By Donna Richardson
Sometimes you meet someone at an event and have no idea what impact that person will have on your life or your business. For me, that person was Zoe Wadsworth of Ask Zoe. I first discovered Zoe at Vanessa Mary’s Seeds event, and I remember being struck by her immediately. Every word she spoke seemed to have an impact on me. There was something about the way she communicated, her honesty, her energy and the genuine passion she had for helping business owners that stayed with me. At that point, I had no idea that meeting Zoe would lead me on a journey of reflection, discovery and renewed confidence in my own business.
I later booked a discovery call with Zoe, and when we spoke, I shared some of the pain points and challenges I was experiencing. What stood out to me was how much Zoe listened. She didn’t simply hear what I was saying and then give me a list of things I needed to do. She took the time to understand where I was, what I was struggling with and where I wanted to go. She then invited me to join her peer-to-peer course, which became a real turning point for me. I said yes, and I’m so glad I did.
Every two weeks, we came together as a group and worked through Zoe’s peer-to-peer course. The sessions were full of insight, revelation and, importantly, honesty. We could talk openly about our businesses, what wasn’t working, what we were struggling with, and the doubts that can so easily creep in when you’re trying to build something of your own. What made the experience particularly valuable was that it wasn’t just about Zoe giving us advice. We all brought something to the table. The women within the group were incredibly supportive, and we genuinely helped one another work through our individual business pain points. I loved being part of that community because we all felt like we were learning together, challenging one another, and helping each other see things from a different perspective.
One of the first things we worked on was identifying our ideal customer. It sounds like such a simple business exercise, but when you’re passionate about what you do and have lots of different skills and interests, it can be surprisingly difficult to narrow down exactly who you are trying to serve. Zoe kept asking the right questions and encouraging me to look beyond the obvious answers. Rather than simply thinking about what I could offer, I began thinking about who would genuinely benefit from my expertise, what problems I could solve for them and what they would actually value enough to invest in. That process gave me a much clearer picture of the business I wanted to build.
It also made me look closely at how I was positioning myself. I had been thinking of myself primarily as a travel journalist, and my journalism background and press credentials are incredibly important to me. However, I began to realise that positioning myself simply as a journalist could unintentionally affect how people perceived the commercial value of what I offered. There was almost an assumption that somebody else would pay me for my words. Through the work we were doing with Zoe, I started to see that I had been looking at this from the wrong angle. My experience as a travel journalist wasn’t something I needed to move away from. In fact, it was one of my biggest assets.
My lightbulb moment
The lightbulb moment came when I realised that I could position myself as a PR and storytelling partner specialising in the travel and tourism industry. Suddenly, my journalism credentials made even more sense. I understand the travel media landscape because I have worked within it. I understand what journalists are looking for because I have been on the other side of the story. I know what makes a compelling travel story, how to find the human element in a destination or experience, and how powerful good storytelling can be when you are trying to influence someone’s decision to travel. My experience gives me authority, my journalism gives me insight, and my understanding of communication helps travel businesses tell their stories in a way that connects with the audiences they want to reach. And I realised that expertise is worth paying for.
From there, I began developing a much clearer vision for my travel and tourism content business. I want to build a recognised brand that brings together travel journalism, destination storytelling, content creation, PR storytelling, wellness and women’s fitness travel, business storytelling and communication strategy. Ultimately, I want to become a trusted storytelling partner for destinations, hospitality brands and travel organisations. I want to help brands move beyond simply saying, “We have a great place or experience,” and instead tell a story that makes people understand why they should visit, connect with it emotionally and take action. That is a much more powerful proposition than simply selling words or articles. It is about using my experience and storytelling expertise to help businesses become more visible and communicate their value.
As my thinking developed, I started to identify the audiences I really wanted to work with. Tourism boards and destination organisations are a natural fit because they often have incredible places, people, and experiences to promote, but need help turning that information into compelling stories. Hotels and hospitality brands are another area where I can add value, particularly where a beautiful property or experience needs stronger storytelling to communicate what makes it different. I’ve also been thinking about wellness and active travel brands, which connect strongly with my background and interests, as well as travel PR agencies that may need freelance writers, content creators, and storytelling partners. Travel brands and experience providers also need clearer, more emotional communication. The common thread across all these audiences is storytelling and the ability to communicate in a way that makes people care.
Recognising my worth
Zoe also helped me start thinking beyond simply finding work and towards actually building a business. I began developing specific services around the needs of my ideal customers, including destination storytelling, press trips and media partnerships, travel brand content audits and ongoing content partnerships. I also started looking at my website differently. Instead of seeing it simply as a portfolio, I began to see it as a credibility platform that needs to demonstrate my expertise, showcase my work and make it clear to potential clients why they should work with me and why they should pay me. As a journalist, someone else pays for my work, but as a PR professional, they pay me.
I started thinking about content, LinkedIn, newsletters, networking, relationship building and even the possibility of writing a book about storytelling within the travel industry. Having a bigger picture gave me something to work toward rather than simply reacting to whatever opportunity came along. I do a great job, and I know my worth and deserve to be paid.
The accountability Zoe provided was another huge part of the process for me. Every week, there was something to think about, something to work on and something to bring back to the group. That might sound simple, but accountability is incredibly powerful when you’re running your own business. It is very easy to have a great idea, write it down and then move on to the next urgent thing. Having someone check in, ask questions, and encourage you to keep moving meant the ideas didn’t simply stay ideas. I had to take action. I had to think about my ideal customer, my positioning, my services, my messaging and the direction I wanted to take my business. Zoe kept me accountable, but in a way that felt supportive rather than pressurised.
Perhaps the biggest thing I gained from the experience, however, wasn’t a business plan or a new service offering. It was belief. Before working with Zoe, doubt had started to creep in. Like many business owners, I had begun questioning myself and wondering whether people really valued what I offered. Being part of the group helped me see lessons I had been missing, but it also reminded me that I already had a huge amount of experience, knowledge and expertise. The women in the group helped me see things from different perspectives and encouraged me when I needed it. Zoe created space for those conversations, and she gave me the confidence to keep exploring what my business could become.
That is why the description of Zoe as your own business cheerleader really resonates with me. She doesn’t simply tell you what your business should look like or hand you a strategy and send you on your way. She listens, asks questions, challenges your thinking and encourages you to find the answers for yourself. She brings people together who can learn from one another, creates an environment where honesty is welcomed and then holds you accountable for doing something with the insights you gain. For me, that combination of support, challenge, community and accountability has been incredibly powerful.
I came into the process uncertain about my direction and how I communicated the value of my work. I came away with a much clearer understanding of my mission, vision and values, a stronger sense of who my ideal customer is, a clearer business proposition and a renewed belief in the value of my journalism experience. I no longer see being a travel journalist and running a PR and content business as two separate things. My journalism background is part of what makes my PR expertise valuable. I know the industry, I understand the media, and I know how to tell stories. That combination is my strength.
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful that I discovered Zoe Wadsworth at Vanessa Mary’s Seeds event, booked that first discovery call and said yes to joining her peer-to-peer course. What started as a conversation about my business pain points became an opportunity to look at my business, my positioning and myself in a completely different way. Zoe helped me recognise that I didn’t need to become somebody else to build a successful business. I needed to recognise the value in what I already had, understand who could benefit from it and learn how to communicate that value with confidence.
Looking forward, I am looking for new travel clients. I’m also excited about Zoe’s upcoming retreat in Portugal. As a travel journalist, I have to admit that Portugal already sounds like a pretty wonderful destination for a retreat! But having experienced Zoe’s peer-to-peer approach, I can also see the value in taking that time away from the everyday pressures of running a business to reflect, connect, learn and think about what comes next. Sometimes you need to step away from the noise to see your business more clearly, and I can imagine that bringing together Zoe’s approach, a group of like-minded people and a beautiful setting in Portugal could be a very powerful combination. If you’re considering going, don’t miss it. I certainly hope I get the opportunity to be there myself.
Sometimes the right person comes into your business at exactly the right time. For me, Zoe was that person. She listened when I needed someone to listen, challenged me when I needed to think differently, connected me with a group of women who helped me believe in myself again and kept me accountable when it would have been easy to put things off. Most importantly, she helped me see that my experience, my voice and my expertise have real value. And now, instead of questioning what I have to offer, I’m much more excited about where I can take it next.
If you’d like to book a consultation with Zoe reach out to her at hello@askzoe.co.uk
Also, if you’d like a PR consultation, email richardsonreporter@richardsonreporter.
Donna Richardson | Travel PR Consultant & Writer
I’m an experienced travel writer and PR consultant specialising in helping travel businesses, destinations and industry professionals gain valuable coverage in newspapers and the wider media.
Looking to raise your profile and get your story in front of journalists and readers?
📩 DM me for my rates and to discuss how I can help.
📞 07500 737860
✉️ richardsonreporter@gmail.com
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