Johnson Nguyen

Johnson Nguyen

Johnson Nguyen is a digital marketing expert and a proud resident of British Columbia in Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in digital culture from King’s College in London. Nguyen runs a fast-growing online marketing outfit associated with a resurgent talent group. Using his knowledge and experience, Nguyen has helped the company increase its market visibility and profitability. Most of this growth is attributed to increased sales, high web traffic and increased presence in social media outlets. The company has a strong workforce of 15 marketing specialist. The staff is spread across several cities, including London, Vancouver and Hong Kong. The marketing company’s client portfolio includes learning institutions, media, travel and logistic companies.

The opportunities brought about by digital marketing are numerous and this has seen many startups, including Johnson Nguyen’s take their rightful place in the market. The digital firm is both HubSpot and Google certified. Nguyen’s vision is to formulate strategies that will see the firm gain respect as one of the most admired online digital marketing firms in North America. These efforts will be leveraged by social media, SEO, email marketing and web analytics. Outside work, Johnson Nguyen enjoys traveling with his family. The newly wed is widely traveled having visited Europe extensively as well as parts of Asia and South America. Besides studying in England, Nguyen has been to France, Spain and Holland. His hobbies are hiking, camping and jogging.

What do you like about traveling?

Traveling means everything to me. I often think about my next trip when I want to take a breather away from the usual work routine. I have met many people and made friendships in most of the places I’ve been to, and this is something I am not going to give up. Traveling has greatly improved my communication and people skills. This is in addition to increasing my desire to learn more foreign languages. As of now, I speak English, French, Spanish and some German.

What does traveling mean to you? Is it a hobby or lifestyle? How did you get started?

I consider it a hobby. I enjoy traveling because it creates memories of a lifetime and has helped broaden my horizons. This is the reason I make every effort to make my trips fun. I especially enjoy traveling with family and friends. There are also a couple of times I’m obligated to travel for work related reasons. The passion to travel came naturally because I am an outgoing person who enjoys learning new things and exploring the spaces around me and beyond.

What are some travel tip’s you’d like to share with an inexperienced traveler?

Owing to past travel experiences, I made a tacit decision to travel light and make my trips as hassle free as possible. The key to traveling light lies in packing right and having sufficient funding. It is also important to pay close attention to travel warnings and advisories, especially when going overseas. Your travel documents, i.e. passports and visas also need to be up to date. For the inexperienced traveler, I encourage them to maintain an open mind. This means asking questions whenever necessary and taking time to research and explore the travel destinations. When embarking on a trip, remember research is an important part of familiarization and shouldn’t be ignored.

Where would you like to go in your next trip?

On my next trip to Europe, I would like to visit the small tourist haven of Malta. I was glad to learn that Malta has been home to many epic battles featuring different European powers. Some of the attractions I would like to see include the megalithic temples, fortresses and beaches, where some of the world’s most exquisite restaurants are located. My travel list also includes countries like Morocco and the Czech Republic. Back in Canada, I always enjoy exploring the evergreen, British Columbia. Being an ardent hiker, the trails here are both challenging and mesmerizing. The trails feature everything from steep mountain climbs and scenic waterfalls to infinite forests.

Where would you like to revisit?

I seem not to get enough of England. I studied at the world-famous King’s College in London before moving back home in Canada to pursue a career in digital marketing. While in England, I made lots of friends. This makes me feel very much at home whenever I visit. My company maintains offices and staff in several places around the world. I would probably venture out more when I visit these offices next time to learn more about the people, their culture and foods.

Dr. David Hepburn

Dr. David Hepburn

Dr. David Hepburn is a popular expert in the highly debated field of medical cannabis. With over 30 years of experience, he has worked in roles ranging from the military to some high-level sporting teams. For instance, he took part in the Persian Gulf War during 1991 as a military physician. In 1996, he went to the Olympics where his skills were used to treat athletes who competed. Afterward, he connected with some sporting teams including the Canadian Jr. National Rugby team. Not to forget that he has been treating a few hockey teams who compete professionally. Before building a lucrative career, Dr. David Hepburn went to the University of Ottawa. This is where he received his Doctor of Science Degree in Medicine in 1986. 


What is your favorite thing about traveling?

I enjoy it because it is one of the only ways that I can learn without actually feeling like I am studying something. When you work as a doctor for over 30 years, you eventually reach a stage where you are learning about new things on a daily basis. Nevertheless, you usually know that this is taking place because you spend hours conducting in-depth research or reviewing professional journals. 

Whenever I travel, I can interact with the locals in the most casual way and still learn a ton about their culture and norms. This helps me relax and recuperate my brain while still keeping it active enough to maintain the necessary levels of critical thinking. Once you throw in the fact that you also get to meet amazing people from all over the world as a byproduct, it seems obvious that traveling is one of the most purposeful and exciting hobbies out there. 


Is traveling something you consider a hobby or a lifestyle? How did you get started?

I do not consider it either one of those two. The reason why is the fact that I do not travel enough to label it a “lifestyle” nor a “hobby.” In my opinion, a lifestyle is something that guides the way in which a person goes about their day-to-day activities. Well, other than medicine and patient care, not a lot of things can really impact my daily ventures. 

Although hobbies are different, I still believe that there has to be a consistent level of interest and involvement related to something for it to truly be a hobby. I certainly have the necessary interest in traveling. Engagement, however, is where I fall short as I do not have enough time to travel whenever I want to. 


What are some travel tips you’d give to an inexperienced traveler?

I would advise them to always listen to a live person’s advice over things like online research, travel magazines, and other cold sources. The reason why is that most of these can be affected by explicit or implicit biases. For example, a lot of travel writers are sponsored by brands who pay for them to positively review certain regions. If, however, you go and talk to a person that you know has been to some location where you would like to go, the odds of them giving you any misleading information are quite low. 


Where would you like to go?

I would really love to visit Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein. Azerbaijan has always been on my bucket list as a destination that is characterized by incredible history dating back to more than 4,000 BC. Going there could be an outstanding opportunity to see this part of Eastern Europe and Western Asia since I have never been anywhere even remotely close to that area. Liechtenstein, on the other hand, is in the center of Europe right between some of my favorite countries, Austria and Switzerland. Going there would be a fun experience as the entire country is merely 62 square miles! Nevertheless, the beautiful scenery could take days to fully absorb and experience. 


Where would you like to revisit?

I would love to go back to Rome. Visiting Italy was an outstanding experience that I will definitely have to repeat at some point in my life. Additionally, since my visit to Rome, I actually had a chance to take a course on some basic Italian. I did this to practically force myself to go back there one day as I knew that I would want to test my speaking abilities. I would further like to go to other areas in Canada soon as a lot of my professional associates reside there. Not to mention the fact that Toronto would be an awesome destination now that they have become the new NBA champions! I bet that I would still get to taste some of their celebratory moods while catching up with important partners and friends.

Jim Gray MD

Jim Gray MD

When it comes to physician-owned businesses, there are often problems related to a lack of entrepreneurial knowledge. After all, people who run a business possess a very different set of skills than someone who trained to be a doctor. With Jim Gray MD, however, this is not the case.

Jim Gray MD is a radiologist who has been practicing medicine for north of a decade. Before this, he went to Mississippi State University, Northwestern Ohio University College of Medicine, University of Mississippi, and University of Cincinnati Medical Center to complete his education. Now, Jim Gray MD is one of the most established radiologists in Meridian.

What is your favorite thing about traveling?

There are quite a few things that I love about it. First, as surprising as it may seem, I love traveling because I get to see how people from my industry operate in different markets. For instance, the way that I work with my patients may be quite different from the way that another radiologist does it. Additionally, going to new places lets me learn more about myself through interactions with individuals who had different upbringing, manners, and so on. 

Is traveling something you consider a hobby or a lifestyle? How did you get started?

I wish it was a lifestyle. Unfortunately, right now it is just a hobby. I normally do it whenever I take a long vacation. That way, I can plan for my trip to last about a week. 

What are some travel tips you’d give to an inexperienced traveler?

Start planning your trip at least a month before you actually head on the road. This is because you may need to make reservations that could become more expensive or unavailable as your desired date approaches. Also, booking things early on will give you peace of mind because you will not have to worry about any uncertainties. Besides early planning, I advise everyone to avoid packing too much stuff. This is because you do not want to carry a plethora of items that serve no purpose. Unfortunately, new travelers tend to be scared of forgetting something so they bring things that will not be used at all. Doing this will force you to carry excessive weight and make your traveling arrangements much more difficult. 

Where would you like to go?

I would like to visit Canada and some European countries. Although I have been to Canada a few times, I never got to stay as long as I really wanted. In the future, I definitely intend on making this my vacation spot where I spend no less than 7-10 days. As far as Europe goes, I have been planning to visit some of the popular countries for a long time now. Examples include France, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, and so on. The only downside to this is the fact that most of these countries are disbursed all over Europe. So, visiting them all in one trip would be borderline impossible unless I took a month-long vacation. Sadly, since I cannot make something like that happen given my patients’ needs, I think that I will break this trip down into a few segments. 

Where would you like to revisit?

I would like to go to California and some states on the West Coast again. I went there a few years ago for a conference and then spent a few more days with some friends. The scenery was incredible, and I had time to visit some of the local restaurants. Also, the weather was nice enough for me to test the ocean which was a lot of fun and a great experience. 

Do you travel alone? Why?

When I travel for work, which is not that common, I tend to travel alone. The reason why is that I operate much more efficiently when I do my own planning. If, however, I am going somewhere for pleasure, I will take someone from my family or a friend. Sometimes, if none of those two options are available, I try to find one of my acquaintances at the location to which I am going. 

Do you travel light, or do you pack up the house?

I travel extremely light. In fact, I often catch myself missing items that I need. Although this is a bit of a problem, it allows me to only take carry-on baggage without worrying about checking in my luggage and waiting for it after I land. After all, you cannot lose items that you do not take with you. More importantly, traveling light helps me make the trip quite effortless as I do not have to drag multiple bags behind me.

Connor Mulvey

Connor Mulvey

In order to successfully serve clients in business-to-business relations, one has to know a lot about entrepreneurship. Well, Connor Mulvey is a great example of somebody who has mastered these skills. As a graduate of Loyola University Maryland, he got his bachelor’s degree with a focus in finance and economics. Since then, Chicago native Connor Mulvey secured a job with the Genesis Group, LLC where he has been for over five years. His current role is that of a junior associate who oversees most of the projects in the B2B sector as well as marketing. Outside of work, Connor Mulvey does a lot of physical activities related to running and resistance training.

What is your favorite thing about traveling?

I enjoy it because it gives me an escape. I love the thrill of getting on an airplane or planning a long drive because I know that some new adventures will come soon. Also, I am a very out-going person that takes advantage of every trip and meet as many people as possible. Whether they are some associates or complete strangers does not matter at all. As long as we can get along, I try to enjoy their presence and share some fun experiences. 

Lastly, I love traveling because it is a perfect way to humble yourself. When you see how other cultures operate, you often realize that there are many things that you could be doing differently. Not to mention that you frequently also recognize how lucky you may be with your own circumstances. 

Is traveling something you consider a hobby or a lifestyle? How did you get started?

It is more of a hobby. As much as I would like to make it a lifestyle, I do not have the time that is needed. If I did, however, it would certainly be my main priority as there are many locations that I am looking forward to visiting at some point in my life. As far as getting started, I think that some of the trips that I took when I was in college were definitely instrumental to me falling in love with traveling. Even though these were ventures with low budgets, I had a lot of fun because of the people that came with me and the destinations that were explored. 

What are some travel tips you’d give to an inexperienced traveler?

First of all, calm down. Whether you are taking an international trip or simply going to a city nearby, you should collect yourself and let go of any fear that you have. The reason why is that traveling while being anxious of everything will ruin your experience. You will be too busy worrying about things to realize how beautiful your surroundings may be. So, try to focus on the things that you can control and do a good job with making sure that your planning is detail-oriented and timely. 


Where would you like to go?

I want to visit Spain and probably Portugal since they are next to one another. Madrid and Barcelona have been on my bucket list for a long time. I will probably make this my next overseas trip. Until then, however, I will most definitely go to some of the states surrounding me. I always love going to Illinois because Chicago is my true home. Whenever there, I also take a trip to some smaller cities that I loved visiting as a kid. Other than that, I definitely want to take a trip to Mexico at some point. This, however, will take a backseat to my Europe-based endeavors. 

Do you travel alone? Why?

I do not. In fact, I cannot even remember the last time when I went on a trip all by myself. The reason why is that I really enjoy having people around me and traveling is a perfect way to accommodate this preference. Also, having good company can help you turn an unsuccessful trip into one of the most fantastic experiences that you ever had. 

Do you travel light, or do you pack up the house?

It mostly depends on the type of journey that I am taking as well as the company that is coming with me. If my friends and I are engaging in some leisure traveling, I will not take more than the bare minimum. So, if I am staying somewhere for a week, I will bring enough clothes to last me those seven days. Other than that, I do not really carry much. In my opinion, the more stuff you carry, the higher the risk of losing something important.