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

Hi Shay, how do you think about risk?

Risk taking for me means EVERYTHING! I firmly believe I wouldn’t be the person I am today without taking risks, betting on myself, taking chances and ultimately facing my fears every step of the way. This is evident in my travel journey. Thus far, I’ve had the opportunity to visit 53 countries, 16 of which were solo travels. It’s the also the same bold risk taking that led me to living in Beijing, China for 2 years.
It would have been easy to listen to all the critics who tried to stop and convince me that it would be the wrong move or rather an unsafe move. However, I decided the risk was worth taking. I decided I could move halfway across the world and live in a foreign land without knowing a soul. My journey while daunting and at times faced with great frustrations—molded me into a person that was given a unique opportunity to see life through a new set of lens. I dug deep and tapped into the ultimate confidence, independence and embraced the new world around me. Fast forwarding to now, that same confidence that flourished and evolved over the years has now ignited another passion and pursuit. This time allowing me to bet on myself (again) and start my own travel business. My ultimate goal through my travel business, Minii Marvels Travel Agency, is to serve as a platform that encourages others to take the leap and go out and explore the world beyond their comfort zone.

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?

My travel business, Minii Marvels Travel Agency, specializes in making even the shortest of trips a MARVELOUS one!

The very thing that sets me apart from others is my own personal travel journey. I have been to over 50 countries and 30 states. This gives me first hand knowledge about the packages I curate for others. I’ve walked a cheetah in South Africa, rode a camel in Egypt and even swam with stingrays in the Cayman Islands. Collectively, these experiences—and many, many more—add up to a pretty impressive travel resume, but more importantly, they make me a great choice for any ones go-to travel agent. I am well equipped with domestic and International experience and knowledge. Another thing that sets me apart is my eagerness towards ensuring that I am always up to date with current travel trends, new up-and-coming destinations, and the latest travel hacks. All of which, are not simply stored in my mind and heart but rather curated & communicated clearly and timely. All of those interested can find amazing travel tips and tricks on my blog and page. It’s my goal as a travel agent to make sure every trip is a treasured experience and that every client feels catered to.

Getting where I am today, business-wise, came as a result of faith and putting a purpose behind my passion to travel. I believe I was able to transition into this business, fairly seamlessly because people tend to trust someone they see going on journeys themselves. I wanted to show travel in a different light and expose travel as something that is attainable for everyone. I also wanted to expose the beauty of unique places people don’t typically go to like Guatemala and Sri Lanka. I have had the pleasure of preparing college students for their first SOLO trip to Costa Rica, families to Phoenix for their first trip with a toddler, ladies for their bachelorette parties in Jamaica and even aided newlyweds to start their forever journey surrounded by the clear water in the Maldives.

I aim to make traveling, a stress free process that would also allow my clients the benefit of utilizing my free payment plan options. The initial deposits for my trips start off as low as $50 per person for accommodation only bookings and $200 per person for flight and hotel packages. Customers also benefit from my agency being a one stop shop because they can order custom T-shirts, gift baskets, shot glasses, cups, bags and other trip essentials through me as well.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Dallas is full of things to do! It is a goal of mine to try at least 3 new restaurants/bars a month! I am a major FOODIE and so is my best friend. If she was in town, I would take her to Waterproof at the top of The Statler Hotel for dope rooftop views, The Catbird Lounge inside of the National hotel for cocktails, Pangea Restaurant in Garland for brunch & Yardbird for Dinner! It is also a major MUST that we spend at-least an hour walking aimlessly, sipping drinks and buying all the things we don’t really need at the Farmers Market! Then we could head to Royal 38 and Drakes for happy hour! My new favorite, hands down, is spending a lot of time in the Bishop Arts area– exploring new bars and restaurants like Casablanca and Paradiso. Grabbing ice cream from Jenni’s in Deep Ellum, walking over to Jade & Clover to build a plant and hanging out at the rooftop at STIRR. All of these things and places come highly recommended and will not leave any disappointments!

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?
I want to dedicate my shout out to my husband for being encouraging, traveling the world with me and reminding me not to be too hard on myself!
I would also like to thank my best friend Kiara -@themelaninmarthacreates and close friend Destinee – @thedetaileddollar. We all started our business journey around the same time and although our businesses are completely different we keep each other motivated and share ideas and tips with each other weekly. My other friends have also been very supportive as well and I’m so grateful to have a team of people always cheering me on.

Website: www.miniimarvels.com

Instagram: Business: @miniimarvels Personal Travel: @shaysees

Facebook: Minii Marvels Travel Agency

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