Editor’s Note: The Oak Ridger has partnered with the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce to put a monthly spotlight on a small business. Stories and photographs are provided by the camera. We’re catching up and will provide readers with information on small businesses for the first two months of 2024 over the next two days.
Yeah! Go Travel, a company that specializes in planning coach trips and cruises for large groups, was named Small Business of the Month for January 2024 by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. With a leap of faith and love of travel, Suzie Housley opened Yes! Go Travel in August 2022. They offer group travel opportunities, including single and multi-day trips in the United States and international locations. Additionally, the company can help you book affordable bus and cruise transportation. The owner recently joined the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to further train her clients, reach out to new suppliers, and ultimately expand her business.
Suzie has 14 years of experience in the travel industry as a travel director for a now-disbanded program. When that opportunity came to an end, she decided to expand and build her own business, knowing that her travel family would be among the first to offer support. Suzie especially thanks her mother and her old friends who supported, encouraged and helped her along the way. She would also like to recognize and thank the following people who have been a blessing to her life and her business, including Jill and Randy Jarnigan, Sherri Dickens and Gail Martain, Karen and Rick Slagle, and Phil and Angie Poe.
She said: “Without the support and encouragement of these fantastic people, I wouldn’t be able to do half of what I need to do to allow this business to grow and prosper.”
To differentiate Yes! Go Travel From the average travel agency, Suzie has taken a personal approach, ensuring she is with you every step of the way and that no detail is left unaddressed. From initial planning to departure date, she will ensure that all of your needs and concerns are addressed and that you leave with lasting memories. In fact, the company motto is “Come as strangers, leave as friends.”
Yeah! Go Travel’s mission is to provide affordable travel opportunities for all budgets and strives to avoid putting financial pressure on its travelers. Their trips are designed to fit anyone’s budget by allowing payment to be made over time, shared up to a year in advance. The reputable travel companies it has partnered with over the past 14 years have been in the industry even longer, which also ensures a quality experience at a lower cost. While there is currently no store, you can visit www.yesgotravel.info to find over a dozen future travel opportunities now available and owner contact information.
Also worth noting is the owner’s active involvement in the chamber community through its Ambassador Program and devotion to networking. Suzie shares her personal testimony: “As a new business, every dollar I spend has to translate into something beneficial for my business. Deciding to join the Oak Ridge Chamber wasn’t easy at first due to the cost, but I felt it was the best approach. to get the name of my new business known in the Oak Ridge community. Since joining the chamber, my social media exposure has increased dramatically. Using the press release option, I see hit rates of 1,500 people with every ad I place. I gained many new clients and business thanks to referrals from chamber members. The chamber staff is very supportive and gives me ideas to strategically strengthen my business. They welcomed me with open arms and They showed that they believe in the benefit of my company. Joining the chamber has been the “Best investment my company has made. I look forward to your planned events and aim to attend as many as possible. For anyone who wants to increase customer growth, increase sales, and have their business recognized as a professional organization, I highly recommend membership in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.”
Suzie’s community involvement also included making contributions to the Anderson County Senior Center, as well as being a member of the nonprofit organization Women in Nuclear (WIN) and the private membership organization Federal Employed Women (FEW).
For the fourth year, the chamber is pleased to continue recognizing local small businesses as Small Business of the Month. Thank you to Enrichment Federal Credit Union, which has been the sponsor of the Small Business of the Month award since its inception. In late 2022, a group of local Chamber member business owners were named the Small Business Council, which serves as the steering committee for the Chamber’s small business initiatives. This council has taken on the responsibility of voting for each month’s winner. To nominate a business for Small Business of the Month, visit the Chamber’s website at www.oakridgechamber.org or email the membership director at membership@orcc.org. Qualified businesses must have 50 or fewer employees, be current members of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and show active involvement in the community and/or chamber. Under new guidelines established by the chamber’s board of directors, winners from the past three years are not eligible to receive the award again. Our Small Business Council will consider all nominations; however, qualification and/or victory is not guaranteed.