We were lucky to catch up with AnnMarie John recently and have shared our conversation below.

AnnMarie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

I do take vacations and I try to take one at least twice a year. Vacations are necessary and helps me decompress and allows me to return to my work with new perspectives and focus.

I personally hire a VA who runs things for me and only consults with me if it’s something that she can’t handle. Otherwise I leave clear instructions. If you feel you can’t personally step away from your business for a short vacation, then you’re doing something wrong.

You should be able to take a few days away from work, and when I say step away, I mean not even log into work. Schedule your vacation in advance and trust your team to be able to handle important tasks and make decisions while you’re gone.

Take that downtime and actually get away. It will do you a world of good.

AnnMarie, 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?

My name is AnnMarie John and I’m a retired army veteran, former wife and mom to 4.

I had recently gotten stationed in Colorado when I had my daughter and as a way to share with my family and friends who were in different states and countries around the world, I started writing about her life. I wrote about what we were doing, places we visited, what we ate, what she wore, you name it, we wrote it.

After about a year of doing that, brands/companies started reaching out to me about highlighting their products in our day to day use. We reviewed car seats, haircare products, clothing, you name it, we did it. We got to work with some amazing brands but after a while I became disillusioned with the “review game”.

Brands and companies weren’t happy when you didn’t like a product and was honest about it. They wanted you to only highlight the good and not the bad. But we all know that not everything is 100% good. So I decided to do something different.

I started traveling and started talking about the places we’ve visited. As a mom with a child, one of the things I often ask is “What can I do in that city/country with my child when I visit?”. So I started documenting what we did on our trips because I always say “There are kids in every country, so there’s always something to do.”

That has led to some great collaborations with cities here in the US, Jacksonville, Rochester, Marina Del Rey etc. We’ve also collaborated with the country of Costa Rica and Luxembourg. Unfortunately, a few got cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic in 2020 and we’re just catching back up.

When we work with a brand we try to give them our best. We take tons of photos, videos and we share those in our stories on Instagram where we do most of our work, but then we come back and we do a write up on our website, because that’s mine. While Instagram can shut your account down, my website is 100% mine.

My fans know that when I talk about a country/city that they’re going to get the good, the bad and the ugly. They’ve come to expect total honesty and for that we’re grateful to have them.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

At the heart of my mission lies a profound belief in the power of family, and the irreplaceable impact of spending quality time together. In those early stages of a child’s development, every moment counts. In a world that moves at an ever-accelerating pace, the importance of quality time with our loved ones cannot be emphasized enough. Especially during the formative years of a child’s development, every shared experience is a precious opportunity for growth and connection. That is why my mission, my burning passion, is to create an avenue for families to explore the world together. Through travel, we unlock a kaleidoscope of wonders, opening our hearts and minds to diverse cultures and lifestyles. As I embark on this journey with my own daughter, Madison, I see firsthand the transformative power of these adventures. From walking the vibrant streets of Tokyo to discovering hidden corners of ancient Rome, each destination becomes a vivid tapestry of memories that weave into the fabric of our lives. This mission matters because it allows us to break free from routines and embrace the extraordinary. It allows us to broaden our perspectives and nurture a curiosity that will shape our children into empathetic global citizens. Together, we can build bridges of understanding, celebrate our differences, and find joy in the shared human experience. Join me on this exhilarating path, where the allure of traveling as a family becomes a transformative force, not only for ourselves but for generations to come. Let us create memories, forge unbreakable bonds, and paint the world in the colors of love, adventure, and togetherness.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a travel creative is the ability to inspire and ignite wanderlust in others. Through my creative work, whether it’s writing captivating stories, capturing breathtaking photos, or crafting enticing itineraries, I have the power to transport people to far-off destinations and ignite a sense of curiosity and adventure within them. It’s immensely gratifying to receive messages from individuals who have been inspired by my content to explore new places, embrace different cultures, and embark on their own transformative journeys. Knowing that my work has the potential to spark a lifelong love for travel and create lasting memories for others is truly fulfilling. Being a travel creative allows me to share my passion with the world and leave a positive impact on the lives of those who are touched by my creations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annmariejohn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theannmariejohn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theannmariejohn
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/theannmariejohn

Image Credits
AnnMarie John