206: How an Oncologist Grew a Travel Side Hustle to $4M in Sales (Through Referrals!)
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- Oncologist Merry Jennifer Markham turned her passion for travel planning into MMarkham Travel, a side hustle that generated over $4 million in sales.
- Your next profitable side hustle idea might be hiding right in plain sight within your day job or personal hobbies, just like Merry Jennifer discovered a week before her family trip to Hawaii.
- MMarkham Travel grew its impressive revenue almost entirely through client referrals rather than paid advertising, proving the power of word-of-mouth marketing.
- Establishing clear boundaries with your employer allows you to successfully balance a demanding medical career with a high-earning side business.
- Charging for your expertise—such as raising planning fees from $200 to $750 and up—ensures you are properly compensated for your time and value.
A week before her family's trip to Hawaii, oncologist Merry Jennifer Markham realized the planning had been her favourite part of travelling. She shared the idea with a friend, and within 48 hours she'd bought a domain name.
Merry Jennifer tells us that her travel side hustle, MMarkham Travel, did more than $4 million in sales, almost entirely through referrals, and she still works three and a half days a week in medicine.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How your next side hustle idea might be found in your day job
- The difference between a travel agent and a travel advisor, and how host agencies work
- Why she charges a planning fee, and why it grew from $200 to $750 and up
- How commissions work, and why they can arrive months after a client travels
- The Galapagos booking mistake that taught her to make sure she gets paid
- Why group trips are the most profitable part of her business, and what she learned about pricing them
- What it really costs to start as a travel advisor, from about $40 a month to a $10,000 investment
- Why paid ads didn't work for her, and where her clients come from instead
- How she told her employer about her side hustle and set clear boundaries
Does your side hustle focus on volume or luxury? Be sure to catch the wrap-up at the end for a quick check to see whether your price, your marketing and the time you give each customer all match the path you've chosen.
Do you like what you're hearing? Consider giving it a caffeinated thumbs up. We'd really appreciate it!
Need a little (and sometimes big) push to start and stay focused to grow your side hustle? Dive into my online Masterclass: How To Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things.
For the full show notes head on over to the home of Side Hustle Hero. https://www.sidehustlehero.com/
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Merry Jennifer Markham?
Merry Jennifer Markham is a practicing oncologist and the founder of MMarkham Travel, a successful travel side hustle that has generated over $4 million in sales primarily through referrals.
How did Merry Jennifer Markham start her travel side hustle?
After realizing that planning her family's trip to Hawaii was her favorite part of the travel experience, she shared the idea with a friend and bought a domain name within 48 hours.
How does MMarkham Travel get its clients without paid ads?
Instead of using paid advertisements, Merry Jennifer built her client base almost entirely through word-of-mouth and client referrals.
