From West Gosford to Outer Space: an exciting journey

By Jayne Hutchin

Since being selected as a Virgin Galactic travel agent and traveling to New York to meet Sir Richard Branson, Maxeine McKeon’s feet have barely had time to touch the ground, but many years of hard work have prepared her for lift off.

In February 1979 McKeon became the first Harvey World Travel franchisee with her business located in the West Gosford shopping centre. Not only was this a ground breaking step for Harvey World Travel and the concept of franchising in general, but it was highly unusual for a young woman to be at the helm of such a business. Even in 1993 when McKeon joined the Harvey World Travel board of directors, she was the first woman to do so. By this stage in her career she was well used to the experience of being a trail-blazer and always enjoyed the challenges of new opportunities.
Over the years, based on her business success, McKeon also generated an impressive track record and acquired and managed most of the Harvey World Travel franchises on the Central Coast. She currently owns Harvey World Travel franchises at Fountain Plaza and Erina Fair, and at one time or another has owned and operated franchises at Gorokan, Terrigal, West Gosford, Wyoming, Bateau Bay and other locations within Erina.
McKeon says she likes to be in control and probably doesn’t delegate as often as she should but also says that hands-on work at every level of the business has contributed to her success. She relies strongly on team leaders in each business location and has strict guidelines for all her staff. McKeon’s motto is “Do it once, do it well and do it on time” and every part of her business is customer-focused. She says, “Attention to detail is everything. You have to ensure each client is happy – beyond happy – because what you do for them can be returned to you 50 times over in referrals and ongoing business. I’ve been booking holidays for some of my clients for 30 years!”
McKeon also places utmost importance on community and family and it just may be sharing her son’s interest in space travel that gave her the winning edge when Sir Richard Branson was searching for agents to represent his world-first space travel outlets, Virgin Galactic, in Australia.
In June 2006 McKeon responded to an ad with her application to become an ambassador for Virgin Galactic. The application was sent directly to London and became the basis for her selection as one of nine Virgin Galactic agents in Australia. So what did this application contain that was so compelling?
McKeon says she was so nervous about the application that she kept it a total secret for the two weeks she spent preparing it. “It was like a uni assignment” she says, “with a lot of thinking outside the square.” Details on the Central Coast market and the proposed location in the new Platinum building featured strongly. She conveyed her enthusiasm and proven track record and managed to throw in some originality and a touch of her interest in space. McKeon’s son is an Aeronautical Aerospace Engineer, so space terminology wasn’t new to her, especially after holiday visits to the US Space Academy and Kennedy Space Centre with her son, where they met astronaut Andy Thomas. McKeon had also met with members of the Central Coast Space Group [Maxeine to provide correct title], who are now thrilled with her new venture.
McKeon laughs that her appointment as a Virgin Galactic agent has allowed her to upstage her son, as the events that followed took her to New York in September 2006 where she rubbed shoulders with current and former NASA astronauts including Buzz Aldrin. Overwhelmed by excitement, this particular day in New York eclipsed any other amazing day in her career and McKeon fondly remembers it as the high point of her career to date.
In an uncanny coincidence, the lowest point in her career also revolved around a September day in New York. McKeon was at home on the Central Coast but the implications of the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11 2001 reached her immediately. McKeon and her staff began looking up every current client on file and checking where they were located around the world at the time. For clients in the US, they contacted hotels to check their safety status and they also called families back home to assist whilst communication was difficult.
McKeon knows first hand that travel plans can be thwarted by unforeseen tragedy. In 2005, on a holiday cruise from Kenya to Singapore, the ship was attacked by pirates. The US Military intervened and the cruise continued, albeit with large bullet holes in the cabin walls. McKeon speaks positively of her dealings with the Australian High Commission at this time and understands the importance of communication during such situations.
Once all clients were checked and their families had peace of mind the next issue was changing travel plans for those who were about to travel. McKeon’s concern then turned to her business pursuits. She was part way through negotiations to acquire an additional travel outlet but the financial risk had suddenly skyrocketed. The international media was predicting the end of an era for the travel industry and in Australia the domestic market was facing the fallout from the Ansett collapse. “It was a very, very desperate time” McKeon recalls, “when things aren’t going so well I just remind myself that nothing is bad when you compare it to September 2001.”
McKeon took the risk and acquired the new business but immediately changed her business plans and focused on different markets like holidays closer to home and cruising. It got the business through a difficult period and no staff were lost despite negative industry predictions. Who could have predicted that within six years McKeon would be selling trips into space at US$200,000 each?
Being able to adapt to a changing business environment and respond to opportunities rapidly is definitely McKeon’s strength. Her old fashioned work ethic and traditional customer service is almost at odds with her contemporary style risk-taking and trying new products and methods. Despite a former role in strategic planning at Harvey World Travel’s head office McKeon admits to not having a formal business plan of her own. Taking a chronological look at her career one might conclude that it has progressed along a well-mapped path, however, McKeon says this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many business decisions have been ad hoc and based on responding to risks and opportunities as they arose.
McKeon is a pioneer in franchising and an example of how fruitful this business model can be for both franchisors and franchisees. She is also a role model for aspiring business people and proof that the Central Coast is definitely on the map for business world wide.
As Sir Richard Branson was ushering his guests into taxi cabs in New York, he thanked McKeon for her commitment and enthusiasm and wished her well in business. She replied, “I’ll give it my absolute best!” At this point in time, no one can be sure what opportunities or influences are in store for space travel but one thing is certain, Maxeine McKeon will always be giving it her best.
Virgin Galactic is set to open in Platinum, Erina in early March.

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