partners that now work with me as friends to help give my clients the best experience. I did not want to enter the industry with anything less than stellar credentials, as I take clients‘ investments in these trips very seriously.
Location: Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Traveling with kids. What are your expert tips since you have been around the globe with them?
The key is to start them young. My kids were all on a plane by about 3-4 months old. The more they get acclimated at a young age to the rhthym of travel, including the good and the bad like delays and idle time, the better. For packing, have each child use a color coordinated packing cube for their clothes so they stay separate and they’re easy for them to grab when getting themselves ready. To build their excitement for the trip, assuming they’re old enough, have each of them do their own research on the destination and write down 3 things they would like to do. Then pick one of those things that works best for the family and make sure to do them!
How do you prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance in the fast-paced travel industry?
Great question- it’s not easy. I made sure to hire team members that are strong in areas where I need help so I can remove those from my plate and better manage my time. I also had to learn to be strict about business hours so that I can save that time for time with my family and friends. When I’m not traveling, I try and be consistent with a daily work out so I have a positive start to the day. Most of my trips are quite busy, but I always try to carve out an hour for a massage so I have at least an element of relaxation.
What made you decide to raise your family here?
This was an easy decision for me. My parents still have a home in Troy and my sister raised her kids in Birmingham and lives just down the street. The schools and the small-town family atmosphere are hard to beat!
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
What’s your family looking forward to this summer? What kind of exciting travel plans do you have? We must know where you are heading.
The summer will be busy! The boys will have swim team and some hockey training and then all 3 of them will head to Camp Hayo-went-Ha on Torch Lake, which they love. We try to spend as much time as we can at our family’s home on Sand Point, but it’s never enough. While my kids are at camp, my husband and I are going to head back to Spain. There’s a couple of properties that my clients love that I’m dying to see in person. Also, I’m sure there will be some last-minute trips sprinkled here and there!
How do you balance the demands of being a mother with your responsibilities as a travel advisor?
Definitely setting boundaries against nonessential calls and emails outside of business hours (unless there is a current travel emergency) and delegation of tasks to my team. Advanced preparation is definitely key for when I am heading out on a research trip. I try to front-load everything I can and get my kids’ schedules and commitments set in advance so that everything flows smoothly while I’m away. Luckily my husband is a trooper and has no problem handling everything the boys need, so he takes over anything I’ve left off.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
My husband and I are so lucky to have amazing families and 2 sets of grandparents that have always helped out with our kids. The boys have the best relationships with them and love to be with them, which has always allowed my husband and me time to ourselves for travel.
Also, friends and neighborhood parents are always more than happy to help pitch in with rides home, playdates, etc. What a great community we have!
Website: www.kkennedytravel.com
IG: kkennedytravel
Email: [email protected]
