In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by JourneyWoman, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Jo Swann, Co-Founder and Director of Adventures in Borneo by Downbelow Marine & Wildlife Adventures. Jo is a dynamic and multi-talented individual who has made significant contributions to the fields of adventure travel and personal development. Alongside her husband, she is the co-founder of "Adventures In Borneo," an esteemed adventure travel company based in Malaysia.Christine and Jo discuss:· Jo’s early connection to animal welfare, conservation, and travel· The connective and immersive qualities of diving· How Adventures in Borneo supports the local community· The transformational power of travel highlighted in Adventures in Borneo’s Journey of Self Discovery itineraryJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Jo Swann.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes! Rate and review your favorite episodes on your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Visit insightvacations.com/soul to experience conscious and sustainable travel with Insight Vacations. Each tour includes a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®️ Experience, which will teach you about your destination while also having a positive social or environmental impact on the local community. Visit the Downbelow Website for more information!Connect with Jo on LinkedIn. Learn more about Adventures in Borneo on your favorite social media network! Facebook / YouTube / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter.🌎​​​​​​​​Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jo Swann (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Dawn Booker, Founder of Pack Light Global.Dawn Booker founded Pack Light Global with the mission to inspire women to travel the world fearlessly and joyfully. Grounded in reverence for sustainable and equitable travel, Booker facilitates shared experiences and creates life-long memories with the women who choose her thoughtfully curated cultural adventures.With an emphasis on Black women over 40 who are often overlooked by the travel industry, Booker caters to a niche group of women who prefer experiences over things and privilege meaningful connections between travelers and local cultures. Her bespoke travel itineraries have taken women to Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Morocco, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, and Tanzania. Her customers and their circumstances are as diverse as the locales Dawn selects: they are at a career crossroads, recently retired, empty nesters, child-free, recently divorced, happily married, blissfully single, life changers, or work-life balancers, all labels that Dawn strongly encourages her clients to leave at home. Christine and Dawn discuss:· How knowing leads to confidence· What “Packing Light” truly means· How travel can help us get to know ourselves beyond the labels we create–and those created for us· Travel marketing and the gap that exists when Black women are not included in the marketing and storytelling of travel· Travel values and their importance in helping us guide and shape our experiencesJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Dawn Booker.🌎​​​​​​​​Visit Pack Light Global for more information.To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Dawn Booker (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this first episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Melissa DaSilva, President, TTC Tour Brands North America, The Travel Corporation.Melissa DaSilva is the president of the TTC Tour Brands North America and has an industry career spanning over 30 years. Travel is both a personal passion and a professional pursuit. An avid and lifelong traveler Melissa has been to more than fifty countries and has lived in both the US and the UK. Her contagious enthusiasm comes from a deeply held belief she shares with The Travel Corporation; travel helps broaden perspectives through the connectivity of shared experiences of adventure, exploration, learning and laughter showing how we are all more alike than different.Christine and Melissa discuss:Inherent Passion and Impactful Purpose, and how these areas of focus create a foundation for travel with a positive impactChallenges some businesses may face quantifying and measuring impact and TTC's Sustainability StrategyDifferent ways to put sustainable strategy into actionUsing your seat at the table to create the most impact possibleThank you to TTC Tour Brands and The Travel Corporation for joining us as our first founding sponsors and helping Soul of Travel Podcast to tell the stories of women creating a positive impact in travel!Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Melissa DaSilva.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss the latest episodes! We rely on listener support to produce our podcast. Make a difference by making a donation to The Soul of Travel on PayPal.  Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @she.sojourns, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Melissa DaSilva (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this solo introduction to Season Five of The Soul of Travel Podcast, Christine shares the privilege it’s been to sit across from so many incredible, beautiful people, to learn from them, and to witness how the ways in which they work weave into the tapestry that truly is the soul of travel.Christine shares:The history and future of the Soul of Travel PodcastSoul of Travel’s reach around the worldSoul of Travel joins the JourneyWoman familyOur Amplification Allies: Women’s Work, The Travel Coach Network, and Women Travel LeadersHow to Support the ShowJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with you, our Soul of Travel listeners. 🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss the latest episodes! We rely on listener support to produce our podcast. Make a difference by making a donation to The Soul of Travel on PayPal.  Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @she.sojourns, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this special replay episode, we revisit one of the most popular episodes of Soul of Travel Season 4: Women Influencing Change.⁣Christine shares the possibilities of redefining solo travel with Tess Millhollon, Founder and CEO of Her House and author of Sherbet Skies: A Woman’s Solo Journey to Find Adventure, Fun, and God.Tess explains that her time solo traveling was the most confidence-building, healing time in her life, and that no job experience compared to the transformation she experienced while traveling.Her House is an app that makes it easy for solo women travelers to connect with background-checked hosts so they have safe places to stay and save money while they travel. Tess believes solo women travelers need a way to easily connect with local women so they can find safe accommodation, support, and friendship while traveling alone.Christine and Tess discuss:∙ The magic of solo travel and redefining what it might look like∙ Helping women heal and grow through travel and connection∙ Traveling in times of transition∙ The benefits of hosting travelers and getting to know your own backyard∙ Increasing women’s opportunities for life-changing travel experiences∙ The link between solo travel and entrepreneurshipJoin Christine for this soulful conversation with Tess Millhollon.LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Check out HerHouse!Join the Her House Facebook Group for solo women travelers.Hop on the HerHouse newsletter and waitlist.Looking for ways to be a part of the community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcastTo read a complete transcript, see full show notes, and access resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to https://www.lotussojourns.com/podcast-episodes/episode150-tess-millhollon.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Tess Millhollon (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this special replay episode, we revisit one of the most popular episodes of Soul of Travel Season 3: Shaping Our Future.Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Jessica Blotter, CEO and Co-Founder of Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious give + get hotel booking and media platform that empowers travelers to impact the communities they visit positively. Kind Traveler recently launched the Every Stay Gives Back Collection, a first-of-its-kind community impact program that features a collection of exceptional destinations, boutique gems, glamping experiences, and luxury resorts from around the world, where every guest stay with participating lodging and destination partners funds local charities that are important to the community.Christine and Jessica discuss:Jessica’s trip to BelizeThe importance of making traveling sustainably easier for travelersWhy sustainable travel should be the rule, not the exceptionThe shift Jessica is seeing in the market toward more purposeful travelJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Jessica Blotter.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!🌎​​​​​​​​Check out Kind Traveler on the web, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn!Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!Listen to Soul of Travel Episode 106, Women Making an Impact with Emily Goldfischer.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jessica Blotter (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this special replay episode, we revisit one of Season 2: Voices of Women’s most popular episodes! Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Nikki Padilla Rivera, Co-Founder of The Global Guide Alliance. After a career of guiding of her own in NYC, Nikki created and ran the Guide Program for Intrepid’s Urban Adventures, creating a community amongst 1500+ guides in 160+ cities around the world. She believes that travel should benefit a local place and that guides are in the perfect position to educate travelers on how to protect and appreciate their destinations.Christine and Nikki discuss:How travel guides continue to be left out of the conversation of moving the travel industry forwardHow guides are the perfect people to educate travelers on connecting with and caring for destinations and communitiesTravel guides taking ownership of the travel experienceBringing the female perspective into guides and travel leadershipJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Nikki Padilla Rivera.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!🌎​​​​​​​​Guide Together - ShareTheLoveCheck out the Global Guide Alliance and TripKinetics!Visit Atlas Obscura to find trips designed by experienced travelers, including Nikki.Connect with Nikki on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit The Global Guide Alliance on Instagram.Listen to Christine’s Season 2 interview with Rosette Dekool & Hannah Bamwerinde of Adventures With Locals on the Soul of Travel Podcast.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Nikki Padilla Rivera (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this special replay episode, we revisit Season 1: Travel Rising’s most popular episode! And in fact, it’s the very first episode of the Soul of Travel Podcast!Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Gabriella Stowell, current Vice President of Regional Development at the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the largest global network of adventure travel leaders.Gabi has always loved nature, from early in her childhood and studying ecology to her current endeavors in travel. Born in Brazil, Gabriella now lives in the U.S. She is known for her ability to motivate and unite teams in accomplishing a common goal, managing different stakeholder expectations, and bringing different people together to accomplish shared goals.The ATTA is a privately held, for-profit industry trade group that serves to network, educate, professionalize and promote the adventure travel industry.  They find their success by serving its members and advancing responsible, sustainable adventure travel practices.Christine and Gabi discuss:The importance of soaking in the culture of the places where we travelThe power of choosing small, local properties and restaurantsThe future of travelRe-orienting the travel industry toward womenChanging the face of the travel industry with intention and careJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Gabriella Stowell.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Check out the Adventure Travel Trade Association.Connect with Gabi on Instagram, Facebook,  or LinkedIn.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman.Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Gabriella Stowell (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In the final episode of Soul of Travel Season 4: Women Influencing Change, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Rebecca Braak, founder of Rebecca Adventure Travel and EcuaFina. Rebecca Adventure Travel’s mission is to create authentic and adventurous experiences for every world-minded traveler. Rebecca leads a multicultural team to create experiences designed to be as socially, economically, and ecologically responsible as possible, paying close attention to the local community's well-being and working with community-based tour operators, restaurants, and hotels.In 2019, Rebecca opened a travel concept store, offering artisan handcrafted blankets, ponchos, and home decor exported directly from Ecuadorian indigenous weavers and makers.Christine and Rebecca discuss:How a love of horseback riding led to a horse ranch into the Andes, a move across the worldCreating horseback riding trips in EcuadorThe evolution of Rebecca Adventure TravelMeaningful and community-based tourism in Ecuador, Colombia, and PeruThe road to following your passion and heart and leaning into the unknownJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Rebecca Braak.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about Rebecca Adventure Travel, visit the website! Learn more about EcuaFina, and visit upcoming trip itineraries to Ecuador and the Galapagos and this nine-day trip to the Amazon specifically designed for women.Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn or find Rebecca Adventure Travel on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Rebecca Braak (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

Welcome to a special podswap episode of the Soul of Travel Podcast! Host Esme Benjamin of The Trip That Changed Me podcast interviewed our very own Christine Winebrenner Irick.Christine is the entrepreneur behind the group travel company, Lotus Sojourns, and the host of The Soul of Travel podcast, which features guests making a positive impact on the tourism industry.In this episode, Christine shares the story of her first big trip to Asia. Amid a period of rebirth, as her career and marriage were crumbling, Christine took inspiration from Alex Garland's book, The Beach, and set off for Thailand with one good friend and no solid plans. In Christine's own words, what unfolded was a perspective-shifting experience that would "reveal who she would become."Fast forward to 2023, and Christine was recently named one of the most influential women in travel, an accolade that speaks to her work highlighting how sustainable tourism can support gender equality.Available now on The Trip That Changed Me Podcast, and in our Soul of Travel feed on your favorite podcast app!In the episode, Esme and Christine discuss:The powerful draw of travel and the possibilities it createsStepping into Thailand for the first time… into an MTV Halloween partyThe transformational power of travelTraveling mindfully and responsiblyJoin Christine and Esme now for this soulful conversation.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Stay up-to-date on The Trip That Changed Me podcast by Full-Time Travel.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Esme Benjamin (Host). Christine Winebrenner Irick (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing and production by Full-Time Travel. Content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Esme Benjamin, an award-winning writer, editor, and broadcaster based in New York City. Her editorial work can be found in ELLE, Condé Nast Traveler, Refinery29, SELF, Well&Good, Trip Advisor, Culture Trip, and more. Esme is the current Editor-in-Chief of Full-Time Travel and host of the podcast The Trip That Changed Me, which features transformative travel stories from guests including writer/illustrator Mari Andrew, Top Chef judge Gail Simmons, and more.In Season Four of the podcast The Trip That Changed Me, Esme interviews many exciting guests in the travel world, including Laurie Woolever (Anthony Bourdain’s former assistant), prolific travel writer Pico Iyer, and Emmy award-winning host Samantha Brown.In the episode, Christine and Esme discuss:Their most powerful travel experiencesTravel’s role as a catalyst for changeNavigating mental health and travelTraveling with anxietyWanderess: The Unearth Women Guide to Traveling Smart, Safe, and SoloJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Esme Benjamin.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!🌎​​​​​​​​Learn more about Esme on her website!Explore the world like an insider with Full Time Travel.Stay up-to-date on The Trip That Changed Me podcast by Full-Time Travel.Get your copy of Wanderess by Unearth Women on Penguin Random House.Follow Esme on your favorite social media network!Connect with Esme on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Esme Benjamin (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Juliana Dever, a travel writer, photographer, actor, and TV host and the founder of Clever Dever Wherever.Juliana is a cultural tour curator who has traveled to more than sixty countries and has lived in four (USA, France, Russia, and Greece). Each year, she spends several months abroad, connecting with locals and gathering insider information to help other curious travelers take more meaningful trips.Combining her love of cultural connection with her natural storytelling abilities, Juliana works with women in Central Europe to develop small-group cultural immersion adventures in their home countries. These travel deep-dives work to support local female and family-owned businesses in Georgia, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Poland.Juliana has been featured on Fox’s Good Day LA and Smithsonian.com, and was selected by Frommer’s as someone shaping modern travel trends. As an actor, she’s best known for her role as Jenny Ryan on the globally popular show Castle and as Rachel Hawkerson on 9-1-1.Christine and Juliana discuss:Traveling more slowlyConnecting with people in a meaningful way while travelingHelping travelers move past the highly marketed versions of travel Creating equal exchanges during travelTraveling beyond the places on most people’s bucket listsGOATS!Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Juliana Dever.🌎​​​​​​​​Learn more about CleverDever Wherever, and download your Free CleverTraveler Checklist Bundle!Connect with Juliana on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube!🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes. Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Juliana Dever (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Poonam Rawat-Hahne, founder of Fernweh Fair Travel - Uplifting Communities, a women-led organization offering powerful, authentic travel experiences and unforgettable mountain adventure sports in the majestic Indian Himalayas.Poonam is a community-based tourism consultant specializing in adventure, responsible, and regenerative tourism designing, development, and execution. She has a proven track record in product development, strategy planning, eco-accommodation, and transformational travel designing while positively impacting host communities and the environment. Poonam has a strong passion for adventure, people, nature, spirituality, culture, and permaculture. She is on the board of directors committee in various prestigious organizations and is a volunteer firefighter in Germany. She is an ATTA ambassador and an accredited Transformational Travel designer. "We are looking to develop business collaborations with companies that share our values. We offer guided tours that integrate nature-based adventures and spiritual retreats with Indigenous cultural activities in the Indian Himalayas for small groups. Our unique programs are curated to educate, connect, and transform travelers - as well as our community. " ~ Poonam Rawat-HahneChristine and Poonam discuss:How a ten-day trip impacts the lives of 607 womenTransformational travel through community-based tourismConnecting with values-aligned partners to support strategic growth harmonious with community needsDesigning adventures based on nature, people, and cultureFollowing your dreams and your soul’s work with grit and determinationFinding our way through burnout and back to our visionJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Poonam Rawat-Hahne.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!🌎​​​​​​​​Learn more about Fernweh Fair Travel - Uplifting Communities!Connect with Poonam on LinkedIn, or follow Fernweh Fair Travel - Uplifting Communities on Instagram or Facebook! Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Poonam Rawat-Hahne (Guest). Original music by ClaSupport the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with freelance journalist and meteorologist Jennifer Broome. Jennifer is a freelance multimedia travel and environmental journalist for broadcast, digital, and print outlets, including AAA, The Weather Channel, Local Now, The List TV Show, Matador Network, NewsBreak, and multiple television stations in top 50 markets. With 29 years of experience as a television meteorologist and anchor, Jennifer is an on-camera travel and outdoors expert, host, and reporter. She’s also a content creator, blogger, and speaker. Based in Denver, Colorado, she has traveled to 44 countries and 4 continents, all 50 U.S. states and 170 U.S. National Park Service sites, including 37 national parks. She specializes in adventure travel, solo travel, national parks, road trips, sustainable tourism, weather and climate, and luxury travel, and is currently on a quest to visit all 424 National Park Service sites.Christine and Jennifer discuss:The magic of National Parks and National Park Service sitesThe most overlooked opportunities in US National ParksThe most difficult-to-reach US National ParkIdeal times and strategies for visiting US National ParksThe spirit of adventure and how that drives our travelJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Jennifer Broome.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes! Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Learn more about Jennifer Broome and Broome Endeavors on her website, Swept Away Today. Facebook: JenniferBroomeTV Instagram: @jenniferbroometravel TikTok: @jenniferbroometravel Twitter: @jenniferbroome YouTube: Swept Away With Jennifer Broome LinkedIn: JenniferBroome Pinterest: Swept Away With Jennifer BroomeFind Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jennifer Broome (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Katie Broadhurst, Online Business Manager and Travel Systems Specialist and co-founder of Peak Flow OBM, a business management agency specializing in supporting adventure travel and tourism businesses with software & processes.As a passionate, process-driven Certified Online Business Manager, Katie specializes in helping travel-based businesses get organized, automate, and get found. Combining her software knowledge, productivity expertise, and over 15 years working in the adventure travel & tourism industry with her OBM skills, Katie has developed the drive to help her clients take their businesses to the next level. Watching clients transition from confused and unorganized to calm, confident decision-makers brings Katie joy. When she’s not helping entrepreneurs online, you can find her outside enjoying nature - hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and skiing - with her partner Will and our pup Zaya. They usually spend ski seasons in the Kootenay region of British Columbia and summers exploring in their '84 Winnebago.Christine and Katie discuss:Love of outdoors and adventure guidingTransitioning from adventure guiding to behind the scenesInformation management for travel business ownersTravel tech and how we can use it to simplify and strategically grow our businessesJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Katie Broadhurst.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​Learn more about Peak Flow OBM.Connect with Katie on LinkedIn, Instagram,  or Twitter, or join Peak Flow OBM’s Facebook Group.Check out Katie’s workshop for travel professionals, “Find Your Freedom with Automation.” Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Katie Broadhurst (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Elinor Fish, CEO of Run Wild Retreats, which offers women-only running retreats around the globe.Elinor’s career began at Banff Lake Louise Tourism, where she managed travel media relations for the crown jewel of Canada’s national park system. She learned the art of itinerary design while creating fam trips for the travel industry’s best writers, photographers, and film crews worldwide.Leaving the Canadian Rockies in 2004, Elinor moved abroad, first to Australia, then the USA, where she bounced between her passions: travel and running. For the next 10 years, she spent time working as the editor of a running magazine and doing tourism marketing for destinations ranging from the Province of Alberta to Catalina Island, California.She founded Run Wild Retreats Inc in 2010 as a way to marry her passion for running and travel, and over the past dozen years has grown the organization into one of the top travel companies for runners, winning an award from Runner’s World magazine in 2020 for “Best Women-Only Trips.” Today, Run Wild Retreats is an IATA-accredited tour operator offering tours in 10 countries; they employ seven women and are proud to be on the leading edge of the transformational travel movement.  Christine and Elinor discuss:The experience of starting an adventure travel company for womenThe changing landscape of adventure travelThe transformational power of travelHow Run Wild Retreats helps create spaces for travelers to be more mindful and presentJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Elinor Fish.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about Run Wild Retreats, visit the website!Connect with Elinor on LinkedIn or follow Run Wild Retreats on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Elinor Fish (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Samantha Runkel, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Heyterra, a sustainable travel platform and digital publication for families.Heyterra shares sustainable travel tips as well as stories of trailblazing travel families, leading changemakers and purpose-driven organizations to help families use travel as a tool to educate, inspire, and improve the world.A former recording artist and musician, Samantha has translated her career of touring and making records into the sustainable tourism sector through a decade of documentary travel with her husband (a travel photographer and photojournalist) and their two small children. Samantha is also a sustainability advocate across different spaces, from working with plastic initiatives in Europe to producing music with communities living on the front lines of climate change. Christine and Samantha discuss:How to use music as a way to connect with and explore the worldTraveling sustainably as a familyHow travel can be a catalyst for challenging conversationsHow to support children as they move through the discomfort and growth associated with travelJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Samantha Runkel.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about Heyterra, visit the website!Connect with Samantha on LinkedIn, or follow Heyterra on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Samantha Runkel (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Casey Hanisko, a passionate advocate for women’s leadership in adventure travel and tourism. Casey is a leadership and business coach and adventure travel marketing and sustainability consultant.As former president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and an executive in the private travel industry, Casey has a history of seeking ways to uplift and spotlight women+ leaders in travel. Her endeavors include leading ATTA’s women's leadership initiative, organizing women’s leadership forums, and mentoring women+ personally and through Camber’s Ann Krick Mentorship program. Casey is a member of the International Women’s Forum and Washington Women’s Foundation and has written and spoken about women+ leadership throughout her career.Casey helps women+ in the adventure and outdoor industries be great leaders and build great businesses. As an advocate for women’s advancement in the industry, she collaborates with women+ to support their leadership growth with creativity, empathy, and accountability. Tapping into passion and purpose, she focuses on helping women+ bring their whole selves to work and embrace their natural leadership style, giving it value and a voice.Christine and Casey discuss:Gender equity in tourismLeadership in travel and tourismExperiences with and influences of masculine leadership in adventure travelEntrepreneurship and aligning business with our whole selvesJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Casey Hanisko.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about Casey Hanisko’s leadership coaching and sustainability consulting, visit the website!Connect with Casey on LinkedIn or Facebook!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Casey Hanisko (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Lebawit Lily Girma, an Ethiopian-American freelance travel journalist specializing in sustainable tourism and storytelling from both consumer and business perspectives. Lily contributes to various travel publications, primarily Bloomberg Pursuits, and her writing and photography have been published over the years in BBC, CNN, Skift, National Geographic Traveller UK, Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Sierra, among others. Lily ditched her Washington, DC law office in 2008 to follow her passion for storytelling and social impact through sustainable tourism. She hasn’t looked back since and splits her time between Maryland and the Dominican Republic, where she has family on both ends.Lily recently launched Tourism Lens, a hub for travelers and travel industry members to gather around ideas to center nature and host communities as key beneficiaries of travel. Christine and Lily discuss:Transitioning from law to travel writingEarly career decisions and writing for travel guidebooksCurating stories mindfully and sustainablyThe effects of the global pandemic on conversations in travelThe work of Tourism Lens in sharing diverse perspectives and solutions from tourism advocates and leaders from all parts of the travel industryJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Lebawit Lily Girma.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about Tourism Lens, visit the website!Read Lebawit Lebawit Lily Girma’s Bloomberg articles here.Find Moon Travel Guides here.Connect with Lebawit Lebawit Lily Girma on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram, or follow Tourism Lens on Instagram!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Lebawit Lily Girma (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show

In this episode, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Lynan Saperstein, Owner, CEO, and Chief Marketing Strategist of The Experience Experts. Lynan is a luxury marketing strategist who has been intuitively guiding the launchpads for retreat centers & boutique hotels to consistently get more bookings and revenue for over 12 years.Lynan and her team offer a comprehensive, full-service approach for all your digital marketing needs, including a high-converting & driving-traffic online presence, big-picture business growth strategies around the dynamic retreat & wellness market, and increased profitable lead generation. The end result is your property and brand transformed from being virtually unknown to a highly-coveted and booked-solid destination or experience. She is currently based in Colorado with her partner & new baby girl, sharing her online marketing wisdom and hosting entrepreneur immersions, Trailblazer’s Retreats.Christine and Lynan discuss:What it takes to make living a location-independent lifestyle a realityHow Lynan brings intuition and expertise together to create unique marketing strategies for her clientsHow we can bring intentional and mindful travel experiences into our family livesOpportunities for families to travel and have transformational experiences togetherLynan’s unexpected experience living in India and Thailand in 2020 and 2021Entrepreneurship as a pathway to growthJoin Christine now for this soulful conversation with Lynan Saperstein.🌎​​​​​​​​To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website. LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.🌎​​​​​​​​To learn more about The Experience Experts, visit the website!Connect with Lynan on LinkedIn or Facebook, or follow The Experience Experts on Instagram!Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here!Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast.Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Lynan Saperstein (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.Support the show