We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Toni McCord a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Toni, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I learned about resilience from my dad. He immigrated to the United States without a clear plan, yet he managed to build a pretty remarkable life. He always told me to have faith in myself and to never doubt my abilities, even when things got tough or when others tried to make me question myself. Because of this, I’m the kind of person who enjoys pushing boundaries and that’s led to some pretty exciting experiences.
One of the boldest moves I ever made was about eight years ago when I decided to sell everything I owned to travel the world. It was the riskiest thing I’d ever done, but it turned out to be one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had.
I had recently ended a 5-year relationship that, looking back on it, was very toxic. And when everything went south, I decided to channel my inner Elizabeth Gilbert and have an eat, pray, love adventure of my own.
At that time, deciding to go solo was a huge risk because I had never traveled alone, I was heading to places I had never been, and I didn’t know a soul. The thought alone terrified me but I felt deep down that I’d regret it forever if I didn’t follow through.
I had been working in hospitality for 25 years, but I knew I would need the flexibility to work from anywhere. So, before leaving the States, I enrolled in a program to become a full-stack web developer. Then, I stumbled upon a brilliant way to travel on a budget: house and pet sitting. You get free accommodation in exchange for taking care of people’s property and pets. So, I lined up a full year of house-sitting assignments that would take me through the Caribbean and went off on my adventure.
Everything was going well with my assignments, but things took a turn for the worse when I arrived on an island called Mayreau in St. Vincent and The Grenadines. Mayreau is a tiny island with a land mass of a little over a mile, has less than 300 residents, and is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Caribbean. It has white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush green hills. Fun fact: They filmed The Pirates of the Caribbean in this area so you can imagine it looks like a postcard come to life.
The assignment was for three months, and the owner told me she had three dogs. The owner assured me I’d have all I needed to work online, the dogs were well-behaved, and although the house was rustic, it had all the basic amenities. But, when I arrived, it became clear the owner had lied about everything. The house was an empty shell with no running water, no fridge, no internet, and to my surprise, instead of three dogs, there were a dozen. To say I was more than a little upset would be an understatement.
I learned that the owner split time between the UK and the Caribbean, and to my surprise, she wasn’t even there when I arrived. So, I ended up being pretty much stuck on this island for three months because I couldn’t leave 12 dogs without anyone to look after them.
The next six weeks took me to my limits. I was stuck in a place I didn’t know, living in a rundown house with not even the basics. I was taking care of 12 dogs and to top it off, I got seriously ill because I couldn’t keep my food properly refrigerated. The local doctor had to come give me IV fluids and even considered airlifting me to the main island of St. Vincent.
At that point, I was questioning every decision I had made. Regret and anxiety were weighing me down, and it felt like I was circling the drain. I was sick, physically and emotionally drained, and on top of it all, I was thousands of miles away from anyone I knew. The only choice I had was to dig in and keep pushing through to my next house-sitting assignment when I could finally leave this nightmare behind.
Then, one after the other, hurricanes Irma and Maria slammed into the Caribbean and wiped out all the house-sitting assignments I had planned. It was devastating for the entire region, but for me, it was a personal disaster. My savings were depleting, going back to the States wasn’t an option, and I had no clue how to deal with this situation.
I knew I needed to come up with a new plan quickly so, I took another leap of faith. There was a boutique resort on the island that was closed the entire time I was there. I wondered if they’d be opening for the season and if they needed any help. I never expected I’d have to fall back on my hospitality skills, but I figured it was worth a shot.
One day, I walked down to the resort and struck up a conversation with the security guard. He told me the owner lived in Canada and the resort was only open from November to March. After our talk, I managed to get the owner’s email address and later that night, I fired off an email to introduce myself. I gave him a quick rundown of my experience, offered my help, and then, with fingers crossed, hit send and prayed I’d get a response.
To my surprise, the owner replied immediately. He explained that he’d recently sold the property to a yacht club and needed help organizing a takeover party for the new owners. There would be between 50-70 guests staying for three days. He also hinted at a potential job opening as the private chef and caretaker, as they would be putting together an entirely new team.
I jumped at the opportunity. The resort was gorgeous, and I could move in right after finishing house-sitting. That meant not only would I have an income during party preparations, but I’d also get free accommodation and meals while I was there.
But let me tell you, things didn’t get any easier from there. I was pretty much on my own because the current owner refused to hire any help. My to-do list was jam-packed: reopening a resort that had been closed for a year, dealing with the chaos it was left in, creating a menu from scratch, and then sourcing food and wine from other countries because the island was so remote, they didn’t have what we needed for the party. All this is in around two weeks’ time. It was a wild and crazy ride.
I have no idea how, but I managed to pull it off, and the party was a smashing success. The yacht club owner not only hired me but also asked me to host another party for his investors the following week. That marked the beginning of my journey as a caretaker and private chef for a small Caribbean resort.
It’s a special memory because after enduring an absolute nightmare for three months, I got to live in luxury at a beautiful resort. The best part was that since the resort wasn’t technically open, I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted. My living expenses were covered, I had a steady paycheck, and my main responsibility was taking care of the owner and his team during their occasional visits to the island, which was only a few weekends here and there.
After almost a year, my role transitioned, and I started working as a chef on one of their yachts. This gave me the chance to learn to sail, dive, and see 7 different countries in the Caribbean. Eventually, they sent me to the beautiful country of Belize and while I no longer work as a yacht chef, I still live here in Belize to this day.
Through all my experiences, I’ve come to realize that resilience isn’t just about dealing with challenges; it’s about being adaptable. It’s the skill of pushing forward when life throws you curveballs and being open to change rather than resisting it.
As I look back on my journey since leaving the States 8 years ago and traveling through 11 countries, I’ve come to realize how lucky I’ve been to witness and experience things that most people only dream of, even with all the ups and downs. My biggest takeaway from all of it is that it’s not about what happens to you, but how you react that really shapes your experience. If I had reacted differently, I might not have ended up on this amazing journey or have the extraordinary life I live today.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Over the past 8 years, I’ve been fully immersed in the world of travel, not just on a personal level, but also professionally. Outside of my work in hospitality and tourism as a chef and event coordinator, I provide travel and relocation services that guide people through the sometimes confusing process of moving abroad.
In addition to helping people with international relocation, I also run a media company that specializes in brand strategy and web development for entrepreneurs. I’m passionate about working with these folks because, in today’s world, many people want the freedom to travel and build businesses that allow them to be location independent.
I help entrepreneurs build strong online identities that make them stand out in the digital world and give them the freedom to live and work from anywhere they want.
In the past few years, I’ve been focused on growing my online presence through social media. I’ve built a strong community on TikTok and Instagram where I share my travel experiences, offer practical tips, and provide advice for people who want to start their own travel or expat adventures.
What excites me the most are my upcoming adventures! In 2024, I’ll be diving into a film project in Morocco, soaking in the vibrant culture and creating something really special. Following that, I’m off to explore Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Peru.
These upcoming experiences mean a lot to me because they’re designed with a focus on healing, personal growth, and embracing midlife with the intention of helping others do the same. It’s about showing that life can be an exciting adventure, no matter what stage of life you’re in.
I’m excited about immersing myself in new cultures, connecting with new people, and sharing my journey with my community in real time.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, three qualities that were most impactful in my journey were resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to take risks. Being resilient helped me navigate through tough times and bounce back from setbacks. Adaptability allowed me to adjust to new environments and make the most out of challenging situations. Taking risks opened up unexpected opportunities and led to some of the most rewarding experiences in my life.
For those starting their journey, I would say, don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Embrace change and be open to learning from every experience, whether positive or negative. Develop resilience by learning to bounce back from failures and setbacks, because they’re often opportunities in disguise. Stay curious and be willing to explore new paths; you never know what doors might open. And most importantly, trust yourself and your abilities – self-concept can be your biggest asset on any journey.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely, I’m open to collaborations and partnerships in a variety of areas. I’m particularly interested in brand partnerships and public speaking engagements. I’m always excited to work with like-minded individuals or organizations who have a shared passion for travel, personal growth, and the digital landscape.
Whether it’s teaming up on travel-related projects, diving into strategy and development, or even exploring opportunities related to events centered around travel, I’m always excited to explore new possibilities. If you’re interested in collaborating, feel free to connect with me via email or reach out through my social media platforms.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theawakenedescape.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toni.travelz/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonitravelz
