Sponsored – Celebrating Black-Owned Travel Businesses — A Nexion Travel Group Roundtable
Meet the Nexion Travel Advisors turning passion into purpose — and inspiring the next generation of Black entrepreneurs through travel.
Contributed by: Nexion Travel Group
August is Black Business Month — a time to honor the creativity, grit, and impact of Black entrepreneurs across every industry. At Nexion Travel Group, we’re proud to spotlight several talented Black-owned travel business owners in our community. These Nexion Travel Advisors each bring a different story and specialty, but they share a love of exploration, a commitment to clients, and a drive to inspire others through travel.
Stories that connect and transform
Maureen Johnson turned years of outside-agent experience and a need for flexibility into a thriving travel agency. For her, Black Business Month is both a celebration and a recognition of the barriers others overcame so she could thrive. Many of Maureen’s clients take life-changing trips to Africa — some return to start businesses or new chapters in life — and knowing she played a role in those journeys is deeply meaningful.
For Marcus Thomas, the heart of the industry is connection: with clients, with peers, and with his faith. Joining Nexion amplified that sense of belonging through training, growth, and support. His advice to new advisors is simple: dive in. If you love travel and helping people, the rest can be learned — and even setbacks become valuable experience.
Karis Schaffer sees Black Business Month as legacy-building. She wants young Black girls to see that entrepreneurship is possible and worth pursuing. Karis specializes in romance travel — from honeymoons to destination weddings — and delights in creating jaw-dropping moments, like dogsledding in Alaska followed by a soak in hot springs under the Northern Lights.
Callie Woods first caught the travel bug on a high-school trip from Cleveland to Atlanta. That curiosity expanded into decades of exploring the U.S. and the world, and she became the go-to travel planner for family and friends. After retiring from corporate life, she finally turned that passion into a business — doing what she loves full-time.
Carla “CJ” Jeter views Black Business Month as a moment for visibility and encouragement. Building a business as a woman of color matters, and she hopes her story helps others take bold steps into entrepreneurship. Nexion has given CJ the tools to grow with intention, and her advice to newcomers is brave and practical: start — even if you’re scared. Passion will take you far.
Brandee Martin finds the greatest joy in opening her community’s eyes to places they might never have considered — from the ICE Hotel to the historic streets of Budapest. She values the mentorship and peer support at Nexion and urges new advisors to ask for help often; there’s always more to learn.
Why this matters
These advisors remind us that travel does more than move people from place to place. It opens doors, builds bridges between cultures, and creates lasting change in individuals and communities. We’re honored to support and learn from them — and to celebrate the many ways their work enriches the travel industry.
Ready to build a travel business that matters? Become a Nexion Travel Advisor today: https://nexion.com/about-us/