Mentorship played a critical role in my journey. Stacey Cabell—transformational speaker, founder of Starstuff Travel, and member of The Travel Institute’s Professional Educators Program—regularly reminded me: “Don’t sell from your own pocket.” To elaborate, this means you shouldn’t sell yourself short whether in setting your fees or selecting a client’s travel. Match the client’s desires and consider industry trends. Reserving a boutique hotel suite and private activities might fall outside of your personal budget but perfectly aligns with a client’s vacation vision. Charging an hourly rate which may match a legal or medical professional, might feel excessive in the beginning, but is realistic when you take a close look at your average time commitment and overhead expenses. Implementing this mindset was foundational as I moved into the luxury space.

Stacey is a dynamic coach and mentor! Her wealth of knowledge and experience in this industry is priceless and her ability to communicate and break down to either the beginner or most seasoned is a true gift.

I don’t have enough wonderful things to say about Stacey. She’s truly like my business mom, nurturing, wise, and always in my corner. She has such a compassionate way of guiding me through my blocks and helping me see what’s really going on beneath the surface. One of her superpowers is reframing my own words in a way that motivates me, it’s like she hands me my own truth, but shinier and more empowering. She creates the space for me to give myself permission to actually do what I want to do, instead of constantly hitting the brakes. I always know she’s there to encourage and support me, but she also keeps me accountable in the best way. I find myself wanting to overachieve, not out of pressure, but because I know she’s cheering me on every step of the way.

Having Stacey as a mentor while building my travel business has been an absolute godsend! She knows travel better than anyone I know and always has insight and ideas when it comes to growing my client base and marketing myself. I would not be nearly as successful without having her in my corner.

Stacey is a recognized leader in the group travel industry and it has been my pleasure to work with her in assisting travel agents and meeting planners expand their understanding of this growing market.

We are so grateful to have had Stacey on our educational program for the 2025 Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum. Content is a critical factor into our delegates interest in participation and more importantly incredibly impactful in supporting our delegates’ success. Stacey offers a wealth of knowledge and successfully participated on two unique programs – one as a moderator (with high-level destination executives) and another as a panelist. Stacey is the epitome of professionalism, keeping an open line of communication, dedicated to her commitment – all while maintaining the integrity of the program (and participating as a travel advisor professional). I cannot thank her enough and I strongly recommend her for future speaking engagements and hope to welcome her back to our own events in the future.

Stacey brought energy, passion, and a relatable sense of vulnerability to the stage. Her keynote exceeded our expectations and she delivered it in an authentic and professional way to really connect with our audience. She was highly engaged and dedicated throughout the preparation process leading up to the conference and even during it. On top of this, Stacey was a joy to work with -- she was sincere with her story, open to feedback, and we always shared a few laughs!