With a background in neuroscience and over 10 years of corporate healthcare and biotech careers, Geleen Antonio realized she was depressed and unfulfilled. She courageously left it all behind, to live out of a suitcase and travel the world. Now, she is on a mission to empower women to transform themselves and live lives they are genuinely excited about!

A curious soul with an insatiable fascination for exploration, Geleen’s decade-plus experience solo traveling the world and digital nomad lifestyle has resulted in self-discovery, spiritual enlightenment, inner child healing, and meaningful connections.

Inspired by her own transformative journey, Geleen founded Travel Not To Escape, a holistic solo travel empowerment platform that guides women through their transformations—empowering them to redesign their lives, transcend borders, and connect with themselves, others, and the world in a deeply meaningful and playful way.

Through Travel Not to Escape, Geleen hosts a podcast, workshops, and events, and creates content and products geared towards transformation, connection, and play. Passport to Connection is a blog and signature workshop and mastermind that focuses on connecting travelers through play.

When she’s not creating, you’ll find Geleen in some corner of the world taking Bachata classes, sharpening her Spanish skills, living her foodie dreams, and exploring while planning her upcoming destinations.

CONNECT WITH GELEEN

+ Listen to her Travel Not To Escape Podcast https://www.travelnottoescape.com/podcasts/travel-not-to-escape

+ What's your play personality? Take her free quiz - https://www.travelnottoescape.com/play

+ Want to make meaningful friendships around the world? Join Passport to Connection - https://www.travelnottoescape.com/friends

+ Join her free Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelnottoescape/

+ Website - https://travelnottoescape.com/

+ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/geleenonthego/
+ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/geleenantonio

Elky “No, It’s Not Short for Anything” Ramirez grew up alternating between the United States and Costa Rica, which left her feeling both grateful and angry. Grateful that she acquired native English language skills, which opened up a wide range of career opportunities for her. Angry about the salary discrepancies between the two countries.

At 10 years old, this smart, curious kid had to balance translating complex immigration documents for her parents with illegally downloading software in order to teach herself digital art. She studied graphic design in college while working a design job at Amazon. Feeling like she received a better education from her colleagues and own self-taught gumption, she stayed at Amazon but not school. The work-gym-sleep-repeat cycle lead her to take a leave of absence from her job to take a course on teaching english as a foreign language at the beach. Swapping work-gym-sleep for beach-tan-class made her return to the office a challenging one. It also marked the beginning of her non-linear path to becoming a freelance graphic designer and digital nomad.

Seeking a community as a solo female traveler lead Elky to a WhatsApp group for Black women where she felt seen and understood. However, she understood the need for Black women to be in spaces created just for them, so with support from the administrator of the group, Elky launched her own group for a melanated people living in Colombia. Coordinating accessible, fun, engaging, unique, inclusive events helped her grow the group to over 700 members. It also sparked Elky Ramirez Experiences, her new growing career that is fulling a space in the growing ex-pat community in her new home country of Colombia.

Tune in to listen to her path of resilience, positivity, and hustle.

Oh, and she reveals how Amazon really makes its money (hint: it’s not from selling products!)

INSTAGRAM

@elkyramirez

WEBSITE

https://www.elkyramirez.com

#careerpodcast #blackpodcast #elkyramirezexperiences #solotravel #digitalnomad #graphicdesigner #contentcreator #remotework #colombia #residualincome

Bethshiva Lester has always been a little different. A little curious. A little adventurous. Having a successful career as a network engineer was fine, but she was drawn to Jamaica where some of her family’s roots could be traced. The Afro-Costa Rican traveler returned from that visit changed. She resigned from her engineering career to launch a travel agency. A successful one. One that required a move to a newer location where she was approached by a family wanting to participate in a water activity. Ever the resource, Bethshiva crafted an activity for the family that they loved and she loved developing.

Calypso Adventures Costa Rica was born.

Calpyso Adventures Costa Rica provides sustainable ecotourism that showcases the country's diverse landscapes with specific attention to the impact on the local community. Modeling larger organizations by securing the proper certifications for white water rafting, wildlife safaris and kayaking tours; Bethshiva set herself apart by through personalization of service that her customers (like me!) find unmatched in large group tours. Her business continues to thrive because she knows she doesn’t gate-keep the keys to her success and creates opportunities for small business growth locally.

Oh, and she is the first Black certified female white water rafting guide in La Fortuna, Costa Rica.

CALYPSO ADVENTURES

https://calypsoadventurescr.com

#calypsoadventurescr #blackownedsmallbusiness #lafortuna #costarica #puravida #4youradventurespirit #careerpodcast #blackwomenpodcast