Episode 208 - Youmie Jean Francois, Flex-N-Fly
In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 6: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine shares a soulful conversation with Youmie Jean Francois.
Youmie Jean Francois is a transformational speaker, a brand strategist, a money trauma expert, a private pilot, an Author, and the proud Founder/CEO of Flex-N-Fly, The Flex Bags, and The Flex-N-Fly Foundation. Throughout her career, she's dedicated herself to enhancing the well-being of travelers and helping small business owners scale. She speaks four languages fluently and splits her time between New York and Colombia. Flex-N-Fly, her award-winning travel and wellness company, has become a beacon of innovation. They bring wellness studios into airports. Providing stretching, yoga, and relaxation classes to airports, aiming to ease the stress that often accompanies modern travel. They've been featured in Forbes, Travel & Leisure, TripAdvisor, BlackEnterprise, Macy's, Belk, Flying Solo, and more. Youmie's best-selling poetry book, “The Sacrifice: When Transition Looks Like Chaos,” is available now.
Waking Up in a New City Every Year? Yes, Please!
Born in Haiti and immigrating to America at age six, Youmie Jean Francois's relationship with travel began as a professional dancer, where she would travel around the world and perform in a fast-paced schedule. Her passion for slow travel and meaningful exploration evolved into a personal tradition of waking up in a different country every New Year for the past 14 years, from Sri Lanka to Senegal and beyond.
The Origins of Flex-n-Fly
The inspiration for Flex-n-Fly struck during a trip to Morocco, where Youmie observed prayer rooms in airports. This vision was further solidified during a chaotic Passover trip to Israel, where she witnessed the intense need for calm amid airport stress. By December of that year, she had decided to quit her job and pursue this dream of creating wellness spaces in airports. The vision behind Flex-n-Fly emerged from recognizing that airports, while exciting gateways to adventure, can trigger anxiety. Starting with three major New York airports — JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia — these wellness studios will offer yoga classes, meditation sessions, breath work, and red light therapy to prepare travelers before and after flights. Youmie is committed to doing well at these domestic locations before expanding to international airports.
Beyond the physical spaces, Youmie encourages travelers to take a pause. Even ten minutes will allow your body to reset and relax. Have twenty minutes? Even better.
Entrepreneurship and Moving Through Challenges
Flex-n-Fly has undergone a number of changes and shifts throughout the last few years, from persevering through the pause of travel in 2020, accomplishing numerous rounds of funding, and moving into the physical product space to keep the business moving forward.
“We couldn’t launch for a long time…getting ourselves known as a premier space in the travel industry. Even though we haven’t launched yet, people are excited!”
Youmie's commitment to maintaining the integrity of her vision continues to help the business survive and evolve. She emphasizes the importance of proper legal protection and strategic business planning along the way.
“The nonprofit sector of Flex-n-Fly is the Flex-n-Fly Foundation,” launched in 2024. “We’re empowering underserved communities through travel, wellness, and entrepreneurship with our 90-day community hub. So what does that mean, Youmie? We are going to have community hubs that last for 90 days in underserved communities where we are offering all of these things for free in these communities. So under travel, we're going to help people get their pilot license. We're going to educate them on sustainable traveling. We're going to help them obtain their passport and provide travel scholarships for them to see the world. Under wellness, every community hub has a wellness studio, so they are able to come and take free classes, whether it's yoga, meditation, music, dance, movement, nutrition, or mental health workshops.”
There is also an entrepreneur support system within the Flex-n-Fly foundation, where Youmie and her team provide tools to entrepreneurs moving through business growth. “Access isn’t always available. And I’m going to bring it.”
To support the Flex-n-Fly foundation, visit https://theflexnflyfoundation.org/.
Financial Wellness and the Judgment of “Lack”
As a coach specializing in money trauma, Youmie helps clients address deep-rooted financial beliefs. She emphasizes the distinction between worthiness and deservingness, helping people recognize that financial stability isn't about deserving but about belonging. “You cannot grow into the fullest version of yourself if you are constantly judging yourself in a negative way,” she shares. Her clients learn to overcome financial trauma patterns, whether they manifest as overspending or extreme frugality. Through these initiatives, Flex-n-Fly is creating a movement toward more mindful, accessible, and equitable travel while addressing the deeper aspects of personal and financial wellness that impact our ability to explore the world freely.
“Purpose isn’t the separation of work and spirituality. I think purpose requires both; I think who we are and what we do end up always merging in many ways, because it’s connected to the purpose.”
Soul of Travel Episode 208 At a Glance
In this conversation, Christine and Youmie discuss:
· Why creating Flex-n-Fly was essential to empower travelers experiencing anxiety and other mental health needs
· How to be more grounded and relaxed while you travel
· Growing a business through challenging times
· The launch of the Flex-N-Fly Foundation
· Coaching and money trauma, how it shows up in our lives, and how we can develop a new relationship with money
Join Christine and Youmie Jean Francois now for this soulful conversation.
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Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Sustainable Development Goal #17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Connect with Youmie and Flex-n-Fly on your favorite social media channel! Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / YouTube / Podcast & Affirmations
Learn more and stay updated on the growth of Flex-n-Fly at their website: https://flexnfly.com/.
To support the Flex-n-Fly foundation, visit https://theflexnflyfoundation.org/.
To support RISE Travel Institute or become a recurring donor, visit the RISE website.
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Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, you’ll 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.
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Soul of Travel Episode 208 Transcript
Women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, women leaders in travel, social entrepreneurship
Christine: Okay. We're still working. You can still hear
Youmie: Yes, I think I do.
Christine: Welcome to soul of travel podcast. I'm your host, Christine, and I'm excited today to be joined by Yumi Jean Francois. And today is a super exciting day to have her here because we're recording this on giving Tuesday. It's not going to air for a while, but we're going to celebrate that it's giving Tuesday, um, in this interview.
Christine: And. That's just the teaser. We'll get there. Um, but first I am just so excited to welcome you to the podcast. Thank you for joining me
Youmie: Thank you so much for having me and congratulations on all of your success. Since I met you, I listened to your podcast first of all and I love all the things that you've been nominated in and I voted for you girl.
Christine: so much. I appreciate your support as well. That's I really, I wanted to start there. We met at wonderful in the, um, Bessie awards
Youmie: The best community, the best travel community.
Christine: yeah. And that dinner was, was super special. It was the first time they did a Bessie award dinner. I hope they'll do it. every time afterward because, um, that table of women was so incredible for so many reasons, like the innovation, the support, the camaraderie, like it's a whole table of people competing against each other.
Christine: And everyone's just sitting there just like
Youmie: Loving each other.
Christine: other on and being like, yeah, you didn't mention how awesome you were in this aspect. I'm just going to say, and um, it was so great. And anyway, that's it. That's kind of where we first intersected and that energy just carried through the event.
Christine: And then also I feel like we like wander by each other on LinkedIn and give a little virtual high five and just,
Youmie: Yes. Yes. If I see the one that I met, I usually just like it, no matter what. Which is really bad. My team is like, you need to read things. They just be like, but I'm like, oh I know that person.
Christine: yeah,
Youmie: I need to do better. But yes, I love supporting you.
Christine: Thank you. I really appreciate it. And likewise, it's, it's been really great to see your growth since that. So that's been about not even a year. And I feel
Youmie: Yeah, that's like April.
Christine: we just, yeah, turned up the, the dial. So before we get too far, we're already diving into, into the conversation, but I'd love for you to just share who you are, Yumi, and what your business is and what you're offering the world of travel.
Youmie: Hi everybody. Um, my name is Yumi and I'm the founder and CEO of Flex and Fly. We're a travel wellness company that provides stretching, meditation, and yoga classes at the airport. Our desire is to essentially take care of anxious travelers, pilots, uh, flight attendants, everyone that works at the airport, and just bring more wellness studios and airports.
Youmie: So what that looks like is you will be able to go into a wellness studio at the airport so you could take yoga classes, meditation, breath work. We have red light therapy, like all types of stuff to prepare you before and after your flight.
Christine: Yeah. It's so amazing and I want to talk to you a little bit more about where that came from. Um, but before we get there, I want to learn a little bit more about you as a traveler because I feel like that's going to. weave into our, our story. Um, I'd love to hear about how you found your way into travel.
Christine: I don't think this is where you started. I know it's not where you started, but I would love to hear about
Youmie: a good
Christine: found travel.
Youmie: I don't feel like a lot of people ask me about my origin story of travel They asked me about the origin story of the business Uh when it comes to travels, that's that that's a great question. I love not getting questions. I have Great job Um, yeah. So first of all, I'm an immigrant, so travel is part of my life.
Youmie: I was born in Haiti, and I came to America when I was like about six, seven years old, and I've been to Paris, like, like, I've traveled in that way, but my first, um, conscious list. Form of traveling is what I like to call it. Um, is when I was a professional, when I started being a professional dancer, backup dancer, I would dance, dance celebrities, be on bus tours, flights and stuff, and that was really when I started traveling, but I couldn't, I didn't travel the way I wanted to, because it was for work.
Youmie: It was like, we'd be in the city for like, Half of a night, do the show, get back on. So it was that type of thing. My body was under a lot of stress. During that time too because you know as much as traveling is fun. It's a lot to be flying and Driving everywhere. Um, so that was my first world consciousness of like, oh i'm doing this i'm here every day I'm getting on a flight type of thing But, um, about 14 years ago now, um, I decided to start, um, waking up in a different country every new year for, um, the holiday season.
Youmie: So my favorite holiday is New Year's. Um, I know a lot of people don't like to think of it as a holiday. I don't know why. People just think of like Christmas and Thanksgiving and, you know, but New Year is my favorite holiday. And I love just waking up somewhere new. Just like Monday is my favorite day of the week.
Youmie: I know a lot of people don't like it, but it just represents all those, uh, all the possibilities and newness for me. And I am not a big winter girl. Like I can, I can deal with the cold, but I don't have to anymore. For God's sakes, I'm out of here. So I, in New York city lost me and I like to go somewhere warm.
Youmie: Um, so I've been doing that for almost 14 years. Yeah. So usually I have this globe here actually, you probably can't see, but I have this globe here. I've had it for many number of years. I have maps all over my house and I just kind of randomly pick a place that's warm. Usually, Um, that I could just go to.
Youmie: And I usually make my, my travel time about a month. So I leave for the whole late December, January, come back early February type of girl. And, um, that's really how my travel origins started. Like once I started doing that every new year, I was like, I don't know where I'm going. But I'm going and I'm going for a long time.
Youmie: Uh, so That's how it started last year. I was in sri lanka and that was a very special place to wake up to I specifically did that because sri lanka had Um filed for bankruptcy a couple years before and I just really wanted to give back to that economy Um, but to my surprise it gave me back way more than I could give it.
Youmie: Uh So I absolutely love it. The year before that I was in Dakar, Senegal, Africa. Like, you know, you just, I keep thinking about all the places I've been lately and it's quite interesting because I'm, I've seen the world and I have so many friends in so many different places. Like I feel I'm not, I'm not a very lonely person, you know, and it feels good.
Youmie: And as an immigrant for a long time, I felt very lonely during the holiday season. You know, even with friends and family, I just didn't really feel the celebratory version of it, but I do now. I love the holidays. I love Christmas, especially in New York. Um, but experiencing Christmas and then experiencing the new year in a different country is I highly recommend it.
Youmie: I highly recommend
Christine: I love it so much. And as you were, um, just sharing that I was envisioning, like my kids and I are really obsessed with the Hallmark and the Netflix, like holiday and the travel. travel movies. And I'm like, wow, somebody should pick this up. This is totally like a Netflix travel show or not like a, like,
Youmie: That and Jen. Jen had the book that 12 months. 12 months. Oh my god, I just read the book. You know Jen Lewis?
Christine: Yes. Generally. Yeah. Yeah.
Youmie: trips in 12 months. Excuse me. That should be a book. That should be a movie, too.
Christine: Yeah. I think she's working on it.
Youmie: Oh, it's the, uh, girl making
Christine: I
Youmie: I
Christine: so. She doesn't seem like she's not.
Youmie: I would love to produce it.
Christine: Oh goodness. Well, now we're starting a whole nother business with, since you're a serial entrepreneur, this is how it happens. I'm very sure of it. This is our new women's travel production company.
Youmie: Don't
Christine: love to do that.
Youmie: I'll do it with you. Let's do it.
Christine: Oh my gosh, yes, okay. We're going to have to put a pin in it because I feel like we won't get through our conversation just having new ideas. Um, but yes, I would love to, because there is a huge gap in the industry for actual travel shows about women and also just. Travel movies or movies that feature women that are not just 21 or not, you know, I'm sure that could be a whole nother tangent.
Youmie: Just for you guys though. I'm 38 years old I'm almost at the 40 line, which is very exciting very exciting
Christine: Uh, well, I almost was thinking, I'm like, oh gosh. She's probably like 24 and now I'm going to offend her.
Youmie: No I wouldn't you couldn't pay me to go back to 24 jesus
Christine: Um, okay. So you were traveling a lot and recognizing, um, I would imagine, I would love to hear from you actually. I'll just not imagine I'll ask you since you're here. Where did Flex and Fly come from for you? What was the observation that you had that there was a gap where this community of travelers really needed to be served?
Youmie: So, um, I was taking my sister. My sister and I were going to Portugal for her birthday. My sister likes to, uh, do some, uh, do a travel trip for her birthday every year. Um, so she, um, and I were going to Portugal. It was gonna be your first time. I missed my flight. I ended up in Morocco for a bit. And in the Moroccan country, um, you know, there are a lot of Muslim people, so they just, uh, they give them time in the airport for them to go and pray. And so I remember seeing a room where the guys were in prayer, like they were praying. And I remember him going down and, you know, doing his, uh, Traditional prayer way of praying. And I just looked at him and I was like, man, this would be so great if this was a stretching class. And that's literally how flex and fly like came into my brain.
Youmie: And then later that month, I, uh, that year, excuse me, I went to Israel with my ex and he, um, and it was doing Passover. So it was insane. It was so many people on the plane. It was, everybody was going, it was insane. It was so chaotic. I was like, these people, everybody has to breathe. Like this is chaotic. And again, uh, like since I was confirmed, I like to say that trip confirms my idea because I went, I came back in April, went to my boss and was like, by December I'm quitting and I'm starting a new business. That's literally at the airport. And I remember telling his mom, Oh, I have an idea, you know, a whole thing. And now, now we're here and that's how it really started. I mean, it's, it has grown in so many different ways. It has paused because of the pandemic. Like I, I went through so much with Flex and Fly and like, I, there's a lot that people don't know.
Youmie: I'll say the basic things of like, I lost all of my investors and then I had to, you know, get my business back. And then I had to pivot like the, those big things. But I think Flex and Fly represent what it looks like when you have to wait on the world. Um, to catch up to your vision for me. And there are so many other businesses that ended up coming because the idea of bridging the gap between traveling wellness was my idea, like in a very specific way.
Youmie: And I got so close so many times especially at airports and being in rooms and spaces with shared ideas with spaces with people And then then they start a business and they did it in a different way So it's it's really interesting to watch what has happened with flex and fly and how would like the little business that's still going And we're finally launching um, I also wanted to make sure that I owned uh, I had the integrity of the business was still mine You Because we could have went fast and we could have went further. Sooner. Uh, but there's so much more to do with this business. And I really believe that I'm the person that's supposed to, um, for lack of better words, I'm the one that's supposed to take care of the vision. Um, at least as the CEO right now, and I'm, and I'm a, I'm a steward. And so I'm really proud to still have it. It's been a hard year. It's been a hard year for a lot of business owners. But I'm just really proud that I'm making it through that I've made it through and I feel so much smarter. I feel so much wiser. I feel so much more at peace. And of course, when you're going through it, it's just like, why? Stop!
Youmie: Like, enough! But, but man, I'm, I'm, I'm so glad that I didn't give up on it. And, and, and, um, now we're transitioning into different ways of building and helping people. And I'm, I'm, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just so excited for it, uh, for the world to experience it now, because it's so much better than when I first imagined what it was.
Christine: Yeah. Uh, there's so many things in there that I think are really valuable. Um, One, I was thinking that there should be like this entrepreneurial class of 2020 in the tourism industry. Like, I think there was so many of us that launched businesses, myself included, like in 2019 into 2020. And like you said, too, we, we have, we have had to just like fight for these dreams because one, I, most of the people I've talked to have had business ideas that were not really mainstream in the tourism industry yet.
Christine: And then obviously we're fighting an industry that was, was struggling. Even to keep its footing in the most, those with the most solid foundations were already rocking. So those of us who were kind of coming in there trying to shake it up, it wasn't time for us to be there. And I think there was something about the resiliency that it took to kind of be in that space in that moment.
Christine: That allows us to get here. So like you were saying, you know, you're stronger for it. If you had just jumped out of the gate, it went the way you planned. Your first round of investors stayed true. The first vision like manifested. Maybe that's just not what it was supposed to be. It's hard to go through it, but that's kind of what I was thinking of is the, the kind of the magic.
Christine: We can call it magic now, right? Because we're done with it, with that time,
Youmie: Please
Christine: magic of that moment,
Youmie: with it.
Christine: but that period of growth was important, I think.
Youmie: It was and it is. And, you know, I keep saying this to friends and of mine and people that I know that we can do hard things, you know, we can do hard things. It just looks different, you know, on different people in different ways, but hard things, difficult things, we can do them. The only way out is through.
Youmie: And what happens is the nerves and the anxiety of, of it not working out is usually so strong that we, it keeps us in the thing longer than we need to be in it, you know, um, and. You know, I'm a Taurus and I'm a very stubborn creature, you know, loyal. Okay, because I love to say we're stubborn. We are, but we're also very loyal and, um, I'm a very stubborn creature.
Youmie: And I just, I know that I don't like change. I like the comfort of my life once I have it and entrepreneurship is not about your comfort. So the constant desire of learning and finding new ways of thinking and, and being kind to yourself because you've never been in this position before, you've never done this before.
Youmie: Like, Being able to ask for help, being able to be honest about where you are, whether you want to pivot, whether you want to live, whatever, whatever, whether you want to leave or quit or like, you know, whatever the situation is, those things are what makes you, you, you know, it's what makes you a better leader, a better person, a better entrepreneur.
Youmie: And you need to experience them. You need to live them out. They can't just be taught. You need to live it out in order to really, you know, inspire someone on the real, real, like, cause there's a lot of people that are superficial inspiration. You know what I mean? They haven't really. Had to dig themselves out of things like many of us, you know, they've had to See it from the other side, maybe almost touching them, but never really had to Lose it, you know had to live on their credit cards had to act like, you know They don't know who's calling their phone but a hundred time had to watch their credit card go from eight something to like 500 had to Ignore those constant calls from debt collectors and the stress of lack, you understand?
Youmie: So like that will do something to you.
Christine: Again, now I want like 50 different paths with this conversation, but I'm just going to keep going with the thing that kind of resonates for me. Um, as you were talking about, well, one, the Taurus. Um, and I was like, Ooh, I wonder what her rising
Youmie: My writing is a cancer Yeah There's so there a lot. I don't I don't i'm not really a cancer unless i'm on mother nature like Whenever i'm around and i'm like, this is a lot of emotions you guys ground yourselves, please Yeah
Christine: thinking about it too, is that, I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs that I meet, especially, it is a part of not just our, like, career journey, but like our spiritual journey through entrepreneurship. And I think maybe that would resonate for you, right? Like there's so many things we learn about entrepreneurship.
Christine: Ourselves and so many different things that are tested and I all the time. I'm like, Oh, this is just like my living therapy and my living like growth journey being manifested in my entrepreneurial journey. And I feel like maybe you can recognize what I'm saying there. And how interesting that certain people are drawn into this path and then we like, I don't know, it feels very similar, even though it's different, like you recognize those challenges and the way they're so personal, not just professional.
Youmie: You know, um, I think purpose isn't separation of work and spirituality. I think purpose requires both. I think who we are and what we do end up always merging in many ways it's connected to the purpose. sometimes we would like to separate it and be like, just focus, just do the work and all that stuff.
Youmie: Meanwhile, your heart is breaking. How many times have you had really great business days and like your heart is broken? How many times have you had like a really great, you know, personal life thriving and you're not making any sales? No one's listening. No one's checking out your website, you know, you're watching other people be successful and you're just considering like am I in the right field, you know Life, I think we live a life of dichotomy, right?
Youmie: We're constantly Having to deal with both. I don't believe in balance, but I do believe in harmony Um, so peace is more My concern, I think that sometimes I have to be okay with my professional life being more successful, for lack of better words, or thriving more than my personal, but then sometimes it's the other.
Youmie: But they both are necessary for me to have the type of peace that I desire on this earth. You know, and so for me, I'm always kind of like, I asked myself the same questions that I asked myself in personal relationships and professional relationships. Like, is this a lie? Am I operating in my fullest version of myself here? Am I nervous to show myself here? Um, am I thinking more about what They want versus what the vision was the vision that was given to me by god You know, I asked myself these questions. I asked myself my why's Because I think that it's really easy to get lost in the sauce Get lost you you start looking at other people and you forget that god trusted you with your own vision And you You get desperate when when there's lack so you make choices that Probably isn't the best, you know, so I, I think, though, when it comes to purpose, mistakes are inevitable. They're not supposed to be skipped by. And what we want is no mistakes, not at all. We just want to just look, I'm working hard, just make it good for me. But I think we know that success isn't the results of strictly working hard. You, you're listening to this and you don't know that. Let me just tell you.
Youmie: It's not about just working hard. That's not what's going to make you successful. It's one of the things that helps, but it's not the thing that's going to make you successful.
Christine: Yeah. Um, I'd love to ask you, since you kind of alluded to it, that the, the way that your business is, let me just rewind this. So Soul of Travel, for me, is about literally that it's this way that our soul expresses ourselves in our work. And that's where we create great change and have impact where we can fill that alignment where we can show up in the room and be proud of what we've done because it's, I think what we're here to do.
Christine: And everyone has their own mission and their own kind of boat to rock and thing to conquer. Again, it's like our personal journey, but I wonder for you, um, If you can share a little bit of what that is for you, what is that essence of that soul of travel for you in your business?
Youmie: Oh, you know, I think bridging the gap between travel and wellness plays a big part of it for me. Like I think both travel and wellness are big privileged things for many, you know, um, although I don't think it should be because they both feed people spiritually in so many different ways and, and people learn.
Youmie: So much to vote. Um, but I think for me, the desire to attack anxiety was a big part of my business being built. I think anxiety has a hold on our nation and living in New York City in particular. It's so constant. Like, people don't even know they're operating in anxiety. They think that's their norm. Like, like, and I'm just like, and I'm, I'm speaking about the form of anxiety that like, you know, that I'm, I'm talking about like physical wellness.
Youmie: Is applicable in a way where it's very helpful for it. I'm not talking about like doctor anxiety. You know what I mean? Like I'm not a doctor. That's the point of this conversation. I am not a doctor. Um, but I do support anyone that goes and take medicine for their form of anxiety and et cetera. But what I'm speaking about particular the idea to pause It's not something that many people think they have the ability to do, or the privilege to do, or even have the desire to do, because the idea of pausing and stopping For many people is a reflection of failure. It's a big form of fear. And so It's so sad because as a wellness expert in my fields in the way that I do. I understand what pausing stopping breathing Does immediately to the body and we're so used to going go go go go go go go go go go go go We're so used to the microwave world popping pop out.
Youmie: It's not ready yet. What's going on? This anxiousness of society, this anxiousness of, of always rushing, rushing just to rush. We don't even understand the idea of stillness. And so we don't, we were like, Oh, why are we talking about ADHD and all this stuff now? Because we're living in a society that nurtures that. And so at the airport. It was always chaotic, it's always chaotic, especially during the holidays. And I was like, and I love the airport, girl. Favorite place, get me a plane, get me an airport, I'm there. I love it, life, space, a plane, get me there. But most people are like, oh my god, just get me on there. Give me a xanax.
Youmie: Give me some Drink, let me look. I'm like, oh, I want to experience everything. I want to feel alive. I want to see it I want to breathe. I want to watch the movies on the plate. I want to walk around. I want to see all the retail stores I just love it And people are like, oh my god, I gotta get there three hours early on.
Youmie: I'm gonna lose everything like the anxiety of Losing out I was like, oh no, you need to pause Even if it's for 15 minutes. If you consistently do it for 15 minutes, you will see a change in your body.
Christine: Mhm.
Youmie: If you do it for 30, even better. But I needed to create an oasis in the midst of chaos to attack anxiety. I also wanted to take care of the pilots, the flight attendants, the people that take care of us every day. Who's taking care of them? So, that's why, that's why I think so necessary. I hope that answered your question.
Christine: Yeah. No. And I think it's, I think it's really great there. There was a couple of things that I was thinking of. And even as I was preparing to talk to you is that I've noticed well one before 2020 and what I went through with my business and what the world went through collectively. I didn't realize that I had anxiety.
Christine: I just, I just thought it's how I operated. And there was something about maybe, you know, the amount of time that I both had that was still and the time that I had frenetic and that juxtaposition next to each other where I noticed that I had anxiety. Like, I had enough still time that I noticed in the time that I was busy that I was Not well, I just wasn't.
Christine: Well, like I had really used busyness as like my life raft and I think a lot of us do that. So then I recognize the anxiety and then I could start to have a conversation about it. And I just went to New York, um, a couple months ago with my daughter. And it was the first time that I really recognized my physical response to New York.
Christine: Like, I don't know if it's different cause I feel different now, but I just was like, I don't know. I lived there before and I loved the like energy and the vibrance. And again, maybe that matched my own, like go, go, go. Like you were saying,
Youmie: Yes,
Christine: but I was like laying in the hotel and, you know, awake at like three in the morning or four in the morning.
Christine: And I'm like, it's never quiet. I'm like, I don't know if my body would be able to find homeostasis or like reset. So it was so noisy, you know, there's just a constant, like people are in sirens and you know, all 24 hours a day. And I just really noticed, I was like, what, what would it look like if I lived here now noticing that my body really needs that.
Christine: Quiet. How would I find it? It just was a different conversation than I had had while traveling. And I've also noticed in traveling the ways that I set boundaries different than in the past. So like at conferences and events, like you are definitely going to see me in a corner where Yeah.
Youmie: girl. I miss, I'll miss gonna asleep baby
Christine: Yes. Um, and so I think one, it's an important conversation to have. Like I said, many people are probably like me and didn't even acknowledge that that is something they're experiencing. It's, it's really hard to extract it out of the way that we just need to live to function in modern society. Um, and then to like creating the space for pause.
Christine: is hard and in travel it's particularly hard because you are literally moving. That's what we're doing when we're traveling. So I, I really love this idea of trying to figure out how to create that space. And I know that you said there's physical spaces. Um, how many airports
Youmie: So our goal, so our goal is to be in every airport in the world, right? Like, world domination, baby. Okay. We want the whole world, but we're starting off with three main airports. Um, we're going to start off with New York City. In New York City, excuse me, uh, JFK, uh, Newark and then LaGuardia. LaGuardia is giving me a headache, so please pause on that.
Youmie: We'll get back to that. Um, but we're going to start up there and then, to be honest, we already have three other international airports that want us, that's ready to get us. But I want to make sure that we do really well at JFK, um, because that's a big, big, um, it's a big airport. So So, uh, to do well it, um, and in handling New York, uh, will play a big role in the success of many other airports, if you get what I say, what I'm saying. And so, um, next year, uh, spring, we're going to start off at JFK. Uh, hopefully everything is handled because we've been raising a lot of money this year so that we can, you know, uh, We can take care of a cell phone. One of the things that I learned was to, you know, when you're bootstrapping, it's one thing, but when you have investors, it's a whole nother thing.
Youmie: And when you have investors that could drop out, it's a whole, whole other thing. So, protection. It's really important to me, having the proper lawyers to look at all the intricate paperwork. Okay, everyone? Get you some great lawyers. Um, it's also equitably important. Um, so what we've been doing is focusing on pushing our products, the flex bags, our yoga mats, which, you know, saved the business essentially, because that was the only way we weren't making money.
Youmie: Because we can launch for a long time, um, and getting ourselves known as a premier space in the travel industry. Even though we haven't launched yet, people are excited when I tell you people be asking me all the time for, Oh, can I ask my past on my, my airport to have you guys? I'm like, yes, yes, yes, do that.
Youmie: That's how we get there faster. You know what I mean? Um, because getting into the airport is not easy. But staying in there is harder because it's extremely expensive. There's a lot of other things that we need to talk about that exist that we won't talk about that also makes it difficult, but it is very much possible.
Youmie: And we're starting. And i'm actually really excited for 2025 for some reason the lord said no no girl not 2020 Um, I guess it's the form. It's the timing of the endurance that I need
Christine: Yeah.
Youmie: Yeah, because i'm stretched girl. I'm bruised I've
Christine: Yeah. I think we're all done being Elastigirl at this point. We would be ready.
Youmie: got thick skin And then elastic. Oh, that's how I feel Okay, i'm like enough, please lord. Um, but i'm bruised not broken Yeah.
Christine: Yeah. Um, okay. Well, while we're here, let's do a little celebrating then. I, I mentioned at the beginning of the episode, uh, it's Giving Tuesday. This is significant for you and I'm going to just let you take it from there. What, what's happening in your life
Youmie: I couldn't think of a better day. Thanks for asking! Um, the non profit sector of, uh, the Flex and Fly, um, is the Flex and Fly Foundation. We just launched, hard launched, uh, hard launched, um, our non profit. And I'm super excited to be giving back to the world. And what we're doing with the Flex and Fly Foundation is we're empowering underserved communities through travel, wellness, and entrepreneurship with our 90 day community hub.
Youmie: So what does that mean, Naomi? So we are going to have community hubs That last for 90 days and underserved communities where we are offering all of these things for free and these communities. So under travel, we're going to help people get their pilot license. We're going to educate them on sustainable traveling.
Youmie: We're going to help them get obtain their passport and provide travel scholarships for them to see the world. Um, under wellness, Every community hub has a wellness studio, so they are able to come and take free classes, whether it's yoga, meditation, music, dance, movement, nutrition, mental health workshops.
Youmie: Come please come come just take care of yourself. Um, and then entrepreneurship We want to take it to another level for entrepreneurs. I know you know how much money We've spent to bootstrap our business how many mistakes we've made and building credit getting business line of credit learning how to um Learning how to leverage debt properly Um financial education for the entrepreneur taxes irs feeling We want to help entrepreneurs get capital and scale and know how to use, um, debt in the proper way so that their small businesses can go, can grow and stay here, and they do not have to like, beg for granted all day and like all this other stuff that literally mixes so much harder for us to just survive.
Youmie: We wanna prepare entrepreneurs, uh, for a better life because it is very stressful. It is very hard. So we're doing all of that. We're starting off in the Bronx, New York. Then after that, we're going to go to Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens. Then after that, we're going to go to different states and eventually go global.
Christine: Awesome. Congratulations. And I love so much because I was thinking about when you were talking about your, that, that soul piece of what you saw yourself doing. Um, some of the words that kind of stuck in my mind were that you said travel and wellness are a
Youmie: Yes.
Christine: which means not everyone has access
Youmie: Exactly.
Christine: And so I love so much that this is that. point for you to create access to these things that are really important in your
Youmie: And when I think about it, you know, I am for those that's not looking. I'm a black woman. I'm an immigrant black woman. Um, the access for entrepreneurship is also a privilege, you know, and, um, you know, the playing field is just not leveled properly in different communities. And although, especially in America, we say everyone has a chance, everyone has the right, everyone is able to, but access, access isn't always available, and I'm going to bring it.
Youmie: I'm going to bring it to the, I'm going to bring the best to those communities, and we're going to create impact in 988. And so, uh, if you want to support us, uh, please go check out the flex and fight foundation. org. Okay. We're an org baby. And, and, uh, you can support us and you can donate to, and we're helping teens from 16 years old, all the way to adults, 40, 45 years old, because I don't believe dreams stop after you're in your thirties.
Youmie: I know there's someone that's 40 something years old. I always wanted to be a pilot. We can make that happen, um, especially in underserved communities. Um, the idea of entering the aviation space, they don't even know. Um, and we need people to know that that's possible for them. And we can do the groundwork easily.
Youmie: And the reason why we have it for 90 days is because I believe we can create, um, immediate impact. It's not about just staying and consistently being like, these people need help, these people need help, these peop No. These people need help. We helped. And they are gonna take their community to the next level.
Youmie: That's the idea behind the Flex and Flat Foundation.
Christine: Yeah. I love it. And I love how, um, perfectly named it's for both your business and for your foundation. Right. Cause it's like flex. It's like we got there. Um,
Youmie: took me All year to get this done. Girl got me because you know, i'm glad that I was uh, I own my corporation first my flex and fly company my my for profit business because Nonprofit is no joke finding the right board, you know answering to everyone Making sure that you are, you know, ethical, um, getting the lawyers to make sure everything is right.
Youmie: And then, you know, 2024 was like just very challenging. There was a lot that I was doing at the same time. And I just, uh, my word of the year was obedient. And I just, I'm just really got that. I'm glad that I was obedient to God and it's done. It's, it's out there. And I wasn't afraid to try publicly. Um, and that's what I'm doing with the Flex and Fly Foundation.
Youmie: And I'm, I'm, I'm really excited. I like this side of me. I like this idea of we just got to get this done because it's not about you.
Christine: yeah, um, I, I think it's, it's really, it's really beautiful to see that and it's really beautiful to witness it. It's really inspiring because lots of us also carry around these dreams and we're not out there doing it as big and brave as you are. And so it's really helpful. I have had a little, a little, I have a giant nonprofit dream of my own.
Youmie: Really tell us about
Christine: someday we'll see,
Youmie: happen. It's gonna happen Let me know if you need any help, bro
Christine: I will, I, I maybe need your, your training program now. Um, but yeah, I, I just, I think it's, it's, it's really amazing to see that happen. And for those that are listening, I hope that they meet you, Yumi someday, cause the way that you take up space and hold space. is like, so good. It's so good to be around you or just to have a moment of that energy.
Christine: That's what I was waiting for this call all day. I was like, I can't wait to be on Zoom with Yumi. Just to get a little, a little bit of it.
Youmie: I lived up to it. I've been so busy all day. I was like I gotta get this girl This is it Time I could give her so I was able to give it to you because you you were so lovely It was so lovely to meet you. You're gonna be at um You What's this year? You're gonna be in New York, right? You know, I'm in New York Man,
Christine: of you listening, uh, the WiDS content creator summit will be in New York this year in March? May? I'm like, it's in M month.
Youmie: man this year. Okay
Christine: Um, yeah, yeah. See, neither one of us knows. We're like, we, we just discussed that we barely knew it's December right
Youmie: know, either way, go to woods. com or wonderful. She's wonderful. com and get your tickets. We'll be there.
Christine: yeah. Um, well, before we wrap up our conversation, there's three things I just want to touch on really quick. One, I just want to say when I was researching, I was like, okay, she speaks four languages and is a pilot. I didn't know these things about you that I Just like dial up. How cool. I was like,
Youmie: I'm a private pilot, not a commercial pilot. I don't want the big planes. I just want the private jet planes. Okay. And I'm trying my best to find a way to make it more sustainable, but Lord, it's hard. Um, yeah, I just love flying. I love planes. So I was like, okay, It's it's best to just do that and just learn it's it's my world.
Youmie: Anyway, I might as well just fly And learn everything about aviation. I love flying. I don't like driving. I'm a passenger princess But I like flying.
Christine: yeah. I love that. And then the other thing that I saw on your website that I just thought would be interesting in this space, especially I think for, um, women and women entrepreneurs is that you are also a coach and you hold, um, workshopping around money trauma. And so I am Oh,
Youmie: interviewer, girl! People interview me anytime! Well, you know, lack, right? I think,
Christine: So one, let's just, what is money trauma and how, what, how does it play a part in our lives?
Youmie: um, many of us um, experience money trauma. There's many different forms of money trauma. So, you know, when we have a class or like when I have a client, I figure out their specific money trauma. But a lot of people, um, are, have money trauma. Give value to money in a way that affects their lives that they don't recognize that it's affecting their lives I just want to say as a tourist, I love money.
Youmie: Okay. So it's not, It's not a matter of like thinking money is bad or the devil, although that also can come off as a trauma because there's a lot of people that don't think you can ethically have A lot of money, but also be kind and a decent person, which I don't disagree. I think those people do exist.
Youmie: Um, but essentially what happens is a lot of people, a lot of my clients that I deal with don't think they are worthy or deserving of the lifestyle or. The financial stability they desire, they think they see it on other people, they get into a place of desperation, a place of, um, constantly comparison themselves to others.
Youmie: And they don't recognize how black is playing a big role in their life, and they become judgmental. They become harsh, not just on others, but specifically on themselves. And you cannot grow into the fullest version of yourself if you're constantly judging yourself in a negative way. So what happens is people will sometimes with their money trauma, your money trauma may look like you overspend. Your money trauma may look like you don't spend at all. Your money trauma may look like you don't even look at your debt. Your money trauma may look like you look at it all the time. A lot of it has to do of course with the way we were raised, what we believe about money because your life is a reflection of what you believe.
Youmie: Now what you see. What you believe and so a lot of people are living a life of what they believe About themselves when it comes to their finances and what I do is I help them get through the root of that And and and ask for what they really are worthy of not what they think they deserve Okay, because there's a difference a lot of people will tell you you deserve better You deserve this and you deserve that no, we need to start living life that we worthy of living worthy Worthiness is completely different than deserving.
Christine: Hmm.
Youmie: I, when I step in a room, in spaces, not a matter of me deserving. I belong here. You understand what I'm saying? So we talk about that. We deal with that type of trauma and I love helping people. Listen, so many of my clients, they make the most money they ever made. And some of my clients, they have the most peace they ever had financially and they ever had because now they're not chasing validation of value.
Youmie: From the finances of their life. There's I, I have taken care of a lot of wealthy men where a lot of their value were in their finances that has changed so much. So, yeah, I love talking about that. I could talk about that all day. I know my phone is about to die. And I'm not about to let you die,
Christine: Okay. Okay.
Youmie: gone.
Christine: I, I really appreciate you sharing that. I just was sharing, um, I do a book club every year and, um, I was trying to decide between two money books. So maybe I'll have to reach out if you've read either one
Youmie: What does that
Christine: soul of money by Lynn twists and it's not Tosh silver. So,
Youmie: read both.
Christine: yeah. Um, cause I think it's a really important conversation and so
Youmie: I'd love to be part of that book club. I also love to read and I have my little twitch book club. So yes, I love it. Let's talk about it. Let's do a little group situation. I'd love to set up like a little group situation of Manic Fama where we can have a little workshop that day. I love stuff like that. I don't feel like we do that enough.
Christine: absolutely. I love we'll have to go back through and find all of our notes of all the things that we just created on the side of this conversation. Okay. Well, I know your phone is going to die and we're almost out of time. So I'm going to hit our rapid fire questions. Yumi. The first one is what are you reading right now?
Youmie: I'm reading my book, The Sacrifice When Transition Looks Like Chaos, that's available everywhere you can find books.
Christine: Okay. I'll make sure I have the link. Um, what is always in your suitcase or backpack when you
Youmie: Um, my laptop. Yeah, I'm not
Christine: um,
Youmie: to things though.
Christine: um, to sojourn is to travel somewhere as if you live there for a short while. Where is someplace you would still love to sojourn?
Youmie: Oh my God, I live in so many places. Um, any place in Africa next? West Africa specifically. Any place in West Africa. Yeah, I need to just go back there and just be with those people.
Christine: Uh, what do you eat that immediately connects you to a place you've been?
Youmie: Oh my God, girl. I am a foodie. But let me tell you the way people make french fries and chicken strips in different countries. They it's great The chicken in different countries. Yeah
Christine: I love that. And also my kids should travel with you because they don't even know that they can get chicken strips in other countries probably. They're like, mom, what are you doing to me? Um, okay. Who was a person that inspired or encouraged you to set out to travel the world?
Youmie: Me? I didn't, I didn't have anybody.
Christine: I love that answer the most.
Youmie: Oh, yeah, it was me. Sorry. I wasn't trying to be cool. It's really true.
Christine: I feel the same. Actually, I really tried to think about it. I tried to ask myself all of these questions because I was just curious and I'm like, I kind of feel like it was just this thing within me. Like it might be greater than me, but it's still
Youmie: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's certainly you. Yes.
Christine: yeah.
Youmie: thank you so much.
Christine: could take If you could take an adventure with one person, fictional or real, alive or past, who would it be?
Youmie: An adventure. Probably, um, the guy that wrote Mere Christianity. Oh my God, my brain. He wrote me a, he wrote, he's a Christian author. My brain is completely forgetting now because I keep looking at the thing. It's 1%. But he wrote Mere
Christine: okay, okay.
Youmie: That, that
Christine: Okay, the last question is the most important one, so hopefully we get it. Who is one woman in the travel industry you admire and would love to recognize in this
Youmie: Daph Santos. And Sequoia. Sequoia. Do you know Sequoia? Sequoia!
Christine: No. Okay, well, make sure I have her information so I can share it. Um, oh, I may have lost you now. You're trying to find your plug in, probably.
Christine: If I've lost you, Yumi, thank you so much for this conversation. I'm so glad that you were able to be here with me.
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.
