About

By agents, for agents

The Travel Agents Academy was built by people who book the trips, run the campaigns, and prove the system on themselves first, then teach it. No theory from someone who read about it.

We built the academy we wish we’d had when we started, a real business behind every booking, not just a way to book travel. A business owner, not a travel booker: one that creates its own demand.

Done-with-you

We build your system beside you, not a login and a stack of videos to figure out alone.

Proof, not promises

Every method was run live on a real agency first, before we ever taught it.

Radical honesty

We tell you to cut our numbers in half before you project your own.

Our story

It started with a conversation

Back during COVID, the two of us sat down and talked about what we actually wanted to build in travel. We’d spoken with a lot of agents, and the same thing kept surfacing: there are brilliant travel agents and brilliant travel programs out there, but almost nothing that helps you grow the business behind the bookings. The marketing. The sales. The systems.

So we started where we could, a passion project. A podcast where we just talked, openly, about our experiences in travel. It made us better agents, and it connected us to the community we wanted to serve.

Around the same time, Will launched his own marketing agency. Working with real clients made it obvious what travel agents actually needed, and what genuinely moved the needle versus what only sounded good.

After a few years running the agency, we brought it all together. The Travel Agents Academy is everything we know works, taught with you, not at you. How to run a business, grow it, sharpen your sales and your marketing, and build a steady stream of high-quality leads. Not just people who fill out a form, people who fill out a form, qualify, and book an appointment with you.

We’re obsessed with making this a great product, and we’re genuinely excited to work with you.

Brian & Will

Watch

Hear it from Brian

The founders

Meet the people behind it

Will Lee

Co-founder & Marketing Strategist

William Lee is the marketing strategist and co-founder behind The Travel Agents Academy. With over 5 years of experience in digital marketing, SEO, and travel industry growth strategies, William has helped transform agencies from small operations into multi-million-dollar businesses. As the head of marketing for Chima Travel, he's overseen campaigns that drive new leads and bookings.

William's passion is teaching travel advisors how to think like CEOs, from building automated lead systems to creating brand experiences that attract high-value clients. His mentorship focuses on practical, step-by-step systems agents can immediately apply to grow their income, improve their processes, and reclaim their time. When he's not coaching agents or building new marketing tools, William is traveling with his family, experimenting with new recipes at home, or developing AI solutions to make running a travel agency simpler and more profitable.

Brian Chima

Co-founder & Mentor

Brian Chima has traveled to 43 countries and visited Europe 17 times. After graduating college, he spent a year living in Henan, China, where he taught business. In October 2012, Brian launched his career as a travel agent and quickly discovered his passion for creating logistically complex itineraries, especially throughout Europe and Asia.

Over the years, Brian has developed a niche in planning intricate international trips, helping travelers explore the world with confidence and ease. He is equally passionate about mentoring other travel advisors, empowering them to grow their skills and successfully sell destinations worldwide.

Brian married his wife, Cristina, in 2024, and together they split their time between Akron, Ohio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Be sure to ask Brian about his #1 sales tip, the strategy that has helped him close countless travel bookings!

Start here

Stop dreaming, start building.

Book a free strategy call and tell us where your agency is today. A real person reviews it, and if the fit isn’t there, we’ll say so on the call. Turn your passion for travel into a thriving business.

Book a free strategy call

Free · No pressure · A real human reads every one