From leaving a stable career in pharmacy to building a thriving global community of travellers, she has carved an unconventional path powered entirely by passion, curiosity, and a love for adventure. Today, she’s visited over 50 countries, built a viral online presence, and co-founded ‘Say Yes Adventures,’ a group travel brand making bucket-list destinations accessible to everyone. Let’s dive into the questions she answered, from what inspired her career shift to how she turned travel into a full-time business.
What inspired you to transition from a career as a hospital pharmacist to becoming a full-time travel content creator?
I was always very academic at school and followed the traditional path, university, then straight into a full-time job as an NHS hospital pharmacist. But alongside that, I always had a huge passion for travelling and would travel as much as possible in between work. My parents actually met while travelling, so I’ve grown up with that influence and sense of adventure. On the very first day of my hospital pharmacist job, I found out I could take a career break and was determined to do this! So, four year later, and hard work completing my pre-registration year and three years of a postgraduate diploma, I finally took an eight-month career break. During that time, I solo travelled across 10 countries and started posting on TikTok just for fun, and my following grew really quickly. I then got an opportunity to work as a content creator for a really cool travel brand during the summer when I was supposed to return to my NHS job. It was a scary decision, but I ended up quitting pharmacy to take that dream opportunity, and it was honestly the best decision I’ve ever made. That leap led me to becoming a full-time travel content creator and eventually to owning a travel group trip business, Say Yes Adventures, too. I was never deeply passionate about pharmacy, but I am incredibly passionate about travel, and I truly believe life’s too short not to follow your passions and dreams.
You’ve visited over 50 countries, often solo. How has solo travel shaped your perspective on life and personal growth?
Solo travel has made me such an independent person. When you’re on your own, you make every decision yourself, you solve problems yourself, and you learn to trust your instincts. It’s given me confidence, resilience, and a completely different perspective on life. I really live by the mindset that you only get one life, so you should live it in a way that feels true to you. Travelling solo made me stop putting pressure on myself to follow society’s traditional timeline of house, marriage and kids. What I value most is seeing the world, experiencing different cultures and having meaningful life experiences. That’s what feels fulfilling to me. It genuinely surprises me that some people have no interest in seeing beyond their hometown, travel opens your eyes in ways nothing else does.
The Maldives is often seen as a couples-only destination. What motivated you to start group trips there, and how did your first trip go?
The Maldives is heavily marketed as a honeymoon or couples-only destination, not sociable at all, and people assume it’s unbelievably expensive. Yet it’s a bucket-list destination for so many people who don’t think they’ll ever be able to afford it. Me and my business partner Kara travelled to the local islands in April last year and realised that image was completely wrong. So we created Say Yes Adventures specifically to show that anyone can visit the Maldives, whether you’re single, travelling solo, coming with friends, or wanting to meet new people, and do it on a budget while still experiencing how beautiful it really is. There was so much interest, our first two trips sold out within two minutes! On our very first trip, we were tested straight away, we had the biggest rainstorm the Maldives had seen in over 20 years, despite it being dry season. But even with that, the trip was incredible, and we’ve since received countless five-star reviews. Since then, we’ve launched 13 Maldives trips, and most of them sell out shortly after launch.
Can you tell us about the moment you realized social media could amplify your travel experiences and inspire others?
I’ve always used social media to plan my own trips, it’s so useful to see real, recent experiences, get honest recommendations, and actually see what a destination is like. I get loads of food and travel tips that way myself. I often receive messages from followers saying my videos had inspired them to book their first solo trip, especially to places that are often seen as unsafe for solo female travellers, like South America. That’s when it really clicked, sharing my experiences wasn’t just about content, it was genuinely helping people feel more confident and braver.
Say Yes Adventures focuses on making bucket list experiences accessible. How do you ensure your trips are both affordable and memorable?
Our 10-day Maldives group trip visits three different local islands, each with its own personality and vibe. You get a real insight into local island life and Maldivian culture, while still enjoying the same crystal-clear water and stunning beaches people associate with luxury resorts, just with a more authentic feel. We include so many bucket-list experiences to make it unforgettable: swimming with manta rays, turtles and sharks, dolphin watching, sandbank visits, beach barbecues and more. The trip includes 13 meals, beachfront hotel stays, all internal transfers including airport transfers, and shared rooms to keep it affordable, with the option to upgrade to a private room if you want. All of this comes in at £1299 per person, and there genuinely isn’t another group trip on the market offering the Maldives in this way at that price point. Our trips are also open for anyone of any age and gender, we’ve had guests from ages of 18 to 60 join and everyone always has a great time!
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while turning travel from a hobby into a business?
Letting go of stability was a huge challenge. Going from a secure career to running my own business meant a lot of uncertainty, especially at the start. One of the biggest challenges is never really switching off, your phone becomes your office, and the work never truly stops. There’s also so much behind-the-scenes work people don’t see, marketing, logistics, legal contracts, finances, customer care, and admin. It can be intense, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
How do you choose destinations for Say Yes Adventures, and what makes a location perfect for your group trips?
We initially chose the Maldives because there was nothing like this on the market, a way to visit such a paradise destination on a budget with a group. Our brand is all about bucket-list, “pinch-me” destinations that people don’t think are possible without spending a fortune. Going forward, we want to stick to that theme. Every destination has to feel special, affordable, and experience-led, not just chosen for the sake of expansion.
For people who feel hesitant about solo travel or group trips abroad, what advice would you give to help them take the first step?
Feeling nervous is completely normal, it usually means you’re about to do something that will help you grow. You don’t have to be fearless; you just have to be brave enough to start. Group trips are such a great stepping stone because you get the independence of travel with the comfort and support of being part of a group. My biggest advice is simple: don’t wait for the “perfect time” or the perfect travel partner, just say yes. Once you’re out there you realise how easy it actually is and so many other people are in the same boat and want to make friends.
Your Maldives trip reached 20 million views on social media. Did that level of response surprise you, and how did it impact your approach to content creation?
At the time we posted our “Maldives on a budget” content, there really wasn’t much information about that online, so we knew it would perform well, but we didn’t expect that level of response. Even now, people still don’t realise you can travel the Maldives on a budget. That misconception is exactly why the content went viral, and it directly led to the creation of our group trips. So many people wanted to visit but didn’t want to go alone and Say Yes Adventures was born from that demand.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for Say Yes Adventures, and what destinations or experiences are you most excited to offer next?
We’ve just hit a huge milestone by hiring our very first tour guide, meaning we’ve grown from a team of two to three. She’ll be running the majority of our Maldives trips next year, which frees up time for us to research and develop new destinations. We’re really excited about places like the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and even the Galapagos. That said, we have huge pride in our Maldives trips, we’ve perfected them, and we want to make sure any new destination matches that same level of value, experience and quality. We’re not interested in launching trips for the sake of it; we want every Say Yes trip to feel truly special.
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To keep up with her journey and future group trips, follow @travelsbytash and @sayyes.adventures. You can explore upcoming destinations, itineraries, and more via their official website: www.sayyesadventures.com
