Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brett Dupont & LJ Dupont, Founders of Love to Latitude, located in Forest Grove, OR, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Our business is built around travel! We love to travel, not just the beautiful places we visit, the people we meet, or the awesome experiences we gain. It’s the lessons we gain from the many different cultures we see and learn from that make traveling such a unique experience. It’s also made our marriage stronger because, let’s face it; every experience isn’t always perfect. Sometimes there are little storms that pop up even in paradise.

My wife operates the travel side of our brand as she is a certified independent travel agent. She helps create unforgettable experiences for families, friends, love birds, or anyone who’s looking for personal experiences that last a lifetime.

I’m a certified Life Coach. My goal is to help folks create a work-life balance that’s unique to their needs or desires to change. Quite a few people around the world are looking for more than what we’ve all grown up experiencing, which is school, work, retire. More and more people are asking themselves if that is all there is to life once we hit adulthood. Most fully understand there is absolutely more to our journey but need help unearthing the tools that help them get to that “MORE.”

So, we decided to combine both of our passions to create authentic travel experiences that last a lifetime and coaching to help others find the tools they need to start living more on PURPOSE.

Tell us about yourself

We created Love to Latitude as a platform to represent what we love in life – our passion for travel and heart of service! We’re a laid-back couple taking a chance on life while putting our dreams into action with hard work and determination.

In 2015 we looked at our lives and realized that both of our daughters would soon be graduating from school and creating their own lives. Like many parents who are soon to be empty nesters, we asked ourselves, “what now? What do we want to do next?”  We took a few months and through lots of discussions, thought, and, quite frankly, wondering what we had to offer, we decided to turn our passions into something tangible. Our Family and close friends always enjoyed seeing our travels through social media and our YouTube videos. We also enjoy sharing unique experiences so we can hopefully plant the seed in their ears, hoping on the day they, too, venture off into the great wide open. We quickly realized that we loved to help others obtain similar experiences in life, so we decided to dig deep, take a few risks, and go for it!

Starting something new is fun and, at times, uncomfortable. My wife and I made the decision that no matter the circumstances, we will go into this next chapter of our lives with a flexible mindset as we accept the challenges ahead to improve, learn, and grow while doing what we love.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Our biggest accomplishment was the first trip we designed for a couple that was getting married. They were excited and wanted to have an amazing experience for their honeymoon. We spoke with the bride and groom, really getting to know who they were as individuals and as a couple. Their unique tastes, culture, and experiences each of them wanted.

They had no idea if and when they would be able to travel again, so we wanted to make sure their first travel experience was magical. My wife spoke to one of the vendors she’s built a strong relationship with and designed an amazing honeymoon trip.   Both my wife and Vender were excited at the opportunity to create something special for two beautiful people we knew would never forget the experience they were about to have. Both bride and groom raved about their trip, which ended up being in Xcaret, Mexico. They sent us a video of their experience and were beyond happy about their time together.

It was the first big opportunity we were given to change someone’s life through the joy of travel. The impact their experience had on both of them gave us a true understanding of how powerful the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others truly is.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing for us was just to start! Taking the first leap is not an easy step for most of us. We were not at all comfortable; we had a good life, a stable income, and traveled half the time. Could we make it? Did we have what it takes to be successful? So far, the answer is thankful, yes! We have been traveling through Southeast Asia for the past four months and enjoying every bit of it.

We both have experienced backgrounds, so we understand from a business perspective there will inevitably be ups and downs. The economy will always have its ebbs and flows; no one expected a pandemic, and unforeseen events are a part of life. We know we can manage through the challenges that being a business owner comes with. Nothing compares to the challenge of leaving your comfort zone and entering the uncomfortable world of a business owner, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Decide what you are passionate about and why! Make sure you are truly passionate about what you want to create because there will most certainly be moments when you are going to question yourself.
  2. Before you decide to go all in, we suggest having a financial safety net set aside as a buffer for things like bills in case the business takes some time to generate income, also unforeseen issues that will inevitably happen, and for the most part, it really makes a difference if you aren’t worried about finances your first year. Quite a few business owners don’t do this and realize that the financial stress of a business is tough in the first year. We don’t want to scare anyone away from owning a business. What we want is to simply make you aware that having a good financial plan or savings will really go a long way towards a successful, less stressful start.
  3. Have a plan. Sit down, and take a few weeks or months (It took my wife and me three months) to really drill down on what your goals are. Create a business plan; there are all sorts of tools to help create a business plan online, or talk to a professional business owner and see if they can help. Create a long-term and short-term plan. What are the long-term goals you see your business accomplishing in the next 1-3 years? What are your short-term goals, goals that you need to accomplish that lead you to your long-term success within the first year?

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We wish everyone an amazing year. We hope those that are thinking about taking the leap and becoming a business are courageous in taking the leap. If you also are inspired to travel but want that perfect experience, contact us on our social media or send us an email. We love genuinely helping others live more on PURPOSE!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://love2latitude.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovetolatitude
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovetolatitude/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.