Bridging the Gap Between Travel and Wellness, Prioritizing Black Mental Health, and Founding Flex-n-Fly with Youmie Jean Francois (Ep 218)

Learn practical ways to prioritize wellness while traveling, from minimalist packing to mental health and self-care. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Youmie Jean Francois joins Matt in-person for this conversation in Dakar, Senegal.  They start talking about their time together in Dakar and what they love about Senegal.  Then, they discuss the “Stylish Minimalist Packing” workshop that they co-facilitated for other world travelers on the Remote Year program and give tips on how to travel the world with carry-on luggage only.  Next, Youmie talks about her experience growing up in Haiti and moving to New York City at age 6.  She reflects on coming up in the Bronx during the golden era of hip hop, becoming a professional dancer, and then eventually leaving the industry, becoming a location-independent entrepreneur, and starting to travel the world.  Youmie tells the story of her first solo trip to Montreal, reflects on how she fell in love with world travel, and explains why she now loves Colombia so much.  She then opens up about her own journey with mental health and wellness, and explains why it is such a central part of her life, her business, and her personal values.  She shares advice on travel wellness for nomads, gives specific tips for entrepreneurs, and talks about the overall importance of prioritizing Black mental health and wellness.  Youmie then shares her entrepreneurial journey founding Flex-n-Fly to bridge the gap between travel and wellness, talks about her products, The Flex|Bag and The Flex|Mat, and also shares resources on how to patronize more Black-owned businesses.  Finally, she reflects on what travel means to her.  → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!