She explains how she has social media to thank for getting her business off the ground Q: You left your job as a high street travel agent to become a childminder before returning as a homeworker nearly two years ago. What made you come back to the travel industry? I wanted to get back into travel because I love it.

Having been self-employed for a while as a childminder I wanted to work for myself, so I looked at homeworking. What was your biggest fear when you became a homeworker in January ?

So how did you build up a client base from scratch? I set up my Facebook page and that was it.

I got a booking in my first week and it just went from there, through recommendations on Facebook. I asked everyone who booked if they would share my page.

I have now got a bank of repeat clients but new clients still come from Facebook or from customers recommending me to friends on Facebook. I was going to send out leaflets to market my business but they are still all boxed up at home.

How do you manage your work-life balance? It is hard work and constant: I get messages in the middle of the night. I used to work while cooking tea and putting my son Rory to bed but I found myself not giving him the time he needed so now I work mainly school hours. I am stricter with my time but often get the laptop out after Rory is in bed. What has been your most rewarding experience since doing this job? As a Disney specialist homeworker, I benefit from dedicated marketing support. I decided to complement the Free Disney Dining campaign with a prize draw to win some extra spending money to use at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

The lady who won was so overwhelmed she cried on the phone. I took the gift card to her house and when I got there she threw her arms around me and said this meant so much to her as a year earlier she had lost her three-month-old baby girl. She showed me a photograph and we were both in tears.

She said she felt winning this prize would help her to turn a corner, knowing that her other little girl could have anything she likes on holiday next year. That was the best moment in my career.

Social Science History Bibliography

When flights stopped recently to Sharm el-Sheikh I was able to let my client know about it first thing in the morning. I had been watching the news and checked the Thomas Cook website at 6am.

Family Dollar Brightens the Holidays for Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia | Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia

She was due to travel that day and I had found her an alternative holiday by 8. She really appreciated my work and it made my job feel worthwhile.

Took time out of the industry to be a mum and did various jobs, including childminding I send a short message before and after the holiday.

Have confidence in your product knowledge: Tell clients what you can offer them. Manage your time well: After a year of consolidation for Freedom Travel Group and Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors, it's time for the retail consortium and homeworking network to expand.

Juliet Dennis speaks to Kelly Cookes, to find out about the plans. Kelly Cookes may not be a familiar face to many in the trade, but having started her career in Thomas Cook's graduate trainee scheme, she is well known in her own organisation.

The former boasts branches, while there are currently of the latter Freedom agencies and homeworking group CPTA became part of the Thomas Cook Group at the start of the joint venture with The Co-operative Travel five years ago.

The members of both are independent and not employed by Thomas Cook. Be part of something bigger. The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors is a trading name of Future Travel Limited.