How Alex Jimenez Transformed Her Passion into a Thriving Travel Community

10/20/24 • 35 min

Make Your Own Map: Are YOU Ready to be BRAVE?

Join Lisa Niver as she sits down with Alex Jimenez, the visionary behind Travel Fashion Girl and Women’s Travel Fest. Alex opens up about her remarkable journey from a corporate fashion career to becoming a leading voice in travel, the challenges of balancing multiple roles, and the importance of community in overcoming obstacles. Discover how Alex’s passion for travel and risk-taking has shaped her career and how she continues to inspire others to follow their dreams. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about friendship, resilience, and the transformative power of travel.

QUOTES FROM MY INTERVIEW WITH ALEX:

"I wanted to be in the fashion industry for as long as I can remember. I wanted to own my own business since I was 6."

"What is the worst that can happen? I took three months off and wouldn't have a job when I got back, and that actually did happen."

"Traveling is refreshing and rejuvenating. Just a little more challenging to get up and go nowadays."

"Reflecting on the person who did that originally and how brave I was then... Looking back at 25-year-old me, I think—WOW! you did that."

"It's always worth the risk and I thought, well, what's the worst that can happen?"

Read the transcript of our interview on We Said Go Travel: https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/alex-jimenez/

More from Alex Jimenez

TRAVEL FASHION GIRL & Women's Travel Fest

More about my PODCAST: Make Your Own Map ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lisaniver.com/makeyourownmap/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Lisa's new TRAVEL WRITER 101 class on Udemy

⁠https://bit.ly/TravelWriter101 ⁠

Lisa Niver's book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lisaniver.com/braveish/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Show Notes

Origins of Travel Fashion Girl: Alex discusses how Travel Fashion Girl started, focusing on packing lists and traveler interviews.
Impact of Community: Alex reflects on taking over and merging Women’s Travel Fest with Travel Fashion Girl.
Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Insights into managing multiple roles as a new mom and entrepreneur.
Inspiring Others: Alex’s commitment to empowering others through her work and community efforts.
Overcoming Pandemic Challenges: Alex’s resilience and the evolution of Women’s Travel Fest during and after the pandemic.
Taking Risks: Alex’s approach to risk-taking and how it has shaped her career.
Balancing Multiple Roles: The challenges of managing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and travel.
Future of Women’s Travel Fest: Exciting plans for the upcoming event in LA.
Reflecting on Achievements:: Alex looks back at her adventurous past and her bravery in taking risks.
Travel as Refresh: How travel remains a source of rejuvenation and inspiration for Alex.
Supportive Friendship: The value of ongoing support and friendship between Lisa and Alex.

QUOTES FROM MY INTERVIEW WITH ALEX:

"I wanted to be in the fashion industry for as long as I can remember. I wanted to own my own business since I was 6."

"What is the worst that can happen? I took three months off and wouldn't have a job when I got back, and that actually did happen."

"Traveling is refreshing and rejuvenating. Just a little more challenging to get up and go nowadays."

"Reflecting on the person who did that originally and how brave I was then... Looking back at 25-year-old me, I think—WOW! you did that."

"It's always worth the risk and I thought, well, what's the worst that can happen?"

Read the transcript of our interview on We Said Go Travel: https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/alex-jimenez/

Previous Episode

Small Steps to Begin Again at Stephen Wise Temple

This is a recording of my talk at Stephen Wise Temple about my memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, for Shabbat.

I wanted to share it as my book is now out for nearly a year. It has been such an incredible time of events, interviews and awards.

FROM STEPHEN WISE TEMPLE

Travel writer, author, podcaster, and Stephen Wise Temple Board member Lisa Niver, who just released her memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, shared about her steps to Begin Again on Sept 29, 2023 for Shabbat and Sukkot. Lisa's memoir debuted as the top solo travel title on Amazon.com when it was released on Sept. 19. Her podcast, Make Your Own Map, launched this summer and has been watched on six continents. It was a finalist for two Southern California Journalism Awards in 2023. Elected this summer as a Congregational Director, Lisa is a graduate of Wise’s religious school program. Wise’s founder, Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, officiated her bat mitzvah. She began her “nomadic” lifestyle by spending a summer in Israel on LA Ulpan, and went on to study abroad in Jerusalem at Hebrew University. She returned to Israel with her family for Rabbi Zeldin’s 80th birthday celebration. As a journalist, Lisa often shares articles about Wise clergy and services, most often through her column in the Jewish Journal. Lisa has taught religious school at Wise and science at Brawerman Elementary, and has spoken at Wise about the Jews of Morocco. Through the Jewish Federation, Lisa was part of the Rautenberg New Leaders Project and a mentor for the Julie Beren Platt Teen Innovation Grants Program.

EVENT INFO: https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/brave-ish-at-stephen-wise-temple/ Lisa's book: https://lisaniver.com/braveish/ Lisa's podcast: https://lisaniver.com/makeyourownmap/

Lisa's new TRAVEL WRITER 101 class on Udemy ⁠https://bit.ly/TravelWriter101

ORIGINAL VIDEO filmed at Stephen Wise Temple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql1VPhj02kA

PRESS for Lisa's book https://lisaniver.com/press/

Next Episode

BRAVE-ish book talk by Lisa Niver and Chris Palmeri at Zibbys Bookshop

Lisa Niver and Chris Palmeri on Oct 14 2023 at Zibbys Bookshop Author Talk Brave-ish I am deeply grateful to have had such an incredible book event at Zibby's Bookshop. It was beyond my wildest dreams to have so many friends and family show up to support me in person that day and to represent all the countless emails, events and hugs that led up to it happening in real life.

Thank you to Zibby Owens and her entire team, Chris Palmeri, best journalist in Los Angeles and the nicest man andinterviewer! and Vicky for photos and filming to capture every moment! To each and every person who has walked this journey with me, one small step, one crying call, text or email at a time....I HAVE A BOOK!

Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

BOOK INFO: https://lisaniver.com/braveish/

Recorded Oct 14, 2023 at Zibby's Bookshop

More about the event: https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/braveish-zibbys-bookshop/