Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Robyn Stimac. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Robyn, 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.

Honestly, the entire past two years has been a risk!

It all started in March of 2021. That was when I lost my job of 20 years. The only job I had ever had…I was a Promotion Manager at a major record label and the prospect of finding a similar job in the music industry, now that I was in my 40’s, was bleak to put it lightly.

Next up, in December of 2022, I went through some very personal issues and caught my husband cheating on me. Still jobless and now living with my sister and her family of 4, I was definitely at rock bottom. I was sad, depressed, unmotivated, hopeless, and fearful.

Luckily, my husband and I had a two-week trip planned to Thailand in early January of 2023. I went alone, and it was probably the single most important thing that I have ever done in my entire life. I stayed and traveled solo around Southeast Asia for 8 months. It was amazing to me how much I was learning about myself, about different cultures, about my own buried spirituality, and about how much there is to live for out there in this beautiful world. I met amazing people, built some incredible friendships, and did it all on a shoestring budget.

In June of 2023 I started a travel blog, but it was less hints and tips, and more a story of my journey. A tale about how traveling had healed me and transformed me into the woman that I have always wanted to be. I realized that there is so much world out there to learn from and to see, and it opened my eyes to how much I had truly been living in my own little bubble…….That hamster wheel way of life – that same routine every day……I knew that I needed more than that now.

So after a short visit home, I took off for Southeast Asia a second time. A few months later, after experiencing more incredible cultures and living in India for a while, I realized that I was ready to turn my blog into a business. I wanted to help inspire women, also at a crossroads in life, and encourage them that it is never too late to make a change. That there is no reason to fear the unknown. That beauty can come after disaster.

So I combined the two things that I love most: Travel & Fitness. Based on my experiences, I already knew that travel could heal the soul, but I was also embracing yoga and meditation on my spiritual journey. It felt right to combine the two to make the biggest and most effective transformation in lifestyle; physically taking care of your mind and body, while also nurturing your soul through travel.

This was, and still is, a risk because it costs money to live on the road and start a business at the same time. As I am living off my savings, the money only goes out, and it isn’t really flowing back in yet. Unfortunately, you have to spend money to make money. I have invested money into a website, into marketing courses, and into technology that I need to operate. It is never-ending and it is all new to me, so every single decision that I make is a risk that could send me packing for home at any given moment.

But I am determined to make this work. I am determined to help people. I am determined to do what I love, and I am determined to support myself while doing it. But it is all still a very big risk.

Robyn, 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 am currently a writer, a certified Travel Coach, a certified yoga instructor, and a certified Barre instructor. In addition, I have taken two Buddhist meditation retreat courses (one at Tushita Meditation Center in Dharamshala, India and another in Pai, Thailand). I have participated in a Tantric Yoga Introduction Course, an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Course, and I am also interested in reiki and sound healing therapies. Knowledge is power and I am always trying to learn more everywhere I go!

I provide a clear pathway to change for people who are feeling stuck, or like they are lacking meaning and purpose in their life. They often can’t see a way out and that is where I come in.

I specialize in combining curated travel opportunities with optional lifestyle practices. I am extremely passionate about taking care of both your body and mind while exploring the world. It doesn’t matter if you are taking a weekend trip to the lake or traveling halfway around the world to India, if you are not taking care of yourself both physically and mentally, then the benefits of travel will be temporary. If you desire lasting change, it is so important to incorporate both. Ideally, I will set you up with both a fitness and meditation plan, while also guiding you on one of the best and most transformative trips of your life.

I think what sets me apart from others is that I won’t leave you hanging once the trip is over. Most people take their trip, feel great on it, and then come home and settle back into the doldrums of their daily life. My goal is for that not to happen. I want you to take what you have learned and benefitted from on your travels and incorporate them into your life back at home. I will stay on as your coach once you return to make sure that we are discussing the transition back into “real life” and that you are making the necessary modifications to achieve your desired transformation.

For now, I think that I am most proud of building my website and making it a reality. I am not a computer person, I am not techy, and although I did have help, it is 100% my brainchild and I am extremely proud of the end result.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn all of my ideas and perceptions of a how a business “is supposed to run.” By this, I mean that I had to let go of the perception in my head that society has taught me over time; that this is the way that “things are supposed to go.”

Growing up, we are taught that there is a certain way to do things. For example – go to college, get a job, get married, buy a house, have a kid, and then when you have all that – now go get a better job, get a bigger house, have more “stuff,” etc. It’s a never-ending cycle. And I have since learned that it is the same in business. There is this ideal that we have in our heads about what the perfect business should look like; i.e. You need the fancy website, all the up-to-date technologies, the newest platforms, and the most followers on social media. More, more, and more….it just feels like you are never doing enough. And then, if you are anything like me, you are trying to do it to perfection. It has to look perfect, work perfectly, check all the boxes that everyone is telling you need to be checked….

It took me a LONG time to realize and accept the fact that I can do my business my own way. It doesn’t need to look perfect, be perfect, or have all the fancy bells & whistles. Especially in the beginning. I was always trying to keep up with all the things, and make it look just right, and finally, one day, someone said to me, “You know you don’t need all that stuff, right? Your business hasn’t evolved yet. Take it slow and keep it simple. Learn as you go.” It was very hard for me to let go of all of the ideas of perfection and the way that I thought things were “supposed to go.”

Once I started to let go of these ridiculously high standards, I realized that my business could run on the basics. And it probably should. It is still evolving and growing to this day! It’s okay to do things differently and your own way. You don’t have to listen to all the traffic out there, and you shouldn’t. What you need to do is listen to your gut, your intuition, or your knowing. This is where the answers lie. And if you are doing just that, the process will be fun and not frustrating. And that is why you started your own business, right? Because you wanted to have fun and do something that you love!

So now I try to be more fluid, accept that my business is not perfect, and that I will need to pivot and make many changes along the way. I try not to tie myself to any one thing too tightly. I had to unlearn what the traditional, successful business looks like within the framework of societal norms. It turns out your business can be very successful and look extremely different from some of the suffocating expectations of society.

Be brave, believe, and do your own thing. That is where the magic lies.

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

This is an interesting question. And honestly, I am still learning how to navigate it, but here is my takeaway:

Not everyone needs a huge following on social media to build a business and be successful. I thought I needed to do it too. I was convinced that I would never make it without thousands of followers. So I worked extremely hard to build my social media presence with interesting, colorful, and valuable content…and the numbers grew a little bit, but not a lot. Not a lot at all. I still haven’t even reached 1,000 followers.

And then I started to get clear on who my ideal client is, and realized that they are most likely not even on social media! Well, some may be, but most definitely not all of them. There are so many other places to find your ideal client like Facebook Groups, word of mouth, referrals, podcast interviews, publications, and more! Social media is a great tool, but we have to stop putting it on a pedestal and treating it as the be all end all.

You can have a successful business without a huge following. They key is to know your ideal client and where they are hanging out. If they are living on social media, then by all means, knock yourself out; but more often than not, they are not ONLY on social media. And even if they are, the percentage of time that people are actually spending with your posts is close to nil. It’s a nice tool to stay top of mind, but I have learned that you really need to dig your teeth in elsewhere.

So my advice is: Don’t worry so much about what everyone else is doing on social media. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t worry about how many followers they have versus what you have. Focus on you, your business, and your ideal client. Be authentic and your message will resonate no matter which outlet you choose. Your clients are out there, and I guarantee they are not sitting on social media all day every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wanderingtowardthelight.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/wanderingtowardthelight
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wanderingtowardsthelight
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanderingtowardthelight
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wanderingtowardthelight
• Other: https://www.yogasailingholidays.com/robyn-stimac

Image Credits

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