Why I Built HerHouse: The Story Behind the App for Solo Women Travelers

What does it take to sell everything you own, buy a one-way ticket to Australia, and rebuild your life from scratch?In this very first episode of Dream Big, Have Adventures, Tess shares the deeply personal story behind HerHouse — from growing up in the rodeo world in Colorado, to experiencing trauma, to solo backpacking across Australia… and ultimately building a tech startup for women travelers.If you’ve ever felt the pull toward adventure but didn’t feel safe going alone — this episode is for you.This is the origin story of HerHouse — and the movement that’s just getting started.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:How a one-way ticket to Melbourne changed Tess’s life foreverThe role healing and reinvention played in her solo travel journeyWhy safe accommodation is one of the biggest barriers for solo women travelersThe powerful airport encounter that sparked the HerHouse ideaWhy women-only travel communities matterWhat it looks like to build a tech startup with no technical backgroundThe long-term vision for a global network of women hosting womenThe Story Behind HerHouseAfter selling her horse, truck, and trailer — and letting go of the only identity she had known — Tess boarded a plane to Australia on a working holiday visa with nothing but a backpack and belief.What made that leap possible?Women who opened their homes.From Sally in Melbourne to Fran and Alan in Queensland, Tess experienced firsthand how transformative it is to land in a new country and already know someone cares about your safety and belonging.But she also experienced the fear:Arriving in a new city at 4am with no connectionsBurning through money in hostelsNavigating safety concerns as a solo womanAnd she realized something:There are good people everywhere.But there wasn’t a dedicated, women-only space to connect them.HerHouse was born from that gap.Resources & Links Mentioned✨ Start your solo travel journey with the free Solo Travel 101 workshop:>>Access Now>>🌍 Join HerHouse with a 7-day free trial:>>Join Here>>📖 Grab Tess’s book Sherbet Skies:>>Buy Now>>Connect With TessWebsite: https://www.herhouse.co/Instagram: @[email protected]: @herhouse.coIf this episode resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review. It helps more women discover the possibility of safe, supported solo adventure.