Q&A with Tay

Q: How did you get into traveling? And why? 

A: It wasn't until the summer after my sophomore year at Michigan State University where I made a life-changing decision. That decision was to study abroad in France, Spain & Belgium. The trip changed my life... I experienced new cultures, made a ton of new friends from different countries, learned about international business and marketing, and my eyes opened up to the possibilities of the world. At the end of the program, I immediately switched my major from Supply Chain Management to Marketing and received what many would refer to as 'the travel bug'.

Q:  How are you able to afford to travel for so long!? 

A:  No, I'm not married to a loaded princess or burning through a trust fund... I've worked at some of the top companies in the world and busted my A** while doing it. I was putting in 80-100 hours a week and on the side would cut my expenses as much as I could and exchange my services for complimentary living necessities or reduced prices such as consulting for my hairstylist and in return receiving free haircuts. You don't need a lot of money to travel by the way, my budget when I first started traveling was less than $50 USD a day. That's less than $18K USD a year!

Q:  What is your favourite country so far?

A:  "Whichever one I'm traveling in at the time." I don't have a clear answer for that one and don't think I ever will. Each country is beautiful in its own way and has something to offer. However, the ones that stand out in my mind the most are: Spain, Greece, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Georgia, Italy, Switzerland, Peru, Nepal, Vietnam, Albania, Portugal, Indonesia, Japan, India, Ecuador, Guatemala, UAE & Kyrgyzstan.

Q: What are your favourite travel experiences so far?

1. Trekking Everest Base Camp In Nepal

2. Celebrating 2022 World Cup Final Win In Argentina

3. Sailing Galapagos On Yacht In Ecuador

4. Hiking Dolomites Alta Via 1 In Italy

5. Sailing Croatia -> Montenegro -> Albania -> Greece

6. Celebrating Holi In Rajasthan & Visiting Varanasi

7. Hot Air Balloon Sunrise In Cappadocia 

8. Salkantay Hike To Machu Picchu In Peru

9. Expedition to Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia

10. Experiencing Iguazú Falls in Brazil

11. Discovering Ancient City Of Khiva In Uzbekistan

12. Trekking To Ala Kul Lake In Kyrgyzstan 

13. The Great Migration In Tanzania

14. Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek & 2,000 Bagan Temples

15. Celebrating Oktoberfest In Munich

Q: What are your favourite work experiences so far?

1. Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics for JPMorgan Chase

2. 2017 NFL Super Bowl in Houston, Texas and NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida for Costco

3. Pebble Beach Golf Getaway with PGA Pro's Peter Jacobsen & Fred Funk for Southwest Airlines

4. Virgin America San Francisco Giants Fantasy Batting Practice

5. Co-Branded Motorcycle with Pro Stunt Rider for BMW

6. Disney Pixar Inside Out Advance Movie Screening in Anchorage for Alaska Airlines 

7. Q&A with NFL legend Greg Olsen in Huntington, West Virginia for US Bank & Harley-Davidson

8. Sonoma Wine Country Weekend for Visa at MacMurray Estate

9. Co-Branded Beer & Jersey with Ale Industries

10. African Roots & Hispanic Heritage Mixtape with Pandora

11. Cirque du Soleil US Tour for United MileagePlus

12. Sustainability, Tree Planting and Carbon Offsetting Partnership with Ava Community Energy

13. Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts Advance Movie Screening in Atlanta, Georgia For Navy Federal Credit Union

14. Oakland Roots Art Mural for Oakland International Airport

15. Dallas Stars Hockey Game Business Trip with Vision Critical

Q:  What are the weirdest things you’ve ate on your travels? 

A:  Warm unpasteurized camel milk (directly from a camel), camel meat, snake, frog, cricket, horse meat, horse milk, yak cheese, cow heart, cow tongue, cactus, durian, llama, alpaca, guinea pig and chicken feet.

Q:  Where do you sleep and how do you get around? 

A:  I've probably slept and taken every mode of transportation possible! My favourite place to sleep is in the house of a local who lives in the country I'm visiting and my favorite mode of transportation is by train. I've stayed in $2 USD a night hostels and airbnbs as well as over $1,000 USD a night palaces and resorts. I've also slept on plenty of planes, trains, cars and buses.

Q: How did you get into photography and videography? And what gear & software do you use?

It wasn't until after I traveled solo for an extended period of time and heard over and over "Wow - that's so cool. How are you doing that? And how can I do the same?"; I thought to myself, instead of making an impact on the few people I meet on the road, why not share those experiences with the world through photos and videos and hopefully impact, inspire and improve the lives of thousands of people every day? The more I shared, the more people that started to reach out and this is how the Taylor Beggs Travel, Sports & Entertainment Collective was launched! By the people.. by YOU! 

Everything I shoot is with my iPhone 13 Pro Max, DJI Mavic Air Drone & GoPro MAX 360 and I edit in Photoshop & Premiere Pro. I like to brand myself as a ‘mobile photographer and videographer’ and I'm a firm believer that it doesn't matter how nice or expensive your camera is what matters is the uniqueness of the shots you get, the story you're telling and being in the right place at the right time with the right people!

Q: When you're not traveling or working what do you do? 

A: When I'm not out traveling, working or producing, I'm catching up with friends and family as they are very important to me. I also love surfing, cooking, beer / wine / tea tasting, international music, salsa dancing and hiking.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

A: Doing what I'm doing now but on a much bigger scale whether on my own or in a team on the agency, brand, property, league or talent representation side. I would like to work with companies across forms of culture and produce campaigns that promote the amazing people, places and experiences of the world and have a lasting positive impact on generations to come!

→ Now tell me about you. Share your story on my social communities and let me know how you found my website. If there is anything I can do to help plan your next trip or connect you with my network, let me know.

→ Shout outs. The more I travel, the more my faith in the world is justified. None of this would be possible without the help and encouragement of the all the incredible people I've met along the way. I want to take a moment to say thanks to all my friends, family and people who I have never met before who have given me so much undeserved kindness throughout my travels. It's because of you that I'm able to do this!

For behind-the-scenes travel tips and an inside look at my projects and daily life, follow me on Instagram and make sure you spread the love by telling your friends as well. ^Namaste, Taylor

To inquire about sponsorship, partnerships & collab opportunities with Taylor, click HERE!