A few months ago, co-founder of Purposeful Nomad, Caitlin Murray, met founder of Nav.It, Erin Papworth. They found that they both share the same passion of helping people explore the world- and the rest was history!
Erin Papworth
Erin & her son
Women’s Travel Collaboration
Now the two companies are collaborating together to bring both communities travel discounts on Purposeful Nomad trips, travel tips, and inspiring stories from around the globe. Not only does Nav.It help women set financial goals for travel but this new app is also a platform to discover travel content, information, deals and unique itineraries.
Purposeful Nomad Interview with Erin
We were curious how Erin started Nav.It and what was her first foray into the travel world so we asked her a few questions to shed some light on her story. Wanna get to know Erin? Read on!
When did you first discover your love of travel?
Erin: “I am from the West Coast of the U.S. so the first time I got to go back east and visit Boston, NYC and Washington D.C., my mind was kind of blown by the living and "old" history that can exist places. Imagine my joy and profound shock when I later had the privilege to go to London and Paris for the first time and see cultures that dated back to the Bronze Age. Those trips solidified a passion to understand my human experience through observing and honoring the lives of others. Not only am I fascinated by our collective history but travel has shown me how humanity is interconnected through time, culture, language, land, and basic needs such as love, personal growth, and community. Travel makes me a better person because I open myself to respecting and understanding people who come from different backgrounds but are my equals in every way. I can't imagine my life without it. “
Why did you start Nav.It?
Erin: “I am passionate about women's development and creating a more equitable and equal society. I spent roughly 13 years in developing countries managing programs designed to help women have better access to health and economic systems. When I returned to live in the U.S. in 2015, I realized significant shifts in our social structure have allowed younger female generations to access personal income at unprecedented rates, which gives us the freedom to define our own lives and create lasting change in society. Seeing the world taught me how interconnected and similar we all are, regardless of country, race or religion. Even though it is imperfect, we are blessed to have been born American women at this time in our collective history. Thus, I became passionate about finding ways to encourage young women to realize their dreams of travel, while at the same time feel confident in their ability to navigate our financial system, and ultimately their personal freedom.”
If one has felt like they constantly struggle financially and to makes ends meet - How can travel and financial wealth coexist comfortably?
Erin: “I believe travel is a form of personal wealth. It is something that can be prioritized and it should never be a source of shame. We are lucky to be U.S. citizens that have the freedom to travel to most places around the world and we should be curious and respectful about how others live because that will only make us a better and more open society. The financial system we live in is complicated, but there are really only three main elements to know first in your personal financial management: 1. high-interest debt is evil, 2. spending less than you earn is ideal, 3. compound interest is the most consistent way you can grow your money over time. There is obviously a lot more to it, but those are the key rabbit holes to go down if you want to understand your money. I personally know I need to travel to happy, so it's just an automatic thing that I save for, even if it's $1/day. Eventually, that savings will get me somewhere and I spend a lot of happy moments dreaming about where I'll go next, even if I don't get there for months or years.”
Download Nav.It today and elevate your life through travel!
