3 Reasons Why I Travel SO Much for Work!

3 Reasons Why I Travel SO Much for Work!

One of the many highlights of my job is that I’m a modern-day explorer. I travel the globe in search of treasure and incorporate my finds into magnificent Nature’s Art Décor^TM for the home and office.

I recently traveled to Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil for 17 days to purchase stunning Amethyst, Agate, Rose Quartz, Citrine, and Crystal Quartz pieces for the Tucson Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Showcase, the largest show of its kind in the world.

I’ve been traveling to Brazil twice a year for over two decades, and Brazil is only one of my many travel destinations. This year alone, I’ve traveled to Brazil, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Vietnam, Bali, and Israel. My philanthropic work, as well as my search for the most beautiful rocks and minerals, has also taken me to Morocco, Peru, Uruguay, Honduras, Bali, the Philippines, Belize, Japan, and Mexico.

If you’ve traveled outside of North America for business before, you know that travel can be an exciting opportunity to explore new cultures and find inspiration. But it can also take its toll, especially if you have to travel often and have a family. I have always enjoyed hunting for natural and cultural gems, but as a mother of two beautiful active toddlers, I understand the challenges of frequent travel.

So, what are the top 3 reasons I am motivated to travel so frequently for my business?

1. Every Nature’s Art Décor Piece is Unique.

I have 20 years of experience selecting the most unique, opulent stones and crystals for the one of a kind Nature’s Art Décor^TM pieces I design. Finding the most extraordinary pieces requires a trained eye and inspecting each piece in person. Seeing and holding the stones and crystals is part of my creative process.

The statement pieces we design for Nature’s Art Décor^TM aren’t just beautiful; they contain transformative powers that impact the energy of a living space. Selecting stones and crystals in person allows me to find the right pieces to create the desired energizing effect. I know what to look for in the shape, color, shine, and positioning of the crystals.

You truly don’t get the same quality pieces if you aren’t there picking them yourself. You really never know what you’re going to get when you place a phone or online order. Because we only use hand-picked pieces that have that “X” factor, our designs stand apart.

2. Relationship-Building is Important to Me.

Over the past 20 years of travel for my business, I have built strong, meaningful relationships with my miners and suppliers. In this industry – and indeed in most if not all industries – relationships are everything. My vendors have become dear friends; in fact, I see some more often than I see my own family! We have really become extended members of each other’s families. Over shared meals, we relay stories of our struggles and successes. In short – we care about one another. This makes traveling to distant countries feel a little like coming to a home away from home.

Of course, this enriches my travel experiences. But the quality of my vendor relationships also allows me to create the best designs. By building strong relationships and nurturing them year after year in person, you establish trust, build rapport and, of course, get the best quality pieces. When special pieces come in, my suppliers think of me first and that gives my art an edge.

I want to add an important point here about vendor loyalty. I have always been loyal to my vendors. Of course, I work with them because they carry exceptional pieces, but I also understand that my loyalty as a purchaser drives their businesses forward. We are all connected. I’ve often worked with the underdogs because I understand that when their businesses grow and thrive, they are able to hire more people who are then in a position to support their families. As a purchaser in this industry, I recognize and rejoice in my ability to support smaller players and, in turn, strengthen communities. Watching businesses grow from small family operations to large employers in the community is extremely rewarding.

3. I’m a World Traveler.

I’ve had a passion for travel since I was a little girl. My father was an avid traveler and instilled his love for exploring the world in me. Born in Israel and raised in Boston, I traveled regularly to visit family across the ocean. My mother’s eclectic bead business also involved travel and I would accompany her on trips. Soon enough, I was hooked. As an ambitious teenager, I became a wholesaler of new and antique glass beads from Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Japan.

My insatiable desire to see the world, its natural beauty, and all the interesting people and cultural treasures it had to offer drove my business forward and shaped my journey to where I am today. I could never be bound to a 9 to 5 desk job. It just isn’t me. Travel as an entrepreneur is a freedom – to explore, to search, to question and to discover. Discovering new cultures from Asia to South America and meeting new people energizes me. Because I’m always traveling, I’m always learning!

While Nature’s Art Décor is often associated with opulent stones and crystals, I also incorporate statues and carvings into some of my designs. When I travel to China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, for instance, my primary purchases are exquisite carvings and Buddhist statuaries.

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As a mother of two two-and-a-half-year-old boys travel certainly isn’t as easy as it once was. I can longer just hop on a plane; travel requires a lot of careful planning. Now, I travel with a nanny to make sure my boys get all the attention they need when I’m doing business.

But I’ll keep filling up the pages of my passport because the trips don’t just provide my business with quality stones and crystals; they fuel my creative process and energize me to produce the best Nature’s Art Decor the globe has to offer.

I’m so blessed to be able to share my travel experiences with my sons. As they get older, I look forward to exposing them to exciting new cultures. I’ll introduce them to Vietnam, with its ancient cities and serene mountains; Hong Kong, a bustling city known for its delicious cuisine and masterful suit tailors; Israel, a tiny but beautiful country where a piece of my soul will always reside; Brazil, with its dancing Gauchos and vibrant small town festivals…the list is endless.

One of the reasons I’ll bring them on my travels is because travel is a powerful catalyst for growth. When you meet new people, explore different places and have new experiences on your travels, you return a different, hopefully, more compassionate and understanding person.

Where will your next travel adventure take YOU?