Today we’d like to introduce you to Jhunelle Jureidini.
Hi Jhunelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Heylo! I was born and raised in Kingston & St. Andrew, Jamaica. The growing popularity of travel content on social media revealed destinations (domestic and international) that heightened my desire to experience more from life. It led to a New Year resolution to intentionally explore, and I soon realized I didn’t want to limit myself to a couple vacations per year.
I ultimately wish to see more of the world, and I thought what better place to start than at a top global destination – my home country of Jamaica! Every outing had something new to offer me; my appetite to learn, see, and do more only continued to grow!
After questions about my trips became more regular I decided to start www.SimplyLocal.life travel blog as a creative outlet to inspire others to explore the island as well. Its content and audiences have since extended beyond these shores but still mostly highlights Jamaican places to visit, things to do, lifestyle, and products. Today I’m competent and fortunate enough to earn from what began as a dream and hobby! I have now been a full-time travel blogger for over 2 years.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The automatic response usually is, “[travel writing] sounds fun” (which it is) but many fail to realize the time, finances, and effort that goes into producing. There were many times I’ve considered quitting, even when blogging wasn’t my main income source.
Today’s world of instant gratification sometimes allows discouragement to seep in when invested work seems to not connect with audiences in the ways you hoped it would. I’ve learned a massive follower count is sometimes the only “proof” of a person’s / brand’s value in some eyes, instead of actual creator quality and ROI evidence. Sadly much of the general creative world is still in an uphill battle of gaining adequate recognition and compensation for our works. Whether it’s writing, photography, videography, or digital marketing, I repeatedly found myself trying to prove why what I do is also worth monetary rewards.
The frustrations of being dismissed, undermined, and rejected can be discouraging in any field, especially when weeks or months pass without adequate income. The main struggle for me has been (and still is) securing a consistent financial flow. What keeps me going is reminding myself of the pros in those moments when I greatly feel the effects of the cons.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I ultimately highlight travel destinations plus culture and lifestyle, mainly through writing. The scope of my content ranges from economy to luxury travels, specializing in inexpensive outings around my home country of Jamaica. Most of my audiences would probably describe me as an off-the-beaten-path traveler because I love to highlight places that a typical brochure won’t tell you about. However I also love to cast new light on more popular venues so persons may possibly view them in an additional way!
Before blogging I had interests and jobs in other creative areas, and I try to combine those skills on www.SimplyLocal.life. The aim is always to showcase experiences in a way that viewers and readers can easily imagine themselves there too. My photos and videos complement the descriptive text; digital marketing helps promote to audiences around the world; optimizations allow new visitors to find content I created years ago, daily.
I think 1 thing that sets me apart from others is the thing that sets everyone apart – individuality. No one will create what another does in the same way, and from the hundreds of inspirations and referrals confirmed from my work I’d like to think that what I create is pretty good (lol), and I want to be better. I firmly believe this venture has afforded me a wealth of life lessons and experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise had. Even if this isn’t what I’m doing next year or 5 years from now, I’m grateful and proud that I took this time to pursue it.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe modesty may be 1 of if not the most important characteristic for my success. Though I admit I’m still in the process of removing limitations from my own ambitions, modesty affords me a lot of room for growth; it allows me to learn and be open to critique more. These lead to active improvements in different areas, personally and professionally. Even with a ways to go to reach my own definition of success I’m currently content with working my way there at my pace and on my terms.
Contact Info:
- Email: JhunelleJ@simplylocal.life
- Website: http://simplylocal.life
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplylocal.life/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplylocallife/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/simplylocallife/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/simplylocallife/
Image Credits
Jhunelle Jureidini
