Katy Johnson chatted about being a travel blogger, realtor, and fashion model in the digital age.
Maya Angelou once said: “You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.” This quote applies to Katy Johnson, a woman who wears many hats.
Johnson on becoming a travel blogger
On her desire to become a travel blogger, Johnson said, “I wanted to shoot a documentary about women’s empowerment around the world.”
“I wanted to travel and meet women in different countries and learn about their struggles and their adversities and how they overcame those things,” she noted.
“Then, in order to pay for those things, I started a travel blog and I would write to hotels and see if they would allow me to stay for free if I wrote about my experiences at the hotel and that would offset some of the expenses of filming the documentary,” she elaborated.
“I started really small back in the end of 2017, and now my blog took off and I worked with every big luxury brand. I’ve gotten the chance to travel the world, and I am hoping to hit at least 10 more countries this year,” she explained.
“While I live in Los Angeles, I’ve been to 102 countries, and I hope to hit at least 10 more this year, so we will see what happens,” she added.
Johnson on Greece
When asked if she has traveled to Greece, she responded, “I have been to Greece several times. I am typically there every summer. I love it there so much.”
The digital age
On being a travel blogger in the digital age, Johnson said, “It’s incredible. I am so fortunate and lucky that I get to share my experiences with other people.”
“Social media has its downsides, of course. There are a lot of amazing perks to it as well. I can also learn from other people that are on social media,” she added.
Johnson on her modeling career
On her career as a fashion model, Johnson said, “I’ve been very lucky in modeling as well because I have been lucky to get to travel around the world doing that.”
“It’s not as easy of a job as everybody thinks,” she noted. “I’ve had to do some jobs where I would have to work 16-hour days, or I would have to working in the freezing cold.”
“I remember once when I was in Indonesia, and there was no bathroom, so we had to go to the bathroom in the ocean, so that was a little bit humbling,” she said with a sweet laugh.
“Modeling is not always as glamorous as people may think it is,” she admitted.
Johnson on being a realtor
On being a realtor in Los Angeles, she said, “I love my job as a real estate agent. I love helping people find their dream home.”
“I love teaching people about real estate and finances. So, I am really happy doing that; it’s so much fun. I work with all my good friends, so I am very lucky in that way as well. You just have to hustle and work really hard,” she elaborated.
“Real estate is definitely a hustle and it’s so competitive because there are so many real estate agents, but it is certainly rewarding,” she acknowledged.
Future plans
On her future plans, she shared, “I have more goals in my career. I would like to keep traveling and to keep selling houses, and perhaps have a family in the next few years and get married.”
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she revealed, “Finding myself and my voice through passion and success.”
“Now, I’m taking control of all aspects of my life,” she said.
Career-defining moments
Regarding her career-defining moments, she shared, “Honestly, in my modeling career, being in Sports Illustrated and in GQ has been a big deal for me. I’ve been on various magazine covers over the years.”
“With travel blogging, I worked with some of the top brands. I’ve been so blessed to have gotten the chance to work all over the world. I am so grateful,” she added.
Favorite mottos to live by
Her favorite motto to live by is: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” “I shamelessly ask a lot of questions; the worst thing someone can say is ‘no,’ and then, you are in the same position that you are before,” she said.
“Also, trust the timing of your life,” she said. “You always have to trust the process and trust the timing of your life.”
Greatest lesson she learned from traveling around the world
On the greatest lesson she learned from traveling the world, she said, “It has taught me that although we are all so different, at the end of the day, we are all very much the same, and we hold the same values (we all want love, to be accepted and validated).”
“We all want our families to be safe and secure. We all hold those similar core values,” she added.
Best thing about being her age
On the best thing about being her age, she said, “What I love about my age is that I still feel very young and childlike.”
“I have that childlike essence, but I also have that wisdom and experience and maturity that I’ve taken from the many lessons and failures that I’ve had throughout my 20s and early 30s,” she elaborated.
“Although I’m still fun and youthful, I definitely have more maturity, wisdom and a sense of self that maybe I didn’t have when I was younger,” she added.
Superpower of choice
Her superpower of choice would be “to time travel.”
“I would love to learn about different time periods in the world. I would love to learn more and see how history repeats itself and to help the human race,” she said.
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means being happy with what you are doing and who you are as a person.”
“Also, helping other people succeed. I could never think of myself as a successful person if I wasn’t a good person to others and I didn’t help and serve others,” she explained.
“I want to live a life of service to others… that’s the kind of life that I want to live,” she added.
To learn more about Katy Johnson, visit her official website, and follow her on Instagram.
