Check Out Ashley Colburn McCaughan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Colburn McCaughan

Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I was born and raised in Southern California and always dreamed of working in television. In high school I started interning at news stations and decided I would go the news route and major in journalism. I attended Colorado State University and majored in Broadcast Journalism. I was very active at the university and was on the nightly news since I was a freshman. It was an overall amazing experience. I also had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain which gave me my “itch” for travel. From that semester abroad, I knew I wanted to see the world. After graduating from CSU, I started applying for news reporter jobs across the USA. I then came across a TV station called Wealth TV who was hiring for producers/hosts. I went in for an interview and got hired immediately. I remember thinking that I wish I had some time to travel before I started. Little did I know… 

Wealth TV was a lifestyle and entertainment TV channel, which is now known as AWE. I worked there for 2.5 years and started a travel show. The first show I did was “WoW Croatia” which won an Emmy. Croatia was so excited about the Emmy, and I ended up being featured all over the media. I then continued to travel to 24 countries over 2 years. When I decided to go out on my own and have my own production company, my first stop was Croatia. I went there for 3 months to film documentaries around the entire country. I then spent another 6 months editing it, and a year later, it aired worldwide and in Croatia. I continued to produce shows around Europe and then went on to Asia, distributing them globally. In 2015, I decided I wanted to be based in Croatia, so I bought a place and got honorary citizenship for the work that I had done to promote the country. In 2019, I was asked to be on the show “Zvijezde Pjevaju” or Singing with the Stars. I was paired with Croatian pop star Bojan Jambrosic, and we went on to the finals of the show, getting second place. This was the most wonderful and fun experience. We then had an original song written for us after the show, and I produced my first music video. We went to an awards show for the video in Belgrade right before Covid happened. We then decided to participate in Croatia’s Eurovision Contest, and I wrote a song called “Share the Love,” which we performed in 2021. The pandemic brought me back to California, where I met my husband, who has Croatian roots. While I find myself mostly living in California again, we continue to travel and keep Croatia a huge part of our lives. I am currently working on producing a kid’s travel show, expecting the arrival of our first child, and continuing to promote Croatia globally. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I remember when I first arrived to Croatia (after quitting my dream job), that I would cry at night, wondering what the heck I was doing. It was not always easy, but I got through all the challenges. My success has only come from the risks that I took, and I believe this is what makes life beautiful. I am always trying to challenge myself, whether that is climbing the Matterhorn or giving birth naturally, the best things are hard (P.S. I have not given birth yet haha). Some funny struggles that I have faced are arriving to countries and not knowing how to drive manual cars- this is always a challenge, but I am happy to say I am a pro now! My travel schedule also never really allowed me to have a relationship for many years, but then the world shut down, and I was forced to stay home- this is when I met my husband. I bought my first property abroad which was a challenge having to figure it all out on my own. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I own a production company that specializes in travel documentaries. I have received 3 Emmys and traveled to 65 countries. I am most proud of the opportunity I was given in another country than my own, Croatia. It is in Croatia where I created a life that was like a dream. I bought a place, learned the language, truly lived and breathed the culture and lifestyle. It is my second home. The opportunity the country gave me really Is unbelievable. 

Any big plans?
I am about to become a mother, which is something I always wanted. This past year I have been working on a kids travel show that I am excited to share with the world very soon. I hope that I will continue to travel with my family, and I know we will keep Croatia as part of our lives forever. I am also producing a show for my husband, who is an equine veterinarian. There is a lot to look forward to and a lot to still see! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ashleycolburnscroatia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashley_colburn/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyColburnProductions/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AshleyColburnProductions