Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercedes Cava.
Hi Mercedes, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hi, thank you for having me!
I’m Mercedes, a Florida-based creative who is passionate about adventure travel, living an intentional and active lifestyle, and learning from the beautiful world we live on. Though I live in Florida, I am most likely anywhere but as I travel as often as I can. Seeking adventures that lead me to meet new people, explore new places, and try new things that allow me to connect to mother nature. I aim to be a full-time creator by 2024, working with brands whose products aid me in my travels and that prioritize environmental advocacy.
Though I have been posting on Instagram and social media for a couple years now, I am just embarking on my journey as a creative and am working more seriously to build a brand and a community that I love. Being able to support myself while traveling and creating a space where people feel inspired and encouraged to seek discomfort and chase their dreams. While scrolling through my platform, you can find me partaking in lots of activities like free diving, hiking, and surfing. Finding my way across the world one adventure at a time and sharing the lessons I learn along the way, the places I am drawn to, and the people I meet.
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?
Definitely not. Being that I am still on my journey of building a brand and business for myself, I know I have many obstacles to come and honestly, I embrace that. Being a travel creative means there is and will be lots of trial and error. Learning the ins and outs of traveling, the art of photography and modeling, how to market yourself, how to pitch to brands, and how to build an engaging audience. But what has really helped like in any business is networking. Connecting with people who are in the same field is so important and I have learned far more from the experiences and knowledge of other creatives than I could have ever learned by myself.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a creative, what I feel most proud of is sticking to sharing what I am most passionate about and how I share it. Being a creative especially on social media, is still a very new career and all of us who are in the field are pioneering it. There are no rules and we’re making them up along the way which is really exciting. However, it can be just as chaotic and confusing at the same time. It’s easy to get caught up in this idea that you have to show up a certain way in order to get traction and exposure to your account but what’s most important is to stick to your “why”, to know your purpose and what kind of positive impact you want to leave on those who come across your page.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Honestly, there are so many people in my life who deserve credit. My parents, being one, they have always been very supportive of my desire to travel and embark on content creation as a career. So much so, that they supported my decision to leave school so that I could focus on it more full-time. I also give credit to my loving and supportive boyfriend who is working towards very similar goals as me as a content creator. I feel so grateful to have a partner and friend to navigate this exciting career and life with. I also give credit to all the friends I’ve met this year who have guided and supported me through this never-ending process of learning. Giving their time and advice to help me through questions or any hard times I had.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercedes.cava/
