Although, Rudwall\u2019s life as a travel storyteller is about more than crossing destinations off her bucket list or collecting passport stamps galore. \u201cIt\u2019s the human connections, the connections to the planet, that great wow of being, that really excite me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n That authenticity \u2014 the ability to show the heart of a place \u2014 has largely become Rudwall\u2019s calling card. Tourism boards, top media brands, and even global organizations like the United Nations now come to Rudwall for her signature storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did she get here? And how can you, like Rudwall, find your own career drum-beat to dance to? We chatted with Rudwall (aka Rachel Roams<\/a>) to find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rudwall\u2019s career, which spans seven continents and 70+ nations, started with a summer internship \u2014 the \u201cultimate world traveler internship.” Her responsibilities? Travel to 16 countries and produce content to help a company tell captivating travel stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I came back, I was like, ‘Oh, there\u2019s a different way to travel and do some good. That is to be a storyteller, to connect people to the world in a way that excites them about it through story,’\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From here, she scoured the Internet for industry intel and career role models working in media, documentaries, and production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI researched each of those people and started to understand the language and the potential jobs in this industry,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At that point, she built up the courage to reach out to these role models to let them know that not only did she love what they do, but her goal was to work in travel media too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat amazed me is how many people actually responded to my request for an informational interview,\u201d she says. \u201cI wasn\u2019t asking for a job, or asking \u2018Can you hire me?\u2019 I was saying, \u2018You\u2019re really good at what you do, here are the projects I admire, could we please connect?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those early risks paid off. After growing up and attending college in Ohio, Rudwall moved to Los Angeles. She started as a production coordinator with a company she admired, Original Productions. The opportunity directly resulted from those cold emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was all as a result of a conversation and a willingness to step out of my comfort zone, and a generosity of somebody on the other end of the line,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to say that same person continues to be a mentor 15 years later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sending cold emails to successful career role models is hardly in a college senior\u2019s comfort zone. But Rudwall\u2019s never been one for comfort zones. She learned early on that success requires going the extra mile \u2014 discomfort very much included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Fear is a sign that whatever comes next could be a big adventure. It could be something that changes us, something that expands our perspective.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cExperiencing fear is totally normal. I feel afraid often,\u201d she says. \u201cThe cool thing is, we can look fear in the eye and know this is a reminder that something really matters. Fear is a sign that whatever comes next could be a big adventure. It could be something that changes us, something that expands our perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There’s also one more important thing to remember when coming up against fear. \u201cAsk yourself, \u2018What\u2019s the worst that could really happen?\u2019\u201d Rudwall says. \u201cMost of the time, the worst thing that could happen isn\u2019t bad at all. I always say that everything in life is either a good experience, or a good story later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re just starting out as a travel creator, it\u2019s easy to be intimidated by Rudwall\u2019s talent and accolades. But she\u2019s quick to remind us that she, like everyone, started somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you begin, you\u2019re a beginner\u2014you have to start somewhere,\u201d she says. \u201cThe people around us don\u2019t expect us to make our first video and have it win an Oscar. Be generous and loving with yourself. Accept that it\u2019s part of this greater learning process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rudwall may have 15 years of experience under her belt, but she\u2019s the first to admit her learning days are far from over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m of the opinion that any work we do right now isn\u2019t going to be the best work we ever do,\u201d she says. \u201cI hope I can continue growing, learning, and improving. Not only is the concept of perfect boring \u2014 there\u2019s no such thing!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even as one of the travel industry\u2019s most esteemed creators, Rudwall\u2019s felt the suffocating grips of the ever-imposing (and ever-changing) algorithm. Social media may have helped her career take shape, but these days, she\u2019s choosing her intuition over the algorithm with work she most enjoys. If you\u2019re feeling stuck, let this be your permission slip to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat I find is I\u2019m more in love with the process again. I continue to work with clients I love on campaigns that excite me, on content that inspires me, but it\u2019s not driven as much by social media likes as it might have been in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to get wrapped up in the gear-accumulation phase. That’s the period where a new camera or high-end lens seems like the only link between points A and B. Although, while a solid kit can<\/em> aid the final product, it won\u2019t help you progress through phases of burnout or feelings of inadequacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you find yourself so focused on the gear, the specs, the screen in front of you, take a step back and remember what it is that inspires you,\u201d Rudwall says. \u201cDo you love the way light and shadows play? Do you get inspired by the sky overhead? Take a step back and ask yourself, \u2018What was it that inspired me in the first place?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI work to connect people to the world, and the world to people.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n For Rudwall, that \u201cwhy\u201d is simple: telling stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI work to connect people to the world, and the world to people,\u201d she says, noting that she finds creativity in strategizing the best way to tell those stories through multimedia. \u201cEach client might have different needs. Some may need photos, [others] need video, or a human story, or an outdoor story. Recently, some of the work I\u2019ve been most excited about is work in which I feel I\u2019m of service to things bigger than myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like life, careers have seasons. The early days require grind and legwork to get things off the ground. The next few years are about finding your footing and settling in as your hard work pays off. Then you may reach a point where you yearn for more. This is not necessarily more money or prestige, but the desire to make an impact. Think Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen\u2019s conservation work with Sea Legacy<\/a>, or Colby Brown\u2019s humanitarian initiative, The Giving Lens<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rudwall\u2019s greater-good mission work incorporates perhaps her greatest gift: storytelling. \u201cWhat excites me now is finding new ways to use the skills I have in service of big-picture, change-making stories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, Rudwall collaborated with the United Nations\u2019 Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to create a multimedia package that \u201cshines a light on the stories of remarkable and resilient people who\u2019ve been forced to flee their homes and rebuild in new countries and new communities,\u201d she says. She created a final multimedia product<\/a> with a short film, written article, and images about a family from Syria who resettled in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re setting out on a new career path or searching for that career flame you once had, Rudwall shares some parting advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFind what excites you and starting doing that. What will help you succeed is to not replicate what everyone else is doing or has done, but to be you<\/em> in the context of storytelling. Only you can bring what you\u2019re going to bring to the path. So find what really excites you, and do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If travel storytelling is in your future, here are a few of Rudwall\u2019s favorite tried-and-true brands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Photo-provided-by-staff-photographer-Intrepid-Travel.jpeg\")
Diving in Head First<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Big Risks, Bigger Rewards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Accept the Learning Phase<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Intuition Over Algorithm<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Creativity is More than Good Gear<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Use Your Voice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Stay Inspired<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Rudwall\u2019s Go-To Gear<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n