Dean Horvath / Claudia Mason

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 Aug 4, 2008

Claudia Mason and co-founder Dean Horvath run Mason Horvath ( www.masonhorvath.com ), an elite travel service for executives, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and soon, in Toronto. Claudia Mason tells the Financial Post what motivated her to become an entrepreneur.  

Curious kid: “My father travelled a lot while I was young. He’d return with gifts and I fantasized about travel and visits to exotic lands. I had a practical side, though. Even as a young girl I read books about business.”  

Spotting a niche: “Dean Horvath and I were part of senior management at the same travel agency.  Together, we decided to create our own agency, Mason Horvath, catering to executives who need to focus on work, avoiding the distractions of travel details. Positive word-of-mouth, not advertising, has driven our rapid expansion.”  

Opportunities: “Our specialists meet with executives, analyse and discuss their travel needs. We monitor our clients en route, anticipating and solving problems, giving them an added sense of comfort and security.”  

The desire to astonish: “We love designing extraordinary vacations for clients, their friends or family. For one, we created a unique tour of Scotland , including visits to whiskey distilleries, castles, and sightseeing the enchanting Highlands .”  

Lift off: “We’re both passionate about running a business, watching it grow. We also delight in creating wondrous memories.”  

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