We were lucky to catch up with Carly Hughes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Back in 2023, I was working full-time as a marketing manager for a women’s e-commerce clothing brand. I really liked my team and what the brand stood for, but the job was unreasonably demanding, the pay wasn’t great, and there wasn’t much room for me to grow since it was a small company. I was feeling totally burnt out.

I decided to leave the job and find something new where I could actually see myself growing. But, the job market at the time was tough, and I kept hitting dead ends. Nothing I found really excited me. I had an expansive skill set and experience in different creative areas related to marketing. I thought I was doing everything right, but I was at this point in my career and life where I didn’t know what I really wanted to do next.

On top of all that, I had this strong urge to just travel and take photos. So, I thought, why not take a break from everything and just go for it? My lease in Austin was ending soon anyway.

So, I decided to take the ultimate risk of my career and life. I decided to start my own business and solo travel the world for a year! I launched Carly Hughes Creative Marketing Solutions and mapped out where I wanted to go. My plan was to offer marketing services to small businesses online and work from anywhere in the world. I set up my website, took professional photos, and started spreading the word about my new business to everyone I knew. I sold most of my stuff, packed up, and hit the road.

Within a month, I had six clients lined up, thanks to networking and referrals. It was scary at first—I worried that people wouldn’t take me seriously or that the market was too crowded. But I believed in myself and my vision.

Turns out, businesses liked having a personal touch rather than dealing with big agencies. They wanted someone versatile who could handle different aspects of marketing. And the best part? I could work from anywhere as long as I had my laptop and good internet.

Fast forward to now, it’s been a fantastic five months since I took that risk. I’m living as a digital nomad, working from different countries, and honestly, I’m having the time of my life. At the moment, I am keeping my work hours at a manageable level, only about 15 to 20 hours a week, which gives me plenty of free time to explore new places and meet amazing people. I just left Central America and I am heading to Europe next.

I’ve come across a lot of other digital nomads during my travels, and I’ve noticed that a lot of them are women who are also traveling solo. One woman I met has been traveling non-stop for 2.5 years, doing freelance graphic design work.

It’s amazing how much the world has changed since 2020. Now, it’s possible to build your career, follow your passions, and live the kind of lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of, all at the same time.

It’s crazy to think how taking a risk and believing in yourself can lead to such incredible opportunities.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Carly Hughes, a marketing consultant supporting small businesses worldwide. My approach goes beyond mere advice; I help companies execute strategies, build their online presence, tell their stories, connect with audiences, and drive conversions effectively. With a client-centric and collaborative approach, I tailor services to meet specific needs and budgets, offering brand development, marketing strategy, website design, social media management, content creation, advertising campaigns, and email marketing.

My diverse marketing journey, akin to wielding a Swiss Army knife, has served a wide range of businesses, from software companies to e-commerce brands, musicians to hairdressers. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, I’ve called Austin, Texas, home for eight years. Now, as I travel and work, the world has become my new home.

While I value face-to-face meetings with clients, my business primarily operates virtually, catering to clients across the USA and globally. I specialize in assisting small businesses and ‘solopreneurs’ from various industries—entertainers, creators, coaches, stylists, instructors, educators, doctors, lawyers, and agents. Whether you’re thriving offline and need a digital boost or have an online presence requiring further scaling, I’m here to help.

My approach is entirely tailored to you, without fixed packages or rigid pricing. I work within your budget, focusing on your immediate priorities. I act as your assistant, advisor, strategist, and ally, committed to long-term collaboration as you grow.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is that it will always be with you. You can never age out of, phase out of, or get fired from being an artist or creative. It’s something that can never be taken away from you or something that you have to wait for someone to promote you in to. Even non-creatives have creativity within them and they just have to tap in to it. As a creative in this day and age, we are so self sufficient. We have all the skills within us and tools in our pocket to monetize our innate skill and passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carlyhughescreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlyhughescreative/?igsh=YWVocjJqZ2duNjF2&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-hughes-20a7a4133