We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amritha Joseph. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amritha below.

Hi Amritha, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to instill in people a sense of belonging. I hope that the people whom I reach through my writing feel seen, heard, connected, and hopeful.

I learned at a young age how powerful the written word can be. When I was seven years old, I visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Walking through the Secret Annex where Anne and her family spent more than two years in hiding, and reading the words of such a young girl whose entire race was persecuted, inspired me to become a writer. For Anne, writing became her companion, and despite being confined to the cramped corners of that loft, her words resonated with millions several decades later and beyond the borders of Amsterdam.

I realized that the ability to express oneself through the written word affords us the ability to release our emotions and thoughts in a healthy way and to cut across the barriers of time, the boundaries of a place and superficial differences. Similarly, the ability to get lost in another person’s writing — either because it serves as an escape from reality or a comforting reflection of our own reality — can serve as a lifeline when we feel lonely.

Writing helps me cope with strong feelings, memorialize events or how a person, place or incident made me feel, and connect with others. I hope that anyone who comes across my writing is transported to the places where I have traveled and feel the same sense of wonder, or the warmth of the laughs shared with friends and family over a hearty, healthy meal, and ultimately a sense of connection.

Amritha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an Atlanta-based writer, marketer, and creator of the In Transit Travel + Food Blog, which offers travel, dining and healthy food guides for vegetarians who love to vacation. My mission is to guide others in creating meaningful life experiences with friends and family through travel, vegetarian food, and an active lifestyle.

I started this blog in 2008, just as I was completing my bachelor’s degree in Journalism at the University of Florida. I found myself writing mostly about my travels and reflections on work experiences as a news reporter.

Since then, I earned my MBA and switched careers, but I still enjoy writing, so in 2015, I focused the blog to reflect what I found most fulfilling in life: travel, vegetarian cooking, and wellness. As a thirty-something-year-old, I’ve realized that it has become more challenging to feel truly connected to other people or the world around us despite the countless apps that are meant to keep us all connected. Therefore it is through travel, cooking and wellness experiences that I have been able to keep myself grounded.

Vegetarianism is just what I’m used to; As an American-born Indian Hindu, I was raised a vegetarian, so I know what to look out for in products, at restaurants, and when traveling because I have done it throughout my life. However, my husband is not vegetarian, so the intent of my writing is not to evangelize or convert anyone to vegetarianism– instead, it’s to help create shared, satisfying moments at the dinner table in the same way that I try to do for my own family.

Similarly, when I share stories of my travels, I try to go beyond itineraries, which can be found anywhere. Instead, I like to share stories of what I enjoyed and what I experienced with my family because these are the moments that tie us together to create lasting memories.

However, I’ve also realized now through the pandemic and after having two kids that you don’t have to venture far to exotic places to experience new things and encounter different people. Sometimes, it’s just not logistically possible, and that’s ok. Right here in the U.S. or in your own city, there are diverse landscapes, people, and ways of life. I enjoy highlighting how you can make quick day trips, weekend getaways, and other domestic vacations feel like you are in a different world altogether— after all, these are the facets of this country that truly make it “America the Beautiful.”

Ultimately, I have found that when I’m traveling, cooking, or recharging my body from the inside out, I am happier. Yet each of these continues to be a journey. I don’t always have it all figured out, hence, the title of the blog.

I encourage people to join me through my trials and triumphs as I navigate foreign terrain, healthful vegetarian cooking, and stay active on my ultimate quest for inner peace and well-being. Subscribe to my blog, joinmeintransit.com and follow my Instagram @amritha.in.transit.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had leveraged social media sooner as a tool for publicizing posts, developing an audience/community and building my brand. Social media can be a double-edged sword, but if used properly, (consistently, authentically, and to deliver true value or reach your intended audience) I think it can be a great tool. I also wish I had developed a more robust email strategy up-front to grow an audience. When I first started, there weren’t nearly as many email marketing, automation or scheduling tools as there are now.

Finally, I wish I had discovered some blogging podcasts, such as Problogger, sooner. These podcasts have been helpful in helping me revamp my blog, focus my content strategy and think through revenue generating opportunities..

Have you ever had to pivot?

I made a career shift in 2012 from journalism to business (marketing). It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I highly recommend other journalists pursue an MBA whether they plan to stay in journalism or pursue other paths.

When I joined college in 2005, I was so passionate about writing that I was adamant on pursuing a career in print, while some of my peers were going into broadcast news or PR. This was just as digital journalism was taking off, the blogosphere was nascent and the U.S. economy and job market took a nosedive in 2008. Newspapers were declining as media shifted to digital channels.

I stuck to my guns, but the reality is that reporting prospects were scarce. It came to a point when even my staunch radio news director advised that I look into PR roles if I couldn’t find any openings in news reporting. Eventually, I managed to land a few full-time newspaper gigs that kept me in print for three years.

However, I wanted to bolster my career prospects further, so I pursued my MBA. When I first applied to business school, I still had my heart set on a career in journalism and figured I could take on more management responsibilities. However, once I got into the program, I was exposed to a world of new career paths. I left my news reporting life, fascinated by marketing and consumer insights. I dove into data analytics, and eventually landed a consulting role with a Big Four firm. I never would have imagined that in 2012.

Was it a hard decision to leave the newsroom? Absolutely, and I still daydream of being a reporter. When done right, it is a noble and necessary profession, fast-paced and glamourous at times, heart-wrenching and stressful at others. However, I was comforted by the fact that even if I wasn’t working in a newsroom on a daily basis, I could always continue to write, create content, and tell stories.

Today, I still apply my investigative research, communications, storytelling and problem-solving skills in my job as a business consultant, but I am also able to leverage marketing, sales, visual presentation and general business acumen to my writing projects as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: `joinmeintransit.com
• Instagram: @amritha.in.transit
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinmeintransit/about/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritha-joseph-a04a6327?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BGJ9HUkv0SvG%2BFz06S3CCGg%3D%3D
• Twitter: @Amrithaalladi
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details_followers?fsid=avKtjfYCjky5RlYNeCYujg&userid=IuYH8D5bGb3qfkfO3iJ_8Q

Image Credits
Jis K. Joseph, Robert Wright, Jacqueline Hernandez