We were lucky to catch up with Tanya Pence recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tanya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights 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?

This may take a moment. When I was 18 I became pregnant, after having the baby I returned to college because I had just lost my dad and couldn’t disappoint him by being pregnant at 18 and not finishing school. Eventually completing the police academy. That caused me to move 2 hours from where I was living because during the early 2000’s jobs openings were scarce and applicant numbers were high. I stayed in that job for 11 years, until I had enough time to earn my pension and I QUIT. 12 years later I’m still asked why I would quit a job like that. I know I wouldn’t have a life like mine if I had stayed. When I left I bought a franchise to start a health magazine (Natural Awakenings). Still to this day I am not sure how, but I took the idea in the town I was in (it existed in other markets, but I purchased an area to be the start up) and got it up and running. In this process I learned that things are not always what they seem. I knew I loved natural health and wellness, but I didn’t consider layout, printing, distribution, marketing, sales and sooo much more. I was a one man show, aside from having someone to create adds, edit and final layout. I did everything else. So as much as I loved the idea, I eventually let that go, but put it in the win column because it was like paying for an education!

I went on to co-own two yoga studios and start a travel agency that includes guided tours.

If we return to be taking risks (aka not having much money) I was invited to travel to South America. Looking at bank accounts and the fact that I was the single mom of two boys, all logic would say that I should not have gone. That trip was another risk that greatly changed my life.

It lit a fire for an extreme love of backpacker style traveling. People began asking to go on my trips. I took them up on their challenge and offered a trip to Peru/Machu Picchu in 2017. Having never done this before, but people seeing all of the travels I had taken, 8 people agreed to go on this adventure with me. Since that time I have led 17 trips between Central and South America, including Colombia, Panama, Mexico and more.

Creating and facilitating these tours is such a source of joy. So many of the experiences are “firsts” for people that come along and providing the opportunity is magical. There have been people that get their first passport ever to join in one of these revolutionary trips.

Had I not jumped all those years ago, had I let others tell me I was crazy to leave income, security, benefits and more. I would not be doing what I love.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Revolutionary Travel is a travel company that provides travel services, but separates itself by also offering REV trips. These are fully planned and guided (by me) adventures. They are created to be affordable for people that don’t believe that travel can be affordable. The adventures are immersive in culture and showing people places they didn’t know existed or were safe to go. We do everything from sleep on the side of mountains in Peru (Skylodge), to the Panama Canal, Ziplining after riding a mule to the top. From airport transfers, to accommodations and most importantly all the adventures are included in the price. I don’t feel that sand and a palm tree at a different latitude and longitude are the same as travel. We can all use a break, but REV trips are intended to make you feel alive again! To give you an opportunity to do something you didn’t think you could and maybe in that, you begin to wonder what else is possible.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Integrity and being me. When I travel with you, I am your guide and your friend. I share my life openly and have been told that when I’m viewed on social media, ” I think you actually mean what you say”. And it is true. Authenticity cannot be faked because it then cancels the word. Some think I don’t care what people think of me, and in some ways that is true. But what actually leads this way of showing up for my business is that I care what I think of me. The moment it starts feeling like I’m faking it, I will step away, as I have from everything else in life that stopped serving me.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The good old “Word of Mouth”. With the REV adventures I have so many return travelers, that says an immense amount about their experience. And when they share their photos and stories, word spreads. It also ensures that I continue to create exciting and original itineraries for everyone to experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.revolutionarytravel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventuregypsy1/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revolutionarytravel

Image Credits
All photos taken by me