I am so excited to kick off a brand new series here on Get Found with Fuse. It will focus on interviewing fellow female entrepreneurs. I love to listen to other’s stories, tips and mistakes they have made along the way. So first up is the fabulous Taylor from Taverna Travels. She is a female travel blogger focusing on adventure, solo travel, and fitness.
When did you get the travel bug?
I sometimes joke that I was born with the travel bug. Growing up as the daughter of a flight attendant, I’d like to think that it’s in my blood. It only makes sense that I would end up traveling the world myself, and even helping to run the social media accounts of a major US airline. Realistically though, I think I first caught the travel bug when I was eight years old, and my mom sent me to Germany for my first summer of sleep away camp. This was my first real introduction to other cultures and quickly sparked my love for exploration. By the time I was fifteen I was spending my summers exploring other countries, and at eighteen I moved to Europe solo and got my first apartment in Italy.
When did you decide you wanted to pursue travel as a business?
All of my studies were focused on the special needs community, language, and children — major career change here! It wasn’t until my senior year of college that it occurred to me that travel could be more than just a passion. At this point, I was crafting a countless amount of travel itineraries for friends, and friends and friends, and it only made sense to start charging and making a business out of it. It wasn’t until a few years after college that my business really took off.
What are some mistakes you made along the way or some tips you would like to share?
I am guilty of always diving headfirst into anything and everything. Take time to read and to learn as much as possible, to avoid making mistake after mistake. I get so excited about a new trip, itinerary, or adventure, that I’m guilty of launching before everything is perfect.
What type of traveler are you?
I m naturally a budget traveler! On my last long-term trip to Southeast Asia, I capped my monthly budget at $1,000. Not to say that this is ‘cheap’, but it was a whole lot less than I spend a month living in NYC. For me, it has always been more about the destination (and local food), than about the high-end resort or hotel.
Do you think there is room in the travel industry for new travel bloggers?
Yes, I think that there is always room for new travel bloggers and content creators in this industry. A person’s style of travel can be extremely personal and unique, so travel blogging is by no means a one size fits all industry. In fact, in an industry that can often be described as oversaturated with bloggers, there is only a handful that I truly trust when planning trips.
What was the turning point in your travel business or Instagram?
The turning point in my travel business was when I led my first official group trip to Bali, Indonesia in May 2019. It was so incredible to be able to put my trip planning skills to the test and lead a group through one of my favorite countries. I’m super excited to be hosting my next group trip this summer in my hometown — NYC!
Instagram tips for Travelers 2020 – do tell
My biggest Instagram tip for anyone trying to grow their account in 2020 is to be genuine and authentic. Dare yourself be different, and to not just follow and copy what you’re seeing on the ‘gram. What the world doesn’t need is another person photographing the exact same pictures, with the same poses, in the same destinations. The best way to succeed is to figure out what sets you apart. People come to your page to be informed or inspired.
From a more technical growing standpoint: engage with others, post daily, and post high-quality images! Work on creating a cohesive editing style, whether through your own or using the Instagram presets of others. Also, join my NYC group trip in June 2020 where you can learn all the tips, tricks, and skills for building your social media following!
Be sure to follow Taylor on her Instagram and Pinterest Account Below.
https://www.instagram.com/tavernatravels/
https://www.pinterest.com/tavernatravels/
Great post and tips. I’m still curious how she capped her budget at $1000 a month in Southeast Asia. That’s pretty impressive.
So true! I will ask her to reply with some tips , she probably has. a blog post on it, will ask.
Love all these tips! iChat a fun adventurous life she leads. I can’t wait to read more of your female entrepreneurs series!
Such great advice. I think we overthink what we should be posting on IG which ends up not posting at all. Need to just be authentic and do it! Real is always Real!
You are adventurous! How many languages do you speak? I always thought it would be fun to learn a language just to take a trip there 🙂
Nice insight on travel blogging! Good timing also for International Women’s day too! the photographer in me wants to get out more