Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley McDonough.
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well, my story really dates back to birth, being that as soon as I was welcomed into the world, I had an innate love for travel. Born and raised, in Queens New York, to parents of Caribbean descent, my bi-cultural first-generation American life showed me early on just how impactful travel and culture were and I knew early on a career in the field would be in the cards.
Fast forward many trips back and forth to the islands, four fabulous years at my alma mater, Howard University, having moved to Spain, Washington DC, and Los Angeles, I decided to turn my travel passions to a full-on business.
In 2019, Melanin On The Map was born and the rest is history. In just a few short years we’ve managed to create several global connections and experiences all while building a community of over 50,000 travel lovers worldwide.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Whew, definitely not smooth but honestly, all worth it.
I mean, I launched a business in 2019, quit my full-time job in early 2020, and boom a global pandemic hits, shattering the travel industry. As any can imagine, there was a lot of pivoting, staying the course and just believing that God would not have given me this vision of launching this business if he wasn’t going to see it through and that he did, and then some!
When the pandemic hit, I knew this was just a block in the road and a part of the testimony, but as crazy as it might sound, I knew I would get through this and me and my business would make it on the other side despite the world literally shutting down in front of our eyes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work means the absolute world to me. So, in short we here at Melanin On The Map are all about two main things:
1.) Connecting like-minded travel lovers (who we affectionately call Travel Bae’s & Besties) to one another
2.) Showing travel lovers how to monetize through travel
As an avid traveler, for years I wanted to be a part of a community who got it. Who understand the impact, who wanted more for themselves in travel than great memories and pictures, but wanted to really show people of color another route in travel. What I’m most proud of is the exact vision I had in mind for Melanin On The Map has come to fruition and then some. To think we have an audience of over 50,000 people, the friendships we’ve created, the brands we’ve helped build, it’s mind-blowing to think. This one vision that was once a thought has touched so many lives in the few short years we’ve been in business.
When ask what I’m most proud of, it will always be the community. This was made for US, by US and I’m so honored at how well our travel community has received us.
What really sets us apart from others is just that we’re focused on so much more than just pretty pictures in travel. There were no other brands in this space creating these in-person connections, showing people how to build brands, monetize their travel passions to more than just for leisure, so many things. I’m happy to see Melanin On The Map is in a league of its own, and our audience can attest to that.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The best advice I can give is to stay the course. Life happens, pandemics happen, and business gets slow, but if you have a vision and you genuinely believe in yourself, that’s all you need to see it through. Launching a business was by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but somehow the most rewarding. Nothing about entrepreneurship is easy, literally nothing, but you owe it to the vision to stay the course.
God spoke this Melanin On The Map dream right to me, and that’s what kept me going when times got difficult. He could’ve gifted this vision to anyone else, but he chose me, so I had to make something of this!
Pricing:
- You can join our travel tribe and start your own travel business for just $179, we also offer a 30-day trial
- We offer agent training 40/month for non MOTM agents
- We have monthly city-to-city brunches ranging from $60-$80 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: www.melaninonthemap.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/melaninonthemap
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelaninOnTheMap/
