Meet Jami Savage

We recently connected with Jami Savage and have shared our conversation below.

Jami, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a real challenge, especially in the digital world where you are inundated with people who are perceived as being more talented and more successful than you. So over the last 10 years I’ve learned a few things about imposter syndrome and how to overcome it:

1. Admit you are an imposter – When you first start something new you are not an expert, nor should you be treated as such. Own where you are in your career journey and honour that. Seek out opportunities that align where you currently are, and take on volunteer roles or low-paying work to help build your skills, confidence, and portfolio. Don’t be scared to put it out to your network (and those that you don’t know) and say, “I’m new here, but I’m keen and I want to learn, can you help” and define what help is. Reach out and ask for a mentor, a coffee date, or a meeting. Ask why you are NOT ready to get the next contract or job, and reverse engineer what you need to do to get you there. Some look at my success and assume it came easy… I figured out where I wanted to go and it took me YEARS to get there, but only because I was honest about my journey and in it for the long run.

2. Ask for a seat at the table – Once you have some experience and skillsets to offer find ways to get yourself to the table. Volunteering is a great way. Take a course, or two. read business books, and take courses that are current to what’s happening in your industry right now. Also look at the skillsets you have from previous work experiences that you can offer your current situation. Find a mentor. Figure out what you are NOT an imposter in and use those skills to get you a seat at the table.

3. Become an expert – Depending on the time, effort, and your industry you can become an expert in your field.

4. Once you’re there, own it! Ask for seats at different tables, put pitches out that scare you, and network with people who are where you want to be. Grow your portfolio to a place that makes you proud and then stand in and own the work that has gone into this and know that you’re no longer an imposter! This is the hardest thing to realize when you’re there, and many still struggle with this. But if you are passionate and committed to your industry, then your voice will matter and you will be able to shake off that imposter syndrome as you will not be one!

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Jami Savage is a full-time dreamer who has turned her passion for adventure into a career.

In 2014 she had an idea to start a hobby blog called, “Adventure Awaits.” She featured local outdoor activities and adventures and her site quickly grew in popularity, and eventually into a full-time career. Over the last 10 years, Jami has met polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, helicoptered over the great barrier reef, and road-tripped across her favourite country, Canada!

Ten years later she is still sharing her passion for eco-tourism and outdoor adventure through a variety of media forms, teaching travellers how to use their tourism dollars to create a positive change in the places they are visiting. You can see her on social media, on her blog, or on TV across Canada, sharing travel stories and adventure inspiration.

2023 and 2024 were transformational years for Jami as she was recognized nationally for her work, first as a Finalist in the Canadian Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s – Media Member Of The Year. In 2024 her blog, Adventure Awaits was awarded 1st place for Best Self-Published Blog by The Travel Media Association Of Canada.

None of starting or maintaining a business was easy, and balancing the art of being a Travel Writer and Media Member with being an Entrepreneur and she’s excited to dig into some of those challenges as well as give practical tips for dreamers looking to forge their own way in their industry. She has a strong belief that collaboration trumps competition and that there’s room for all of us to be successful, and is excited to share some of those hard lessons with us,

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Lifelong Learner – It took me YEARS to realize that if I was going to work in the digital industry I needed to accept that I would always be learning. As a traditional university student I had the ethos that “once I learn it, I’ll check that box and can move on” but in the online era everything is evolving and I had to shift my business model to do the same. From accounting processes to social media algorithms, to how we project manage, everything is changing at a rapid pace and in order to maximize capacity being a lifelong learner is not only a skill but it’s essential.

Passion – While often a buzzword that has saturated the airwaves, it really lies at the core of what I do, and for those who are successful in my industry, share that same passion for their work. Being self-employed there are times when you feel guilty for working too much, working too hard, and struggling to balance everything, but it’s also that passion that will pull you through the hard times, keep your creative juices flowing, and help you be successful long term (after others have thrown in the towel)

Purpose – Find out what your purpose is and then find a way to serve that purpose. For me I had a very general service model in the beginning “Everyone can benefit from reading my articles” but not having a defined purpose (for me it’s sustainable travel) and not connecting it directly to the reader (of whom I now know is the female in the household who plans travel). When you have a purpose and you combine that with passion, anything is possible.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

When I was 5 years old my parents went on a road trip to beautiful British Columbia one summer and never went back.

No really. They never went back. They sent a fax (yes fax) and put in their termination letters. They sent their keys in the mail to a moving company and had someone else pack up and sell our home. It was clear that BC was going to be our home and we might as well start living our new life… now!

The reality is that I love BC as much as my parents did and 35 years later I still look at It with awe and wonder, like on those first days back in the 1980’s. The way the road winds down around the Sea to Sky Highway as you go down to the ocean. The biggest trees you’ve ever seen as you walk down the trails through old-growth forests. And the adventures… so many adventures. From hiking to biking, camping and road trips, boating and kayaking, and exploring what was once marketed as “The Best Place On Earth” well it really caught all our souls and we’ve never been the same.

So one road trip forever changed my life. Not only did it introduce me to the place I was meant to call home, but it taught me that it’s okay to pivot in life. To look for new adventures. To get out of the norm and try new things. And as we age I find it harder and hard to do these things, but having this in my DNA has been the greatest asset, both as an entrepreneur as well as a parent.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.adventureawatis.ca
• Instagram: @AdventureAwaits.ca
• Facebook: @AdventureAwaits.ca
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/famtravelwriter/
• Twitter: @FamTravelWriter

Image Credits

Adventure Awaits / Amazing Day Photography