For Fort Mill resident Paul Zederbaum, travel has always been about more than getting from one place to another. It is a chance to slow down, spend time with the people you love and come home with memories that outlast the unpacking. A paid Partner Spotlight.
That philosophy is the heart of Atlas & Cedar Travel, the travel agency Zederbaum founded to help others see the world in a more thoughtful and personal way.
From insurance to itineraries
Zederbaum grew up in New York and moved to Charlotte in 2006. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Fort Mill with their three children. He earned an undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Notre Dame and later an MBA from Wake Forest University.
Before Atlas & Cedar, he spent more than two decades as an executive in the insurance industry, helping companies manage corporate property and casualty programs and eventually serving in a national practice leadership role for a global insurance broker. Travel was always the passion.
"My love of travel began with relatively humble family trips and quickly grew into a lifelong passion," Zederbaum says. Whether traveling to Buffalo for work or planning a 24-person group itinerary through Tuscany, he found joy in the details.
He built Atlas & Cedar around one idea: an exceptional trip begins by truly understanding the traveler. Rather than simply asking, "Where do you want to go?" he believes an equally important question is, "How do you want the trip to feel?"
Three levels of planning
Atlas & Cedar offers three levels of professional travel planning. Essential Planning coordinates core arrangements such as flights, accommodations and cruises. Curated Experiences provides designed itineraries with room for personalization. Luxe Concierge delivers fully customized, white-glove planning from the first conversation through the traveler's return home.
The agency works with couples, families, solo travelers and groups on domestic and international travel, including honeymoons, milestone celebrations, extended vacations and complex multi-destination journeys. Recommendations are guided by the client's priorities rather than preset packages or required supplier relationships. Zederbaum listens first, then combines research, firsthand insight and coordination to create a journey that feels personal.
"We believe true luxury should feel warm and approachable rather than formal or pretentious," he says.
Clients have one point of contact who understands the complete trip. After an anniversary trip to Jackson Hole, Yellowstone and Big Sky, client Bobby H. said, "Working with Paul made it easy. Every detail was thoughtfully handled, and the itinerary struck the perfect balance of adventure and downtime."
His advice for neighbors dreaming about a getaway: begin planning earlier than you think necessary, but don't fill every minute. And check your passport expiration date early.
Rooted in Fort Mill
Although Atlas & Cedar sends clients around the world, its roots are in Fort Mill. Zederbaum builds relationships with local residents and businesses and supports community and charitable events, including those benefiting Fort Mill School District schools.
"Although our clients travel around the world, the relationships behind those journeys often begin with a conversation between neighbors," he says.
When he is not planning someone else's adventure, he travels with his own family, cheers for Notre Dame, the Carolina Panthers and the Yankees, practices hot yoga and cooks "semi-gourmet" meals his children occasionally enjoy. Reach Atlas & Cedar Travel at paul@atlascedartravel.com, atlascedartravel.com, or @atlas.cedar.travel on Instagram and Facebook. A paid Partner Spotlight.
This story appears in the October 2026 issue of Stroll The Village.