To try and categorize Ashley Colburn into one title would be wrong.
As someone who believes the best jobs are created – not found – Ashley is living her dreams as a travel writer, a television show host, and a production company owner.
She began her journey by producing and anchoring for her college’s campus TV station and interning at ABC in Los Angeles. She later began working at Wealth TV and created her own travel show. Ashley filmed in 24 countries in just 2 years for her show “Take Off!” which was received with much success. From there, she decided to take the wheel on her own and created Ashley Colburn Productions – a choice she refers to as “the best decision I have ever made.” She is now her own boss. A typical week for Ashley involves distributing shows, attending conferences, and networking worldwide.
Forging her own path and achieving her dreams took an immense amount of drive and confidence. For Ashley, being shy was not an option. Her comfort zone was abandoned long ago as she began immersing herself in different cultures and building relationships with those she met worldwide. She has found success by learning to be comfortable in her own skin and eagerly communicating with others despite differences in culture, religion, and language.
What makes Ashley such a natural on camera is that she plays the role of herself. On her show, there are no scripts or rehearsals – just her enjoying cultural experiences while a camera happens to be filming. This allows viewers to connect with Ashley and her travel stories on a more real and personal level.
Though much of Ashley’s life is portrayed as fun and upbeat on camera, it is not to say that her work in the travel media field is without challenge. Ashley says that her number one task to do each day is to problem solve. Hectic situations are constantly thrown her way, and it is up to her to remain collected and resolve them. It is not uncommon for Ashley to find herself lost in a foreign country, facing language barriers, or responsible for taking care of her crew. Through this all, she relies on her problem solving skills to get the job done.
From her extensive travels and incredible experiences, Ashley has acquired many tips for those looking to trot the globe. She recommends fully immersing yourself in a new culture without any restraint. This means trying their foods, participating in their events, experiencing family gatherings, and so on. She believes the experience is much more authentic and rewarding when you are not afraid to indulge in new things and live like the locals. For long term travels, Ashley strongly suggests having an international phone stocked with travel apps. She cites how there is so much helpful technology out there that should be taken advantage of to assist with navigation, offer recommendations, and help you keep in contact with those back home.
When people tell Ashley they “want her job,” she points them in a different direction of thought: for them to not mimic the actions of another, but rather to discover their true passions and from that create their own career. Ashley has faced rejection countless times, joking that she “has been told NO probably more than anyone I know.” What has made her so successful is that she kept fighting on. She says that all it takes is for one person to say “YES” for your life to be changed.
Ashley’s courage and determination through fearless pursuits brought her to where she is today. She wakes up every morning excited to check her email and see if she is one step closer to a new destination. Ashley believes that when you truly love your job, it doesn’t feel like a job at all. Where she will go next and what she will experience ahead is unknown, but that’s all part of the excitement. One thing is for sure, however: wherever Ashley may find herself, she will be welcoming her new surroundings with open arms and the people within them with an open mind. And that’s the way of the traveler.
Amanda Weisman 