Along with traveling a ton this year, I have also been doing freelance design work including several branding projects. These have ranged from financial planning companies to travel bloggers and entrepreneurs. As a graphic designer, I look forward to working together to create visual solutions that will bring a brand to life.

I’m excited to share Taste & See Life (new logo went live today). So how did this connection start? At WITS!

Women in Travel Summit

WITS’15

Back in March I attended Women in Travel Summit (WITS), the first and only travel blogging summit by and for women, in Boston, MA. The very first blog post after I launched Adjust Your Focus™ was Why Go to a Travel Conference?, where I shared my experience. The conference brought together 300 women with a passion for travel and I can’t believe the friendships that were formed and have remained. Among the talented women was Michelle with Taste & See Life, who I’ve had the privilege of working with in rebranding her blog.

WITS’16

Speaking of WITS, I want to mention the WITS’16 Global Ambassador, which has been shared on social media but not on the blog.

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Last week I found out I was one of the five finalists selected. As the Global Ambassador, you become the face of both WITS ’16 and globally-minded women around the world who love travel.

The main reason I wanted this so much was because WITS’15 had such a big impact on me. Being around so many passionate, curious and adventurous ladies was inspiring. When I returned home I went to work on my vision, resulting in the launch of Adjust Your Focus™ in May 2015. The knowledge and connections I left with was more than I ever expected. This is a wonderful event I truly support.LogoWITS3

Voting ended July 28th and I unfortunately am not ‎WITS16‬ Global Ambassador. Disappointed for sure but grateful to have made it among the five amazing finalists. Congratulations to the winner, Sasha!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me. Your support means so much and I truly appreciate it.

Check out the five finalists and more on the winner.


Taste & See Life

Michelle

I met Michelle Carr, the creative mind behind Taste & See Life, the first day at WITS as we sat down at the same table before a session began. During breaks we talked about everything from travel and old jobs to our blogs and new direction. We bonded immediately. Michelle also went through what I was at the time, dealing with family and/or friends not agreeing with a nomadic lifestyle. She too was in the process of starting over, of choosing a new path that would make her happy again.

As her bio states,

I am a native Houstonian, IT Professional, Project Management Professional, Lifestyle Journalist, Certified Pilates Instructor, World Traveler, Christ Follower and Student of Life. However, my true gifts relate to being an authentic storyteller and encourager. To have the strength to give creatively, I live a simple life by practicing yoga, exploring the world, and interacting with positive individuals.

But why travel? Well, the travel bug bit me my sophomore year in college in 1992, the year of the World’s Fair in Seville and the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the perfect year to complete a Spanish study abroad program in Spain and to detach from my comfort zone. The air was filled with excitement and celebration as the Spaniards welcomed the world to their beautiful country. I quickly adopted the Spanish culture and applied their love for family, food and life to my own frame of mind.

Living in Spain changed my life forever. To learn the Spanish language and culture, my classmates and I attended festivals in neighboring towns, celebrated national holidays with the locals, and established friendships with our Spanish language partners. Some weekends, my classmates and I boarded trains in search of new adventures. Our young, restless minds were curious and hungry to see what Europe had to offer. We were fearless and carefree, seizing every moment of life.

When I returned home to Texas, I realized that there was no cure for the travel bug.

Years after graduation, work and materialism consumed my life. I felt trapped in the cubicle cell at work and stuck in the routine of life. Anxiety, fear, and stress created mental boundaries that limited my enjoyment of life. The only time I felt truly happy was when I was experiencing new adventures, using my talents to help others achieve results, and encouraging friends and family members.

The ah-ha moment came after a senior executive told our staff that a monkey could do our job. That’s when I realized that we are all disposable resources if we don’t continue to reinvent our skills. From that point forward, I paid off debts and invested in retooling and rebranding. It wasn’t an easy journey, but those worth traveling never are.

Through a series of life events, I found my peace in writing. Now I share my experiences with others so they too can taste and see the beauty in life.

It’s been amazing getting to know Michelle and I couldn’t be happier for her as she starts this next chapter.

Branding

I have given some design tips throughout the process but Michelle has done a great job getting her new site up and running. Business cards and other collateral material are now in the works but for now, check out Taste & See Life! What do you think of the new logo??

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“I am so excited to be able to work with you and share this experience. Even though our efforts are different, we share the same passion. That’s what make this so awesome!”― Michelle

Could not agree more. Working with people passionate about travel who need design help is really what I want to get more involved with. Know someone? I’d love to connect.