In the world of travel entrepreneurship, success stories come in all forms, but few are as inspiring as that of Merry Jennifer “MJ” Markham. A practicing oncologist, Merry Jennifer discovered that travel was more than just a personal passion - it was a necessity for balance and well-being. What started as a love for planning vacations quickly transformed into a thriving multi-million-dollar travel business. In an episode of The Travel Business Unpacked, host Meredith Calloway sits down with MJ to explore her journey from medicine to luxury travel entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced, and the lessons she learned along the way.
The Leap from Medicine to Travel Entrepreneurship
MJ Markham’s career as an oncologist exposed her to the realities of life’s unpredictability. She frequently witnessed patients expressing regret about putting off their dream trips, thinking they had more time. This, combined with her own need for travel as a way to emotionally recharge from her demanding career, planted the seed for what would later become MMarkham Travel.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, MJ, like many others, was forced to cancel her own travel plans. The loss of travel emphasized how integral it was to her life. More importantly, she saw firsthand the impact on her patients - many of whom had been waiting for “the right time” to travel, only to lose that opportunity permanently. This realization pushed her to take action.
With no prior experience in the travel industry, MJ took a leap of faith. She started researching how to become a travel advisor, set up an LLC, and jumped into the business world. However, she quickly realized that simply having a love for travel wasn’t enough - she needed the right guidance, mentorship, and a community to succeed.
Determined to find the right host agency fit, she discovered the Travel MBA program and the Gifted Travel Network (GTN). This became a game-changer. With access to a community of high achievers, mentorship, and business-building strategies, she was able to scale quickly. Within her first year, she hit over $1 million in sales.
Building a Business While Managing a Full-Time Career
One of the most impressive aspects of MJ’s journey is that she continues to work full-time as an oncologist while growing her travel business. Balancing both careers wasn’t easy, but she developed strategies that allowed her to thrive in both.
A key factor in her success was hiring the right team. Initially hesitant to delegate, MJ realized that in order to scale, she needed to bring in skilled team members who could handle client inquiries, trip planning, and logistics during business hours while she focused on high-level strategy and mentorship. She leaned into her leadership skills - honed from her medical career - to train and manage her team effectively.
Now, MMarkham Travel has expanded, with dedicated travel designers and support staff. Her ability to trust and empower her team has allowed her to continue growing the business without sacrificing her medical career.
MJ Markham has achieved something truly remarkable - growing a thriving travel business while continuing to make a difference in her medical career. She’s created a company that reflects her values and helps others live more fully through travel. Congratulations to Merry Jennifer on her incredible success and the impact she’s making in both medicine and travel.
MMarkham Travel website: mmarkhamtravel.com
Watch the full Travel Business Unpacked episode.
