INSPIRED by the therapeutic effects of a vacation she took with her six-year-old son to regain her emotional well-being after a period of personal challenges, Sherone Stephenson created Bucket List Travel & Consulting Services, a company crafting dream vacation getaways for every budget.

In her late twenties, the Jamaican entrepreneur focuses on travel arrangements for individuals and families, covering various aspects of planning including booking flights, hotels, sightseeing tours, and making dining recommendations. She assesses each customer’s unique needs, preferences and budget to ensure a smooth travel experience — from budget-friendly trips to luxury recommendations, including private jet bookings.

In addition to the travel agency services, she offers short-term vacation rentals at a vacation accommodation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica — an offshoot of the business she calls Bucket List Stays.

Stephenson had been working in the travel industry for a decade, particularly in the private aviation sector, gaining experience in luxury travel. She always had a desire to travel but kept putting it off due to life’s demands and the perception of travel as a luxury.

“I was not raised with certain privileges,” she explained. “When I started to travel I was like, ‘Okay, this is not bad at all. You know, I can do this. And if I can do it, anyone can do it.’ “

So, she supports people like herself who want to travel alone or as a family, and primarily assists mothers who are apprehensive about travelling with their children, taking care of details, ensuring safety, and providing full itineraries to make them feel comfortable.

Stephenson tailors the travel experience based on the client’s responses, offering a range of options including laid-back vacations, romantic getaways, or culturally immersive experiences. Her approach is highly personalised, ensuring that each client’s unique preferences and objectives are taken into account when planning their trip.

The primary message to every customer is that travel is accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial standing.

“There is something for everyone to do,” she insists. “We have budget-friendly countries that you can visit. We have those group trip opportunities…and with group trips it’s financially friendly. And then you have the other side of things where you want to probably bring out the cash and spend the bucks, you know. We can spend the bucks, we can get the private jet, we can get the villas — we can also afford those experiences.”

Once clients choose their vacation Stephenson tries to make the experience as seamless as possible, taking care of all the logistics from check-ins to airport transfers and tour bookings. She is particularly attentive to the needs of older clients who may not be tech-savvy.

Bucket List Travel is run from Miami, where its owner resides as the sole operator of the business. It caters to both Jamaicans in Jamaica and international travellers.

Technology eliminates distances, and even the management of the Ocho Rios accommodation can be accomplished smoothly from Florida.

“You would be surprised how much you can do with technology,” she affirmed while explaining that she can supervise her dependable cleaner from afar, provides guests with access codes for entry, and manages various aspects of the property remotely.

When it comes to the marketing of Bucket List Travel & Consulting Services the primary strategy revolves around word of mouth wherein friends, clients, and family recommend her services to others. Stephenson also uses personal interactions while travelling to connect with potential clients by sharing her experiences, offering business cards, and initiating conversations.

She has successfully built her clientele through these old-school marketing techniques, and even group trips have been formed with people she met during her travels. But technology remains important as she utilises short-stay websites like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Expedia as marketing tools to attract clients for the vacation rental property in Ocho Rios.

The travel entrepreneur is also collaborating with a publicist to bridge the gap between herself and the public, and to establish a strong image and brand recognition.

Even though her business is not yet at the point where she is ready to abandon her full-time job to dedicate herself fully to the enterprise, she is moving in that direction because she envisions a promising future based on its accomplishments so far.

This vision includes creating a network of Airbnb accommodations throughout the island, either managed by herself or in partnership with others. This network could then expand to other Caribbean islands such as the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas, and Barbados.

Stephenson’s ambition is to use these accommodations for wellness retreats and other events, for both local and international guests.

“I would like to partner with the bigger events in Jamaica such as Sumfest and events being kept at Plantation Cove,” she said. “I want to be their travel agent of choice for their customers, clients and guests.”

Overall, her vision for the future involves creating a holistic travel experience that encompasses accommodations, events, and travel services, both in Jamaica and across the wider Caribbean.

“I want Bucket List to be a wholesale name, like a staple name in Jamaica,” she declared.