Currently...

I'm the founder and publisher of the http://velvetescape.com/">Velvet Escape travel blog and the http://www.thehappyexplorer.com/">The Happy Explorer photoblog. In addition, I'm the co-founder of the Global Bloggers Network a community of travel bloggers who share their travel and blogging tips. My Velvet Escape blog is my primary business - yes, I'm a full-time, professional travel blogger.

My day is spent writing new blog posts, marketing and connecting with my readers and bloggers via Twitter and Facebook, and client communication. I travel at least once a month to places around the world (sponsored trips by tourism boards, tour operators, airlines, etc.); tweeting and blogging along the way.

Furthermore, I'm regularly invited to speak about my banking-to-blogger transition as well as my blogging and social media experiences at conferences.

Before I escaped...

Prior to becoming a travel blogger, I worked at ABN AMRO Bank (a Dutch bank) for ten years in a variety of investment and corporate banking functions. Banking was something I kind of rolled into after I graduated from university. I didn't know what I wanted to do. The bank offered me a job so I accepted it.

It was a fantastic experience and a whole new world opened up for me. Many aspects of banking (negotiating, closing a deal, sales and marketing, client communications, etc...) fascinated me endlessly and I was surrounded by great colleagues.

However, I found myself changing into a different person as the years went by. I started developing phobias and I was frequently tired and/or ill. I figured that I had to leave the bank at some point but I had no clue what else I could do so I stayed. In 2007, the bank was acquired by a consortium of banks.

I was offered a new job in the new set-up but I realised that this was my opportunity to leave. I negotiated a deal and left for a 5-month round-the-world trip.

My moment of truth...

I never dreamt that I would ever become a travel blogger. It simply happened. My idea was to get a new job at another bank upon returning from my round-the-world trip. However, halfway through my trip, Lehman Bros. collapsed and the phone calls from headhunters stopped literally overnight. When I returned home, there were no jobs.

I had sufficient resources to tide me over for at least a year or two so I decided to start writing about my travels as a hobby, while I waited for the financial sector to recover. I launched the Velvet Escape blog in January 2009 and a few months later (thanks to Twitter), it was discovered by the likes of Lonely Planet and NatGeo. Traffic grew in leaps and bounds. The moment of truth came in November 2009.

By this time, I was hooked on blogging, I'd made many new friends and contacts, and I was starting to get invitations for trips. I was having the time of my life!

In November, I was offered two different banking jobs. I had to think hard about whether I wanted to continue as a blogger or go back to banking. I was having a lot of fun with my new blogging adventure but I wasn't earning much money. In that sense, the banking jobs were very enticing. I talked to my friends and family and finally decided to turn down the jobs.

I also decided to turn my blog into a business and make it my income source. I had no idea how to but I learned quickly, using my previous banking experience, to build the brand, explore possible income streams, etc...

Planning for it...

I created a rough business plan with several elements, covering marketing/branding, revenue generation, content and networking. There were minimal costs involved (aside from the cost of my time and hosting fees) as I planned and built everything myself.

The worst and best bits...

Positives: I've become a more enthusiastic, energetic, confident person. I'm more ME. I determine my own working hours! Yay! Building this business is an excellent challenge and a fantastic creative outlet. I get to travel A LOT!

Negatives: I can't think of any.

Best advice...

"Life is too short for it to be mediocre". A lady I met in Santiago told me this and it's so true.

To anyone seeking to do something similar, I have this to say: learn what your passions are, then follow your heart and just keep going! The fact that you're being driven by something that's close to your heart (i.e. your passion) will attract people, and with them, opportunities to you. Don't fear, persevere!

Useful resources and information...

None that I can think of. I didn't consult any book or organisation during my transition. I learned about myself through a great deal of soul-searching. Travel certainly helped!