As a professional marketer and the founder of travel blog “Itchy Feet Travel”, Alannah has managed to build a successful career that involves both of her passions. In her exclusive interview with LocalBini, she shares how she manages to combine her passion for travelling and marketing.
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Could you share your passion with us?
My greatest passion is travelling. When I’m not travelling I’m planning my next trip! I have always loved travelling, ever since I took my first international trip, at the age of fifteen, to Paris. The second thing I am most passionate about is marketing.
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Would you say you fulfil your passion for a living?
I have two jobs: a full-time job and a part-time job. I also have a blog, but that’s more a project of passion than a job. My full-time job is marketing at an insurance company. It’s not travel-related but I get to do lots of fun and interesting marketing activities. I get to be creative and develop my skills in marketing. My part-time job is freelance marketing for a company that makes travel bags. It’s great because I get to combine my passion for marketing with my passion for travelling. I also get to combine my two passions through my travel blog.
I consider myself lucky for being able to fulfil both of my passions for a living. I want to continue growing my blog and work towards generating multiple streams of income so that I have more flexibility and more time to travel.
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How did you manage to make a career out of your passion?
I studied business at university for 6 years with a focus on marketing during my BBA and MA. It’s not easy starting out in marketing as it’s a very competitive field. Even entry level jobs require some kind of experience. It took me six months to find a job but my determination paid off in the end.
Regarding my part time job now, I met my current boss through a mutual friend that I met while backpacking solo in New Zealand. You never know when or where you will meet someone that will present you with a great opportunity. Because of a fellow solo traveller that I met while travelling, I was able to land a great job.
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How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition of it?
Success for me is looking back at my life and feeling proud of my accomplishments. It’s being able to say I have no regrets, feeling like I’ve made a difference, and knowing that I didn’t give up when things got tough.
I always try to measure up to my own standard of success by saying yes to new opportunities and by pushing myself out of my comfort zone (even thought it might be scary). I always ask myself: ‘will I regret not doing this?’ and if the answer is ‘yes’ then I do it. By pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, I’ve come to realise just how much I can accomplish. It’s given me a new-found sense of confidence and self-empowerment.
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What tips would you give someone trying to live his/her passion to the fullest?
You don’t want to live a life of ‘what ifs’ and ‘I wish I would have’. You only have one life so make the most of it. Stop procrastinating. If you’re passionate about something, then you have to try and find a way to incorporate that passion into as many areas of your life as possible.
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Does your passion involve travelling or meeting people from around the world?
Yes, it does! I love to travel! I try to find as many opportunities to travel as I can. I have currently been to over 30 countries and spent three years living in Austria.
I love meeting people from all over the world – it’s one of my favourite parts of travelling. I am lucky to have amazing friends living all over the world. I have friends in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia coming over next year for a road trip.
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So, how much do you value travelling? What does it mean to you?
It’s pretty much my favourite thing in the world! That’s why I started my travel blog and my travel-themed social media accounts. I love reading about other traveller’s adventures and sharing my own stories. I couldn’t imagine a life without travel.
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At LocalBini, we believe that the people you meet are what you remember the most. Who are the people who have had the greatest impact on you in your previous travels?
I think other female solo travellers have had the greatest impact on me. It’s great to see other adventurous and fearless ladies exploring the world. At home, a lot of people think that I’m crazy for travelling alone so it’s nice to see other people out enjoying the world and fulfilling their life through solo travel.