Alumna Jen Ruiz ’09 is a journey guru.
She can be an writer, entrepreneur and three-time TEDx speaker who has been featured by The Washington Put up, Huffington Put up, ABC Information, Forbes, Insider and extra. She has traveled throughout the globe to locations starting from Greece and Argentina to Thailand, Iceland and Jordan. Alongside the best way, she blogs about her adventures and shares ideas for reasonably priced touring.
She is an writer of six books masking subjects similar to methods to solo journey safely and remodel a weblog right into a enterprise. Most not too long ago, she wrote her memoir, “12 Journeys in 12 Months,” which was revealed by Blackstone Publishing, the identical writer that earlier this 12 months launched books by Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Downey Jr. Ruiz and her new guide have been featured in information tales, podcasts and even on a billboard in Instances Sq..
How did Ruiz turn into so profitable?
It began with a deeply private journey problem she set for herself in 2017: to take 12 journeys in 12 months. She was just one 12 months away from turning 30, she was single — and wishing she may discover a good man, get married, journey together with her hubby and dwell her life. After a failed relationship that 12 months, she determined to completely get pleasure from life as a single lady.
“I didn’t wish to be concerned about ready for love,” Ruiz stated. “I used to be trying to have a good time my life. There are professionals and cons to each life stage. We spend a lot time wishing our life away. I requested myself, “What’s the professional of my life stage’?”
She realized she had time to journey so she launched into a journey to expertise the world. It proved lifechanging. She not solely smashed her journey objective (she ended up taking 20 journeys) but additionally discovered a brand new profession as a blogger and author.
Ruiz give up her job as a lawyer and devoted herself full-time to her weblog and enterprise. Immediately, she commonly works with manufacturers who rent her to journey throughout the globe to share her expertise together with her followers. She’s bought a protracted checklist of companions, similar to Viking River Cruises (she’ll be taking a cruise for the corporate by Japanese Europe later this 12 months).
Earlier this month, Ruiz got here again to FIU for a particular occasion hosted on the Barnes and Noble at MMC’s Graham Middle. She and fellow journey blogger Kristi Evans led a dialog about Ruiz’s memoir. Ruiz was greeted by avid bloggers and would-be-travelers in addition to an ardent base of sorority sisters and buddies from her alma mater.
“I cherished my time at FIU,” stated Ruiz, who majored in political science, underneath the Steven J. Inexperienced College of Worldwide & Public Affairs. “I used to be concerned in Greek Life, Mannequin UN, and I used to be the consultant at massive for the Scholar Authorities Affiliation.”
She says that her pupil actions have been one of the best preparation for her present job, whether or not it’s creating advertising and marketing plans for her books or touchdown strong partnerships. “All these extracurriculars, it’s mainly what I do for a residing now. It jogs my memory of working for pupil authorities.”
