Owner, Small World Big Fun
Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes, and it took a mother’s necessity to invent Small World Big Fun, a multistate, multimillion-dollar travel agency planning trips from Walt Disney World to countries all over the globe. Founder Cindy Minor stumbled into the industry by accident while putting together her family’s first trip to the House of Mouse.
“This was before online booking and social media, so I spent countless hours researching, organizing and creating a detailed plan,” Minor said. “I realized I loved every part of the process. I enjoy researching, solving problems and helping people create meaningful experiences. When I learned I could turn those skills into a career, I never looked back.”
Minor, who to that point had always worked in sales, found a natural extension of that work in travel planning. She prefers to think of sales as education, she said, since, after all, her role is to provide people with the information they need to make confident decisions. She is grateful for the ability to lean into her strengths while helping others create lifelong memories.
“My passion is helping people create meaningful experiences, build connections and see what’s possible,” Minor said. “Whether it’s a client planning a dream vacation or an advisor building a successful business, I believe extraordinary things happen when people are supported by a strong community.”
Travel is a largely female-driven industry, Minor said, which provides incredible opportunities, but she has also seen the ways in which women can sometimes underestimate their own expertise.
“I encourage women to recognize the value of their knowledge and experience,” she said. “You are the expert. Speak with confidence, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to take up space.”
As a business owner, Minor wears a variety of hats every day. One minute, she might be advising clients, while the next sees her mentoring fellow travel advisors, handling operations or working on the strategic vision for her own company. Rather than focusing on competition, Minor takes the approach that “a rising tide lifts all ships,” pouring her energies into helping others grow their businesses and chase their dreams just as she has done. Empowering others and seeing the ripple effect of such work, she said, has been one of the most meaningful parts of her career.
“Helping advisors build successful businesses and grow professionally is something I care deeply about,” she said. “Watching someone achieve goals they once thought were impossible is one of the greatest rewards of leadership.”
Another of the ways Minor contributes to the larger community is through active involvement in the Delta Delta Delta sorority as the Alumna Advisor and, formerly, as Membership Experience Advisor at the organization’s chapter at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Tri Delta has provided Minor with a sense of belonging, countless chances for personal growth and numerous enduring friendships, she said, and she strongly believes in the power of women supporting women.
“What I hope to leave behind is a legacy of strong women, thriving businesses and a community that continues to support and uplift one another long after I’m gone,” she said.
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