HerHost

10/31/2023

03/06/2023

After a comically bad January that included me getting scammed, paying double rent (again), an unexpected move, and a stolen catalytic converter...I drastically left the country for the month. Originally, the trip was meant for a fun experience but ultimately it became a month of escapism. I escaped reality for a month. I napped and ate half my trip.

Am I proud of it? Not quite. Was it the mental and physical reset I needed? Absolutely. In any case, I am proud of myself for learning to put the work down and focus on grounding myself again. I have a lot to share about my LatAm trip, am finally starting to see some light in the midst of some dark tunnels, and am again excited for the future for the first time in months.

01/10/2023

Adventure + self-discovery go hand-in-hand.

12/30/2022

California sunsets are incredible. I love seeing the sky light up and blend into multiple different colors.

12/28/2022

Just running away from my problems through travel.

12/26/2022

3 things to know about Vietnam:
1. There are over 50 different ethnic groups recognized by the Vietnamese government.
2. Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world.
3. Vietnam has one of the world's largest motorbike markets.

12/23/2022

One of my favorite sayings about entrepreneurship is, "An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and assembles a plane on the way down." That's exactly how I've approached this year. Sometimes I built the plane successfully, often I had help, and sometimes I crashed.

This year, I've had a lot of people tell me, "Wow, you're so brave!" Truth is, I'm not that brave. I was terrified through most of it. I cried a lot. One year ago, I just decided I didn't want fear controlling my decisions anymore...AND I had some really amazing people behind me.

12/20/2022

📍 Ensenada, Mexico
I've seen SO many beautiful sunsets this year! This one in Baja California was one of my favorites and is driving distance from LA. Ensenada in Baja California makes for a great weekend getaway.

12/18/2022

I fell in love with Denmark from the novel I Am David by Anne Holm. I was a bit nervous to visit it - what if it didn't live up to my HIGH expectations? Denmark ended up being just as lovely as I had imagined. The people are so wonderful. ❤️🤍

12/16/2022

Everybody needs a little adventure in their life :)

12/11/2022

Honestly though, I'll take trips to Hawaii with girlfriends over situationships and endless crappy first dates any day of the week.

12/08/2022

We travel for endless possibilities.
We travel to understand the world around us.
We travel to make us better humans.

12/08/2022

I've been needing help with creating a tagline. After weeks of brainstorming, I'm kind of obsessed with the final result: solo, not alone.

These three words encompass a lot of my journey with both entrepreneurship and travel.

12/07/2022

We're so proud of all of your adventures, !
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Want to be featured on Wednesday? DM us with an awesome travel photo and a quote about why you travel or your best travel tip :)

12/04/2022

This photo doesn't even seem real at times! This was taken at Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hawaii. We were 10,000 feet in elevation on a dormant volcano. It's a MUST SEE if you visit Maui!

12/02/2022

This whole year has been dedicated to getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things!

11/28/2022

Bank account says no, heart says yes!

11/26/2022

The Grand Canyon is pretty grand. 😍 Did you know that Grand Canyon National Park is bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island?

11/24/2022

So many reasons to be thankful for travel. 🦃

11/14/2022

THE STORY BEHIND HERHOST AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:
In December, I nervously sold all of my things and set off for the adventure of a lifetime.
In January, I roadtripped from Indiana to Los Angeles.
In April, I visited Sweden and Denmark solo: my first time in Europe.
In July, I came back from Iceland with a crazy business idea: budget homestays for solo female travelers. HerHost was born.
In August, I hired a developer to build a basic website.
In September, you helped me conduct over 120 potential customer interviews.
In October, I officially become the CEO of my third legal business. (RIP The Parsi Company, Learn in Color is still going strong.)
In November, traction for HerHost has snowballed and I'm incredibly grateful for all your help and support!
How you can get involved:
1. Follow me on Instagram, where I'm most active: https://www.instagram.com/itsherhost/
2. Join my travel Facebook group. Facebook is one of my favorite ways to get travel advice, find travel buddies, or to get travel inspo.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1186615382065188
3. Join our waitlist to become a host or guest.https://herhost.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=88a4f852c5b7369f2fe60fe3c&id=16f7a597ed

10/28/2022

A few things I’ve learned about entrepreneurship from homeschooling:

I’m 24 years old. I finished both high school and college early. My business allowed me to graduate debt-free (no parental help) and I recently finished my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on gifted students.

As I work on what is now technically my fourth business (all of which have been profitable and two of which I am still working on), I’m thankful for the opportunities homeschooling gave me and the ways it prepare me for entrepreneurship.

1. The best learning comes from real world experience.
2. Don’t know something? Google it.
3. Experience trumps textbook knowledge most of the time.
4. Your options are limitless.
5. There’s no one way to homeschool or to be a good entrepreneur. Figure out what works for you.
6. Sometimes you have to sacrifice for long term goals.
7. Some days are hard and alternatives feel like they’d be easier. See above.

Learn more about my latest biz venture: herhost.com / IG and Facebook: Her Host

10/27/2022

HerHost is looking to partner with TikTok and Instagram influencers for our upcoming beta launch. Content to be posted in Dec-Jan. We're interested in partnering with influencers of all audience sizes and are specifically wanting those with experience in budget travel. I'm on a budget but as a business owner want to pay you fairly.
Ideal influencers:
-Post authentic, engaging content
-Have a primarily female audience ages 18-30
-Love budget travel & cultural immersion
-Love getting out of their comfort zone

If interested, please email me at [email protected] with:
-Social handles
-Media kit or engagement rates
-A bit about your audience
-Rates and deliverables
-The craziest thing you've done to save money while traveling

More on the project:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsherhost/ (I'm most active here!)
Site: herhost.com
Facebook group for female travel tips/tricks/meetups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1186615382065188

10/04/2022

52 guest surveys completed and 25 host surveys completed. 🎉
I’ve gotten so much amazing feedback and ideas, like:
✈️Badges for stellar hosts/guests
✈️First, second, third degree connections (LinkedIn style)
✈️Enhanced safety features
✈️Meetups (Am thinking of hosting an LA meetup soon)
Can we hit 150 total interviews before November 1?

Thank you SO much!

10/01/2022

Why I’m excited for Her Host to launch:
For Angela, who enjoys the price of hostels but doesn’t sleep well in them because of noise level.
For Kayla, who has traveled all over, has her own place on the beach now, and is excited to host and give back.
For Olivia, who loves spontaneity and wants to go solo but is concerned about safety.
For Sharon, a single woman in her 60s with grown kids who loves hospitality and wants to open up her home up to new travelers but is concerned about safety.
For Anh, who is constantly seeking new experiences in life and trying to get out of her comfort zone.
For Maggie, who first traveled to Florida solo, called it the “most liberating three days of my life,” and caught the travel bug.
For Samantha, who is excited to combine her love of travel with empowering women across the US and hopefully abroad soon. ✈️
We’ve hit 48 guest interviews and have more in the next few weeks! Can we make it to 100? I’m so excited to shape Her Host into what you’re looking for!! ❤️❤️

09/11/2022

I’m looking for participants for a 30 min survey.

If you have traveled solo (or want to travel solo) OR if you are interested in hosting a traveler (and making some extra $), let me interview you!

Book a time slot at: calendly.com/herhost

PLEASE SHARE THIS! :)

08/28/2022

In 2021, a close friend of a close friend passed away suddenly. She, her husband, and their baby daughter were in a car accident. We were the same age: 22. I realized life is short and there was so much more I wanted to do with my life.

I sold all my stuff and on December 31, 2021, started the 2000+ miles from a small town in Indiana to Los Angeles, California. I was scared of leaving everything I knew and loved behind.

Since January 1, I've been to 4 countries, 12 states, and 12 National Parks. I snorkeled in Hawaii, watched the sunset on a volcano, hiked in the Rocky Mountains, ice climbed in Iceland, and surfed throughout southern California.

Travel has helped me expand my frames of reference, get outside my comfort zone, and has helped me see myself in a new light.
All my life, I've been told a lot of things and have held a lot of beliefs about myself.

I'm a bad cook. I'm shy and awkward. I'm a bad driver. I'm not athletic. I have no sense of direction. I don't have any coordination or balance. You get the picture.

These had become part of my identity. This year, when I stopped telling myself I was bad at this stuff and started surrounding myself with people who wouldn't listen to my excuses, I actually discovered I wasn't that bad at it. (Well, mostly.)

Bad balance? I learned how to longboard on the beach. I haven't injured myself yet.

Scared of heights? I started bouldering and belaying. Which somehow led to hiking a glacier and ice climbing in Iceland.

Bad at driving? I successfully drove and parallel parked a camper van. I didn't hit any curbs...or people.

Bad with directions? I traveled to Sweden and Denmark by myself. I only got lost once.

This year wouldn't be possible without an amazing support team behind me. Whether it be friends back home or strangers I met on a hike, this year has been amazing because of the people I've met along the way.

These inspired my startup, Her Host. Her Host empowers other women through connections and affordable travel. Travel has taught me so much about the world. There are so many amazing places, foods, and people outside of your hometown. Her Host is a small step in helping make travel more accessible, affordable, and helping the world be a little more connected.

Stay connected and join my journey at herhost.com. Please subscribe and follow on Instagram for updates and to show demand as I seek out investors soon!