Has Traveling Overseas Questioned Your Dream Job? I moved to New Zealand because of my job. At the time, I was building a career in marketing and felt proud of the trajectory. International relocation, bigger responsibility, growing brands. It looked like the dream. But living in New Zealand exposed me to something new: an incredibly tight-knit start-up community. Founders were accessible. Ambitious. Refreshingly honest about risk. While still employed, I was invited by the Asia New Zealand Foundation to join a trade delegation to Indonesia alongside entrepreneurs. Being surrounded by people building their own businesses and meeting founders across Southeast Asia shifted something in me. They weren't waiting for permission. They were creating their own momentum. I came back inspired and quietly certain that one day, I would start something of my own. When I eventually returned to the UK, that seed grew. I launched Jolene as a side hustle alongside a full-time global marketing role and built it for 18 months before going all in. Today, Jolene has sold over 10,000 units and donates 10% of profits to breast cancer charities. Now that I work for myself, I plan to lean into the freedom that first inspired me. Soon I'll be joining another trade mission, this time from the UK to Hong Kong and China, to deepen my understanding of business in the Far East. Travel didn't make me quit overnight. It expanded my vision enough that staying small no longer felt comfortable. Bio: Rebecca Hunter is the Founder & CEO of Jolene, the UK's premium nipple cover brand designed to help women feel confident and comfortable in any outfit. Jolene has sold over 10,000 units and donates 10% of profits to breast cancer charities. Rebecca previously worked in global marketing leadership roles across the UK and New Zealand before launching her own brand. Website: www.jolenebody.com
I once assumed my dream career looked like any regular old job in marketing and business, where travel was an afterthought or something I did on holiday. Then I travelled a lot overseas, and it shifted my perspective on work/life. Living in new places, solving tiny challenges each day, and seeing locals create businesses with almost nothing made me realize I didn't want to return to a routine that no longer excited me. On one lengthy flight, I had an uncomplicated conversation with the person next to me about how many travelers feel stressed out organizing trips and let down by bland, copy-and-paste tours. That idea stuck in my mind, and in many ways guided me as I built my business: trips that feel personal and real and connected to the culture. The main lesson I learned is that it's OK to feel uncertain, and you can learn how to deal with it. The actions I took that set me on this new path included: speaking with real travelers to validate the idea, starting small with a simple trip plan, doing a handful of paid test trips before investing tons of money, and setting ground rules around what I would or wouldn't do to ensure I wasn't chasing everything.
After realizing that visiting abroad showed me a different definition of success, I changed course. My original plan was a standard "career" based on my qualifications, reputation, and employment stability. I witnessed folks surviving off their land and slowly, while traveling abroad. They lived to protect their land, communities, and health. Small farmers and retreat owners asked me if I was building a business or just making a reputation for myself. This question persisted when I returned home. I took action rather than ignoring this question. I took an agricultural training program, studied land use/management, and hosted small wellness events to evaluate interest. Milk & Honey Ranch was founded on land management education and medical treatments. Traveling inspired me and allowed me to define success and establish a life/business that matches my ideals.
Building a transportation company was the last thing I expected to do. My interests were primarily centered on technology and systems. While on a multi-city trip that included Dubai and Yerevan, I noticed a significant difference. I remember the arrival experience in both cities being completely different. In Dubai, everything was frictionless - well-engineered, and on time. Everything was on time. In Yerevan, everything was different. Everything was more human and more adaptive. Both arrival experiences were effective but in contrasting ways. From those experiences, I recognized that the most overlooked part of travel is what happens on the ground. While on the Yerevan to Los Angeles flight, I retraced the entire traveler's path from the arrival gate to their home. I wanted to know what part of the process would create the most stress, what would cause a service breakdown, and where the most frustration would be. I learned that a five-minute curbside interaction could dictate an entire trip's memory. This is the thinking that inspired the creation of LAXcar. We designed the entire journey with a combination of calm and precision. Over the last decade, and more than 10 million miles, this approach to travel has become the hallmark of our brand. My experiences with travel didn't divert my original dreams, they focused my ideas. --- https://www.laxcar.com Bio: Arsen Misakyan, CEO & Founder of LAXcar, luxury transportation provider serving California.
Travel Industry Expert | Adventure Travel Broker at ABC Trips / Always Be Changing
Answered 2 months ago
Around 25 years ago, I started my own web marketing agency. Grew it to 70 employees, won big awards, and served some of the world's biggest brands. When COVID hit, I used the situation to escape from a bit of burnout. With 3 kids in online school, we started traveling — and sharing our adventures on Youtube. As 2020 turned into 2022, then 2023, and as we built our following across multiple channels to 700,000 people, I decided that the pure passion of travel was much more authentic and fulfilling than the manipulative world of marketing. So, I kept growing our channels... and reducing the size of my web agency. By 2025, we had visited dozens of countries and all seven continents. Filmed and launched hundreds of episodes from hundreds of destinations. And then we decided to help others plan and get the most from their own travel adventures. We started ABCtrips.com. With a focus on bucket-list trips like gorilla trekking in Uganda, penguin hiking in Antarctica, and hot air ballooning over the deserts of the UAE, we're able to amplify our passion by extending it far beyond our own family's travels.
My path to becoming an arts manager has never intentionally designed; it was built one flight at a time. Coming from Bucharest, Romania, and settling in Rome, Italy, to pursue my PhD studies at "La Sapienza" University, I have quickly learned that the most impactful professional education was not happening in the classroom, but in the dialogue at various festivals, conferences, and cultural organizations around Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Traveling the world, however, did not change my dream, it merely enhanced it. What started as my love for music and cultural research has grown into my international career in the fields of arts management, cultural diplomacy, and higher education. Soleart Management was founded in Rome, Italy, after years of working with various organizations such as the George Enescu Festival, Rome Opera House, and BOZAR Brussels, all of which came from simply being present, getting into dialogue, and being willing to engage in unexpected conversations in unexpected settings. The most practical thing I have learned has been to say yes also to the invitation you don't feel quite ready for. A workshop in Shanghai, a conference in Doha, a roundtable in Warsaw, a panel in Cairo or Cape Breton, all of them opened doors I had no idea existed. Today, I work from Bucharest and Rome, I am Director at Rome Business School, Associate Professor at the National University of Music in Bucharest, Doctoral Dissertation Chair at Westcliff and Edgewood Universities in USA, and mentor the next generation of cultural leaders at the GRAMMYs and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. None of this was in the plan. All of it came from the willingness to say yes and travel. Dr. Alexandra Solea, www.alexandrasolea.com
I didn't "discover" a travel business overseas--I got questioned hard by overseas travel in the Marines and realized my dream job wasn't a title, it was building calm out of chaos. As an Infantry Squad Leader, being dropped into unfamiliar places taught me you don't rise to the occasion; you fall to your systems, and that mindset is exactly what I use now as GM at CWF Restoration. The biggest perspective shift from being outside the U.S. was seeing how fast normal life can break, and how much trust matters when it does. In restoration, the "storm" is a toilet ring leak that ruins 3 floors or a biohazard situation that can't wait until Monday--people don't need a contractor, they need a plan and someone who can execute without drama, 24/7. No plane-seat cofounder story here, but I did build partnerships through travel-to-meetings across markets: insurers, plumbers, and property managers don't care about your pitch deck, they care about response time and follow-through. Practical steps that made my pivot stick: I learned the entire job end-to-end (Project Manager - Sales - Sales Ops - GM), standardized the handoff from mitigation to rebuild, and leaned into our "turnkey + direct insurance billing + no upfront costs + 2-year warranty" model at Chicago Water & Fire Restoration (chicagowaterandfire.com) because it removes friction when clients are stressed. If you're trying to turn travel insight into a business path, treat it like restoration: document what "good" looks like, build a repeatable checklist, and measure speed-to-resolution. The lesson I took from overseas is simple--uncertainty is guaranteed, so your process has to be stronger than your motivation.
I spent more than 30 years working as a financial adviser in Melbourne. Travel was always something I planned to do "properly" in retirement — but COVID brought that decision forward. The lockdowns forced a reset. Instead of going back to the same routine, I decided to step into what I'd always intended to do anyway: see more of the world while I still had the energy and curiosity to enjoy it. Once borders reopened, I began travelling extensively through Europe, Asia and Australia. Along the way I met my now wife, Nawa, and we quickly realised we shared the same approach to travel — thoughtful, well-planned, and realistic rather than flashy. What stood out to us was how little practical advice existed for mature and senior travellers, particularly around cruising. Much of the travel content online is written for backpackers or ultra-luxury travellers. There wasn't much in between. That's how Trusty Travel Tips started. We focus mainly on cruises and senior travel — comfort, accessibility, budgeting properly, choosing the right cabin, understanding itineraries, and avoiding common mistakes. My background in financial planning actually helps more than I expected. Planning a cruise isn't that different from building a long-term financial plan — it's about risk management, structure and making informed decisions. For anyone thinking about pivoting later in life, I'd say this: your previous career isn't wasted experience. It's the foundation. Travel didn't replace my old profession — it simply gave those skills a new direction.
My original dream was corporate management abroad, jet-setting through Europe for deals, but a 2019 trip to Eastern Europe shattered that. Witnessing master craftsmen restore historic wood windows in Kyiv--using techniques like powder-coated aluminum finishes I later adapted--showed me the joy of tangible, local impact over endless travel. On the flight home, my seat neighbor, a glass supplier (shoutout to connections like Maksim Krupskiy in our reviews), sparked the idea for rapid-response repairs; we bonded over foggy glass frustrations, leading me to partner informally and launch same-day services at Apex Window Werks. Key lesson: Travel teaches reliability trumps glamour--focus on customer pain points like 2-hour walk-in fixes, as seen in our 100+ 2024 reviews from Cleveland suburbs. Practical step: Network mid-flight, test ideas locally (e.g., our Brecksville foggy glass replacement transformed a home's efficiency), then scale with transparent ops for steady growth. Nataly Godes, GM at Apex Window Werks (apexwindowsohio.com)--proudly serving Northeast Ohio with repair, restoration, and installs that let clients travel worry-free.
The way Japanese shops display things changed everything. I remember seeing a single persimmon placed like a piece of jewelry. Back home, my wife and I started Japantastic to share that feeling. Our partnership with a supplier began with a random conversation that turned into our first product deal. My advice? Don't overthink it. Talk to people. Sometimes the best ideas just come from a simple chat. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my personal email
That Antarctica trip wasn't just a vacation, it made me switch jobs. I thought I'd seen it all, but standing on those glaciers showed me it's about people. We only do small groups now because people form real connections, not just check things off a list. Talk to strangers. A random conversation on the road might help you figure out your work. It did for me. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my personal email
I moved to Asia for consulting work and ended up starting Tutorbase after watching language schools in Hong Kong drown in paperwork. Their admin problems were obvious once I sat in their offices. The school owners would show me stacks of student files and attendance sheets they processed by hand. If you're thinking about working abroad, pay attention to what frustrates people locally. That's where good ideas hide. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my personal email
Traveling overseas definitely reshaped what I thought my dream job would look like. Early on, I assumed success meant building a traditional agency with a local client base in Los Angeles. But after spending time in Europe and Southeast Asia, I realized business wasn't confined to a zip code. I was answering emails from hostel Wi-Fi in Barcelona and reviewing ad campaigns from a cafe in Bangkok, and it hit me that results matter more than location. A casual conversation with a startup founder I met on a tour in Prague turned into my first international client, and that experience showed me that opportunity expands the moment you step outside your comfort zone. Travel gave me two big lessons: build systems and build relationships everywhere. I had to document processes, automate reporting, and rely on clear KPIs so campaigns could run smoothly no matter the time zone. That operational discipline strengthened my agency more than any local networking event ever did. At the same time, I learned to talk about what I do naturally—on planes, in coworking spaces, even on walking tours. One of my longest-standing partnerships started from a seatmate asking what I did for work. My advice to aspiring travel entrepreneurs is simple: treat every trip like a networking opportunity, systemize your business before you board the flight, and stay open to conversations. Travel didn't pull me away from my dream—it expanded it into something much bigger than I originally imagined.
I never planned to work in travel. I studied computer science (PhD) and spent years in tech and growth roles. But flying frequently between South America and Europe changed everything. I became obsessed with loyalty programs, award flights, and the puzzle of finding open seats using miles. What started as a personal hobby turned into a real skill, and eventually I joined AwardFares, a Swedish SaaS platform that helps frequent flyers search award availability across 17+ loyalty programs. The shift wasn't dramatic. It was gradual. I realized there was a massive gap between how airlines design these programs and how travelers actually experience them. That gap became the business, and mainly because airlines don't spend time enough time educating their members. Today I lead growth at AwardFares. We serve over 150,000 active users and work with airline partners around the world. My biggest lesson was to pay attention to what you naturally do for free. If you find yourself helping strangers on Reddit or friends over dinner with the same topic over and over, that's probably your thing! Don't wait for a business plan. Start building where your curiosity already lives. German Ceballos, Head of Growth at AwardFares — awardfares.com
Story Pitch: From Intellectual Property to Uncovering "The Real Japan" My path to travel entrepreneurship wasn't a straight line; it was a 20-year journey that began with a stack of anime VHS tapes and a Japanese pen-pal. For years, I built a successful career in intellectual property, sales, and marketing - even serving as the youngest salesman in the 350-year history of the Crown Jewellers, Garrard, where I met figures like Princess Diana. However, my overseas travels to Japan to visit my pen-pal-turned-wife, and the traditional Shinto wedding we shared in Kobe, shifted my perspective entirely. I realised that while the media focused on the "Golden Route" of Tokyo and Kyoto, the true heart of the country lay in its "backwater" regions and hidden traditional crafts. The turning point came when I hit 50. I decided to leverage my professional background in high end client experience roles to solve a problem I saw firsthand: travellers were overwhelmed by the "noise" of large travel agents and struggled to find authentic, independent experiences. I transformed my hobby blog into "The Real Japan," a resource dedicated to sustainable, off-the-beaten-track travel. One of the most practical lessons I've embraced is the power of niche expertise - focusing on things like 400-year-old samurai sword training or staying in a ryokan - traditional Japanese inn. By bridging the gap between a foreigner's curiosity and a local's perspective, I now help others bypass the cliches to discover a deeper, more meaningful version of Japan. Bio/Website: Rob Dyer is the founder of The Real Japan (https://www.therealjapan.com) a multi-award-winning travel platform and consultancy. Drawing on over two decades of exploration, Rob specialises in helping independent travellers discover Japan's hidden gems. He is the author of several eBooks, including How to Travel in Japan Without Speaking Japanese, and offers personalised travel planning services to help tourists navigate the country with confidence. What specific types of entrepreneur stories are you finding most resonate with your audience at The Digital Travel Expert Hub?
Traveling internationally can profoundly impact career perspectives, especially for entrepreneurs. Engaging with new cultures often sparks innovative ideas, as seen in the example of someone in Bali who discovers a market for local handmade goods through a conversation with an artisan. Similarly, a traveler in Thailand learned about sustainable tourism and chose to transition from a boring office job to a more fulfilling career, showcasing travel's potential to inspire transformative change.
I used to believe my dream job was building a location bound consulting firm with a large office and a fixed team. The plan was stability, predictable clients, and steady growth. That vision shifted the first time I spent three months overseas working remotely between Lisbon and Bali. Travel did not just change my scenery. It changed my definition of success. I saw entrepreneurs running lean global businesses from laptops, collaborating across time zones, and designing income around lifestyle rather than the other way around. A casual airport conversation with a founder building travel focused SaaS planted the seed that mobility itself could be the niche. That moment reframed everything. Instead of asking how to scale locally, I began asking how to serve people who wanted freedom. The transition was not impulsive. I validated demand first. I interviewed remote workers and digital nomads about their operational pain points, then built a small paid pilot around travel friendly business systems. Revenue from that pilot funded a content platform and advisory service focused on travel entrepreneurship. I also formed a partnership with someone I met at a coworking space in Chiang Mai. We started by collaborating on one workshop, then formalized roles once traction was clear. The key lessons were to test ideas before fully rebranding, build audience before product expansion, and structure income streams that function across borders. Travel taught me adaptability, cultural intelligence, and the value of diversified revenue. Today I run a remote advisory platform that helps founders design portable businesses that are not tied to a single geography. My perspective shifted from chasing a title to building flexibility. Travel did not distract me from my dream job. It refined it.
I used to want a traditional job, but everything changed after my diagnosis. Traveling opened up my world. In Tanzania, I met another traveler who had rebuilt his career after getting sick, and that conversation with my son sparked Aura Funerals. We learned the most from the challenges and connections on the road. I saw on mountaintops how much people value real experience. My advice is simple: the best ideas show up when you're uncomfortable, so pay attention to the unexpected people you meet. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my personal email
My original dream was standard outpatient PT in New York, churning through high-volume patients with generic plans. But my time in Tel Aviv, Israel, treating terror attack victims and wounded soldiers at an elite rehab center, shattered that--showing me the power of hands-on, root-cause care over quick fixes. Watching multidisciplinary teams restore function in complex cases like amputations and severe muscle damage flipped my perspective: true healing demands personalized, intensive therapy, not assembly-line treatment. This overseas intensity taught me that chronic pain thrives on overlooked dysfunctions, inspiring my holistic model back home. Key lesson: Travel exposes raw human resilience, pushing you to build businesses solving real pain points. Practical step: After returning, I audited US clinics' flaws, trained in osteopathic manipulation at Michigan State, then founded Evolve Physical Therapy in 2010--delivering one-on-one sessions that helped thousands, including EDS patients, avoid surgery. Louis Ezrick, MSPT, Founder/CEO of Evolve Physical Therapy in Brooklyn (evolveny.com)--specializing in manual therapy and rehab for chronic pain, sports injuries, and occupational woes.
Travel didn't "replace" my dream job--it rewired it. I started in Bangalore thinking the goal was to be a pure designer, but working with founders across countries (20+ SMEs/startups in Healthcare, B2B SaaS, AI, Finance, Fashion e-com) showed me the real job is reducing user anxiety and friction, the same way good travel experiences do: clear next steps, no surprises, and trust at every touchpoint. One turning point was redesigning Asia Deal Hub (a cross-border M&A/business matchmaking platform). The dashboard UX was overwhelming, so I treated it like an airport flow: first-time onboarding had to be guided, minimal clicks, and impossible to get "lost." I did stakeholder interviews + competitive audit (e.g., ZoomInfo vs Crunchbase patterns), then built an atomic design system and a step-by-step deal-creation modal so new users could create their first deal without cognitive overload. I didn't find a cofounder on a plane, but I *did* get business from casual conversations in coworking/Discord-style communities by asking one question: "Where do users drop off?" Then I'd fix it with concrete page mechanics--strategic CTAs on comparison/enterprise pages (Intercom/Microsoft Azure-style trust signals), and story-driven About pages (Miro-style) that make remote brands feel human. Practical steps that helped me embrace this path: I narrowed my offer to Webflow + UX (not "anything web"), documented every feature's logic/error states before touching UI, and built sites to ship fast (most projects 6-8 weeks) with measurable outcomes--one launch generated $7k in the first two weeks. Divyansh Agarwal, Web designer & Webflow developer, founder at Webyansh (webyansh.com).