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

Hi Cori Lynn, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Marca Mundo was born from a blend of personal experiences over the last several years. In 2020, I started a beach cleanup group that fostered a sense of community through service. Later, while traveling the world as a professional athlete and working as a traveling community leader with Remote Year, I had the chance to engage in community service projects in different countries. Those projects—giving back to local communities as I traveled—became the highlight of my experiences. I realized how much I loved adventure, learning, and making a tangible impact in the places I visited, and I knew I wanted to continue doing this forever, but with more people alongside me.

The turning point came when I was talking with my childhood best friend, who had just experienced a life-altering event. She expressed a desire for more fulfillment and shared her dream of providing medical clinics to rural communities worldwide. That conversation sparked the idea for Marca Mundo: to start with smaller, community-based service projects globally, using our local connections from our travels. We saw an opportunity to merge adventure and impact, believing in the power of service to others and the growing desire for more meaningful travel, especially among the digital nomad and younger generations.

We knew this idea would work because of the increasing mobility of people worldwide and the shift in perspective about travel. It’s no longer about just seeing new places—it’s about giving back, making an impact, and living outside of oneself. Marca Mundo is all about turning travel into something meaningful, helping others, and creating lasting change wherever we go.

Cori Lynn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Cori Lynn, co-founder of Marca Mundo, a company born from my love for travel, adventure, and community service. My journey began as a professional athlete, traveling the world and experiencing diverse cultures, but it was through my work with Remote Year and community service projects abroad that I realized how impactful giving back can be. Marca Mundo blends these passions by offering curated expeditions that combine cultural experiences with meaningful service projects in collaboration with local leaders.

At Marca Mundo, we believe in traveling with purpose. Our expeditions allow people to explore new places while making a tangible, positive impact. We create opportunities for individuals to immerse themselves in local communities and give back, whether through environmental conservation efforts, educational initiatives, or infrastructure projects. Each expedition is designed to be unique, culturally enriching, and truly impactful for both the traveler and the community.

What sets us apart is our commitment to working closely with local community leaders, ensuring that every service project we engage in is relevant, sustainable, and needed by the community. It’s not just about travel; it’s about leaving a lasting mark and fostering cross-cultural connections that enrich everyone involved.

For anyone considering joining us or working with us, know that our mission is rooted in purpose and service. We aim to make every expedition not just an adventure, but a way to leave the world better than we found it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

If there’s an award for the most pivots and plot twists, I’d gladly accept it! I’ve always believed the world is too big to stay in one place and life is too short to do just one thing. In college, I switched majors five times—from psychology to international business, law, entrepreneurship, and journalism. I’m neurodivergent and obsessed with squeezing everything out of this one life. After college, I entered law school, but quickly pivoted to chase passion and impact, which led me to a nonprofit helping at-risk youth.

From there, I launched a life coaching business, played semi-professional sports, and dove into consulting with businesses across industries, knowing I’d eventually start my own. I wanted to understand how different businesses worked, so I immersed myself in communications, media, community, and marketing. Growing up with entrepreneurial parents, business just felt second nature to me.

Eventually, the travel bug bit, and I thought, “How can I travel the world for free and make an impact?” Boom—professional sports and a traveling community leader role emerged. My friends thought I was crazy when I said I wanted to play soccer abroad, but three months later, my life was packed up and I was off. After traveling and playing sports around the world, I became a community leader for groups of digital nomads, and it was everything I dreamed of.

But life called me back to San Diego, and yet another pivot came—this time, I felt the need to rebuild my local community and create roots. I joined Shift Group, which helps military veterans and elite athletes transition into tech sales, and soon landed a role at smartShift while also launching Marca Mundo.

I fully believe in honoring your unique journey. The more it doesn’t look like anyone else’s, the better—it means you’re following your own path. No one really has life figured out, and the beauty is in doing what feels right until it doesn’t anymore, then pivoting again. That’s how we grow.

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

So, I’ve never bought a business, but I have invested in one—and let me tell ya, that was an eye-opening experience. I learned a lot about different types of investments, the influence (or lack thereof) you might have, and how returns can evolve as the business grows. It’s a ride, but I always say go for what you want and learn as you go. You can lean on the wisdom of others, but sometimes you just have to take the leap. I’m grateful for the investment I made, and it’s been amazing to watch that business continue to thrive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marcamundo.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifewithcorilynn/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cori-lynn-deason-936032125/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/marcamundo.co/