Meet the Covergirl: Anna Leigh Wilson

I grew up in Frisco, TX where I developed a love for Texas and all that this state has to offer. My grandmother worked for NASA & my mother worked for American Airlines. Travel has always been a huge part of my life, I just wasn’t quite sure how to make it my profession. I grew up riding horses and playing volleyball just as all of my peers did. After following the traditional route of college, grad school, work life I remembered asking myself ‘THIS IS IT?’ I knew I was destined for more, so I decided to begin my entrepreneurial journey of finding a career I loved. I quickly learned that half the goal is finding something you’re passionate about, and the other half is helping others find theirs, so this led me to teaching others how to pursue seeing the world one destination at a time and moving away from the mindset that you are limited to the industrial age of work/lifestyle. This is where I developed “The Bucketlist Vagabond.”

LESSONS FROM CHILDHOOD

When I was a little girl I clearly recall my mom saying “let’s go to Jamaica” on a Thursday night....& without question we booked our flights and went! It was one of my times that my mom saw an opportunity and took it. I definitely get my adventurous spirit and zest for life from my mother. She was quick to say “YES” to opportunities and always reminded me that doors open up the second I step away from my comfort zone. She also taught me that you can figure anything out if you simply look at life as being simple. One of my favorite qualities about myself is one that i’ve also found in my mom, to fly by the seat of my pants, don’t take life too seriously, and simply say YES!

My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease when I was younger, and seeing a human go from designing space suits for NASA to forgetting to eat was a tough pill to swallow. One night my mom looked at me and said “Let’s take her on her last trip.” Off to Paris my grandmother, my mom and I went! Though my grandmother could not recall parts of the trip, my mom & I got to watch her smilie as she watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle in the night, dance along with Moulin Rouge, and eat all the baguettes she could! Getting to be a part of her very last trip was something I will never forget.

BECOMING

During my lunch breaks at the hospital I would scroll on instagram and see a girl sitting on a beach in that exact moment sipping on a fresh fruit drink. I kept seeing these people living my dream life and

Deep down I knew I was not created to work a 9 to 5 and live only for the weekends!

I bought the book called Everything is Figuroutable (highly recommend) and decided to figure out how to make this my reality too. I knew instagram was a highlight reel, but I knew that if bobby sue was sitting on a beach on a Monday afternoon, then I could do it too!

THE BUCKETLIST VAGABOND

I serve those who want to see the world and check off their bucket lists. I help others find cheap flight tickets, teach them how to work with brands/hotels, how to grow and organic following, and how to ultimately escape the 9-5 and pursue the life of their dreams! I grow my following through a genuine community. I engage on accounts that I love and help support my friends as well as competitors and they support me right back! I believe that everyone has a unique story, but it’s up to you to share your uniqueness! If you constantly hide behind what you think others want to see then you won’t stand out from the crowd! be different, it’s more fun!

Anna Leigh Wilson for ELLA Inspires Magazine

Photo: Abby Leary @abbyleary_photography

I pitch myself through showcasing what I can provide to a brand if they work with me. I tend to take my time with each partnership so that I can have enough time to create a thoughtful and thorough story that engages my community. Sponsorships began as simple product exchanges, but developed into long term partnerships as I learned what brands/ companies are looking for. I also make sure to maintain partnerships that align with my niche. I will not accept fashion partnerships, for example, as it would not serve my audience.

THE BUSINESS OF LEARNING

My biggest mistake was trying to create content like a competitor. The comparison game is a thief of joy. If at all possible, avoid comparison like the plague! Put your blinders on, hone in on your skills and what YOU bring to the table, and eliminate all other distractions. It can be really hard to forge your own path. But in order to attract your tribe, it’s so important to authentically YOU!

Remember that building a life around others dreams and goals will never motive, inspire, or fuel you with enough passion that it will actually take to succeed! Dig deep, find out who YOU are, and chase your dreams based on that!

CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY

On my journey I have overcome failures. Gosh, I started a blog three times before one ever took off. I used the wrong platforms and invested in the wrong courses that cost me over 10K. It’s frustrating to know something is out there that is meant for you, but not being able to find any of the answers. But I tell myself that no successful person ever made it to the top without failure. They simply viewed it as a learning opportunity and refused to quit. This is the mindset that determines those who fail and those who succeed.

COMMUNITY

I fully believe that there is room for everyone at the top! By supporting your competitors, you are growing the environment in which you both need to thrive, attracting more potential customers, and in turn creating more opportunities for the both of you. Recently I helped a friend get into a new profession. I gave her resources, provided her with contacts, helped with her resume, and she landed her dream job. Later down the road I was looking for specific help with a new side job, and guess who was the first to offer assistance. Things come back tenfold when you accept the idea that there is room for us all at the top!

Human beings are survivors, first and foremost. We will always finds ways to adapt and to push through when things get hard. Through all of my trials and errors, I have had to dig deep and truly support myself. Of course my family is always there rooting me on and for that I am so thankful, but at the end of the day if you don’t genuinely believe in yourself and say positive things to yourself, you will ultimately fail. Be the best version of yourself, for yourself. When you do that, others will support you as well!

There is a family known as The Bucketlist Family that I completely adore and look up to. They are so free spirited and the mother proves to the world that it IS possible to show your children the world. Another woman I look up to is my mom. She has a tenacious drive and desire to pursue her dreams and it’s so inspiring to see someone chase what they want. When I feel stuck I often think about her persistence through hardships and the ultimate goal she fights for.

STAY TUNED..

I am so excited to announce that “The Bucket List Academy” is launching MAY 1st! This course completely spills the beans on all things related to becoming an influencer from branding, SEO, website set up, pitching to brands, negotiations, templates, rate calculators, emails, mindset, key word research and so much more secrets that took me YEARS to figure out.

I realized that I needed to become the person that I needed back when I started, so I put every single piece of knowledge I have into this course! Like I said above, there is room for us all at the top. I created a one- stop-shop to gather all the information that is needed to begin your career as an influencer!

Anna Leigh Wilson for ELLA Inspires Magazine

Photo: Abby Leary @abbyleary_photography

Anna Leigh Wilson is a Speech Therapist turned travel influencer and storyteller on a mission to check off her bucket list and help others travel the world in the most unique way possible!

Follow

You can find me on the gram/Youtube/Facebook/TikTok @thebucketlistvagabond or www.bucketlistvagabond.com