The Real Reason We Travel: People, Not Places | Jae Choi

What happens when someone who feels completely lost decides to leave everything behind and travel the world?In this episode of the Holly Hughes Podcast, Holly sits down with Jae Choi, founder of Goodmate Travel, to explore the unexpected journey that led him from uncertainty in South Korea to building a travel company that connects strangers from across the world through shared experiences.What started as a small food tour in a traditional Korean market eventually grew into Goodmate Travel, a company known for creating authentic cultural experiences and bringing travelers together in ways that often lead to lifelong friendships.This conversation goes far beyond travel advice. It explores entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership, cultural expectations, risk taking, and the courage it takes to build a life that feels aligned with who you truly are.If you have ever wondered whether you should take the safe path or follow curiosity into something unknown, this episode offers a powerful reminder that sometimes the best decisions begin with simply saying yes to the journey.How Jae Choi built Goodmate Travel from a simple food tourWhy travel is really about the people you meetHow writing letters to CEOs changed Jae’s perspective on lifeWhat traveling the world for four years taught him about purposeWhy group travel experiences create powerful human connectionsThe leadership lessons behind building a global travel brandHow Netflix discovered Jae through one of his travel toursWhat it takes to run immersive cultural travel experiencesWhy solo travelers often find community through group travelThe mindset needed to build something meaningful over timeWe talk about:00:00 Introduction to Jae Choi and Goodmate Travel01:20 Growing up in Korea and feeling lost under societal expectations03:00 Writing letters to CEOs and deciding to travel the world05:00 Traveling the world for four years and discovering purpose07:30 Travel to Korea experience and the origin of Goodmate Travel10:00 Korean cultural expectations and choosing a different path12:00 Leading group travel experiences and managing personalities15:00 How Netflix discovered Jae through a Korea travel tour17:30 Hosting international creators and travel events in Korea19:30 Creative projects and attempting a Korean version of The Office22:00 Building a travel company and leading a growing team24:20 Solo travel Korea tips and why travelers join group tours27:00 What travelers from around the world have in common30:10 Balancing entrepreneurship, work, and family life33:30 Why travel changes how people see the world37:30 Authentic travel experiences and lifelong friendships39:20 Jae Choi’s personal warning labelConnect with Holly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehollyhughes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hollyhughesintuitiveGet Holly’s book here: http://bit.ly/4ggvAamWebsite: https://hollyhughesintuitive.com/ #TravelToKorea #GroupTravelExperience #SoloTravelKorea #AuthenticTravel #TravelCommunity #CulturalTravel #TravelEntrepreneur #KoreaTravelGuide #HollyHughesPodcast