Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sahara Rose De Vore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Sahara Rose thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
For decades, the tourism industry has marketed and “sold” travel in a very surface-level manner by categorizing travel experiences, trying to sell the same type of experience to practically all travelers, and by promoting the features of a destination or service. The entire planning and booking process of a trip had been very transactional and takes the control out of the hands of the traveler themselves. After studying Hospitality and Tourism Management in University and then traveling around the globe for over 10 years, I’ve gained a unique perspective and understanding of the underlying personal and deeper reasons for why people travel. I used my knowledge and expertise to start a mission to reshape how travel is used and viewed in our personal and professional life. The tourism industry always said that if you want to help people through your passion for travel, then you must become a travel agent or travel advisor, a flight attendant, a travel manager, a travel writer or blogger, or maybe even a travel “influencer”. I never believed that was the case. I founded The Travel Coach Network, a global community of travel coaches who get certified through my ICF accredited certification program for travel coaches. Travel Coaches believe in the power that travel can have on our wellbeing, personal goals, mindset, relationships, work-life, personal development, and more. As a Wellness Travel Coach and Consultant myself, I strive to help companies embrace the various benefits that travel has on improving company culture and employee wellbeing also with helping tourism and hospitality companies to add a more holistic wellness and human-approach to how their speak to and attract their ideal travelers.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
After graduating with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2010 and at that time, I was struggling with severe anxiety and depression and I was also very underwhelmed by the lack of career options that existed in those industries. I decided to take a very unconventional route in life by booking a one-way ticket to Ireland, packing a backpack and setting off to travel Western Europe. I was bit by the travel bug and spent the next decade traveling to 84 countries solo. During that time, I had conversations with tens of thousands of travelers and I gained a deep understanding of why people truly traveled. I struggled for years to find my ideal career path because I wasn’t interested in being a travel agent, travel advisor, travel writer, blogger, influencer, flight attendant, or any other travel-related job or job that “paid you to travel”. I knew that there must be something more out there. During that time I always realized that tourism and hospitality companies were lacking of depth in how they spoke to and attracted their ideal consumers. There was also a growing trend of people leaving their 9-5 to travel and I wondered why companies weren’t taking that trend seriously. I knew just how meaningful travel was in our life and human beings yet companies did not. I started my own Wellness Travel Coaching and Consulting business to reshape tourism marketing while also helping companies tap into the wellness benefits for corporate wellness and business traveler wellbeing. The Travel Coach Network was founded to help reshape how travel is used and viewed by helping people use travel as a form of therapy or a vessel to help reach their goals in life and in business. My ideas are industry disruptors which fits my personality to a tea because I have never been a person to do what others are doing or who does something just because it’s been done or proven before. I have a real vision and passion for travel and aim to truly make a massive lasting impact on the industry. I am most proud of my entire Travel Coach Network that I am building because they are incredible humans who also have a passion for helping people transform through travel. As a dual business owner, I am proud of the changes and innovations that I have already accomplished. One of my most proudest moments was when I got to stand on stage last year and give my very first TEDx talk on travel.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Visibility. Being visible is key to growing your reputation and your brand. If no one knows about your or your work, how can they work with you or share about to you to someone else? From a very early start in my dual-business journey, I made sure to be visible on my social media channels (where my ideal client hung out on), gained media and publicity for my story, ideas, and services, spoke on stages, and networked at industry events. I was the boots-on-the-ground type of person who made sure that my ideal clients and partners knew my name and what I was all about.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When I began The Travel Coach Network, I spent a lot of time in Facebook groups that had my ideal audience in. I made sure to be active and to get my name out there. It’s important to show up on the right platforms that your ideal clients spend time on or listen to most. You do not need to be on all platforms, just the right ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thetravelcoachnetwork.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahararosethetravelcoach/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaharaRoseTheTravelCoach/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahara-rose-de-vore-4b8bb394/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sahararosethetravelcoachne5197/featured
- Other: https://anchor.fm/thetravelcoachnetwork http://www.WTTMConsulting.com/