From Stranded at Sea to a Lucrative Travel Business: How One Couple Turned a Side Hustle into the Life They Always Wanted Join us for a free webinar to find out how these owners built the business of their dreams thanks to the power of franchising.
By 91³ÉÈË Events Edited by Jason Fell
Many people dream about becoming their own boss and charting their own path. Debra and Tony Thune did it, and the story of how is one you have to hear.
Their start was not a polished business plan. It was an 81-day cruise that the COVID pandemic cut short, leaving them stranded at sea off the coast of Africa for 17 days. While other passengers panicked, the Thunes used crisis-management skills from their previous careers as deputy sheriffs to help everyone around them find food, information, and a way home. By the time they got back, they had their first 75 clients.
They never set out to build a company. They built one anyway. Today they have served nearly 2,500 clients, traveled to 121 countries, and sailed 32 different cruise lines, almost entirely through word of mouth.
Join us for a free webinar, , produced by and 91³ÉÈË. Moderated by AI consultant and corporate trainer , this webinar will feature the husband-and-wife team who went from careers in law enforcement to running a lucrative travel business that funds a life most people only see on Instagram.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
Going from side business to full-time income
Learn the financial signals that tell you it's time to go all in, and why treating your venture as a serious business is what unlocks real growth.
How to get clients without cold outreach
Discover the relationship-first approach that built a sizeable client base through conversations, not pitches.
Firsthand knowledge as your edge
Understand why experiencing your product yourself, in person, is the credibility no competitor can fake.
Position yourself in the right rooms
Learn how to put yourself in front of the exact clients you want to serve, and how to make the math work while you do it.
The power of franchising
See how Cruise Planners franchisees get the technology, support, and leadership access that would take years to build alone.
Bonus Resource: All attendees will receive a free guide from Cruise Planners on building a travel business that funds your lifestyle, a practical resource for turning firsthand experience into real income.
The webinar will take place live on Thursday July 9 at 12 p.m. ET | 9 a.m. PT.
