My career in travel started in my grandparents’ living room, where I’d play travel agents with a Fisher Price cash register and a pile of brochures from the local travel agency.

I wanted to work in travel after leaving college, but I had no experience. It was hard to get a job. But rather than becoming best friends with the staff at the local job centre, I decided to get out there and gain the experience I needed. So I volunteered at the local branch of STA Travel.

In no time at all, volunteering one day a week became a Monday to Friday job. I loved working there so much. I first got an admin position, then I quickly got promoted to full-time travel consultant.

In 2010 I started my own business, Altitude Luxury Travel. I thought I’d go from zero to the next big thing overnight. I got it wrong big time, by trying to be all things to all people – a jack of all trades. I was failing.

Things started to turn around when I found a niche I really cared about. That niche was Formula One travel.

Sports travel had always been in my business plans – not that I had a real business plan back then – and I started offering F1 travel packages and my business is growing.