The Unearth Women Podcast

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of inspiring women. In this episode, our Founding Editor, Nikki Vargas, chats with Rani Cheema. Rani is the Founder & Culinary Travel Curator at Cheema's Travel, a boutique travel agency specializing in small group culinary travel around the world. In this episode, Rani defines culinary travel, speaks about inclusivity and diversity in the travel space, and how we can all do better.

This episode is adapted from an Instagram Live interview edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked this episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Rani Cheema: @cheemastravel

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

IG Live to Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

Show Notes:

(2:14) Rani discusses the garden she created during COVID and the shifting expectations of productivity during her experience.

(5:10) Rani describes what a Culinary Travel Specialist is and how she created the position to encompass her passions and share them with the world. 

(7:28) Rani explains how she determines the next location for one of her tours and how certain experiences make the cut. 

(11:30) Rani created her business from the ground up. Hear how she followed her passion to built the career of her dreams.

(14:40) New York has so many hidden gems and can be seen on a budget, Rani tells us how. 

(22:00) Rani is of blended heritage, she discusses the challenges she faces and how she is trying to help others bridge the divide that can occur when feeling disconnected from your roots.

(26:00) Rani shares her one piece of advice for anyone who wants to start a travel business.

(29:40) The pandemic has left no business untouched. Rani discusses how she has pivoted and how she dealt with the stress of running a travel company during a pandemic.  

(32:00) Rani discusses the higher purpose of giving back to the world through her work founding Cheema's Travels and how she is innovating to give back and support the travel community in these uncertain times. 

(37:20) Rani discusses her journey of personal education, her realizations about racism and prejudice, and appropriation in the culinary space.

(42:00) Ranni and Nikki discuss white-passing and the associated privilege that comes along with it.

(48:40) Rani explores the origin of the narratives that shape our beliefs about society and what it means to be a woman of color.

(52:00) Rani discusses practical resources and tools that have worked for her on her journey. She emphasizes the need for safe spaces, vulnerability, and conversations. As well as the importance of creating safe spaces for others. 

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of inspiring women. In this episode, our Founding Editor, Nikki Vargas, chats with Beth Santos of Wanderful. Beth Santos is the CEO and Founder of Wanderful—made up of an international community of over 40,000 members, a home-sharing network for women, the Women in Travel Summit, and the Bessie Awards. In this episode, Beth discusses the importance of community for women who travel, how Wanderful is pivoting as a business in the face of the pandemic, and the true magic of the connections we create when traveling.

This episode is adapted from an Instagram Live interview edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked this episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Beth Santos: @maximumbeth

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

Wanderful website: https://sheswanderful.com/

Show Notes:

(1:53) Beth speaks to adjusting to quarantine. She explains how being a CEO and mother to a 3-year-old is multi-tasking on an extreme level.

(6:50) Paying attention to the writing on the wall, Beth saw that the world was changing. She explains working with her team to prepare her business for a travel industry shut down. 

(10:59) It will take some time for the travel industry to stabilize. Beth thinks it will happen in waves and will be filled with nuance. 

(20:03) Beth discusses the team's decision to pivot the business to a membership model, how she navigated transitioning her in-person conferences to the digital space and the personal connections that are fundamental to the travel community.

(21:56) Beth discusses Wanderful's new content strategy and the importance of continuing to learn about the world, even from home. 

(25:46) The virtual event space continues to evolve. Beth discusses how Wanderful's chapters and members around the world foster connections. 

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, chats with Caitlin Murray, founder of Purposeful Nomad, a tour company that curates ethical group trips. In this episode, they discuss building a community-driven business, the challenges of planning group trips from scratch, and what international travel might look like after COVID-19.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Caitlin Murray: @purposefulnomad

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

IG Live to Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

Show Notes:

(1:00) Caitlin discusses adapting to quarantine and how she has been navigating this unprecedented time. 

(5:30) Caitlin talks about the inspiration behind her ethical tour company.

(7:19)  Caitlin explores the logistics of starting a tour company, how she planned the first trip, and how to support people already doing wonderful things in their communities. 

(16:40) Caitlin discuss the challenges of having a tour business during COVID-19.

(22:50)  Caitlin reviews the existing trips she has coming up, as well as the extra precautions that need to be taken, and how she sees travel changing.

(26:10) Caitlin talks about the future of travel. 

(30:28) Caitlin gives advice to women who want to start a tour company and travel the world. 

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, chats with Jessica Nabongo, the first black woman to visit every country on earth, all before the age of 35. They discuss racial diversity in the travel space, passport privilege, and lessons learned from Jessica's record-breaking trip.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Jessica Nabongo: @thecatchmeifyoucan

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

IG Live to Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

Show Notes:

(1:46) Jessica discusses living in Detroit and how she is coping with quarantine during COVID-19.  

(4:10) Inspired to see every country around the world before the age of 35, Jessica speaks about her record-breaking trip.

(6:34) Hear the most surprising country Jessica visited during her travels. 

(8:20) Jessica discusses how to form genuine connections and make an impact when traveling.

(11:40) Looking back on her around-the-world trip, Jessica discusses the challenges that she faced.

(13:49) Jessica discusses passport privilege and why she travels using both her American and Ugandan passport. 

(19:50) Jessica talks candidly about the challenges of traveling as a black woman.

(29:29) Jessica discusses ways in which she thinks brands can better be anti-racist and allies without being pandering. 

(35:20) Jessica discusses the importance of marketing in the travel space and how, despite the massive purchasing potential of black travelers, campaigns remain white-washed.

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, catches up with Travel Channel host and journalist, Oneika Raymond. They discuss the changing landscape of travel content, how Oneika is navigating new motherhood amidst a pandemic, and the process of growing with your brand.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Oneika Raymond: @oneikatraveller

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, catches up with award-winning VICE Correspondent, Isobel Yeung. Isobel reported from Italy for VICE News, taking viewers to the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the epicenter of the Italy outbreak. During her reporting, Isobel visited an ICU to speak with healthcare workers, a funeral home to report on the human toll of the pandemic, as well as connects with local Italians about the realities of quarantine.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Isobel Yeung: @izyeung

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, speaks with Imani Bashir, a travel writer, author, and ex-pat who was living in Wuhan right before the Coronavirus began. What was meant to be a simple family vacation from her home in Wuhan, quickly turned into a multi-month journey of navigating a global pandemic, reuniting with her family, and figuring out what to do when you can't return home.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Imani Bashir: @sheisimanib

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz

The Unearth Women podcast celebrates travel through the stories of women. Nikki Vargas, Founding Editor of Unearth Women, speaks with Rachel Rudwall, an Emmy-Nominated producer, host, and writer in the travel space. Together, the two discuss testing positive for COVID-19, the current state of the travel industry, and finding joy at home amidst quarantine.

Today’s episode is adapted from an Instagram Live and edited by our Co-Founder, Elise Fitzsimmons. Liked today's episode? Please make sure to like, share, and subscribe.

Social Media:

Unearth Women: @unearthwomen

Guest, Rachel Rudwall: @rachelroams

Host, Nikki Vargas: @niknakvargas

Podcast Producer, Elise Fitzsimmons: @elise_fitz