Life and Work with Trishna Patel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trishna Patel.

Trishna Patel (@trishlist) is an award-winning Los Angeles-based storyteller, philanthropist, and micro-influencer specializing in travel, food, and human experience. She is a former L.A. Times video journalist, as well as an NCAA champion gymnast. She has written and hosted about her adventures for a variety of digital news publications (including L.A. Times, Time Out L.A., and Visit California) and worked as a branding expert crafting social narratives for some of the travel industry’s most renowned brands. Additionally, she founded @She_Only_Lives_Once (SOLO), a travel brand empowering women of all backgrounds to explore the world on their own in pursuit of adventure, self-discovery, and social impact.

Her strong personal following and SOLO community connect a network of 65K+ storytellers, travelers, and tourism insiders from around the world. She is currently working as Lead Content Manager of Branded Content at Robb Report—widely regarded as the single most influential journal of living life to the fullest, with 18 international editions across the globe.

Trishna received her Political Science (International Relations) and Sociology Bachelor Degrees from U.C.L.A., where she competed on the university’s nationally-ranked gymnastics team and holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from U.S.C.’s Annenberg School of Communications.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It hasn’t been an easy road but I don’t think any story that is worth learning from is. As a travel writer, I’ve oftentimes had to compete for assignments, deal with my fair share of politics, among other things. I’d like to share a story and some advice I wish I received when I was trying to figure things out.

Traditionally, travel articles published in major publications serve as a step-by-step guide—oftentimes providing the reader with a fool-proof, risk-free experience. In other words, a reader must be able to retrace your exact steps and (if they so choose) mirror your recommended itinerary.

As a result of this, I was accustomed to hearing, “Though this sounds like an incredible experience, but we have to pass.” Not because searching for an old winemaker in Saint Emilion or retracing my father’s ancestry in Dar Es Salaam wouldn’t make for a very interesting story, but because my experiences didn’t fit the conventional “editorial mold.”

I’ve always been fueled by my desire to immerse myself in different cultures and get hopelessly lost in translation. The uncertainty of mustering up the courage to share a drink with locals or wandering off the beaten path is what inspires me. In sharing my travels, I found that people wanted to hear less about the names of hotels and restaurants but actually craved stories about the colorful personalities and surprises I’d encountered along the way.

I’d connected with my own audience that had an appetite for aspirational content; stories and photographs that would not ostracize people because they were unique to one person; but would entertain, inspire, and resonate with others, particularly women.

My perspective had value.

Truly believing those four words was a turning point for me. I realized that what I said, how I said it, and why, mattered more than a byline; that I could also inform and engage with fellow-travelers independent from a publication.

Writers often ask how I started branding myself outside my publishing job. There’s no one way to do it, but here are 3 general takeaways based on my experience:

1. Develop a unique narrative: Integrated self-branding is to editorial as entrepreneurship is to society. Deep, right? What I mean here is: A strong digital/social presence is the great equalizer. Not a staff writer at Conde Nast? Or a travel editor at National Geographic? That’s okay. What matters is committing to your own discernible identity, voice, and aesthetic.

2. Refine and repeat: The best in this business aren’t those who travel or have the most impressive title, but those who are fun, honest, raw, or entertaining. Own your authentic point of view, whatever that may be, and share it with the world. Be consistent, take notice of what’s working and who’s responding. Then do it again. And again.

3. “Never blow out anyone’s candle to make yours brighter.” Early on in my career, I was given an opportunity that I believe would’ve changed my life, only to have it taken away by an editor. The politics behind the situation left me feeling helpless and I began to compare myself with other colleagues, most of whom were women that I cared for and respected. I quickly learned that drawing comparisons are unproductive, unattractive and irrelevant, especially given the capricious nature of our industry. Social media may make it easier to have “FOMO” but it’s also created an infinite space to share what makes each of us extraordinary.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Can I just say that (the last part of this question) is something we should ask ourselves more? Seriously.

Anyhow, I’m probably most proud of my versatility. It sometimes seems like I’ve lived several lives because I’ve found myself in so many different situations, professionally. There were times I wished I hit the ground running doing and being known for ONE thing. For someone so obsessed with branding , it’s a no brainer, right? I’ve worked as a journalist at a legacy publication, producer at a production company, a manager at a NYC agency, media director of a travel startup. I’ve also gone periods of time where I’ve traveled full-time and only freelanced. Ultimately, my ability to do a lot of things well has served me well.

Currently, I manage the branded content division at Robb Report magazine, one of the industry’s most influential journals about living life to the fullest. Robb Report is owned—along with Variety, Rolling Stone, WWD among others—by Penske Media Corporation, the biggest media company in Los Angeles.

In my role, I develop and create compelling and disruptive sponsored content for clients in luxury travel, aviation, wine, and lifestyle space. The ever-evolving world of branded content is like taking a business course in narrative storytelling. I’m using the same skillset as I was before when I was working in editorial—writing, producing, finding the most interesting angles, and managing photo/video crews and production—but instead I now do all of this through the eyes of my client. What’s the best way to convey their messaging in our publication so it resonates with our audience?

Working with brand on behalf of a respected publication like Robb Report has given me quite a perspective on how to manage brand partnerships for myself and vice versa. Being deeply entrenched in both worlds provides invaluable insight, both of which are great for both the magazine and for growing my own business, especially collaborating with different people, brands, and destinations that align with my personal voice and ethos.

Eventually, I hope to combine my love for telling global stories with philanthropy and humanitarianism. My brother and I are also in the early stages of starting a non-profit, Surgeons & Storytellers, that will aim to perform specialized medical procedures around the world and document the surrouding social, cultural, and geopolitical root causes and effects. Stay tuned!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanathi M.D. I’m in the middle of this now. In short, it’s about a neurosurgeon diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer (he died while writing a book) who asks questions about what makes life worth living in the face of death. Profoundly touching and poignant, right? Of course. But what I also found compelling is how this surgeon-turned-writer was able to turn potentially complex themes—about the intersection of medicine, family, life, and mortality— into a very enjoyable and (dare I say) easy read.

Apps/Accounts
Ally Fallon is the author of Indestructible, a book about leveraging your broken heart to become of force and change in the world. She’s also a writing coach that believes that the regular practice of writing can change your life. I love this sentiment because writing and sharing content is so cathartic for me. Ally’s account and daily affirmations also probe you to be curious===ask questions of yourself, be curious about yourself, and to learn about yourself. Every single day. Ask anyone who knows me well—that’s the stuff I live for.

Life Is Short, Don’t Wait To Dance
This book—written by my former collegiate gymnastics coach (not biased, I swear)—is a thought-provoking, humorous collection of personal stories and anecdotes of the 36-year career of UCLA’s Head Coach. It’s just a great reminder of how to view challenges and encourages you to define your own success. Because spoiler alert: Life is a choice.

Armchair Expert—Dax Shepard’s Podcast about the messiness about being human. Recently recommended by a friend, I’ve been binging it ever since. It’s funny, insightful, touching, entertaining, but most of all it’s painfully honest.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.solotravels.com
• Email: trishlistLA@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trishlist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trishlistLA/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/trishlistLA
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/she_only_lives_once/

Image Credit:
Trishna interviewing two-time Michelin star Chef Jean-Georges

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