Inspiring Conversations with Jamie Santillo of Adventures by Jamie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Santillo.

Hi Jamie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always had a spirit of adventure. I want to explore the world and experience all that it has to offer. However, being born with muscular dystrophy and utilizing a power wheelchair for my mobility, exploration can oftentimes be a challenge. Despite my physical challenges, I have been blessed with the most amazing family who always supported and encouraged me to find ways to achieve my dreams – travels being one of them. As I grew older and my travel experiences expanded, I saw, to my surprise, that there were many accessible options for those with disabilities that I never knew existed. In addition to traveling by air, rail, and sea in a more relaxed fashion, I have also experienced more heart-pounding, adventurous travel types. I have adaptive zip lined over hungry alligators, floated above the clouds in a wheelchair-accessible hot air balloon, and most recently, explored the Florida marshlands in a wheelchair accessible airboat. As much as I love to travel, life can’t be all play and no work.

I have been in the marketing field since 2001. In 2016, I opened my own full-service marketing firm, JS Creative Concepts & Marketing, which focuses primarily on small businesses and non profits. In 2019, I was exploring ways to expand my company. One of the services I provide is event planning. Although I had everything I needed to plan the event itself, I didn’t have any way to book flights, car rentals or hotel stays if need be. That’s when the lightbulb went off – I would open my second company, a travel agency called Adventures by Jamie. What started out as a way to fit the need for my event planning clients blossomed into something so much more. I have always been a strong advocate for those with disabilities and the families who support them. Now having the ability to book travel, I saw the extreme opportunity of helping others like me to see the world and check off those bucket list items. Although Adventures by Jamie books travel for everyone, our specialty is being a special needs certified agency. As a wheelchair user and avid traveler, I understand the extra steps needed to ensure a safe and successful travel experience. Whether my clients are interested in taking a relaxing cruise, going on a heart pounding zip line excursion, or experiencing the magical world of Disney, Adventures by Jamie is committed to making their dream adventure come to life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a smooth road for the most part. I have however, been told, “No you can’t,” more times than I can count simply because I don’t walk. However, with a strong faith and perseverance, I have been able to continue to break through barriers that our world has laid out for those with disabilities. In a world full of “no, you can’t, “… God reminds me every day that YES I CAN!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Adventures by Jamie is your top-rated, special needs certified travel agency! Our goal is to open the doors for those with and without special needs to finally check off those bucket-list travel items and create once-in-a-lifetime memories. My disability has never stopped me from seeing the world, and I want everyone to know they can explore in ways they never thought possible. The thing that truly stands us apart from other special needs certified travel agencies is that this isn’t just a certification that we have received. I have lived every day of my life as a physically disabled individual and personally understand what is needed to make travel work. When you don’t live life with a disability, you don’t always see the challenges that are so apparent to those that do. That being said, just because I am disabled doesn’t mean everyone with a disability has the same needs as I do. Together with our team, we will work tirelessly to ensure our traveler’s needs are met to their specific needs.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe it was luck that I ended up in this position in my life. I whole-heartedly believe that I was put in this wheelchair to make a difference in this world. I have always felt lucky for having my disability because it has opened a lot of doors to get people’s attention for great change. I find no greater joy than helping people. Whether I can be an inspiration to others to not give up when faced with challenges, to assist in helping to pave the road for more inclusion and accessibility, or simply helping to book an accessible dream vacation, it is my honor and privilege to be of service to those that need me!

Contact Info:

• Email: jamie@adventuresbyjamie.com
• Website: www.adventuresbyjamie.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/adventuresbyjamie
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/adventuresbyjamie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventuresbyJamie
• Other: https://calendly.com/adventuresbyjamie