When Kate Lawry reflects on her adventure with Journey South, the travel business she founded in 2017, she recalls a career marked by global experiences, resilience through hardship, and steadfast support from her accounting team. After 26 years in the travel industry, including roles across the UK, Sydney, and finally settling in Seattle, Kate met her Kiwi husband, Mark. With children then aged six and ten, the family moved to New Zealand, ready to start a new chapter.
Initially, Kate continued her work in travel, eventually deciding to step out on her own. She launched Journey South, a boutique travel service planning unique experiences in Australasia and the South Pacific. While some call this “luxury travel,” Kate believes it’s more nuanced. "Luxury means something different to everyone,” she explains. “For some, it’s fish and chips on the beach; for others, it’s boutique vineyards or adventure-filled itineraries with helicopter rides to remote places.”
Starting from scratch, Kate quickly built a referral network and worked with a lead-generation specialist in the US, which provided a steady stream of potential clients. Her challenge then was to convert these leads into sales—a task she embraced wholeheartedly.
Journey South thrived, and Kate made her first hire, just as the pandemic turned the travel industry upside down. “Income went from hero to zero overnight,” she recalls. Navigating canceled bookings, refunds, and clients’ changing expectations became her daily reality. “It was a difficult time, managing deposits, refunds, and the loyalty of clients who would eventually travel to New Zealand, Australia, and the South Pacific once borders reopened.” Regretfully, Kate had to let go of her new employee. “No one could have predicted it would be a two-year wait,” she says.
"To quote Mike Tyson, "Everyone has a plan until they are punched in the face," and Covid was definitely that". says Michael Grace. "The business plan Kate and I had worked on was shelved with the business. It wasn't until the middle of 2023 that we developed a new plan and resumed our coaching journey".
The reopening of borders was a double-edged sword, bringing a rush of demand amid a severe staffing shortage. “The industry wasn’t prepared. Many operators found that the service levels of the past were hard to re-establish.” But Journey South adapted, and Kate’s resilience paid off. Now, with a team of four and looking to hire a fifth, her company has emerged stronger than ever. "It’s very much all hands on deck in a small business," she says. "Everyone rolls up their sleeves."
Kate’s approach is client-centered and deeply personalised. “We start with an hour-long call to understand each client’s budget, activity level, interests, and accommodation preferences. It’s about setting the right expectations and crafting an experience they’ll love.”
On the operational side, however, Kate is quick to admit that the complexities of managing finances were never her favourite part. Here, her partnership with Grace Team Accounting has been invaluable. “Managing client deposits and income can be tricky, as we often hold funds for extended periods,” she says. “With Michael and Jane’s help, we’ve developed processes that reduce this headache, and they’re constantly working on ways to systematise it further.”
Quarterly coaching sessions with Grace Team’s Michael have been especially beneficial for Kate. “Michael holds me accountable, has a pragmatic view, and always looks for ways to streamline the business to build lasting value,” she explains. “He explains things in layman’s terms, making it easy for me to understand and act on the planning we do. He’s calm, focused on creating financial freedom, and his guidance is invaluable.”
While this scenario with Covid is quite extreme, it highlights the importance of establishing solid foundations, quickly adapting, and remaining flexible as circumstances change. By meeting regularly with Kate, we were able to achieve this, and now Journey South is emerging stronger and ready to grow and achieve the goals we've set.
Recently, Kate launched Liberty NZ, a second business focused on handling B2B clientele from across the globe, including large corporate groups and events. “It’s exciting to branch out into something new with a fresh set of challenges and opportunities,” she says.
Reflecting on her journey, Kate attributes her success to resilience, adaptability, and the support of trusted advisors like Michael and the Grace Team. With Journey South flourishing and Liberty NZ expanding her reach, she’s looking forward to the next chapter, confident in the support that’s helped her every step of the way.
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