We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sam Opp a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sam, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
I have always liked the idea of putting myself out of my comfort zone – even if it is just a little. However, I am not a huge risk-taker, and when I do, it is calculated. My Grandfather would always say, “live every day like it’s your last, and one day you’ll be right.” and that is always in the back of my head. Life is short, so if there is something you really want, go for it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hi, my name is Sam Opp, and in 2018 I quit my corporate marketing job in New York to travel with my husband. I decided to start a travel blog, findloveandtravel.com, where I share travel tips, itineraries, and travel inspiration.
I became really passionate about helping others have the best experiences while traveling, and over 5 years later, I am happy to call it my full-time job. I still get giddy when I have readers reach out to me about how my free guides have helped them plan their trips; it is the best feeling in the world to me.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Learning how to research, time management, and patience are 3 skills that have definitely helped me in my journey. When I first started my travel blog, I knew nothing about building a website or for that matter, owning a business, starting an LLC, or taxes. In this day and age, we are lucky to have so much information at our fingertips, it just takes a little time to research.
Time management is also another important skill, especially if you are trying to start a side hustle or just balancing life.
Lastly, patience. I can’t tell you how many people I have seen try to start a blog, and then just quit when they didn’t start instantly making money. I have found that most things in life are a marathon and not a sprint. If things don’t instantly work, that doesn’t mean you should give up. Many people fail 10 times over again before they figure it out.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
My backlog and the tasks I have to do are over a mile long, so it is definitely easy to feel overwhelmed. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I look for places in my business that can be automated. This is an easy way to get things off my plate, but this is not always possible. Another thing I like to do is look at my task list and pick some of the easier things to do that I am able to just cross off.
Mentally, being able to cross something off your list, even if it is small gives you that boost of serotonin to keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Findloveandtravel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findlovetravel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/findlovetravel
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/findlovetravel
Image Credits
Sam Opp – I own these photos
