Meet Valerie Joy Wilson | Travel Expert, Trusted Travel Girl

We had the good fortune of connecting with Valerie Joy Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Valerie Joy, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The success of Trusted Travel Girl really has to be contributed 100% to my passion for travel and this incredible world that we live in. I have always had a passion for exploring different cultures and destinations and sharing them with others. I truly believe there is no better education in this world and travel, it creates tolerance, patience, and understanding.

When I started trusted travel girl I would sit in the library from 8 AM until midnight working on my blog and creating content for my tiny audience at the time. The dedication that I have is of course part of the success however that only can be attributed to the passion that I have for this incredible world and my desire for everyone to seek out new adventures.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
There’s a huge backstory to trusted travel girl. I started traveling solo and now inspire other women to travel solo due to necessity and illness. I initially started traveling alone because I did not have time to wait for others… My story of travel begins at a young age but it wasn’t until I was deck and bedridden with Lyme disease that I promised myself if I were to ever get better I would remember to live my life and not live to work. I promised myself I would follow my passions and see all the places I wanted to see. I was very sick for aboutsick and bedridden with Lyme disease that I promised myself if I were to ever get better I would remember to live my life and not live to work. I promised myself I would follow my passions and see all the places I wanted to see. I was very sick for about four or five years and when I went back to college and finished my degree I started a job in a thankless staffing companyfour or five years and when I went back to college and finished my degree I started a thankless job in staffing company. It was miserable. I know only wasn’t following my passion but the company was terrible to work for… That was when I decided that I would create my own brand and follow my passion.
Trusted Travel girls birthday because I was traveling the world alone because I did not have time to wait for others I was told I would relapse from Lyme disease and when I did it would be worse so I felt like I was on a time limit… I didn’t have time to wait for others to decide to book a trip and come with me… if i had waited for others to come i wouldnt have seen a fraction of the world… So, I started at it alone. This of course turned into me becoming an expert on solo travel for females and understanding how to stay safe while traveling to many different diverse places across the globe alone. Many women related and here we are 10 years later

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite place in Los Angeles is Jitlada. I have an enormous passion for Thai food and Thai culture and mama jazz at Jitlada serves up food that is even better than most of the Thai food you can get in Thailand. It’s authentic, spicy and delicious. Some of my favorite activities also include paddle boarding in Malibu and enjoying the stunning scenery, enjoying nights out at hotspots like Craigs and visiting my local spots of Taisho (try the Miso Dry Salmon) and Casita– both in Sherman Oaks. If you are looking for that old Hollywood vibe I love the smoke House which is across the street from Warner Bros. It’s a great place to just sit at the bar even if youre alone.

The stunning rooftop at the Waldorf in Beverly Hills and BLVD at the beverly wilsire are great places to grab a drink– especially for tourists.

I am a huge fan of the Beverly Hills cheese store it can feel like you have been transported into Italy or France.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If it was not for the inspiration of Brian Kelly from The Points Guy, and watching Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern on television –I don’t think I would’ve had the guts or tenacity or wearwithall to create my own brand in the travel space. Without their inspiration, I’m not sure I would have thought it was possible to create something from the ground up.

Website: www.trustedtravegirl.com

Instagram: instagram.com/trustedtravelgirl

Twitter: @trusttravelgirl

Facebook: facebook.com/TrustedTravelGirl

Youtube: youtube.com/trustedtravel

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Image Credits
TrustedTravelGirl