Alexa Moore of Lil Ms. Awkward on Building a Travel Career

What are the first steps toward making travel a job?

I think it’s deciding what you want to do as a job that allows you to travel. Nowadays there are so many different paths. Do you want to create inspiring travel content as a travel content creator? Do you want to keep your current job but maybe take it remote and become a digital nomad? Do you want to teach abroad? Narrowing that down first would be my first step so you can game plan for the future.

I actually have a blog post that has an FAQ on how to become a travel creator.

Do you have tips for other women of color who want to go into this field?

How did you get the courage to start something new? biggest tip would be to focus on what you love about travel first. I think a lot of people go into this field because they think it’s an easy way to make money. While it can be lucrative, it often takes a lot of time to monetize. But it’s effortless to lose sight of your mission, especially as things get busy.

I would also recommend networking across, rather than always networking up. Issa Rae talks about how important this is. We always want to go up, but sometimes, our best resources and connections come from our peers! Get into a community with other creators with similar goals and interests.

Next, I would say work to perfect your craft. Master that editing software. Invest in courses that will allow you to create content more efficiently!

Finally, remind yourself that you deserve to be in this space!

How did you get the courage to start something new?

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take - Wayne Gretzky” - Michael Scott

My favorite Office moment is my mantra. I think there’s a lesson in every new experience we have. Whether it be a good or a bad one. Whether it’s “Wow, I’m going to do this again,” or, “nope, not doing it.”

If you don’t try, you’ll never know. Honestly, I got to the point in my life where I realized I would be way more regretful if I had never done it than if I did.

If you were to start from zero today, what would you do differently?

probably wouldn’t have used my Tumblr username as my Instagram handle. While I don’t live with regret, I do think having a more travel-focused name would’ve been a little more lucrative. Plus, I’m no longer very awkward. I would create a consistent (and realistic) posting strategy for my content. I would start pitching brands earlier. Turns out you don’t need thousands of followers to work with brands.

What are 3 things you never travel without?

1. Noise-canceling headphones — airports and planes are so noisy, so it’s my way to keep the peace.
2. Travel adapter — not every outlet is the same in every country!
3. Tripod — because being solo isn’t gonna stop me from getting my content!

What’s the #1 place or activity on your bucket list right now?

I want to go to Devil’s Pool in Zambia! It’s where you can hang off the edge of Victoria Falls. I’m afraid of heights and can’t swim well, but I have a dream.

How did you prepare for Ultimate Break’s Colombia: Bogotá to Cartagena trip?

Colombia was one of the best trips I did! Since I’ve been before, I didn’t do a ton of preparation. Here’s what I generally do before any trip:

• Double-check visa and passport requirements (US travelers can find this at travel.state.gov)
• Check the upcoming weather report for the destinations I’m going to
• Let the bank/credit card company know that I’ll be out of the country
• Download offline maps of the areas I’ll be visiting (I use Apple Maps or Google Maps)
• Check the CDC portal and my travel doc for any country-specific medical needs
• Make sure I packed my power adapter/converter
• Ensure I make copies of my important documents like my passport and flight itinerary I knew for the Colombia trip we’d be traveling to three cities with very different climates.

I tried my hardest to pack carry-on only (I failed every time) and tried to be intentional in what I was packing. Mosquito spray and sunscreen were the most important items I packed!

Is it safe to travel with Ultimate Break?

Absolutely! I’m gearing up for my second trip with Ultimate Break, to Vietnam. On Ultimate Break trips you have a Tour Director who’s not only there to guide you through the journey but also to ensure your safety throughout the trip. When I was in Colombia, my Tour Director, Gregorio, made sure to do check-ins with all of us. If there was anything we ever needed, he was there.

Ultimate Break also has a 24/7 incident and safety response team if you ever need anything. I also loved that while I was traveling alone, I so quickly made friends who looked out for me on the tour if I ever needed anything!