The Roundtrip Collective is the first-ever program helping students turn their wanderlust into their dream jobs through online courses, mentoring, travel job listings, and more. The badass woman behind the company is Lindsay Paige Stein, blogger at @nomnomblog and freelance travel journalist.
Since New York Minute Magazine is dedicated to women’s empowerment, let’s start off by discussing how travel has empowered you. How does your passion for traveling embolden you to become the most badass version of yourself you can be?
Traveling has definitely shaped me to the woman I am today! It was during my solo travels and life-changing moments while studying abroad that helped me self-reflect and realize that I want to turn it into my career. The feeling of embarking on an adventure and adapting to new cultures gives you such a different perspective on life, and it’s why I aim to inspire the younger generation to do the same.
As a professional traveler forced to stay at home, what are some ways you’re keeping the spirit of travel alive?
As a professional traveler grounded at home amid the pandemic, I needed a way to harness my creativity, share my love for travel and pave a path forward for the next generation of travel industry pros. Spending countless hours scrolling TikTok and dabbling into some content creation for fun, one of my travel TikToks suddenly went viral garnering over 2million+ views and sparking conversations with curious college students desperate to break into the travel space. Being in the industry, I soon recognized the untapped whitespace for this gen-Z market with limited resources and launched The Roundtrip Collective. The Roundtrip Collective’s company mission is to ignite the travel industry’s future generation and create a community of ambitious students at a time when we all crave community and connection.
Now is the time for me to help students get ready to make their first foray into the industry strategically with all the tools they need in their back pocket to stand out in a competitive landscape, to prepare for when the industry revives.
Being a freelance writer, how do you balance your work/travel life?
The good thing about my freelance writing side hustle is that I choose how much or little work I want to take on each month. I work a full-time job in travel public relations during the week, and you’ll find me writing stories and working on my projects over the weekends or late at night. Since all of my work can be done online, it’s not too difficult to take trips and continue working digitally if needed. However, when I take PTO days to plan a longer vacation, it’s important for me to remember to set work aside for a mental reset.
I write for different publications like PopSugar and Business Insider covering travel inspiration, destination guides, trending news etc. so whenever I have a news-worthy idea I pitch my editors to contribute those articles online. Freelance writing has opened so many more travel opportunities for me and keeps me connected within the industry.
How did the COVID-19 outbreak affect your travel plans?
Unfortunately, COVID affected my travel plans for this year, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to travel a lot more next year (already dreaming up those trips). I was supposed to travel to Jordan this spring for work and had plans to check another bucket list spot off my list this fall. I’m usually traveling at least once every 1-2 months whether it’s a work trip or a quick weekend getaway, so having to stay at home has been rough! On the bright side, it’s given me more time to take a step back and work on my business which has been a blessing in disguise.
What does your typical day look like?
What I’m working on changes every single day, which is why I love being in such a creative and ever-changing industry. Since I work in various facets of the travel industry, my daily work ranges from managing PR for hotels, writing about my travels for online publications, creating online courses for my Roundtrip Collective members, running influencer campaigns for travel brands, to landing paid partnerships for my own blog. It never gets boring, that’s for sure!
For the socially awkward, simply going to the grocery store is a task. What is it like traveling overseas by yourself?
Traveling can definitely be a scary thought for women who are typically shy or introverted. Even though I’m super adventurous and spontaneous, I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, and that doesn’t miraculously go away while traveling unfortunately. It’s learning your triggers and planning ahead of time that will ease your mind and help you break out of your shell. Traveling solo can actually be freeing for someone who deals with these struggles because you can be on your own time and do what you want. I’d also recommend researching group trips with others who may be the same age and share similar interests, because that’s an easy way to become part of a community with more security while traveling solo. Traveling by yourself allows you to see the world from a different perspective.
Why is it important for women to travel or have traveling experience?
Traveling forces you to challenge yourself in ways you’ve never even imagined. It helps women gain confidence and is one of the most empowering experiences a woman can have. Experiencing new cultures will open your eyes and if you’re anything like me, you’ll catch the travel bug and continue to want to see the rest of the world!
Featured Image Courtesy of Lindsay Paige Stein
