The MissAdventure
Paola Crevatini Rebsamen founded The MissAdventure in December 2017 starting all with wanting a place for women who can connect with like-minded women, create content together, learn from each other and of course travel together. So far The MissAdventure Community already counts +15 000 amazing women worldwide and has 10 retreats planned in 2019.
It all started as a fun project during Paola’s 1,5h commute to work every day, grew sooner than thought to a +15 000 community of amazing women worldwide that love traveling together.
They just had the first trip in Istria, Croatia where they went truffle hunting, wine tasting, stayed at a luxury villa with pool, jacuzzi and tennis court, a private chef that prepared local specialties from the freshest local produce ( chef Darko Ramljak) and explored unique hilltop villages and towns like Pula, Motovun, Groznjan and Rovinj where they had professional photo shootings and received all photos for free to take home for a memory or show off to the world.
‘’I just wanted a place where I could connect, learn and share with like-minded women about travel, fashion and life empowering them to follow their dreams, just like I am doing.’’ Paola Crevatini Rebsamen
The MissAdventure inspires women to explore the globe together! They organize unique girl trips and promotional events. Join The MissAdventure community of +15 000 amazing women!
In this article, we have an incredible opportunity of doing a Q&A with Paola, the founder of The MissAdventure. Paola has +10 years of experience in marketing for multinational companies like Unilever, Microsoft and eBay. With an international history of being born in Croatia, growing up in Sweden, moving to Las Vegas and ending up living in Switzerland.
WOT: When and how did you develop a passion for traveling?
PAOLA: I think I always wanted to travel but I did not always have somebody to travel with. At that time there was no Instagram and no Facebook so you were limited to the people you knew from where you lived. I was always curious about other cultures.
WOT: Turning your passion into a business, have you always been entrepreneurial?
PAOLA: When I was younger I always said I want to be a “businesswoman” but I had no real definition of what it meant. After college, I just followed the straight path. Find a great job and grow your career.
I do remember one funny story from childhood though. I think I was about 10 or 12 when one day I decided to sell all the things I received for my birthday. It was post-war at that time in Croatia and I sold all the candy, chocolate and cereal puffs I received ( I made small packages), put up a stand in front of my house and sold all the stuff so I had to go and buy more. So I guess I was entrepreneurial but only in my early thirties was I mature enough to realize what that could look like.
WOT: MissAdventure’s first trip was to Istria, Croatia, and it was a success. How did that go?
PAOLA: I am still amazed how well it went and it is just one of those moments when you realize you have done everything right and you are super happy. I worked together with the Istria and Pula Tourism Board and I invited 3 successful bloggers marina Comes, Juhulia Rosenbush and Naomi Louwerence to help me spread the word about the region but also The MissAdventure. I had total 10 ladies join from all over the world and we had a professional photo shooting in the Amphitheater ( with 50 helium filled balloons!), wine tasting and truffle hunting during our 4 days stay in my home region. The ladies received all photos free of charge to use either as a personal memory or show off on social media. I have only selected the best activities that I have personally tested.
WOT: The MissAdventure sounds very adventurous! Are you joining every trip as well?
PAOLA: Yes, I am for the moment. I just love to host my guests and I put a lot of emphases not only on the activities but also hospitality. I want them to feel welcome, loved and accepted during the trip and I want to foster collaboration among the group. Plus I love to travel so it is a win-win.
WOT: What has been the best place you’ve been to so far?
PAOLA: That’s is a tough question as I find every country beautiful in its own way. I was lucky to see 43 beautiful countries so far and my dream is to visit them all. I would have to single out Japan, South Africa, and Seychelles. I also loved Sri Lanka and Oman. My biggest wish is to go to the Avenue of the Baobabs on Madagascar.
WOT: To what do you attribute your success in The MissAdventure and how do you define success?
PAOLA: We are 6 months old so it is a bit early to talk about success. I am just proud I made it so far and future looks bright as I have +10 retreats planned in 2019. From Croatia to Morocco and Reboot weekends in Switzerland ( Blausee and Zermatt) to Sailing trips and Cappadocia. I am just super happy that women from all over the world want to join my retreats, learn from each other and cooperate. I think people recognize the passion at what I do and attention to detail coupled with a belief that women to women are best friends regardless of age, relationship status or body type.
I also plan something really special in 2019 – MissAdventure Festival where women can network with other successful women travelers, brands and tourism boards to foster collaborations but also learn from each other.
WOT: What sacrifices have you had to make to start a business?
WOT: PAOLA: First of all, it is a financial as well as a time investment. I Invested my free time to set it up from scratch – name, visit cards, social media ( Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, website) while still working full time. I used to joke that instead of shoes I buy now Google Ads. Or instead of going out with friends for a drink I do my website. It is a constant learning curve and a constant commitment but every little success makes me super happy.
WOT: What are The MissAdventure goals currently? As in vision and mission (what is the problem you are looking to solve).
PAOLA: Many women don’t currently travel as much as they would like to and mostly it is because they don’t have anybody to go with. I make this part easy as you only book and pack, the rest is taken care of by The MissAdventure. I make sure the trips optimize everything from accommodation, places we visit to the food we eat for an authentic local experience with a touch of luxury so that it becomes a truly one of a lifetime experience. At the same time, it is a girl trip so it makes it safe and fun. I like to say that everybody should go for a girl trip once a year at least. We create special magic when we collaborate and as one girl from Istrian girl trip said the best part are really the people you meet as you make friendships (possibly for a lifetime).
WOT: What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear in general?
PAOLA: The best advice I can give you and something I told myself was “Let’s see what happens.” This somehow released the pressure and I was focused on learning and growing. If you see it from that angle it helps you focus on the journey. You will still have those moments of doubt but those are personal checkpoints you need to overcome and do it anyway!
WOT: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
PAOLA: That I am THE decision maker. I can decide to do whatever I want, I can be creative and I can be bold. If I have a big idea I can make it happen if I want to and that is a pretty cool feeling.
WOT: If you had one piece of advice to our readers to those just starting out as a business owner, what would it be?
PAOLA: Start small every day, but commit to making one step forward every day and then look back in a year and see where that brought you. I can guarantee you that it will be further than you thought!
Find out more about The MissAdventure on their website: http://www.themissadventure.com
Follow their amazing trips via social media: @the_missadventure
Join the discussion!