The world is for travelling. Countries should be explored, and cultures experienced. It’s that wanderlust spirit that inspired London-based travel influencer Caroline Sande to start TravelEatSlay in 2016 – a community of travel enthusiasts and an apparel brand. Sande talks to AMAKA about the joys of travel, how TravelEatSlay weathered the pandemic, and tips for starting a travel brand as an influencer.

One faithful day in 2019, and one random tweet about organising a group trip to Nice, changed the course of Caroline Sande’s life. That simple decision saw the British-Zimbabwean’s life go from working a 9-to-5 to slaying the streets of foreign lands with a group of strangers.

Sande, 34, has since organised more than group 20 trips to European cities including Prague, Milan, Barcelona, Oslo and Venice. Other than an urge to scratch her travel itch, for Sande TravelEatSlay is much more than a just brand; it’s a community of like-minded millennials (mainly Black women), who have a healthy appetite for travel, food, and shared experiences. Her desire to create something that reflects those aspects of herself and doing what she does best, led to the slogan of the brand. “If Beyonce can slay, who are we to deny doing it,” she jokes. Speaking about why trips with strangers appeals so much to her, Sande said: “It’s a nice way of connecting with members of the Black community who don’t want to travel alone or just need a break. There’s no prior commitment to each other. We eat good food, create content and memories, and make friends.” 

But her effortless ability to connect people and plan trips, is no easy feat, and she is no stranger to the world of organising. The globetrotter studied a bachelor’s degree in event management at Greenwich University and managed events for b2b firms and charities. Sande, who was born in Harare, has travelled to 35 countries across three continents, and is dreaming of her next adventure. 

It's never too late to launch a business and overcome challenges 

AMAKA: While COVID-19 affected many sectors, it effectively brought the travel industry to a standstill. How did TravelEatSlay weather the pandemic when everything came to a halt?

Caroline Sande: I manifested 2020 as the year for travel and explored the idea of organising a long-haul trip after the success of our group trips. I really wanted to tap into the millennial market as those between the ages of 20 and 35 had the same mindset. Then we went into lockdown in March, and everything changed. It took me a while to adapt to the situation I suddenly found myself in. I cried a lot because I thought that TravelEatSlay could not thrive without its main element: travel. I was so overwhelmed I ended up taking a social media break and stopped listening to the news to put everything in perspective. But I came back harder. 

Travelling is not just a physical act, it’s an inner feeling of discovery. I thought of ways to offer that sensory element to keep the wanderlust alive. And, in April, I started to collaborate with travel influencers and people in the industry, using social media to showcase global destinations without ever leaving your home. This stemmed the feeling of despair and provided encouragement that all would work out in the end. And it did. 

Naj Austin Wants to Take You Somewhere Good

You started the Travel Boxx during the pandemic – a first of its kind travel subscription box. What was the motivation behind the brand and why did you think it was a good time to launch it?

Wanderlust is having a desire for self-development; it gives me a sense of fearlessness to tackle challenges head on. I spoke to tourist boards, travel bloggers, and influencers to learn how they were coping with these unprecedented times because we needed to come together to help each other, and the sector recover. Through those conversations I found a gap in the market – and the Travel Boxx was born. Launching a business in the midst of a pandemic is not the easiest or perhaps the smartest thing to do, but I knew I had a great idea, in a niche market that was untapped. I had to execute it. 

I’m a small business owner and I believe in helping out other small businesses and the Travel Boxx allowed me to connect with other brands by showcasing their products in our boxes. The Travel Boxx is a quarterly subscription box that contains travel essentials for savvy and sustainable travellers. Subscribers pay £30 every three months, and they get five different items each quarter. We focus on TSA-approved smart travel gadgets such as packing cubes and collapsible water bottles, and tech gadgets like power banks and universal adapters. 

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a travel entrepreneur, and how did you overcome them? 

It’s easy to fall into a negative mindset and undermine yourself. I have. On many occasions. The true test is knowing when to ask for help. There’s this element of shame around asking for help, but everyone needs someone, and that doesn’t make you any less capable. I’ve always been very independent and part of that is growing up in an African household where I looked up to my parents as an example of hard work paying off. But having a mentor was the solution to overcoming many of my challenges. My mentor didn’t give me any money, but he helped me overcome imposter syndrome and taught me vital skills like how to pitch. 

I’m a solo entrepreneur, I do it all myself from sourcing suppliers, creating adverts and self-funding everything. But the idea behind self-made is overrated. It doesn’t mean you have to be alone. In 2021, I was one of 10 Black travel content creators to be given a £1,000 grant. I invested that in the Travel Boxx and upgraded my camera because it’s hard to sustain a lifestyle of running a business while working. As an influencer it’s even harder because as a society we are so worried about what people are doing and think of us, but in reality, everyone is just showing their best highlights and hiding their struggles.  

Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström: “I Don't Wait For Approval or Permission. I Just Do.”

Loving yourself and standing up for what’s right 

The Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 was arguably the most inspiring campaign against racism in recent decades. You created the Black Travel Directory as a result. Why was it important for you to find a solution, specifically aimed at the travel sector? 

The lack of diversity in the industry frustrated me. I wanted to amplify Black voices because I was tired of the ‘token inclusivity’. The black square on Instagram allowed brands that never represented us to engage in the conversation. So, I created a directory of over 200 international Black brands, content creators and service providers and shared it with PR brands to put us on, and give us a chance for once. Now there’s no excuse to whitewash, and I hope this helps brands make a more conscious effort to diversify their marketing and events. 

You have taken people to European cities for a day. What has your experience been like travelling to these destinations as an African woman in the diaspora? And what is it like discovering Europe as an African woman in the travel sector? 

I haven’t experienced blatant racism while travelling in Europe, at least not knowingly, but Europe is diverse, and some countries are more welcoming than others. Travelling in a group, especially a group of Black people will always come with challenges, especially in some countries due to culture clash. And African women aren’t always received in a positive light, but my advice to any African woman travelling alone is to love yourself and be ok with that. Take precaution, but remember life is a journey. I’m here to have a good time, catch flights, not feelings.

The power of social media and building a travel brand 

TravelEatSlay has built a massive following across all platforms, including 24,000 followers on Instagram alone. What role did social media play in building a successful brand in an overcrowded digital space? 

Social media is the catalyst of our success and allowed me to expand from a brand that sells t-shirts, hoodies and swimwear to hosting group day trips around Europe. If it wasn’t for Twitter and Instagram, it would not be possible to create a community, mailing list and get brand partnerships. Social media can make or break a business, having a strategy and unique selling point is key to finding your own corner in the digital space. I make sure my followers are engaged in every piece of content I create. I listen to them and look at the interactions on my posts, this helps me figure out the direction I should move towards. 

Currently there is a lot of travel chaos, with flight cancellations, delays and long queues as airlines and airports fail to meet a post-pandemic boost in demand. How does this impact TravelEatSlay since you take people on trips?

TravelEatSlay is a movement that provides a souvenir, memento or memory that people can hold on to. I haven’t organised trips since February 2020 because the pandemic, Brexit and the travel chaos have complicated things. But every cloud has a silver lining. I currently showcase the city I love, London, through an immersive experience in person and through social media. I give newcomers and visitors, recommendations on things to do like boat rides around Canary Wharf, theatrical dining and escape rooms.

What is your advice for women who want to build travel brands as travel influencers? 

1) Know what you want to do, be specific with what you are offering and start with what you have 

2) It’s not about the number of followers you have, it’s about having an engaged audience – this will determine the success or failure of your brand

3) Build good connections with other brands and be willing to work with those in your niche, influencers, PR firms to raise brand awareness