Episode 120 - Vanessa Karel, Greet Her
Safety while traveling solo doesnβt have to be a game of chance. With proper planning β and a willingness to connect with others and apply technology to address challenges faced by solo travelers β unlimited adventures and communities await you.
The Greet Her Travel App for Women: Woman Travelers, Women Guides
This weekβs Soul of Travel Podcast guest is Vanessa Karel, Founder and CEO of the solo traveling platform Greet Her. Vanessa is a serial entrepreneur, storyteller, and creative producer and was recently named one of the 100 Rising Latinx Startup Founders to Watch. Vanessa also leads Girls in Tech San Francisco as their managing director. In 2020, she finally realized what had been lacking throughout her solo journeys while traveling alone, being stranded in Morocco during the pandemic, which led her to found and create the Greet Her platform.
The first thing Vanessa did when considering what type of travel solution to create was to survey female travelers. Out of nearly 500 travelers, 90% shared that navigating safely is the most difficult thing women face when traveling solo. Vanessa was inspired to apply technology to solve this problem and shape the idea into a groundbreaking platform that connects female solo travelers with safe guides and contacts around the globe.
Knowing that the barrier of entry to becoming a licensed tour guide in many countries is tough at best, Vanessa chose to call her service providers βGreeters.β Women are trained and vetted in the Greet Her protocol and can provide customized, personalized β and safe β travel experiences that are closer to concierge services than traditional tour guides might provide. The platform also includes a matchmaking service, connecting folks whose interests and travels may overlap.
The Impact of Greet Her
Greet Her is a for-progress company. Spending as many tourism dollars as possible investing in communities β and in women β makes the greatest impact toward the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the UN. Greet Her was recently namaed as one of the Top 15 most Innovative and Sustainable companies by the UN World Tourism Organization.
Because women make up the majority of the global tourism sector, and are also the least paid, Vanessa believes it is essential to create equity for women in tourism by paying Greeters a fair wage and create memorable experiences to expand the companyβs reach even further.
Vanessa is also pursuing ways to improve accessibility for women with disabilities who are solo global travelers, ensuring that these folks are always present in conversations regarding solutions and tools in travel.
Women In Tech
Early on in her founderβs journey for Greet Her, Vanessa recognized the gender gap for women in tech. Hoping to employ engineers and designers who are women, Vanessaβs research and connections led her to Girls in Tech. This global nonprofit organizes technical and non-technical events to teach women and girls tech-related skills from optimizing SEO to crafting a LinkedIn Bio to coding in Python. The mission is also to bring women into tech roles, especially focusing on women who are experiencing a transition and want to step back into work, and are interested in learning more about the wide world of tech.
Christine also shares that women in any field should be welcome and comfortable to learn ways to automate and optimize their systems, and that supports are available to learn and grow in our knowledge of tech solutions.
Vanessa agrees: Resources and organizations do exist to support women in tech and build a community around the challenges and opportunities that exist there.
βThat balances the challenging part of building a business β knowing that you are so enamored by what youβre building and the solution youβre providing.β
Soul of Travel Episode 120 At a Glance
In this conversation, Christine and Vanessa discuss:
Entrepreneurship and resilience
Building a business from idea to execution
Navigating safely as a solo woman traveler
Utilizing technology inclusively and globally
Creating opportunities for women worldwide
Breaking down barriers for women to enter tech
Improving accessibility for global travelers
Mentorship and community in entrepreneurship
Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Vanessa Karel.
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Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Sustainable Development Goal #11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
To learn more about Greet Her, visit the website at https://www.greether.com/.
To look for a local chapter of Girls in Tech, visit https://girlsintech.org/.
Read more about Motherhood by Sheila Heti here.
Follow Vanessa and Greet Her on your favorite social media network!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greether
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greet.her/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greetherhere/
About the Soul Of Travel Podcast
Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, youβll hear the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders. Our expert guests represent social impact organizations, adventure-based community organizations, travel photography and videography, and entrepreneurs who know that travel is an opportunity for personal awareness and a vehicle for global change.
Join us to become a more educated and intentional traveler as you learn about new destinations, sustainable and regenerative travel, and community-based tourism. Industry professionals and those curious about a career in travel will also find value and purpose in our conversations.
We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change-makers who inspire and create community. Join host Christine Winebrenner Irick for these soulful conversations with our global community of travelers exploring the heart, the mind, and the globe.
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Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Ivana DamnjanoviΔ (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.
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WE WON A BESSIE AWARD! The Bessie Awards recognize the achievements of women and gender-diverse people making an impact in the travel industry. To view the complete list of 2022βs winners, visit bessieawards.org.
Soul of Travel Episode 120 Transcript
Womenβs travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, social entrepreneurship, women traveling solo, solo female travelers
Christine:
Vanessa Karel is a second-time founder, serial entrepreneur, storyteller, and creative producer. She was recently named as one of the 100 rising Latinx startup founders to watch through her work founding Greet Her a travel startup that helps women travel safer. Vanessa is also currently leading girls in Tech San Francisco as their managing director. In 2020, she finally realized what had been lacking throughout her solo journeys while traveling alone being stranded in Morocco in the middle of the pandemic, which led her to founding a safety platform for female travelers around the world named Greet Her. The platform targets some of the most important sustainable UN development goals, which are to reduce safety risks for women and to increase income opportunities for them through sustainable tourism. In just a year, Greet Her has organically grown users in over 90 countries and 450 cities around the world. In our conversation, Vanessa shares her draw to entrepreneurship, her travels in Morocco that led her to create Greet Her and her passion for bringing more girls and women into tech. She has also kindly shared a special discount for our listeners. Soul of Travel listeners will save 20% off their first booking using code Lotus20. Love these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast. You can support me in amplifying the voices of women by making a donation on PayPal. The link is in the show notes. Join me now for my soulful conversation with Vanessa Karel.
Christine:
Welcome to Soul of Travel. I'm very happy to today to be bringing Vanessa Karel onto the podcast. She is the founder of Greet Her, which is an amazing company that is helping to address safety concerns for solo female travelers. So I can't wait to bring her to the show and talk more about the work that she is up to. So, welcome, Vanessa.
Vanessa:
Thank you so much, Christine. I'm really excited to be here today. Appreciate the space.
Christine:
Thank you. Yeah, we, we luckily connected in one of the women's travel communities out there for travel professionals, and I was immediately drawn to the work that you were doing, and we had a follow-up call. And so I knew that, um, my listeners would be really interested in your story, so I can't wait to share. Uh, as we get started, would you mind just sharing a little bit about yourself, um, who you are and kind of what you're up to in the world of travel now?
Vanessa:
Yes. Um, hi everyone. Well, I am based in San Francisco to begin, but I grew up in Mexico City, so, um, you hear the accent, it's Mexican accent, and I have been working on Greet Her for a little bit over two years now. Um, and I have forever been a very adventurous, spontaneous traveler. Uh, throughout my twenties. I just, I traveled wherever that, you know, my budget will allow me to travel. It wasn't like really picking places to go to, and I was just like going to, um, places that seemed safe to me, and I continuously did that until eventually, you know, life led me through an interesting journey that, uh, uh, created Greet Her, you know, and previous to that, I was a photography producer. I had a previous startup, uh, completely different industries, but I did study tourism, uh, business administration when I was younger. So like eventually circled back to tourism. And being in travel, uh, has been a very great journey. I'm like so passionate about, you know, uh, connecting different cultures, seeing, um, how people live in different places and really like forming an opinion of myself but myself, you know, of like where I'm going to, instead of letting society tell me what a place is like, I think that's why I'm really drawn to travel.
Christine:
Yeah, yeah. And travel has such a great way of allowing us to have that experience. So I love that you mentioned that because I think, uh, I just actually was at a travel event and that was one of the most common themes of conversation was kind of those shifts and perceptions that you have when you travel. And so if you allow yourself to have a really open mind, you don't even have to have a shift in that perception. You just get to form, you know, your own experience of a place as you travel there. So I think that's a really valuable way of thinking about travel experiences.
Vanessa:
Yeah, definitely.
Christine:
Um, well, I know that you mentioned that you had another business before this and that you really kind of define one of your definitions of yourself as a serial entrepreneur. Uh, so I would love to kind of begin your journey to understand what does that mean for you and why do you think you were really drawn to the energy of the entrepreneurial space?
Vanessa:
Yeah, I think since I was very young, I was always thinking of ways to like make my own things work and like not wait for people to open nursing me. And then really early, uh, after I graduated from college, you know, I had such a hard time finding a job and I was so frustrated and I was like, I deserve to be in that space. And so I was like, you know what? If no one is gonna give me a job in the industry that I want to work in, I'm gonna create my own business and work in that industry because I do that quality work. And that's how I began, you know, my previous, um, uh, like entrepreneurial journeys and I was like, it's never some been something that like, I've never knew what to do, obviously. Uh, I just like, I was just like, oh, I'm gonna do it <laugh>.
Vanessa:
I'm like, I'm gonna start a photography, you know, agency. And then I started a production agency and now I have a travel startup. Um, and it pretty much like didn't click me right away that it was gonna go this like far, uh, but I knew that it had potential otherwise I wouldn't have, you know, like risk, uh, as much as at risk to build this company. And, um, I think, uh, I like to see things go from idea to reality. I really enjoy that process. Um, I know a lot of people are like just waiting for that golden goal, but I do love the putting the pieces together and like figuring out. And then looking back, I look back to the first portal and like we have of Greet Her now, and like, if I showed it to you, you would die so horrible, you know, <laugh>.
Vanessa:
Um, and probably right now, like what we have right now, like in five years is gonna look horrendous. But I do like seeing the transition and like, I think being entrepreneur, uh, means that you are good at problem solving and challenges. And I think, uh, I think my greatest skills, I'm a, I'm a hustler, you know, I am really good at have a great work ethic and, uh, I don't get tired easily <laugh>, uh, obviously they're really hard days, but I think being entrepreneur is like resilience, you know? And it teaches you so much about rejection in a way that no college degree or master's degree can teach you. And it's really good, uh, for you like build some like strength in your, like your, your mind, you know?
Christine:
Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. And I love how you were describing the journey of business creation. I was just talking with a friend too about how sometimes I feel frustrated that I'm not very creative and they were saying, um, no, you're so creative, but your entrepreneurship is like your paintbrush. And so that's how you're expressing yourself. And I would feel like that feels similar to you. You know, there's all these different pieces that go into creating a business and some of them are more, um, I guess how we would characterize creativity, like creating your branding or your imaging or your language. But there's also just that same thing about taking an idea that's inside of you and, and getting it outward kind of onto a canvas. So I do feel like entrepreneurship really gives a creative outlet for people in a way that sometimes maybe people don't recognize.
Vanessa:
Yeah, absolutely. I think, I think creating a business is probably the most creative job you can ever have because you have to invent yourself. Everything <laugh>, you know, like you create the name, you create the mission statement, uh, how your website's gonna look. You are the behind it all. You know, you wear all the hats. You are the intern <laugh> while you're the c e o, you know? And I think that yeah, brings out your creativity. I'm sure you're, I mean, I know you're super creative, <laugh>, I mean, you might not be the painter or whatever, but that doesn't mean that you're not creative.
Christine:
Yeah. And I think similarly, the vulnerability, uh, is shared because it is often, um, like I'm sure we'll learn as we go through your story, but it's something so personal to you that you are putting out there. And like you said, taking a risk on which also I think is what makes it so attractive to so many people is because it's something you're really passionate about. It's not working just for the sake of earning an income. It, it is bringing something to life, creating an impact. Um, but can you speak to that part of the, the journey for you?
Vanessa:
Yeah, well, absolutely. And, uh, if you think that building a, a startup from scratch means that you're gonna be making a lot of money, spoiler alert, not true <laugh>, unless you are super lucky, one of the 1% that like has, you know, very wealthy family that can just give you angel investment right away. It, it was not my case. It's still not my case. And I think, uh, it's really good whenever people ask me like, how do I come up with a business idea? Or like, how do I begin a startup, whatever, I'm like, okay, what is something you're so passionate about? Or like, what is something that like gets you so upset that is a problem in the world? Pick that, you know, because to me, this was something that I wanted for myself, something I wanted to solve for me. And like, and then when I started doing more research, I found out that obviously <laugh>, you know, women around the world want a solution to navigate safer or like to know that they have trustworthy contact wherever they're going.
Vanessa:
And to me, that drove me. You know, like it still drives me cuz there's so many really tough days. You know, we're like, it's hard. You're like, oh my gosh, should I apply for jobs? Or you like, what should I do? You know? And I think what drives me is the mission that we have and the impact because we come with a lot of social impact and women empowerment and, um, even we're targeting like sustainability practices with so many of the, uh, the missions that we have. And so I think that balances, you know, the challenging part of building a business, knowing that you are so enamored by what you're building and the solution you're providing.
Christine:
Yeah, I think that's such a a, a great, uh, piece of advice is that, that it's gonna be really hard. You're not gonna see immediate success most likely, like you said, some people find that, but you really, it has to be something that you are so dedicated to because you are really gonna be giving it your blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen. Um, which I also think is why it, it's, uh, it creates such amazing things cuz people are really willing to sacrifice that of themselves to create and bring something to the world. Um, and you did mention that you created great her to answer, you know, safety concerns in the travel industry. And this is really based off of an experience that you had traveling in Morocco. I was wondering if you could share a little bit of that journey and how that led to where you are today.
Vanessa:
Yeah. Um, and I wanna say this story and like some, I've been getting a little pushback lately about, um, people being like, Hey, Morocco's not unsafe, and this is not the, what I'm trying to communicate. What happened to me was that during 2020 when the world was a chaos, um, I got, uh, somehow stranded in a place in Morocco where I, I wasn't supposed to be in, I didn't have anything planned. I didn't know anybody. And, um, even though I've been traveling a lot solo and I've been to a Muslim country before in Arabic speaking, this was the very first time where like, I really didn't know what to do. And like, I had no points of contact. Um, I was in a city where I shouldn't have been really late at night, didn't know if I was gonna be able to communicate or if I was gonna be safe taking taxis outside, you know, like, uh, with no language, you know.
Vanessa:
And, um, I basically had one of those [inaudible] moments now that I think about it, where like I was looking for a service that, uh, did what Greet Her does now. And, uh, it was just looking to connect with women, with someone local and someone that would make me more comfortable, personally was another woman, but from a trustworthy contact, you know? So I kept browsing through my list of contacts and see if I knew someone who knew someone in Morocco, um, in Casablanca to be more specific and I couldn't find anybody. And then I looked through my Instagram friends and I couldn't find anybody. And then, you know, obviously you and I connected through Facebook, you know, um, but we do have our reference, right? Like we have a someone that connected us together and just meeting someone's stranger online without having anything to back who they are.
Vanessa:
It's kind of scary, you know? And so to me that was really like the breaking point where it was like, why isn't there a survey where you can, you know, find someone trustworthy and reliable? Um, and I started doing more digging. And then throughout my journey in Morocco, I did get a lot of harassment, you know, walking in the streets. Uh, but I've gotten as much harassment in Dominican Republic as well. You know, like it's not just that country. It is a problem worldwide. And I kept looking for female guides wherever, wherever I went and around the country, I only found one in Fez. And I was like, why? You know? And it doesn't mean that male guides aren't great, you know, I have had great experiences with male guides, but I just don't want it to connect with a woman who like, wasn't gonna hit on me or flirt with me.
Vanessa:
And I wanted to get her perspective what it was to be a woman in this place. And so this like really sparked an idea on me and I was like, why isn't there an easier way to book female guides? Period, you know? And then so, uh, upon eturning back to San Francisco where I live, um, I started doing research and I was in a transition point in my life where I had just closed my previous startup. I was like, looking for something soul fulfilling. So I was like, I'm, when I start doing more research and maybe write a book about this, and the first thing I did was I interviewed, uh, a lot of female travelers, um, and, uh, almost 500 of them. And I asked them, one of the questions I asked them was, what is the hardest part for you, uh, when you are traveling, uh, around the world solo, or like, especially to a new place?
Vanessa:
And 90% of them said, navigating safely, knowing how I'm gonna get from point A to point B. Um, how am I gonna communicate fitting culturally? And I was like, okay, I'm not alone. You know, a lot of us want something and, and these conversations, I was having a big female travel community, so it means that there wasn't a, a really well known service that people were using for the, to solve it. Um, so this kind of like, was the, the drops in my glass, you know, I was like, oh my God, there might, there might be something here. I started doing more research and I sent my idea left to right to incubators. Cause I just really didn't know what to do with it, you know? I was like, I have this idea to create something enabled by technology. And I was accepted into two accelerator programs and I decided to go with one of them, uh, that was in Silicon Valley. And, uh, that kind of helped shape my idea from A to B, you know, like I really just had like a note on my iPhone <laugh>, you know, with pages and pages of things that I was putting together. Um, I was gonna call it fem fem, uh, fem passport initially, and then it turned out to be Greet Her eventually. Um, it just sounded like an easier name to put on an app. Um, and yeah, that's kind of like how Greet Her was born.
Christine:
Yeah. Thanks. Thank you so much for sharing that. And I think, um, I, it's really great that you ended up kind of speaking with all of those women that reconfirmed what you felt, um, because I know that can feel like an isolating experience as well. And, um, just to have so many people also realizing that they were having the same challenges. And I know, uh, myself traveling personally and also traveling and creating, um, programs for other women where I'm often looking for a female guide that I have seen the same issues. And, you know, part of it is because maybe a female guide doesn't have a, a platform to share that they're working. There's not a way for us to find them easy, like they're there. Um, and then in other places it's not as culturally acceptable, so there aren't as many female guides or even if they were interested, you know, maybe they don't have a way to get engaged in that. And so I think it's such a, a really valuable tool from both sides of the industry. And I, I, I believe for you that is something that you've also found as you started to onboard women to be the guides for travelers. Uh, what what has that experience been and what have you learned from those women?
Vanessa:
Uh, it's definitely been very challenging in some locations to find them. And especially in developing countries, it's really tough. And also in countries where technology is not as embedded in their daily lives, like it, it is in ours. Um, sometimes it's like really hard to get them to do our verification process or like for them to understand everything. Um, the system currently worldwide and tourism isn't very flexible or like very open for ev - for people to find them. And that's what I wanted to create. I wanted to create the resource that you, if you're creating tours or like if someone's traveling and wants to help women's economy locally, they can find them easily. So now we have scouted, um, greeters, and the reason we call them greeters and not just tour guides is because not all of our guides are licensed tour guides. And I'll be clear about this and this, the reason is what, because the entry, the entry point to become, uh, licensed tour guide in a lot of countries is really tough.
Vanessa:
And the little women don't have access to those resources to become licensed tour guides. So we created a hybrid version of it where we call our service providers greeters. Um, and sometimes they're just local women who want to have an extra income in that, in that town or in their hometown. Um, and, uh, can provide still a good experience. We provide them training, um, obviously they have to go through a protocol that we give them. And, you know, I think, uh, our mission and earth slogan is your local bestie, wherever you go. It's not the typical tour guiding experience where everything is scripted. Like you'll go to at 12, you'll visiting the cathedral. No, this is very personalized. Uh, it's, uh, it's more of a concierge slash tour guiding experience where you as a traveler can choose the amount of time you want your greeter to be with the, you tell her what activities you're interested in doing and she can tailor, um, an experience for you.
Vanessa:
Uh, based on that, we do use a matchmaking service that in which, like, we try to match someone that fits your, your profile the most. Uh, so for example, we just had a, uh, two travelers going to Tulum and they're, uh, both vegetarian and wanted to try, uh, you know, local food in Tulum. And so we heard them with a vegan local tour guide there, you know, and they had a great time because they connected in those things. Um, but yeah, in some places, like Sri Lanka recently, we had a traveler trying to book us in Sri Lanka, and it was impossible for us to find a greater on time. Now we do have a few, because from that effort we found some, but we couldn't get it to the traveler in time, you know? Um, because in some places like that, you know, everything's still really far away from being technology technologically, uh, able enabled. And, uh, it's a challenge, you know?
Christine:
Yeah, I, thanks for, uh, kind of sharing that. I think that's something not a lot of travelers are aware of, um, especially in the context of certified travel guides and tour guides and what that takes in some countries. In, in some places it's really a full degree, uh, certification. Um, sometimes it's just a, a paid program that does also take a long time commitment. Um, and, uh, you know, people listening to the show will also know that, that, that is a barrier in and of itself is for women to have the time and space for that education or to have the access to the income to pay for that. And so that's one of the things I really loved about Greet Her when I heard about it, is that this is a lot lower barrier for women to be able to engage as local tour guides, but that you're still vetting them. So as a traveler, I know that I'm connecting with someone who, who knows what they're doing and, and has had to go through a process, and that is offering me that safety and security. Um, we've pretty much walked through the process, but can you just kind of clarify like, if I am someone traveling and looking for working, looking for a guide somewhere, what would that look like? Working with you and using the the greeter platform?
Vanessa:
Yes. Uh, currently we're going through a transition period with our platform, uh, where we're moving it more as in like you will be, um, picking by city, uh, where you're going, and then you'll see the pricing right now, um, if you guys are listening today, today, you can go and find a list of countries where we have our greeters in. Um, and you can select a book, a greeter in Mexico, for example. And then throughout the booking process, we ask you, in which city? And so let's, for this example, you say Mexico City, and then you select the hours, 2, 4, 6 hours. And then during that booking process, you tell us, um, what activities you're interested in doing or things you wanna see in that place. And you choose the meetup spot and the date, right? And then from that, we take that from the back, and then we match you with someone, and then we confirm them with you, and then you are connected with your greeter before you even meet, which is really exciting too, because these greeters are told to give you the tips you, you need, you know.
Vanessa:
And sometimes like when you're traveling somewhere, uh, the most valuable resources, someone that's actually there, or like can tell you like, Hey, should I actually be booking accommodations in this area? What do you think? You know, and someone can give you like a little bit, uh, of advice before you even travel and, you know, um, come up to an conclusion like, hey, uh, the career will be like, this is where I propose based on your interest. Does that sound good to you? And then you guys meet up, uh, we, we tracking everything, um, from beginning to end to make sure that, uh, everybody's, you know, maintaining our guidelines and safety protocols, and then, um, yeah, that's it. And you, you have fun. A lot of times our travelers and our greeters have a great time and then they decide to meet up again or book, book again. And, um, yeah. I don't know if you have any more questions.
Christine:
No, I think that's great. I just was wondering, you know, wanted people listening to know kind of what they could expect and, and who this might be for. So I think that gives a, a great idea of the experience. Um, previously you mentioned, um, targeting some sustainable development goals and that that is a part of your passion also with this business. I, I would love for you to share what specific goals that you are really working to support and how, how your company is addressing those.
Vanessa:
Yes, absolutely. Uh, so we are for progress company, which means that we are targeting some of the most important SDGs, which are to reduce safety rates for women and inequalities in the workforce. Um, sustainability, tourism, tourism and, um, income, income opportunities for women. So by booking a greeter or greater services, your money is being well spent because the vast majority of it is going to them. And we take a, you know, a percentage for, you know, to just to keep the lights out and for just having, um, personal looking through the verification process, training and whatnot. Uh, but we are paying them above fair wage and, uh, we are providing women with a very, uh, flexible gig economy. And I think that's really exciting too. Um, for me it was really important. That always has been really important that when I'm traveling, I'm at least giving one of my daughter to someone, some a woman or minority groups because it's just so much impact for, for the world in so many ways.
Vanessa:
And that was, that's one of our big missions. Um, and we actually have been just recently been, uh, named as one of the top 15 most innovative, uh, sustainable companies by the un, uh, W T O, which is the UN World Tourism Organization. Uh, this past month, uh, because of our efforts, uh, we're doing to create, um, equality for women in tourism jobs, actually women make the majority of the tourism sector, however, the, the least paid not surprise, obviously, um, is like, tell me an, a new story, right? But, uh, we're flipping the coin and we're making angry <laugh> a lot of people throughout it, throughout the process, but it's time for this to be done, you know, and our prices aren't probably very attractive to the average backpacker, but there is a reason for it. You know, the reason is that we are paying above minimum wage most worldwide, you know, and, um, and obviously it's kind of a luxury too, like you have that experience of almost having a personal guide and they show you around. In some cities we do have greeters who have cars, uh, not everywhere, obviously, that goes back to inequalities. No, everybody can afford a card in a lot of places, but in some places we do have that option as well. And yeah, so yes, totally all, all of our progress.
Christine:
Yeah. Um, and congratulations on that recognition. And, uh, this is obviously also something I'm super passionate about. I just did a presentation on how, um, sustainable travel can support gender equity. And so I think, um, it's, it's really, you know, what you were saying, the, the, the value of a fair wage being given to a woman, especially in many countries around the world, the, the ripple impact that that has, um, is really immense. And so I think that was another thing that I was really excited about, and the flexibility. So even if a woman was able to become a certified guide because of the obligations of women in pretty much every country around the world, they are not likely going to be able to take a, a nine to five or, and a tour guide job is not a nine to five job anyway. So one where they might need to be gone all day, multiple days, um, traveling to different regions, it doesn't align with their, the other obligations that women have.
Christine:
And so I love that Herrs says, look, I have maybe a few hours a day when my child is in school and I don't have other obligations, so I can fit this in on my schedule and still earn an income, connect with other people from around the world. I feel like it's such an empowering and valuable process, uh, for the women who are guiding, but also then, you know, you've shared for women travelers to really understand the context of what it means to be a woman in that destination. Again, this is something that's why I created my company Lotus sns because I want women to have those conversations. Yeah. And this is such a great space. I mean, I just can imagine, you know, being able to just, like you said, meet your bestie and walk to a coffee shop or, uh, you know, a local park and have them share their memories of this area or how they engage in community. It's gonna be a very different travel experience. Um, and I'm really excited for the doors that this is opening for travelers and for females who are, are guiding.
Vanessa:
Thank you. No, definitely. I think it's really important, um, for men and women to break their stereotypes they have by starting these conversations. And, you know, um, obviously I have, you and I have both enjoy, like the regular tours and stuff. I still book them and I, I like that experience, but this is a little different, you know, in the, in the way, like you are getting a little more personal take from them as much as they want, obviously. Um, but also getting a little aspect of the local gems, right? Or like the, the places, you know, because all of us are different travelers, you know, I may be the foodie traveler, you may be the fashion traveler, I don't know. You know, and like some of our travelers sometimes also with digital nomads, they just want someone to be local and tell them like, Hey, let me show you how public transportation works here. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> where you should be really booking your, your, uh, new apartment at, like, let me show you how things work here. Um, and our greeters are forced to give our traveler safety tips as well. And like how to navigate with public transportation if public transportation is safe in that place.
Christine:
Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah, I hadn't even thought about that. But yes, what a great resource for people that are, are traveling in that way as well, because that is, I think one of the things that people are really intimidated by maybe a digital nomad lifestyle, is trying to figure out how to then actually live in a place. So it's very different than traveling in a place. Yeah. And so again, to have that resource where you could say, oh, great, I can have someone, you know, spend a day with me and learn a little bit more about the area and how to just, how to create my own way of being there. I think that is really cool too. Um, well, I know another passion that you have is technology. So, you know, you mentioned that you kind of were able to work with a, initially with a partner in Silicon Valley to kind of conceptualize this idea. Um, and I know that you really want to support other women in tech and you are the managing director, director for Girls in Tech in San Francisco. Can you talk a little bit about the barriers that women are still facing in this, um, regard and the need that you see for mentors and resources for women in technology?
Vanessa:
Yes, absolutely. Um, really early on my founder journey for Greet Her, I realized that there's a huge gap, um, in technology. Um, I really wanted to, you know, book women that were like engineers or like UX designers. And initially it was really hard to find them. Um, still is a challenge. Um, I've now more surrounded by them because of Girls in Tech. And, uh, when the opportunity arose to take the manager and director role, it's a volunteer role, uh, cuz it's a nonprofit. Um, I was like, I'm not sure if I can take another thing on my plate cause I'm so busy, but this sounds like something I'm really passionate about because I had so many, uh, barriers and of entry point to the tech world that I just felt so strongly about. And, uh, I was like, if there's something I can do to, you know, provide resources to women who, because every business or anything you do now is related to technology.
Vanessa:
And I was like, you know, I've seen the struggle of it, of not being able, of not being a technical founder, of not being someone technical entering these type of businesses. And if we can provide, you know, access to other women who feel like I felt, uh, to learn a new skill to learn how to, you know, create a website or like, uh, how to optimize their s e o and whatnot. You know, why not? And that's what we do. Girls in Tech is an organi, nonprofit, um, organization globally that has chapters all around the world. So wherever you guys are listening to look up if your city has a chapter there. Um, and we organize, uh, non-technical and technical events. Non-technical events are more like self skills, um, that you can learn how to, you know, um, pitch two brands to land gigs or like, uh, apply for jobs, how to craft your LinkedIn, uh, page better for landing, uh, more, more jobs or whatever.
Vanessa:
And the technical side of it is like learn, uh, how to code Python and or like learn, um, how to prototype UI frames and, um, it's really fun. It's, I think it's a great, great motivation for us too. And, um, literally the mission is to bring more women into tech roles as well. Um, and or if women, we see a lot of women in transition, um, or women who took a break for, uh, to become mothers and they wanna enter back in the workforce and they're like, where do I, where do I even begin? And I'm not a mother, uh, but like I see how challenged that would be, you know, like things are changing so fast, you know, year by year that like, uh, we try to provide those resources very accessible. Most of our events are for free. So really, really cool.
Christine:
Yeah. And as an entrepreneur, I feel like you have to have some sort of tech background these days because my primary staff is tech, right? So my, all my support systems are just systems that I put in place to automate things, right? Because I can't do everything. So every once in a while I'm like, okay, I am gonna learn this new technology put in into place in my business so it can streamline so I have more time to focus. And I think a lot of times, uh, people maybe would get caught up from creating something because they're, uh, resistant to learning that technology or it's really intimidating. But I also think the idea that technology is a standalone industry is also changing because like you said, really technology is everywhere. You know, some places don't have as much access to it, but it is such a part of our daily lives. And so I think empowering women to feel comfortable and not like they have to outsource every bit of technology in their job, I think that's really important.
Vanessa:
Yeah. And by the way, you did a great job. I received your automation, like similar reminders. I was like, oh my gosh, she's got it. I'll figure out <laugh>.
Christine:
No, but that's one I know. <laugh>
Vanessa:
<laugh>. Good job. Good job. Yeah. And so many things to learn, you know, like as an entrepreneur it's impossible to know everything. Like, you know, a lot of things you figure out as you go. And I think, uh, there is organizations like Girls in Tech and many others, um, you know, I'm also part of, uh, a few other organizations, uh, that like support women in general find them, you know, as a, like if anybody, whoever's listening, like find these organizations because there's so many great resources and the networking opportunities really do open wor like worlds, you know? And um, it is like having conversations like the one you and I had before this call even happened that like, you know, people you're like come up in their mind and they're like, Hey, I found this for you. Maybe, uh, maybe you benefit from it. And I think, uh, you know, it's been a long time since, uh, we as women are not supportive each other. I think now it's very much trending and let's keep the trend going. And um, it's, it's really good to like just see what is in your city and what other resources you can tap into. And I had no idea, like, I had to, at the beginning I was like, where do I even begin? And uh, it took a lot of knocking doors at the beginning, but now I'm like, oh, there is this whole world of organizations that support you.
Christine:
Yeah, I, yeah, I agree. I think, um, there are so many ways that you can find support and I think community is so important as entrepreneurs. And, um, one of the things I wanted to mention that you were just, uh, recently accepted to another accelerator program, um, by Expedia that's focusing on inclusion and diversity. So, uh, congratulations on that. Cause I know that's exciting. Yes. But what do you think that, you know, you mentioned there are these communities, but how important has that been to you? You started with an with one accelerator and now you're able to kind of move into another one that's a little, you know, a different focus. But what value has that added for you and how has that also kind of allowed you to focus in on your values aligned business creation process as well?
Vanessa:
Yeah, uh, I mean I think it just, this accelerated program came at the perfect time. You know, uh, this is more obviously con it is focused on accessibility and opening the world to travelers that are in minority groups. You know, we're talking about travelers, uh, female travelers. We're talking about travelers with, um, uh, with disc, uh, oops, help me out here. Um, I'm thinking in Spanish, uh,
Christine:
Disabilities or accessibility.
Vanessa:
Accessibility, I was gonna say this, capacity <laugh> in Spanish disabilities, uh, travelers in LGBTQ plus community. And, uh, it's really exciting that people are looking this way. You know, big organizations, big corporates like Expedia are realizing that these are on top groups that have money, you know, and like we need to create tools and resources and um, services that serve for them. And it is been such an amazing experience already. Like it's only been one month since we, uh, kicked off the, the program with Expedia and we got a chance to meet the other startup that are creating amazing products for people, visibil disabilities, people in this sectors. And, uh, I think it's obviously picking up momentum right now and it's been forever overlooked for us is a great opportunity. Uh, we're trying to create partnerships with them, um, trying to learn. One of, uh, I'm a huge fan of, I don't know if you are familiar with this called Wheel the World, but they do experiences and tours for people in wheelchairs.
Vanessa:
And like, I turn into a, a fan girl when I met the founder and he happens to be in my cohort and I'm trying to learn from him cuz I wanna be able to teach some of that back to our greeters so our female travelers with disabilities or on wheelchairs can use our services too. You know, and it takes being in this rooms for you to realize, oh my God, I have not thought of what it means to be in a wheelchair inside a plane because I am fortunate now and never having to think about it. But that doesn't mean that there is millions of people that need solutions for this, or blind travelers, you know? So to me it's been really, really like a learning curve like this, you know, like, oh my God, you know, and it's not because I'm a bad person, it's just like I hadn't thought of, uh, it because I didn't have it around me.
Vanessa:
And so I feel like I thrive when I'm putting situations and communities that are like, um, I don't know anybody or anything about, because you just like submerge yourself. And, um, it's really, really exciting. And I really, really recommend people who are traveling to look for these smaller companies that are creating change. Because when your support, they'll become bigger and social impact will like, be really, really showing, you know? And, um, there is even like this startup, um, that is create, it's called Become Rentable, and it's by this older woman who I'm really excited that she got this recognition. Um, and she's be, she's helping people with properties, um, make sure that they are excessively friendly and me going and measuring doors and whatnot. And it's really exciting, you know, to know that solutions like this are being built.
Christine:
Yeah. Uh, yeah, I love these spaces for, uh, for businesses to grow in because like you said, you know, you, you're learning from their experience and expertise as well, but you're also learning about the gaps that you have and, and you're also being really inspired and motivated. So even if your businesses aren't really similar, there's still so much to learn from one another. And I think, you know, you mentioned earlier that, you know, the, the dynamic between women not supporting each other and really supporting each other, um, I feel like I have seen that as well. And I, I think in these spaces that competitive drive is dissolving and this idea of really wanting to support one another, um, is really powerful to just see that happen. And like you said, you know, we had a call and then, you know, now I know more about who you are and what you're looking for, and if something comes my way, I'm like, okay, Vanessa needs this.
Christine:
And like, I have no hesitancy or there's no question for me to think well, but if Vanessa gets this, is this gonna mean I can't have that? Like, that thing doesn't come into my mind at all. I think naturally it doesn't, but I also think the ability for that to happen without it feeling like it's going against a social norm is becoming more common. Um, so I appreciate that. And I'm in a, um, a fellowship right now with Vital Voices and today we just had a call and there's women from 40 different countries who all have impact driven businesses that are, um, related to also the the UN SDGs. And we were talking today about like, you know, how to understand what that means, what your story is, what's your strategy aligned with those sustainable development goals. And it's so interesting because we were also talking about the cultural context because if we have women from 40 different countries around the world, all of these ideas mean different things and re represent different challenges based on where we are. And, um, for me, like I'm excited to grow my business, but almost more than anything I'm, I'm excited to have this broader understanding of what business looks like for women around the world. Like every time, kind of like you said, you're like, I've never thought about that, or I've never had to think about that. And that growth, I think for me as a professional will probably even be more important than whatever I create in my business.
Vanessa:
I agree. I'm so excited for you. I'm so excited that you're in this fellowship. I think you've mentioned that before. And I think, uh, you know, when I began my business, I have really great girlfriends around me, but none of my friends had businesses. So I, like I had to go and make new friends. I kept my old friends too, you know, obviously <laugh>, but like I had to go make new friends who were building companies. I'm so sorry about that. And, um, and that like really has taught me a lot because it, you know, there is a lot of support from them, you know, and something that we should all know is that your success doesn't take away from my success. And I really seen it building this company from other founders and from other business owners because we understand how hard it is, you know, to like build a company or a business. And to me that's really exciting. And any way I can support anyone or like if someone comes to me with advice, I'm like more than happy to provide it because I have been lost for a long time and, you know, building this business and like I really needed mentors. I was like, who do I ask for this? And now I do have a network. Um, but it took a lot of time and effort to build it. Mm-hmm.
Christine:
<affirmative>. Yeah. And thank you for sharing that cuz I, I think that is also some people maybe see someone who has a business in the direction they wanna go and they feel intimidated about asking them. But I would say the same to me. And I also offer my advice and support wherever I can, but maybe don't be in intimidated to reach out cuz I do think so many people are excited. Like we get excited about your business as well and um, can offer insights and offer connections. And I, I think people should really take advantage of that. Um, and, and embrace that when people offer it and not feel like it's an empty offer that people really do mean that when they say that they want to help to support you, uh, to grow your business. Um, well before we wrap up, Vanessa, um, I really appreciate this. I'm sure people can find you easily, but where would they look for Greet Her if they want to use that service on their next travels?
Vanessa:
Yes. Uh, so Greet Her is, uh, the combination towards, I initially wanted it to be called greet greeter.com, but that was taken, so that day I was really upset and I was just looking at my notebook and I was like, oh, wait a minute. And then I combined greet and her, um, that's why, uh, the name. Um, and so Greet Her.com. Uh, you can find us, uh, hopefully next time. I'm, I'm on your show. I'm able to tell you download our app, not yet, but in the process of it. And we are on Instagram, um, at greet dot her and I am on LinkedIn as Vanessa Carll. So if you guys wanna connect there, I'm happy to and info at Greet Her. If any of you wants to ask us anything or wanna collaborate with us or try our services, let us know and I'll be happy to chat more.
Christine:
Great. Thank you so much. Well, uh, to end our call, I just have a series of seven rapid-fire-ish questions, so we'll jump into those. Um, and I really appreciate your time today. It's been so fun.
Vanessa:
Likewise.
Christine:
Thank you. What are you reading right now?
Vanessa:
Oh my God, I'm about to reveal this <laugh> I, cause literally I went to bed reading it and I don't remember the author, but it's called Motherhood and it is a book about deciding why women, uh, decide decided or not to have kids. And I'm not near that, but like, I just, I just wanted to have some thought-provoking, uh, book to read about it. And I went read, I was like, what is the best book for it? And apparently that this came up and I started last night.
Christine:
That's so interesting. I love that there's a resource for that also. Yeah. People listening, there's a resource for everything. Like if you are curious about learning, I feel like the ability to have free or, and or affordable education on any topic in this day and age is something I'm constantly mesmerized with. So thank you for sharing that. Um, what is always in your suitcase or backpack when you travel
Vanessa:
A scarf? I always have a show on me. I, it has seen me so many times as a towel, as a beach blanket. If I wanna cover my head or like for everything, I always have one near me.
Christine:
Yeah. Um, to Sojourn is to travel somewhere as if you live there for a short while. Uh, where is a place that you would love to sojourn?
Vanessa:
Ooh, that's cute, huh? Um, I think right now I would pick Nepal.
Christine:
Uh, what do you eat that immediately connects you to a place you've been?
Vanessa:
Oh, tacos. I mean, I grew up in Mexico or just tacos, and oh my God, I miss home. <laugh> <laugh>.
Christine:
I'm getting ready to travel with my girls for an extended period, and my one daughter, she's like, I just can't wait till we get to Mexico so I can eat tacos every day.
Vanessa:
<laugh>, that's so her favorite. Cute. I love it. <laugh>.
Christine:
Um, who was a person who inspired or encouraged you to set up and explore the world?
Vanessa:
My dad. Uh, my dad since very little, like, kept telling me, I don't know, like nonstop, but I'm not sure if he regrets it now cause I kept traveling, but he always was like, I want you to travel the world, I want you to see this place. And he traveled a lot. Uh, he's a journalist, so I saw him traveling a lot when I was little and they, my parents always prioritized travel and they got stuck with me, so I did listen to my parents.
Christine:
That's good. Uh, if you could take an adventure with one person, fictional or real alive or past, who would it be?
Vanessa:
Oh my God. Um, like an adventure, like a travel trip? Yeah. I think I would go somewhere with Anthony Bourdain and just have like the best meals ever, you know, that would be fun.
Christine:
Yes. Uh, the Soul of Travel is a place where we can, um, honor and elevate the work of women around the world. Who is one woman that you admire and would love to recognize in this space?
Vanessa:
Hmm. Uh, I really, uh, love the community that Avida from Nomadness has created. I think, uh, she's up to something really exciting, but there's also, uh, the altruistic traveler, Bianca. So I just named two persons, um, really stoked about what she writes about always like how to travel altruistically and I'm a huge fan of her writing. Um, so those are two bonus points.
Christine:
<laugh>, thank you. Yeah. You get extra credit. <laugh>. Well Vanessa, as I mentioned, this has been such a great conversation. I have been so excited to bring it to the podcast and I really hope that people reach out to you both as travelers and collaborators and as, um, potential guides in different destinations. And I wish you all the success and I can't wait to have you come back and hear how things are going in a little while as well.
Vanessa:
Yes, I would love to and I hope you can try Greet Her while youβre in Mexico!
You can find me on Facebook at Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community, or follow me on Instagram either @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcast. Stay up to date by joining the Lotus Sojourns mailing list. I look forward to getting to know you and hopefully hearing your story.