In 2018, Raynetta Smith left behind her home in sunny Los Angeles and joined a group of 30 melanated millenials in Bali for an international escapade appropriately deemed #BLCKinBali2018. This would be the second trip abroad that she organized for a group of like-minded travelers who were looking for more than just a great escape. What she coined as a travel social club had doubled in the number of attendees from the previous trip, so she had her work cut out for her planning travel logistics, activities, and even fitting in a destination wedding. Yet let Instagram tell it, it was a successful trip filled with curated experiences and unforgettable conversations with friends old and new, over plenty of cocktails of course.
But almost two weeks after returning to Los Angeles with sun-kissed skin and stories to tell, she received news that could've put her nomadic dreams on ice— the local non-profit company that she worked for as a communications manager was laying her off. While the news was jarring, it was actually right on time. The budding entrepreneur had already planned to turn in her two-week notice to run her travel concierge business full-time, but was battling with her decision to leave a 15-year public relations career. The job loss came just in time to push her out of the nest so she could take flight. Shortly after, Jetsetters Link was officially born, taking Smith's desire to travel with friends to the next level as she built a business dedicated to planning unique and personalized group experiences in exotic destinations at a fraction of the normal cost.
Courtesy of Raynetta Smith
As anyone who's planned trips knows, group trips don't come without their challenges. It's something that Smith is constantly remedying while also juggling part-time jobs as a flight attendant and Uber and Lyft driver.
But as the saying goes, when you love what you do, you don't work a day in your life. And with her experience as a consumer engagement marketer producing events with budgets that span from minimal to multiple commas, Smith knows the power of having a solution-oriented mindset. Which is why her group trips to Greece, Thailand, and Bali have her clientele coming back for more.
With the allure of future trips including South Africa and Vietnam on the horizon, we chatted with this boss chick about living a passport lifestyle, and got the inside scoop on how to travel the world when you have champagne tastes on a beer budget.
What was your first international travel experience?
By the time I hit 33, I was like I want to go out of the country and I want to do it with my friends. Although I had traveled by myself, I was really nervous to go out of the country by myself. My first international trip was my best friend's wedding. She did a cruise for her wedding to the Bahamas. After that, I decided for my 35th birthday that I was going on a trip and either you were coming or you weren't.
Originally, my first trip was supposed to be to Paris, and what I realized when I started planning Paris was that it was really expensive. And one of the things that I wanted for myself and for those traveling with me was to be able to do this journey affordably. I didn't want to break the bank. I didn't want you to feel like you were going on this trip for me and spend all of this money. So I changed it and we went to Thailand and it was probably one of the best experiences of my life. We went to Thailand for less than $1,500 per person. We stayed in two different parts— Bangkok and Phuket. And it really got me to thinking that travel could be affordable, it could be fun, and you could do it in a group.
Courtesy of Raynetta Smith
At what point did you realize that Jetsetters Link could be a viable business?
After Thailand I said, 'OK, this might be something I want to do annually.' I really wanted to connect with other black and Brown millennials who grew up like me, who didn't travel but wanted to step outside of their comfort zone, and wanted to achieve more and do more. So the next trip I planned was Bali, and the Bali trip grew organically in size. The Thailand trip had 15 people; the Bali trip ended up having 30 people. And this put me to the test in times of planning a large field trip. My background is in public relations and consumer engagement so I planned events and activations for multi-million dollar brands, but I never did something so intimate where I'm literally going to experience it with these 30 people. So that for me was something that pushed my expertise to the limit.
From there, I was like I need to turn this into a business because at that point it was still just a social group; it was still just me getting friends together and traveling. So once I came back from Bali, it was full speed ahead in terms of getting my business license and making sure that I was set up as a business.
Courtesy of Raynetta Smith
How did you transition from working in corporate to running your own travel company?
I was laid off about a week after we returned from Bali, so I literally have been creating a company on full entrepreneurship and just hustle and fate to be honest, which is extremely difficult. It's one of those things where you're like, I need to get my LLC, but also I need to pay this bill this week. You're making sure you're managing your own expectation and meeting goals on both the ends, taking care of yourself as well as hoping that your business thrives within that process.
While planning Greece, I was 100% working for myself and then I became a flight attendant. I've always believed that if you want to do something, you need to align yourself and what you're doing with your plan. Becoming a flight attendant, the idea was that I'm trying to grow this travel company. I need some type of supportive finances, and I wanted to do something that would still be beneficial towards me growing Jetsetters Link.
Courtesy of Raynetta Smith
"I've always believed that if you want to do something, you need to align yourself and what you're doing with your plan."
What were some other things you had to do in order to get your business moving?
There is a lot of social media involved. There's a lot of marketing involved. Even while still being an entrepreneur, I went to several travel conferences last year to network with other people. I actually built my own website. I'm not going to say that it's the best, but you know, with my experience it is great for what it is. So just being able to do the backend stuff.
You went to Thailand as your first organized group trip for under $1,500. How did you find a way to make it more cost effective?
Man, it's a hustle. I would have to credit my background in PR because a lot of what I do is research. I spent a lot of time trying to find the correct place, reaching out to those places and negotiating with them to let them know what I have going on. What sets me apart from a travel agency is that with the travel agency, you have the opportunity to make payments. You can actually still make payments on a Jetsetters Link trip; however, the travel agency making payments allows you or the travel agents to have access to vendors that I don't necessarily have that same access to because I don't have those certifications as a travel agent.
A lot of my travel happens during off-season because it's drastically cheaper than traveling during spring break or summer break. For example, when we went to Greece, the best time to go to Greece was late October and the beginning of November because it was probably 45% cheaper than what you'd be paying for the summer. Now it's a little risky because from November to January, Greece completely shuts down. It's considered their holiday season so they literally board up their walls and you might be going places that could potentially be shut down. So you have to do a lot more research in terms of finding out when is the last day that the hotel will be open? You know, things of that nature.
Courtesy of Raynetta Smith
What’s your favorite destination thus far?
I love Bali. The people were amazing. They sang in the morning, the food was great, it was so fresh. That alone is another thing that's been really big for me because just in my own individual lifestyle I'm trying to live healthier, and I've noticed that a lot of the food that we eat in America isn't as healthy for you as it should be. Then I go to another country and I can eat all of the things that I can't eat here and not have any issues.
Also being able to explore different cultures. Yes, we do go out and get turned up, but we're also there to learn about the culture.
For more of Raynetta and Jetsetters Link, follow her on Instagram.
Featured image courtesy of Raynetta Smith
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While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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Now, while it’s another message for another time that if this type of sex-related craving feels impulsive or out of one’s control, it could be a sign of someone who is leaning into some level of sex addiction; however, that is not what we’re going to unpack today. Today, we’re going to look into what could be going on with you if it seems like, lately, you’ve been having a greater desire for sex, and you can’t quite pinpoint why.
Because, just like, say, a craving for a particular type of food oftentimes reveals something that is going on with you physically or mentally — sex cravings tend to bring certain things to light in those same areas, too.
Let’s dig in…
Hormonal Shifts
GiphyAlthough I don’t have social media accounts, I do tiptoe out there to see what’s going on — and boy, do I roll my eyes whenever I hear folks act like being over 40 is old. SMDH. It’s especially annoying when I hear about it in the context of sex because, believe it or not, there are a lot of late perimenopausal and menopausal women who are “gettin’ theirs” more than some of these 20 and 30-year-olds are (just ask them).
One reason is that the fear of experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, for many, is now in their rearview mirror. Another is because some are taking a form of hormone therapy to treat the changes that their system is going through — and when you’re getting more estrogen, progesterone, and/or testosterone into your body (in order to level things out) — HUNNAY.
For other women, even consuming phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogen) like peaches, garlic, berries, spinach, and cabbage can make them want sex more than when those aren’t a part of their diet. Bottom line here, a shift in your sexual hormones can definitely cause you to desire sex more than you have before (or have in a while).
Ovulation
GiphyBack when I was a teen mom director for the local chapter of a national non-profit, something that I used to tell “my daughters” all of the time is when you know that you’re ovulating, that’s when you need to be hypervigilant about using wisdom when it comes to the sex-related decisions that you make. I’m thinking that most of you get why: your body was designed to feel its horniest when you’re able to get pregnant — and that is during your time of ovulation.
That’s why it really is a good idea to keep up with your cycle and, if a baby is not something that is on your priority list right now, you either avoid having sex during that time of the month or make sure to use some form of birth control. Chile, even women with low libidos can find themselves wanting to hang off of a chandelier or two when they are ovulating. It’s nature’s way.
A Healthy Diet
GiphyIf you happen to be someone with a sluggish sex drive and you know that you spend most of your time in a drive-thru, there is probably a direct correlation there. No joke. There is plenty of research out in cyberspace to support the fact that a wack diet and low sex drive have a lot in common. While processed foods and unhealthy fats can throw your (sex) hormones off, foods that are filled with zinc, vitamins B12 and D, and iron can ramp up your desire for intimacy.
This is why many people who decide to make a lifestyle change as far as their eating habits are concerned are oftentimes surprised by how much sex is on their minds and how much easier it is for them to orgasm because of it. While a part of it can be due to a boost in their sexual confidence, a lot of it has to do with consuming foods that will literally feed their libido (in a healthy way).
More Exercise
GiphyPlainly put, exercise makes you hornier. Not only does it boost your testosterone levels, (consistently) working out also lowers your stress levels and gives you a boost in the self-esteem department. On top of that, exercise makes you more flexible, builds up endurance, and increases blood circulation which can turn around and intensify your climaxes as a direct result. In fact, this is oftentimes why people will want to have sex right after a workout session.
While we’re here, let me also share that too much of a good thing can end up being counterproductive. What I mean by that is, that although it is wise to exercise on a regular basis, make sure to not overdo it. Something known as overtraining syndrome can result in fatigue, insomnia, and irritability; no one can really have amazing sex when all of that is going on.
Being a Certain Age
GiphyWhile it used to be said that the sexual peak for men is in their teens and for women, it’s in their 30s (some believe it’s because after 35, it’s more challenging for women to get pregnant and so our biological clock plays a role in it all), some research believes that coming to that conclusion isn’t fair because aging affects people differently. For instance, while on one hand, people in their 40s tend to see a dip in their sex hormones, as we’ve already discussed, hormone therapy (for both men and women) can level some of those issues out, if not increase some people’s sex drives altogether.
Adding to that, it should also go on record that some studies indicate that women between the ages of 27-45 actually have a stronger desire — or craving — for sex than women between the ages of 18-26. So honestly, there goes the myth that being younger (automatically) means that you’re hornier. #Elmoshrug
Certain Medications
GiphyIf you used to have a higher sex drive and you’re currently on an antidepressant, that could be why your desire for copulation has decreased. Some studies say that as much as 40 percent of people who are on these types of medication end up having a lower libido (by the way, antihistamines and beta-blockers can have this effect, too).
On the other hand, if you’ve been taking a prescribed drug to increase your sex drive (perhaps like Vyleesi or Addyi), then it would make sense that you may have an increased libido level. Other meds that may have a similar effect include birth control pills (since they alter your hormones), medications that help to treat Parkinson’s disease, along with dopamine-related drugs.
Less Stress
GiphyIf, on the days when you don’t seem to have a care in the world, you also desire sex more than usual, that’s not a coincidence either. Thing is, when you’re all stressed out, that can cause the stress hormone known as cortisol to work overtime and, when that happens, that can end up suppressing your sex hormones which can deplete you of sexual urges. Ironically, there is a flip side to this because when you engage in sexual activity, that actually elevates feel-good (and bonding) hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, which can also de-stress you.
So basically, if you’re craving sex, you probably aren’t very stressed out (right now), and if you want to stop being stressed out, you probably should have some sex (some protected sex, if you don’t want to be stressed later up the road…if you know what I mean).
Having an Amazing Sex Life
GiphyTo me, this one right here should be a given because when something is both good to and for you, why wouldn’t you want more of it? So yeah, if you have a great sex life with someone, it’s common sense that you’d want to engage in that act with them as much as possible. Hey, not to mention the fact that orgasms activate your brain in a way similar to a drug high does.
So, if while reading this, you’re thinking about sexting your bae to make arrangements to — eh hem — satisfy your craving, I say go for it! To “greatly want” to connect with your partner in order to have some fulfilling and satisfying sex? What in the world could possibly be wrong with that?! Not a damn thing.
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