Rising Stars: Meet Erica Carpenter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Carpenter.

Hi Erica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
Eight and a half years ago, I was a high school teacher and athletic trainer who was out of work on maternity leave with my newborn. I decided to take the year off to spend time with my boys, as my oldest had just started kindergarten, and the youngest was 6 months old. I was used to being around people and talking to others all day long, so I started to get a little lonely during the day, and I began searching for jobs I could do from home. I remembered that when we had traveled to Disney as a family, I used a travel professional with Cupcake Castles Travel Company. I thought that I could do that and had potential to be pretty good at it. I prayed about it, talked about it with my husband, and I decided to apply- I loved travel and Disney, and ultimately, I loved being able to be at home with my boys and be present in their daily lives. I had nothing to lose. I was hired in March 2016. My business started off growing very slowly, but after consistent effort and training it started to pick up speed. In January 2018 I had so much work to do I couldn’t get out of my office. I was blown away at how many people were reaching out to me about travel. Slowly but surely my little Disney business started to grow. I set goals for how much travel I wanted to book- each month, each year. At the end of every month, my husband, Greg, and I celebrated if the goal had been achieved. In January of 2020, I was set to have the biggest year yet! Everyone wanted to travel and was so excited about it. Well… we all know what happened in March… I watched all the travel that I had booked for the upcoming year cancel and felt like everything I had worked hard for was slowly slipping away. It was upsetting for sure. I lost a lot- but who didn’t? What small business came of out the pandemic booming? Not very many. I was very upset about it one night, and Greg reminded me that I was not in control of it all. He told me to put it into the hands of the one who was. I prayed that night that God would take care of us. We are a small business family. The work we do puts the food on our table, clothes our children, and pays our bills. The pandemic was hard. But guess what? Slowly but surely, destinations started to open back up, and people wanted to travel! Anywhere they could go, they wanted to go. My business started to grow again- to the point where I traveled over one million dollars in 2022 & 2023, respectively. I am so blessed by my (not so little anymore) travel business. I am so blessed by my clients and the relationships we have developed over the years. We have experienced happiness, sadness, loss, death, birth, engagements, weddings, graduations, birthdays, deployments, anniversaries, and so many more life milestones together. But most importantly, this business has allowed me to make memories with my boys, and it has allowed me to help others make memories with the ones they love as well. I can’t think of a greater reward. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. Overcoming being a mom to a newborn was tough, but being a travel professional during a worldwide pandemic was pretty hard. Not only was I working to service my clients I was working to help my boys stay tuned in to virtual school. I was helping my parents & in-laws with grocery shopping and meals so they could stay safe. Small business is always a bumpy road- you just have to learn how to adjust and how to move to plans B, C, D, etc., if necessary. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an independent contractor with Cupcake Castles Travel Company in Kenner, LA. I live and work in Charlotte, NC, as a travel professional specializing in family travel, romance (honeymoon, wedding, vow renewals) travel, and group travel. I have booked vacations for church groups, destination weddings, family vacations & reunions, bucket list trips for clients all over the world. I have had clients travel as far as Switzerland and Australia and as close as the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. I work hard to customize a vacation plan to best fit the needs of my client, ensuring that the experience they get is what they want. I assist clients every step of the way, from resort selection to dining options or excursions to flights, to why you need travel protection insurance, to cancellation & change policies, and more. When you choose to #travelwitherica, I am with you every single step of the way. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Starting this business as a stay-at-home mom was a risk. I work hard to make sure my goals have come to fruition. However, there is always a risk involved because small business involves so many variables that I cannot control. I believe sometimes in life, you have to take the risk in order to receive the benefits. You just have to have faith that the risk you take will be beneficial in the end. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cupcakecastlestravel.com/erica
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CUPCAKECASTLESerica
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cupcakecastlestravelcompany1ericacarpenter
• Other: https://linktr.ee/cupcakecastleserica?fbclid=IwAR39MPVIHYlLP44KLW_M-dhpbgeW2wvbhonROi8E_yvOpNVvFY9kP0AKKVM