Today is our next instalment of Open Book. In case this is your first time coming across an Open Book post, they are our close and personal interviews we do with some amazing, talented black women.
Starting a business, creating content, being a career woman or an author is amazing on the surface. But scratch the shiny exterior off a little bit, and you’ll see all the experiences – good and bad that have contributed to a successful career.
This is the beauty of Open Book. We get beneath the surface. It’s our guests’ chance to get deeply honest and tell their stories with authenticity. Hence the name Open Book.
If you’d like to catch up on the last Open Book, then click here.
Today, we are speaking with Caroline Sande, a Londoner with Zimbabwean roots who is also the owner and creative brain behind the brand TravelEatSlay. She discusses travel for black women, passion and motivation.
Keep reading!
Open Book with Caroline
Hello! Tell me a bit about yourself
My name is Caroline Sande. I currently live in London though I was born in Zimbabwe. I moved here when I was 11 years old. When I was younger, I entertained the notion of being an air hostess; the idea of being in a different country each day and getting paid was a win-win situation. However, with a fear of heights, that dream slowly faded but was later reignited in my adulthood through working for an international events company. We got to travel to luxurious destinations every other month and that is how in 2016 I was inspired to create my brand.
What is TravelEatSlay?
TravelEatSlay is more than an apparel brand. It is a movement, a community created to bring together like-minded people through the mutual interests of travel, food and fashion. It is relatable. Due to fluctuating demands of travellers, the brand expanded to hosting European group trips and networking events in London. The trips served as a way for travellers (mainly women of colour) to be part of a travel club where they travel and make friends without breaking the bank or committing too much time out of their work schedule.
“We got to travel to luxurious destinations every other month and that is how in 2016 I was inspired to create my brand.”
Tell me a bit about the history of TravelEatSlay? How did you come up with the name and concept?
Through personal travels and working for a company that allowed me to fulfil my globetrotting desires, I was inspired to create a travel community and brand offering apparel for millennials. When I was starting off back in 2016, travel was not as popular within the UK amongst millennials, nor did it feature or represent black travellers unlike in the US. With the help of social media, I was able to find and draw inspiration from US-based travel community groups and noticing this gap in the market. I was determined to start something for myself in the UK. I came up with the name combination and asked a creative friend to help with a logo, and my first t-shirt was made! As I travelled for work, I used these opportunities to wear and promote the branded t-shirts via social media. Interest and orders started coming in, for some time I did not have a website and relied on Instagram for advertising.
What is most rewarding and most challenging about running TravelEatSlay?
Being a one-woman business, I wear all the hats from marketing to sourcing products and securing brand deals. It can become too much to handle and of course, some things can be overlooked. Being able to prioritize and juggle the different roles keeps me on my toes. With zero e-commerce experience, I certainly hit some bumps at the beginning. From problems with printing suppliers to not tracking postal orders and them being lost and having to resend the orders. But this is all part of the learning curve.
“When I was starting off back in 2016, travel was not as popular within the UK amongst millennials, nor did it feature or represent black travellers unlike in the US.”
Experimenting with different strategies of growing my brand was sometimes hit and miss including Google Ads, website building, and hours spent on self-development seminars. Knowing where to begin when starting a subscription service was incredibly challenging and frustrating but my determination led me to reach out to other small brands that had started subscriptions boxes to get some advice and guidance.
The rewarding elements are when the brand is recognised through publication mentions, a customer purchases an item, buys a ticket to my event, or recently when I was awarded a grant for being a black travel content creator. It is humbling to know that the time and effort put into building the brand is not in vain.
What is your most memorable TravelEatSlay moment?
I don’t have one moment per se, but as a small brand, having my apparel worn by influential travel bloggers like Sherrie Silver (African Dance Choreographer) or social influencers like the Hermon and Heroda (@BeingHer) twins, Eulanda and Omo of @DipYourToesIn and Cassandra of @CoachCassFit is a great feeling.
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In 2019 I hosted twelve group trips around European cities and worked with amazing tourism boards such as VisitStockhom and Visit Gdansk to promote their destinations along with being featured in media publications. In 2020, I spearheaded The Black Travel Directory, a directory of over 250 Black-owned brands, content creators, bloggers and industry service providers, to address the lack of diversity in the travel industry. During the pandemic, I created The Travel Boxx – a first of its own kind quarterly subscription box for travel essential items. I recently worked with Nissan on a campaign to promote one of their vehicles.
“The rewarding elements are when the brand is recognised through publication mentions, a customer purchases an item, buys a ticket to my event, or recently when I was awarded a grant for being a black travel content creator.”
Do you run the organisation alone?
Yes! I wear the many hats of the brand from customer service, social media, content creator and everything else in between.
What sets TravelEatSlay apart from other travel brands?
I created a brand out of a passion for travelling and it has evolved to become a community and platform where like-minded people can connect, travel together and share travel experiences.
Do you have any other jobs, businesses or side hustles?
Yes, I do have a contract job within the Civil Service so my brands TravelEatSlay and The Travel Boxx are my side hustles.
What keeps you motivated?
I am highly self-motivated, possibly it is my upbringing however I look at how far I have come (with little business guidance or financial backing) and feel I would be doing myself a disservice if I were to give up. Likewise, seeing so many young entrepreneurs building their brands and excelling is more motivation for me to keep going. If they can do it so can I.
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What scares you the most?
Not fulfilling my purpose or lacking the motivation to pursue it. I believe we all have a purpose in life and some understand what that it is while others are pursuing a journey towards it. External factors and sometimes self-induced pressure can be a distraction causing your vision to be blurry. The same goes for my business. Sometimes I do not want to create content or “show up” for my brand but having that voice in the back of my head reminding me of why I started keeps me going.
What one piece of advice would you give to other content creators and business owners?
Remain persistent and consistent with your brand. Do not expect people to cheer for you from the offset, you must be your number one cheerleader and have the backbone, resilience and self-motivation to keep going.
Outside of travel and content creation, what other passions do you have?
I like trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone whether it is via adventurous activities or acquiring a new skill. I like sewing and engaging in creative crafts. I’m a visual learner so if I see something I like, I am always up for giving it a try. I’ve also learnt how to sew and braid hair through Youtube for example. I also make earrings.
” I spearheaded The Black Travel Directory, a directory of over 250 Black-owned brands, content creators, bloggers and industry service providers, to address the lack of diversity in the travel industry.”
What is next for you and your brand?
During the lockdown period, I created a new service to my brand which is called The Travel Boxx a quarterly subscription box featuring five travel essential items curated to help travellers save time and money. So I am currently working on acquiring more subscribers and getting that part of the business recognised.
What was the last book you read? (Hello, this is a book blog!)
Other than the bible, the last book I read was one that I was featured in called Building Tables by Isabel Appio. It is a collection of empowering stories from Black British Founders and creative self-enterprises changing the world. It is another way to get encouragement and be introduced to potential business collaborations.
Where can we catch up with you and/or patronise your business?
Websites www.traveleatslay.com www.thetravelboxx.co.uk
Instagram @traveleatslay @thetravelboxx
Twitter @traveleatslay @ thetravelboxx
Facebook @traveleatslay @thetravelboxx
Thank you!
Are you inspired by Caroline? What part of her story resonates with you the most. Comment below.
