Travel Coaching Insights: Changing the Travel Industry with Sahara Rose De Vore

Travel Coaching • Intentional Travel • Meaningful Journeys

What happens when travel is more than just a vacation? In this conversation, Sahara Rose De Vore, founder and CEO of the Travel Coach Network, shares how her journey from broke college student to visiting 84 countries solo led her to pioneer a new field: travel coaching.

Sahara is a TEDx speaker and global thought leader in the travel industry. She has been featured in over 200 media outlets for her expertise and was recently named one of the Most Influential Women in Travel by Travel Pulse. 

In this conversation:

• Discover how Sahara went from uncertain student to global traveler and entrepreneur.
• Learn what travel coaching is—and how it differs from traditional travel planning.
• Explore why setting intentions before a trip transforms your experience.
• Find out how solo travel can unlock resilience, gratitude, and self-awareness.
• Consider whether working with a travel coach might be right for you.
• Learn what it takes to become a travel coach and build a meaningful business.

This Week’s Small Step to Enhance Your Next Trip

Before you plan your next journey, pause to ask yourself: Why do I want to take this trip? Whether it’s rest, connection, or discovery-- explore your why and try to go deeper.

Reflection

“What does travel mean to you?”
Take a moment to journal or reflect on this question. Each of us has a different relationship to travel, and by clarifying yours, you can create more meaningful journeys that align with your values and aspirations.

Connect with Sahara Rose De Vore & the Travel Coach Certification Program

The Travel Coach Network Website

Free resource: Beginner’s Guide to Travel Coaching

Travel Coach Certification Program

Travel Coach Directory

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Transcript

Travel Coaching Insights: Changing the Travel Industry with Sahara Rose De Vore

[00:00:00] Erica: Welcome to Conversations for Curious Travelers, a Trip Scholars podcast. I'm your host, Erica Forrest. In each episode, we explore how travel helps us learn more about the world and ourselves. If you travel, not just to escape, but to grow, connect and understand you are in the right place.

Today I am so happy to welcome Sahara Rose Devore to the show. Sahara Rose is the founder and CEO of the Travel Coach Network, a global community of travel coaches. Sahara went from broke college student to traveling to 84 countries solo to trailblazing a new path in the travel industry.

She's the creator of the world's first and only ICF accredited certification program for travel coaches. Sahara is a published author, global speaker, TEDx speaker, has been in over 200 media outlets for her travel expertise. and was named one of 2023's Most influential women in Travel by Travel Pulse.

Sahara is also my mentor and friend, and I am thrilled to have her here. Sahara, welcome to the show.

[00:01:13] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Thank you Erica so much for having me. I am so excited to talk with you today.

[00:01:19] Erica: Thanks. I am especially excited to have you here because in addition to having thought so deeply about this intersection between learning and travel, you have actually supported thousands of people on different platforms, in this space. And so.

it's really great to get to hear your stories and your insights and share them with our listeners today.

I would love to hear a little bit about how you got started traveling and how that's led into this incredible travel focused life that you have now.

Early Travel Inspirations and First Adventures

[00:01:51] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, absolutely. So I did not grow up traveling very much. Our extension of

[00:01:56] Erica: Okay.

[00:01:57] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: traveling was in the family van. We would pack in the family van and drive from Wisconsin, which is where I'm from, down to southern Texas and then over the border to Mexico, which is where. my grandmother was from, and we would do the same thing up to the French region of Canada, which is where my grandfather's family is from.

I was so young though I remember only bits and pieces of the trips,

When I graduated from high school going into university and many friends who knew what they wanted to major in and what career path they were aiming for, and that wasn't me. hopped around different majors.

I learned about different topics, okay, what do I want to study? And I came across a hospitality and tourism program,

And I was like, travel, who doesn't want to do travel Like that sounds fun. I've always heard about this backpacking Europe thing. maybe one day. And that's when I really fell in love with like the concept of traveling.

And I met a lot of foreign exchange students in my class the very first day. My international tourism of course, who my professor is one of my biggest mentors and friends to this day. it was the first time I really realized like how easy it was to travel within Europe and Southeast Asia and all these other countries where there's country next to country.

I was like, oh my gosh, I want to do that. but there, I sat as a broke college student and I'm like, how am I going to do this? I can barely afford my rent in Chicago,

I was using coupons, to afford groceries and, trying to make it on my own as a broke college student. Changed my money mindset and two years later I was able to save enough money and I booked my first, backpacking trip to Europe back when they had the Eurail pass that you can buy.

I thought I would come back and figure out my life after that trip. And I fell in love with what travel was doing for me. And that was the beginning of my decade long journey to 84 countries.

[00:03:39] Erica: That is such an incredible story, and I especially love that. You were open to experiences and you crafted that for yourself, that many people feel like. that might be out of reach to attain those dreams, but that you kept making it happen. And then how did that turn into, you have two different travel related businesses.

How did that turn into what you do now?

Changing the Travel Industry Through Travel Coaching

[00:04:04] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, so I really struggled for a long time to figure out what my career path could be, and yes, with having a degree in hospitality and tourism management, I knew about the different options that existed,

But I didn't want to work in hotels. I didn't want to. Work for a company that paid me to travel for business. I didn't want to be a flight attendant.I didn't want to do any of the things I had heard about.

I had always struggled with anxiety. I was experiencing some depression at the time of graduating university. I felt a lot of pressures like figure life out

[00:04:33] Erica: Yeah,

[00:04:34] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: I think a lot of people can relate to,

[00:04:36] Erica: definitely.

[00:04:37] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: happy and I was like, I need a change in environment, a change in mindset. I need to figure out what happiness looks like to me.

Never thinking that travel was actually going to like lead me there. I just knew I physically needed to go somewhere else and fell in love with. what travel was doing for me, for the majority of that 10 years, I struggled to figure out what do I want to do with all this knowledge, love, passion for travel, understanding about travel can make an impact on the level that I desired.

That's when I also was realizing that, hey, there's so much happening in travel space that is disconnected with how travel is being talked about, how it's marketed, how it's booked, planned, even just in the career options. I said its so emotional and it's so personal and people always need the empowerment and the mindset side of travel that that's not being really, that's not existing out there in these different roles.

so I myself until the age of thirty to figure out my life.

Sure enough, 30 came about and I bought a laptop for the first time. I traveled with this little mini iPad thing and I was in north of Spain traveling. I was in my hostel in Bilbao in the community center and, opened that laptop and said how to start an online business. What are people doing online?

[00:05:50] Erica: Yeah.

[00:05:51] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: They're like, what's happening? Facebook onto me and they knew I was looking at business stuff, so they pushed. business coaches to me. And then I saw health and wellness and life coaches and different types of coaches and I was like, wow, the coaching industry is a booming industry.

I never even realized. which now I could have definitely used coaches back then for many different reasons, but just never heard of it.

[00:06:14] Erica: you are right.

[00:06:14] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: said, I want to be a travel coach. I didn't see it here.

And I started my own wellness travel coaching business in 2018 and I focused that in business travel wellness, stood on stages, talked to different companies, collaborated with companies, all about the mental, emotional, social wellness benefits of travel for business travelers in corporate space. And soon after

I started getting people asking about travel coaching and that's when I had another gut

[00:06:40] Erica: Hmm.

[00:06:40] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: feeling and I started the Travel Coach Network

Launching the Travel Coach Network 

[00:06:42] Erica: That is such an inspirational story, and I know now you have certified so many of us as travel coaches and we get to have that ripple effect as we keep, supporting other travelers out there. I know when I talk to other travel coaches and certainly when I'm working with my clients, the level of change that people are able to experience is so often transformational, like fully life transformational, and to know that that's happening in all of these different places around the world with people you've impacted, it must feel so.

Um, so wonderful.

[00:07:19] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Thank you. I

[00:07:19] Erica: that's awesome.

[00:07:20] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: too much credit here because it's all of you as travel coaches who are ones who really are making the, the impact in the lives of the travelers themselves.

So anytime I get to hear Who you're helping, why you're here. What did travel do for you? of your stories that truly inspire me because it, example of just how unique travel is and what it can

[00:07:44] Erica: Yeah.

[00:07:44] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: us as human beings and so many different ways.

That's

[00:07:48] Erica: Yes.

That's what I felt

[00:07:49] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: like wasn't talked about in the industry.

The Benefits of Travel Coaching

[00:07:52] Erica: that's what I love so much about travel coaching

I facilitate a group of, empty nesters. It's called Empty Nesters Taking Flight. And we've been meeting for a couple of years The level of intimacy that's able to happen in that group through, talking about it through travel. like people are really able to share some of their deeper fears, their deepest hopes about life, what they want to experience. And then in that group, people are so supportive of one another and really crafting the lives that they. Truly want to experience and how can they step into this next chapter of their lives.

But to have it be about travel is also such an uplifting and, empowering topic to have it be about. So yeah, it's awesome. Yeah. going back to your, story about traveling to 84 countries solo as a young woman, I'm sure you really had an opportunity to do a lot of self-reflection.

And open yourself up to what travel could teach you about yourself.

[00:08:57] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: as I mentioned, like the beginning of my journey was this catalyst of figuring out what happiness looked like to me and, finding what purpose meant to me and what mattered to me in life.

And, not knowing at first that travel was going to help me get those answers to my unasked questions that I had, and that's why I travel. And that why I think that solo travelers, we're solo travelers at heart. Even if we in a group sometimes or go with our, our loved ones, sometimes, there's something so incredibly powerful about solo travel as a woman, some of the things that has helped me do is just really honestly helped me realize my strengths that I have.

[00:09:37] Erica: Yeah.

[00:09:38] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: put into situations and environments where we are left to figure things out we're

[00:09:43] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:09:44] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: And that, like, we're like, wow. I remember every time I would come back from my trip, I'm like, who is that girl? Like who, how did she do this? then when I'm planning for my next trip,

well Google, like Europe or South America, like a whole region of the world.

I print that one of those images out, that pop up on Google Images. And that's what I would go off of. Like not all the cities are on there, like don't even know. I would just look at it and be like, where should I go next?

But I would print that out I would go to the airport and book my first ticket wherever I was going to, fly into, I would snap back into this persona that I would have because you now are. in charge of yourself. You are the only person you have to depend on.

[00:10:33] Erica: Yeah.

[00:10:33] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: In charge of your surroundings and your safety and so there's a lot of hats that we have to wear as solo travelers that we don't often have to. And even though those hats can come along with pressure and challenges and aren't always fun to wear all the time, they help shape us to who we are and what we're capable of.

And so not only of helping shape who I am But what matters to me, what my values are. Travel also helped me come to realize because until we meet different types of people, see different types of lifestyles, have to walk in other people's shoes sometimes, or we are the misfit, we are the foreigner we are.

[00:11:16] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:11:17] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: that we don't always have to be in our own hometown or wherever we're from. And when we're put in those situations, We feel a lot. I learned a new sense of gratitude we have in life and also what we don't have. And there's things that I learned that I'm grateful to have in my home country, where I'm from and what I wish we had because I, envy that other people have something.

I got to

[00:11:42] Erica: Yeah.

[00:11:43] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: what happiness looked like beyond material things and what society tells you happiness should look like and what would bring happiness. You know, having, I spent a lot of times in off the. that places there's not many tourists. And that's just what I enjoy because that's what soothe my soul.

Lessons from Traveling: Gratitude, Resilience, and Perspective

[00:12:02] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: I remember being in the Philippines after a super typhoon, which I just went to because I wanted to help in some way. I didn't

[00:12:08] Erica: Wow.

[00:12:09] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: when I was in Asia. these people who lost everything. We're so grateful and giving of anything in that they had when they had nothing to begin with.

[00:12:17] Erica: some of the kids no longer had school uniforms, so they were going to school in their pajamas.

[00:12:21] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: some people didn't even have houses, so they were living literally in the trees in the center of the.

But yet they had a smile on their face yet they would say thank you. And I remember being like, why are you saying thank you. weather still was not great and so it was a lot of flooding still and a lot of rain still.

So they would open their homes for us to, to be able to, to sleep in or to dry off in.

And I went back two years later to revisit them and they remembered me and they remembered that I liked more vegetables than meat and they would go and find more vegetables to cook for me.

And so we kind of project these. Ideas onto people, but being able to be in their environment and with them, engage with them and like share experiences with them, we gain these new perspectives of human beings.

We all are crafting our lives in ways based off of what. We're exposed to and travel is something that expose ourselves to that can help alter that shifting that we're getting in other ways,So that's why I always say if everyone just traveled a little bit more, this world would a lot kinder of a place than people would be a lot more accepting and understanding of others.

And we'd be a lot happier as human beings too.

[00:13:38] Erica: That is exactly the inspiration I had behind Trip Scholars when I started it. Recognizing that the more we travel, the more humility we have, the more empathy we can, create in ourselves. The more curiosity that we can come to, and then also the more we're motivated to want to act on the things that we start to learn and understand.

I appreciate so much that you really leaned into learning from people that you went there, to help support. And it sounds like one of the main things that you were learning was kind of this, deep value of community.

I take back with me the value in these human connections that we have,

Yeah.

[00:14:21] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Like I try to implement everything that I've learned or the majority of what

[00:14:24] Erica: Hmm.

[00:14:24] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: learned throughout my solo adventures who I am and how I treat people and how I perceive things and how things affect me. people, yeah. They lost everything, but they weren't that affected.

those are choices that they made to how they wanted to still be giving and grateful and everything. And I think in life we can take these little nuggets.

of what we see and experience and learn throughout our travels, and just apply them in the smallest ways to better

[00:14:53] Erica: Yeah.

[00:14:53] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: lives and the lives of people around us that we're, you know, our families, people are around all the time and try to, make the smallest impact that way too.

What Is Travel Coaching? Intentional Travel Defined

[00:15:03] Erica: Yeah, that, is reminding me of Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning and his deep understanding that we have. Agency to decide how we're going to respond to what's happening in our lives, and that so much of the true meaning that we can create is in connecting and in being in service to others.

So, um. you learned some very, very powerful things, um, and then you were able to take all of these lessons from that decade of solo travel and turn it into. two different businesses and now you've impacted so many people. I would love to hear a little bit about,

Travel coaching from your perspective so for people who are new to the idea of travel coaching, how do you describe it?

[00:15:52] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, so people obviously have heard of titles like Travel Agent, travel Advisor, even ones extending to like travel counselor or travel designer. Like there's different forms of it and they really are about planning and booking trips and that wasn't something I was ever interested in doing. My anxiety was way too high to have that responsibility for other people, and I just didn't enjoy

[00:16:11] Erica: Right.

[00:16:12] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: a travel coach is someone who brings more awareness, helps people find awareness for their why for travel, and, be more intentional with their travel planning and where they go and what they do and where they're going.

help people use travel as a tool of what I'd say their toolkit of life. for things like transformation, healing, clarity, personal growth, professional development, whatever underlying goals and aspirations that cause us to start Googling flights and admiring, destinations when we're scrolling on social media, that's coming from somewhere.

Like, why do we want to get away? where is this? Need coming from travel coaches help people really bring that to the surface and then craft a more intentional, mindful experience to help you reach whatever goals it is that you have.

And so when we talk about intentional travel and some ways to send intentions for the trip, why it's important is because we are just trying to check another place off our bucket list

We're just going to a place that someone told us is super great and they enjoyed and we're overpacking an itinerary because we're on a limited time and we want to see every museum in town and doing every activity when we're doing these, these type of things with less mindfulness. The decisions of where we're going and who we're going with and how long we're going for and what we're doing when we're getting there.

We really miss these opportunities for change growth and realization and feeling what we really want to feel. because every time we travel, we are in need of something different. Every single time we go on a trip, we're a different person at that time in our lives. maybe one time we're experiencing more grief because we've lost a loved one.

Maybe the next time we are a busy working mom and we're reaching burnout and put everyone else first and lack self care. Maybe the next time we are craving a little bit more human connection with our partner because we're always apart. So every time we travel, there's a reason why were trying togo somewhere else. Why we want to change environments.

And so travel coaches helped us bring that, to the surface and be more intentional. with your travels, think about is like, ask yourself why, like, where is this actually coming from? Where is this stemming from?

then figuring out like, okay, what, how do I want to feel during this trip? Like, what really do I want to feel? What emotions, what do I, what actions do I want to be taking? when I come home, how do I want to feel? What do I want my life to look like? What about my relationships, my family life, my work life?

Planning with Intention

[00:18:39] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: how do I feel about myself, about mindset? Answering these types of questions could help lead you to choosing the right destination to go to. Maybe this time going to the busy hustle bustle. City of Paris isn't what you need to do because it's on your bucket list. it's a place that needs to calm more of your nervous system down, in nature, maybe connect with the locals, immerse itself into another culture where you can learn and hear stories and, and make connections with people inspire you.

It can help lead you to the clarity that you're looking for.

The questions, you have the answers now to the questions that you had that you didn't know you could formulate in the beginning of searching for your trip and searching to get away. And that's just how powerful travel can be. So travel coaching and being more intentional and intentional travel, it's just really helping people optimize on the, all of these possibilities and opportunities that travel, and benefits that travel can bring us.

[00:19:41] Erica: Yeah, so well said. Thank you. one of the things that I think is so exciting about the Travel Coach Network is what a broad range of people have found travel coaching. I, would love to hear a little bit about the background of what brings people into travel coaching.

Some examples of what people are doing as travel coaches in the program.

Travel Coach Niches: Who We Help and How

[00:20:03] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'm, I'm surprised all the time by working with the travel coaches in the Travel Coach Network on, who they want to help and why they want to help them. And it all stems with their own story. So each and every one of you has your own why for travel and why you began traveling in the first place, and what travel did for you and how it changed your life or your perspective, or what inspired you to now to be in the travel industry and to help others through travel in whatever way, shape, or form that is.

[00:20:28] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: some of our travel coaches, are helping, for example, women going through, like career transitions, life transitions like you

[00:20:35] Erica: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:20:36] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: empty nesters, you in the group that you have created.

[00:20:39] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:20:39] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: you do now with your life?

[00:20:40] Erica: Yeah.

[00:20:41] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: through divorce or, heartbreak. You know, common for women to turn to solo travel or a girls trip during those times. But like, why? Like, let's bring that to the surface and really use this experience to help you become who you want to become in this next phase in your life.

people who

[00:20:58] Erica: Yeah.

[00:20:58] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: digital nomadism, helping people relocate into locations and countries that make them feel at home, like they have a sense of belonging now.

[00:21:06] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:21:07] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: really fascinating. We have life coaches who combine travel coaching with how they

[00:21:12] Erica: Right.

[00:21:13] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: through their life coaching services.

there's health and wellness coaches. We have tour operators who enhance the way that they run tours. we have travel agents and advisors, how they help people plan and book trips, which is. integration of both of them.

[00:21:28] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:21:29] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: leaders have wellness retreats, transformation retreats, women's retreats, so travel coaching, if you're not just a travel coach, and that's the what you do in your business model.

really a way to enhance the experiences that you help your ideal clients. Have and how you help them and how you better understand your clients on a human level. Because remember, that travel's emotional and travel's personal. And so really having travel coaching helps get that to the surface and create these really unique travel businesses that light up, that travel coach's authenticity and inspiration for why they're doing this in the first place.

No matter what the industry has always said, are your only possibilities for a role in this industry.

[00:22:16] Erica: Yeah. it's a lot of very. Creative and driven people who are imagining something beyond what currently exists. And, you know, working to create that, to make sure that we can serve people in ways that we see there's a need and we don't really see something that already exists to serve them.

So it's a very inspirational group to be part of.

[00:22:39] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah. Well, I'm so grateful to have you. I mean, I don't remember when you joined. I feel like it's been forever because we've had so many conversations and you've added so much value to the TCN and been so involved in the T cn. so many of you guys are connections and friends that inspire me through what you guys are building and doing every single day.

[00:23:00] Erica: Oh, I thank you. Yeah, it's a really, it's a wonderful thing to be part of. When people are talking about travel as a tool for self discovery, which I think is a big part of what people are talking about in travel coaching, it can sound so inward focused. But as you and I both know, and even as we were talking about earlier, it can be so much more than that.

Do you see it as a self inward focused experience, or do you see it as something much bigger than that?

Responsible, Sustainable, Values‑Aligned Travel

[00:23:31] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: I think it's both. I think that, the more that we travel, the more we have time for that self-reflection of like, what impact do I want to make in the lives of others? What's my

[00:23:43] Erica: Yeah.

[00:23:44] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Here, and it's, that doesn't always have to be the life of others either. I know for me a huge passion of mine are animals.

And so seeing the different

[00:23:51] Erica: Yeah.

[00:23:52] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: who are homeless and you know, on the streets like that, has always stuck with me and has given me also a purpose in life to help as many as I can, which is going to be a big part of my life, you know, once the gets to a place where I can remove myself a little bit. but I know people like, my friend.

Who created Kind Traveler, like that was her

[00:24:11] Erica: Right.

[00:24:13] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Met Jessica Blotter and, who's, been I think a guest for in the TCN and stuff like that.

[00:24:18] Erica: We'll link to her in the show notes She's got a great program.

[00:24:21] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Oh yeah. Like just she's, is so inspiring.

[00:24:25] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:24:25] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Great human being, but there's so many different things that traveling can open our eyes to and can help lead us to our purpose or making an impact, and changing our lives where we can then change the lives of others.

So it's a

[00:24:36] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:24:37] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: things, but it's also external of like, you know, how are treating you and how you want to treat other people, and the perspectives that you now have through the different belief systems that you experience and ways of living that you see, and especially in the world of responsible tourism sustainability, like the more that we travel, we as travelers, we have a responsibility for the planet because we want to explore the planet.

So, you know, we learn and realize different things that we wouldn't have otherwise known. And also

[00:25:11] Erica: Yeah.

[00:25:12] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: and experiences that we hear from other people and how. the impact they're making or what matters to them or what they care about. Like we can pick these things to kind of craft the person we are and the life we want to have and the actions that we want to take.

[00:25:27] Erica: Yeah, So well said. Thank you. I, in addition to animals, I've seen so many travelers, just like you were talking about with sustainability, be so inspired by the astounding beauty of our planet and the natural wonders of our planet that they come home and they're committed to working towards, protecting them and making sure that they're available to future generations to be inspired and learn from too.

You have had so many incredible insights into travel and meaningful travel. I would love for you to share some practical advice that our listeners can use. You often talk about setting intentions for travel. Do you have one simple way somebody can do that before their next trip?

Practical Tip: Set Clear Intentions Before You Go

[00:26:12] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, just really just take some time, like I said, to do some self-reflection, but really just brain dump on a piece of paper, like everything that you are feeling that you want to do on this, or like why you're going on this trip, pulling back those layers, and that can be really hard for a lot of people and to

[00:26:26] Erica: Hmm.

[00:26:26] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: layers and really come to terms of why, what are they really in need of.

There's always like the great, the good first step, and that's what a lot of our travel coaches help travelers with, as well is like in that pre- trip phase is something that's often overlooked. People go right to like choosing a destination and creating itinerary.

There's a lot of ways to do that, but being more mindful in the beginning phase and inspirational phase of your tripcan really do wonders so that. that post trip can really make a big impact on why you're feeling this way in the first place and what you're looking for in the first place.

[00:27:03] Erica: Yeah, that's great advice. I find that when I'm coaching, people, going back to those intentions is, a constant theme in our time together, because once people have had an opportunity to. Explore that for themselves and, think deeply about what it is they're wanting and hoping for that particular trip.

it makes everything else easy to decide, you know, what kind of transportation you want. how much money you're, up for spending, how to pace your days, what kinds of activities and places you want to visit, and also what you're hoping to, come home with and carry forward in your life.

So thank you for that. That's great.

Do you have a couple of tips for people, who want to focus on carrying what they get out of a trip into their life in the future?

Post‑Trip Integration: Journaling, Clarity, and Growth

[00:27:56] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, absolutely. Well, like the biggest opportunity for transformation happens in that post-integration phase. so implementing what you learn, realize aha moments, everything. So, some things that travelers can, integrate into their trips. One, you have to be intentional.

If you're not sure what you want to get out of it, how do you want to feel? What you, your why for it. it's going to be really hard to make the appropriate actions and follow through with them, during your trip. But the other thing is journaling. Be mindful of what it is you're in need of in journal. How do, how an experience making you feel?

What about a conversation that you had? What about your time alone sitting on the beach or a body of water? Like, what are you feeling? What is it? Thinking about now.

And be aware of all of your senses and that gut instinct that you have. We often travel for clarity. and if we're not giving ourselves the time and space and opportunity to gain that clarity, which travel can do for us, we're going to completely miss the mark to be able to have the clarity we need when we.

Go back home. And the other

[00:29:00] Erica: Yeah.

[00:29:00] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: to get yourself out of your comfort zone. Not only just through travel, but in general. Challenge yourself. If you're usually an introvert, have more conversations with people. So set intentions for your trip and say, every day I'm going to talk to, I'm intentionally going to talk to five new people, to five strangers, or two locals and three travelers.

Like, be specific with it. that maybe you have a story that you know, inspires you to give you a new perspective on something or try something different. Maybe, learn a little bit more about a different belief system. So again, we all are looking for something different. that's really been the mark that's been missing in the travel industry is really using travel as a medium, a vessel for us to become who we want to become and have a life that we want to have.

So in through intention setting, through mindfulness and travel, and giving that support and guidance and accountability along the way from a travel coach, things you take what it is that you learned and implement it into the life and craft whoever it is you want to be and whatever kind of life you want to have.

[00:30:05] Erica: That's wonderful. Thank you Sahara. Those are fantastic tips and also very exciting. Ideas for people to move forward with. I know a lot of our listeners might be curious about working with a travel coach or becoming one themselves. If somebody's curious about working with a travel coach, where should they start?

What are some things that they should look for in a coach?

How to Find the Right Travel Coach

[00:30:27] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Find and connect with the travel coaches who best relate to you and best understand you and your needs. Not necessarily that they have to go through everything that you have gone through and experienced, and came out on the other side, but they can relate, they can understand a little bit better. So kind of finding that generalized idea of what type of coach are you looking for?

[00:30:45] Erica: Yeah.

[00:30:46] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: visiting, the Travel Coach Network. we're a global community. We have a hub of profiles of travel coaches So there's so many different ways to either find one organically, by, you know, the keywords of searching,

[00:30:58] Erica: Mm-hmm.

[00:30:59] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: you know, directly through the Travel Coach network.

[00:31:02] Erica: Yeah.

The database that you have on the site is so helpful, and we'll link to that in the show notes too. I think travel coaching is a pretty intimate experience and people need to really feel safe with, the travel coach that they're working with and feel comfortable with them.

So people can explore and find somebody that they would feel comfortable, talking about their biggest hopes and dreams and also their, fears or concerns. it's a tremendous resource.

[00:31:32] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah.

Becoming a Travel Coach: Is It for You?

[00:31:33] Erica: And then you have also supported so many people in becoming travel coaches themselves.

What advice would you give to somebody who is interested or curious about starting this kind of work?

[00:31:46] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: the main thing to really acknowledge that you want to make a greater impact than one you're already making, or that you have to coach. What is it that you can sculpt and build for your ideal business model as a travel coach or implementing travel coaching?

And who is it for? And, so really doing some self-reflection and figuring out like, what was my own why for travel and who do I feel called to help here? And what is it that I care about? What is it about travel that, that I believe so deeply in? And who needs to hear that?

[00:32:25] Erica: do you notice any common themes, about what draws people to travel coaching? Like if somebody's thinking about it, how would they know if it might be a good match for them?

[00:32:35] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: I mean, if you feel like travel has impacted you in such a way that you have a passion to now help others through travel in a more meaningful way, and you're open to a more emotional and personal approach to doing that, then travel coaching would be something that would definitely be a possibility for.

[00:32:57] Erica: That's wonderful. I know you've got a free Beginner's Guide to Travel coaching that we'll link to in the show notes. Can you tell us a little bit about what's in that now, how that can help people?

[00:33:07] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah. There's so many things to think about when you are just getting started in travel coaching, and so our free beginners guide has been something that we've been sharing for several years now, and is a really great catalyst for people to jumpstart their own travel coaching journey on doing that deep dive.

Of self-reflection and figuring out not only like, what can my niche be and who can I serve, but is this even for me? that free guide can help you get those answers.

[00:33:34] Erica: That's, wonderful and I will just say Sahara is incredibly generous with all of her, free resources. You can learn a tremendous amount. You've got a podcast and. Your blog posts and you do all kinds of live events, where people can see if it would be a good match for them. And the Free Beginner's Guide to Travel Coaching is a great place to start.

And then for people who do want to move forward, can you take just a minute, to share a little bit about what you offer in the Travel Coach Certification program?

Inside the TCN Certification: Coaching, Travel, and Business

[00:34:08] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, so our Travel Coach certification program is, accredited Coach Federation accreditation. Our program, divides into a couple different segments. There's the coaching aspect, so abides by the fundamentals and foundation of, ICF. it's also travel focus.

It's, one thing to learn to be a coach, but it's another to figure out your own passion for travel, and what you care about, about travel that you want to help? Others have a certain type of travel experience or outcome. what does transformation and mindfulness even mean to you when it comes to travel,

And then of course there's business. It's one thing to get certified as a coach of any sort, but it's another to learn how to put that into an actual business. Start, launch, grow, your online business.

So we cover all of those different things, plus the community aspect and all the incredible opportunities that we provide are, coaches with, which is a long list. I'm not going to list them all here, but you can find them on our website or in our free tc child Coach Network global community on Facebook.

One Small Step: Recognize Your ‘Why’

[00:35:11] Erica: Thank you. Yeah, and any listeners are always welcome to send me a message too. If they're curious about learning more about becoming a travel coach themselves. It's a program I can definitely recommend. So, Sahar, you have given us so much great inspiration for our own travels and, even crafting our own travel based business so that we can travel more and support others in doing that as well.

For those of us who are interested in having experiences like what you shared, you have one simple tip that we could implement this week

I think first it's just really just to terms with your own why. That took me years to figure out for myself, like, why am I traveling in the first place? whether you're a traveler or you're starting a travel business, understanding and tapping into your own truth, your own why for travel is something that will take time.

[00:36:02] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: So really diving into that this week is a great catalyst.

[00:36:06] Erica: That's fantastic advice, both in running a business and in travel. There are plenty of challenges and I find coming back to that why is a very centering and motivating. Place to come back to in my own mind. So thank you for that. And then we'd like to give our listeners a reflection on travel that they can dive deeper into on their own after.

Do you have a favorite question that people can ponder?

Reflection Question: What Does Travel Mean to You?

[00:36:33] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah, I think just asking yourself like beyond your why, because I already mentioned that, is what does travel mean to you? Because travel means something different to each and every one of us. But really, truly, what does travel uniquely mean to.

[00:36:47] Erica: Thank you. That's wonderful. And where can our listeners find you and learn more about you?

Where to Find Sahara & Closing

[00:36:55] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Yeah. Thank you so much, Erica. you can find us on the Travel Coach Network, the Travel Coach Network across all of our social channels. I am on the social channels as Sahara Rose, the Travel Coach

[00:37:08] Erica: Thank you, Sahara. It was such a gift to have you here today.

[00:37:11] Sahara Rose De Vore- The Travel Coach Network: Thank you for having me.

Thanks so much for joining me. I know your time is valuable and I'm truly grateful that you spent some of it here together. Please come visit me at tripscholars.com for free travel resources, workshops and travel coaching. And if you enjoyed today's show, please follow, review or share. It really helps other curious travelers find us.

Until next time, curious travelers.