We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Owens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

When I first started sharing content about the Smoky Mountains, I wasn’t planning to turn it into a business. I live in East Tennessee, so visiting places like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge has always just been part of life for me. I started posting on TikTok simply to share tips from a local perspective because I realized a lot of people traveling to the area didn’t really know where to start when planning their trip.

As my videos started reaching more people, I began getting messages from viewers asking very specific questions about their vacations: where they should stay, what order to do things in, how to avoid crowds, and how to fit everything into a few days. I quickly realized that a lot of people felt overwhelmed trying to plan a Smoky Mountains trip.

One day someone I didn’t know messaged me and asked if I could actually help them plan their itinerary. I had already spent a lot of time researching the area and organizing trips for myself, so I offered to create a custom itinerary for them.

I remember feeling both excited and a little nervous when they agreed and paid for it. It might seem like a small moment, but it was the first time I realized something I genuinely enjoyed doing could actually become a real business.

When they later told me how much it helped their trip, it confirmed that there was a real need for this. That first client is what led me to continue offering custom itineraries and eventually create my Smoky Mountains travel guides so I could help even more people plan their visits.

Even now, every time someone trusts me to help plan their vacation, it still feels special knowing something that started as sharing local travel tips online turned into something that helps people make the most of their time in the Smokies.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a travel content creator and itinerary planner focused on the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee. I actually live in the area, so visiting places like Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the national park has always been a normal part of life for me. A few years ago I started sharing videos on TikTok with local tips and trip ideas because I realized a lot of people traveling here didn’t really know where to start when planning their vacation.

The Smoky Mountains are one of the most visited national parks in the country, but planning a trip here can actually be more complicated than people expect. There are so many towns, attractions, hiking areas, and places to stay that it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what’s actually worth doing and how to organize it all into a few days.

As my audience grew, people started reaching out with questions about their trips. That’s when I realized I could help by creating custom itineraries tailored to each traveler’s interests, how long they’re staying, and whether they’re visiting as a couple, family, or group. My goal is to help people make the most of their time so they’re not spending their vacation stressing about what to do next.

In addition to custom itineraries, I’ve also created a comprehensive Smoky Mountains travel guide that walks people through the different towns, where to stay, things to do, and how to plan their trip step by step. I also share travel tips, recommendations, and trip ideas through my website and social media to help travelers feel more confident planning their visit.

What I think sets my work apart is that my recommendations come from both a local perspective and a lot of personal research and experience exploring the area. I try to be very honest about the pros and cons of places and give practical advice that actually helps people plan a realistic trip.

What I’m most proud of is hearing from travelers after their trip when they tell me how much my itineraries or guides helped them. Knowing that something I created helped someone have a better vacation or discover places they might have otherwise missed is incredibly rewarding.

More than anything, I want people to know that my goal is simply to make planning a Smoky Mountains trip easier and more enjoyable. It started as a way to share local travel tips online, and it’s grown into something that allows me to help people create really memorable experiences in a place I love.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I started sharing content on TikTok because I live in East Tennessee and love the Smoky Mountains. At first, it was just for fun, I wanted to share local tips about where to stay, what hikes to try, and how to make the most of a short trip. I wasn’t thinking about growing an audience or a business; I just wanted to help people have a better experience in the Smokies.

As I posted consistently, I noticed which tips and spots resonated with viewers. I also made it a point to respond to comments and questions, and sometimes I created follow-up videos based on what people were curious about. Those interactions helped me connect with my audience and grow organically.

One big lesson I’ve learned is that authenticity matters more than perfection. People respond to genuine insight and personal experience. For anyone just starting out, my advice is simple: focus on a niche you know well, share content consistently, and engage with your audience. Building trust and credibility matters just as much as follower count, and small, consistent steps really do add up.

For me, the most rewarding part has been hearing that people actually use my tips or itineraries to have better trips. Knowing that my content makes someone’s experience easier or more memorable is what keeps me creating and sharing every day.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One story that comes to mind happened in the early days of offering custom itineraries. I had just started getting clients beyond friends and family, and I was figuring out everything as I went; how to structure an itinerary, what details to include, and how to make it useful without being overwhelming.

My very first “real” client asked for a fairly complex multi-day trip, and I remember feeling both excited and completely nervous. I spent hours researching, double checking all the details, and even visiting some of the spots myself to make sure I was giving accurate recommendations. By the time I sent it, I was worried it wouldn’t meet their expectations.

When the client wrote back saying how much they loved it and how much easier it made their trip, it was such a validating moment. But it also taught me a bigger lesson: starting something new is never without uncertainty, and growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.

Since then, I’ve learned to embrace that feeling of uncertainty as part of the process, whether it’s testing a new type of content, trying a different itinerary style, or sharing more personal insights on TikTok. That resilience, the willingness to dive in, make mistakes, and adjust as I go, has been a huge part of building my brand and continuing to help people plan better trips in the Smoky Mountains.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mymacroscopiclife.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymacroscopiclife/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mymacroscopiclife
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mymacroscopiclife