A Big Tech Layoff Prompted Her to Focus Her Career on Luxury Travel

This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with Alaina Appleman, an impartial luxurious journey designer based mostly in Singapore. Her phrases have been edited for size and readability.

Two years in the past, I used to be laid off from Meta. It was disappointing, nevertheless it gave me an opportunity to consider what I needed subsequent.

I by no means imagined I might find yourself designing bespoke journey experiences. On paper, my résumé was all Massive Tech and world media, not precisely a direct path into the world of luxury safaris and personal yachts.

Nonetheless, journey has all the time been my private obsession. I’ve visited more than 100 countries, spent hours digging into obscure corners of the web for vacation spot analysis, and have all the time been the go-to journey planner for pals. After the layoffs, I noticed a technique to flip that zeal right into a profession.

My skilled path as much as that time had been regular. I began out in Washington, DC, at Nationwide Geographic and caught round for 11 years. I labored my approach up via advertising roles within the TV and movie divisions.

In 2015, after finishing my MBA at Georgetown College, the corporate supplied me the chance to relocate to Singapore. Inside weeks, I used to be on the opposite facet of the world.

I arrived in Singapore with an open thoughts, curious to see the place the chance would lead me.

After two years in Nationwide Geographic’s Singapore workplace, I labored for 2 different American multinationals — first at Time Inc. and later at Meta — in advertising roles. The work was fast-paced, world, and intellectually participating.

After losing my job at Meta, I knew that I needed to remain in Singapore.

Branching out by myself

I launched my enterprise as an impartial journey designer in 2024, contracting with Blue Sky Escapes, a boutique company based mostly in Singapore, with advisors working throughout the Asia Pacific area.

The monetary dedication wasn’t as daunting as I might anticipated. By working underneath the corporate’s licenses, model, and assets, it labored very like an actual property agent underneath a brokerage.

The investments to begin my firm have been minimal, and I made that again inside a couple of months after my first bookings. I make money working from home, so there is not any want for an workplace. After I’m invited on familiarization journeys, a lot of the prices are lined by the resort, tour operator, or tourism board, however I often pay for my very own flights and sure participation charges.

It is all a part of the funding, because it permits me to personally expertise the locations I like to recommend to shoppers. One of many causes I jumped into this profession was the low danger of getting began.

In my first 12 months, I despatched visitors on 61 journeys throughout 35 nations, with 42 extra already booked into 2026. Not like my work in Big Tech, this enterprise is not simply scalable, since I customise each element to every shopper’s pursuits and preferences. The journeys I design vary from a single night time at a luxurious resort to three-week adventures in Africa, with commissions usually between 10% and 20%.

Three months in the past, I booked a bunch of pals on a visit to the Faroe Islands. They rode a zodiac boat into grotto caves and loved a personal live performance by native musicians in acoustics they described as not like anything.

I additionally organized a personal eating expertise for a bunch of their 50s and 60s at a fisherman’s residence, the place he shared tales of supplying langoustines to Michelin-starred eating places, royalty, and billionaires. My purpose has all the time been to create lasting reminiscences.

Success by myself phrases

Living in Singapore has its benefits. It is a main regional hub, permitting me to construct private relationships with suppliers and keep up to date on the newest choices. The connections I’ve made right here have confirmed invaluable, significantly in time-sensitive conditions.

Not like company life, there is not any month-to-month paycheck. Earnings are solely realized after journeys really occur. My day-to-day can also be very totally different. In my company life, my calendar was stuffed with conferences.

Now, whereas I’ve fewer formal conferences, I am usually glued to my cellphone, talking with native companions, curating experiences, reserving lodging, and collaborating with shoppers. When shoppers are touring, I am actively ensuring all the things runs easily.

Whereas the hours are lengthy, I now have the flexibleness to work from anyplace. I’ve booked lodging from a safari lodge in Sri Lanka, joined calls from a snowy mountain in Japan, and answered shopper texts whereas wandering via an deserted palace in Iraq. Big Tech had its perks, however I recognize these much more.

Altering careers is disruptive, nevertheless it was the reset button I did not know I wanted. You do not have to already “be within the business” to interrupt into one thing new; I actually wasn’t.

Do you will have a narrative about transferring to Asia that you simply wish to share? Get in contact with the editor: akarplus@businessinsider.com.