We were lucky to catch up with Hannah Logan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

In 2011 I graduated from university with a BA Honors in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Psychology and a Minor in Spanish. For a long time, while I was studying, I thought that I would continue with my education. Maybe a masters in forensic psychology. I loved the idea of having a job like the characters on the crime tv shows I watched through school like Criminal Minds or even CSIS.

However, in my third year of university, the year when I was meant to study abroad in Wales, my dad got sick.
He had a brain aneurysm, and while surgery saved his life, he was left with permanent brain damage and spent more than 9 months in the hospital system.

I never went on that study abroad program. Instead I stayed home with my family and while I didn’t regret it, there was a huge part of me that felt disappointed. I had worked hard so hard to get into that study abroad program, including working two part-time jobs while attending full-time classes to ensure I could afford it. It was my biggest dream at the time, but I gave it up and in doing so, I felt lost.

Fast forward to graduation and everything had changed. I didn’t know what I wanted anymore. I didn’t want to do my masters, at least not right then. I also didn’t feel ready to enter the workforce in a ‘grown up’ job. What I really wanted was to travel. At 22 years old, I had never been on a plane. I’d only driven across the border to the USA a couple of times and had been to two Canadian provinces. That’s it.

So instead of getting a job, instead of continuing my education, I applied for an Irish work visa, found a room to rent in Galway, and decided that, at least for a few months, I was going to go live somewhere else in the world.

Deciding to move to Ireland was equal parts exciting and terrifying. It was my first time on a plane, my first time away from home and my family, and I was going completely alone.

I had no idea what I was doing and at first everything seemed to be going wrong. I moved to Ireland during a recession, nobody was hiring and I couldn’t find a job. So I stopped handing out resumes and started looking into solo travel.

Over the next few months, I discovered Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and hostel life. I searched for Nessie in Scotland, discovered the magic of European Christmas markets in Germany, and fell in love with the city of Paris. It wasn’t always easy; I missed a flight because I showed up at the wrong airport, I booked a train to the wrong city, and my bank card got compromised leaving me stuck with no cash for a couple of days. But I loved every minute of it, and I loved discovering how strong, independent, and adventurous I was.

Of course, with no job, the money eventually ran out and I ended up going back home to Canada with $11 to my name three and a half months later. But I had zero regrets and discovered something that I really loved- travel.

It’s been 15 years since my first flight. In the time since I’ve managed to create my own business around my love for travel that has allowed me to visit 86 countries (so far). From selling freelance stories to various websites and magazines, to starting my own travel blog. I’ve partnered with tourism boards and brands and even started running my own group trips for like-minded adventure seekers. I’ve even written two books- both heavily inspired by my own travels.

It’s a far cry from where I thought I would end up, but I couldn’t be happier.

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

I started writing about travel back in 2011, when I first lived abroad in Ireland. At that time, social media wasn’t very popular and internet wasn’t as widely accessible when travelling. I got tired of emailing friends and family the same thing over and over so I started a travel blog as a sort of diary. I called it Eat Sleep Breathe Travel.

15 years later, I still run that website. But instead of a diary, it’s not an online travel resource filled with tips and stories and guides from the places I have been. While my tips and guides are applicable to all types of travellers, they are written from the perspective of a solo female traveller. These tips have also expanded to social media channels. I am mostly active on Instagram and TikTok these days where I share quick tips/guides/and plenty of stories from my travels. (@hannahlogan21).

In 2023 I also started running small group trips (up to 12 people) with readers and followers. My goal was to make travel more accessible for individuals who wanted to see the world but perhaps weren’t comfortable going completely solo. Or maybe didn’t have the time to plan and organize it all on their own. I’ve taken small groups to Antarctica, the Galapagos, Jordan, Sailing in Greece, Gorilla trekking in Uganda, and on safari in Botswana and Kenya.

I also occasionally write for various freelance outlets and I have self-published two travel-themed romance novels: If It Makes You Happy which is set in my favourite Greek Islands, and Polar Plunge which is set on an expedition ship in Antarctica. I loved the idea of blending my own real-life adventures into romance novels as a way to inspire others to travel and see the world.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Working in travel is often considered a ‘dream job’, but it’s also a volatile place to be. Especially over the last several years.

Covid was especially tough- the world shut down and nobody was travelling. My site essentially ‘died’ overnight and with it, my income. However, being an avid traveller also means you need to have some money smarts and I was able to pivot and get into freelance finance writing. I loved being able to share money tips from a female and millennial perspective.

These days, AI has become a huge threat to my business. As more and more people rely on Chat GPT or other AI entities for quick, easy, answers, my blog gets less and less traffic. It’s heartbreaking to see something that I have put so much time and energy into building over the last 15 years slowly disappear – and I know I’m not the only one. To be honest, this is something that many of us in the industry are still trying to navigate. However, while AI may be able to recommend hotels or restaurants and things to do, it will never be able to replicate the real, personal stories and advice that comes from the lived experience of travellers.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media algorithms change constantly and can be incredibly frustrating to keep up with and figure out what ‘works’. We often get caught up in the idea of having big numbers, but the most important thing is to have a loyal follower base. Numbers don’t mean anything if they don’t convert into sales.

I have a relatively small following for someone who is considered to be a travel influencer. But to me, that’s a good thing. I can take the time to respond to DMs and questions whereas other creators don’t have that same capacity. So when it comes to selling spots on group trips or promoting affiliate and sponsored products, my audience is often quick to jump because I have built a level of trust with them.

Showing up authentically, in my experience, has been so important for building my following and brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eatsleepbreathetravel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlogan21
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatsleepbreathetravel/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahlogan21/
• Other: TikTok: @hannahlogan21

Image Credits

all photos are mine