Meet Sian Pages | Personal Travel Consultant and Avid Explorer of the World

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sian Pages and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sian, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m originally from a very small seaside town in the UK, where job security, ambition and modern values were not commonplace. I grew up having a rather remote relationship with my parents and didn’t realise there was another way. Once I left and moved to a city and then went to university, I realised just how diverse the world is and that the way I grew up wasn’t necessarily the only way.
I knew I wanted to do things differently when I had my own child. I waited till later in life, and armed myself with as much knowledge as I could – constantly reading books and articles (which I still do) and surrounded myself with friends who have become my ‘village’.
My parenting style is as different as could be from my upbringing and that’s not to say my mother did it wrong, she parented the only way she knew how – but I wanted to have a closer relationship with my son and I wanted him to have the confidence in himself from a young age, which is something I only acquired as an adult.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I opened my doors in February of 2018. After working for the NHS for 10 years, I realised how unhappy I had become and how unhealthy it was making me, both in my relationships and physically. I knew I needed to make a change, but I didn’t know what else I could do.

We took a family holiday and talked about what skills I had and having always had a passion for travel, it clicked into place that I should help people travel the world for a living. It was the most frightening thing I had done, resigning from. job that gave me a salary, benefits etc to run my own business. For the first year, I hardly earned a thing… And then the business took off. Unfortunately just as things were going well, COVID hit and I lost everything overnight.

It would have been really easy to quit. To walk away from a career that I adore, but I did everything I could, even working part time in my previous discipline, to keep my business afloat. I’m proud of that and now, things are definitely on the up.

For me, every trip that I work on is important. I treat my clients like friends, listening to what they’re looking for, the subtext… Why are they taking this trip, what needs to happen? I do this because I know the value of a holiday. It can be where your biggest decision are made – like it was for me. So I put my heart and soul into it. I also know how confusing and difficult it can still be to go abroad, with all of the requirements, so I advise on every step. Making sure my clients feel 100% confident before they go. Clients even call me whilst they’re on holiday and send me photos because they’re so happy. And they know that if there’s an issue, I will deal with it immediately.

Everything is personal for me. That’s the difference. I’m not just here to book you a holiday, For me, it’s an experience, not a transaction.

Learning to run a business was a challenge. But I’m thankful that I have a great support system around me and regularly educate myself in the things I feel I’m lacking.

I started this business through a love of travel and the desire to be happy. Having flexibility was also really important as I didn’t want to miss the big things in my sons life. My husbands job requires a lot of travelling around the UK, so having the opportunity to be able to schedule my own days in a way that suits our family is the most important thing to us.

As a family, we value experiences and travel above all else. I put off upgrading my car until it became a necessity because every time I thought about spending that money on a car, I just thought of all the trips I wanted us to take and so that became the norm for us. My son has an enthusiasm for the world that makes me so proud.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am privileged to live close to the Cotswolds and also Oxford City… The city is awash with historical buildings, beautiful ornate structures that fill you with awe. There’s a vibrancy to it, I think because of the universities and the significance they hold.

We would definitely explore the university grounds – popping in to Christchurch college where some of the Harry Potter movies were filmed.. We would explore the narrow cobbled streets, where you’ll stumble across some quirky little pubs. A few in particular which used to be a frequent spot for authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S Lewis. These are pubs with atmosphere.

There are so many beautiful walks nearby too, so we would take our black Labrador and go for a walk along the Ridgeway, taking in all the beautiful sights and the fresh air. It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and we feel really lucky to live here.

Nearby is also the Cotswolds. I would definitely take someone to visit Bampton – for lovers of Downton Abbey, it’s where a lot of it was filmed – that being said, we are also just 30 minutes away from Highclere Castle – the beloved location for this series.

There are some truly quaint and picturesque villages and towns to visit here – with chocolate-boxey houses and quiet little cafes serving afternoon tea… In the summer, in places like Bourton on the Water, children play merrily in the brook and families sit outside enjoying the sunshine. It’s idyllic.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Laura Richardson

@lausrich

As mentioned before, it takes a village and this amazing human has become my parent barometer. She’s the person I go to when I’m having a bad day, or when I need parental advice.

She’s a force of nature – raising two beautiful children who are so kind and empathetic and runs a highly successful business at the same time. She’s truly an inspiration.

Website: https://sianpages.notjusttravel.com

Instagram: @exploress_extraordinare

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sian-pagès-made-to-measure-escapism-397b5515a/