In life, we often face unexpected challenges that push us to reevaluate everything. For Pete and his wife, those moments of tragedy sparked a profound shift in their lives, leading them to embrace the freedom of a digital nomad lifestyle. What began as an escape from grief transformed into nearly eight years of travel, rich experiences, and a thriving business. In this inspiring interview, they share how resilience, adventure, and an unwavering commitment to living fully led them to create Trip Chaser—a card game designed to bring their most unforgettable travel memories to life.
What inspired you and your husband to embark on a digital nomad lifestyle, and how did those experiences influence the creation of Trip Chaser?
In the first half of July, 2007, my husband Pete and I faced a barrage of personal tragedies. Pete’s mom passed away quickly during her second bout with cancer. Several months later, we discovered that we would not be able to have kids. And just days after that realization, my older sister passed away suddenly. We were – as you might expect – spiralling from all of this happening at once.
About 6 months later, during a long drive, we began a conversation that ultimately changed the trajectory of our lives. We had always talked about taking leaves from work and travelling the world for a while, but finally, given all that had happened in our lives, we ran out of reasons not to do it. The old adage that life is short forced us to look at our situation differently. We had been living in a house that was too big, working in careers that were not fulfilling, and we needed a change. We sold our house and bought one-way tickets to South America – we expected that we might travel for one year, but it ended up being close to 8.
Along the way, we developed a number of different online businesses to keep our travel dream alive (including a personal blog that we still update). We purposefully kept our business goals small so that we could focus on enjoying our travel-focused lifestyle. We made the most of every day! From kayaking in Greenland to hiking in Jordan and riding endless buses in South America, we built a wealth of experiences to draw on when creating our card game Trip Chaser, and many of our everyday experiences are baked right into it!
Can you share the story of your journey with leukemia and how it impacted both your personal life and your professional pursuits?
Our nomadic lifestyle was suddenly cut short when I was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in late 2016. APL is a drastic and punishing disease if not treated quickly – luckily enough, we were near Seattle at the time, and I was able to return to Canada to begin treatment immediately.
As tough as it was physically to endure the treatment, the hardest part about it was that our travels suddenly stopped. The grief from so dramatically losing our carefree lifestyle was very hard to take – I don’t remember the exact details, but as soon as I was diagnosed, I just kept apologizing to my husband. He, of course, rejected that apology, but we were both severely heartbroken. We knew that my prognosis was good (over 95% cure rate if treated quickly), but that the recovery would be long. Over the following 5 months, I spent over 900 hours in a hospital bed, and another year and a half undergoing treatment as an outpatient. We were suddenly grounded in Canada, and that was hard to take.
Professionally, once I was able to work again, our “settling” actually worked to our benefit. Our business grew quickly, and we had a couple of our most profitable years. And then…COVID hit.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your business, and what motivated you to develop a travel-themed card game during that time?
Given that our work was almost exclusively in tourism marketing, we took a major hit from COVID. 80% of our revenue was lost overnight. We thankfully had just enough to keep us going and to keep our team members employed at least part-time, but it was a very dramatic and sad time for us.
In mid-March of 2020, Pete and I sat across from each other at our desks and absolutely did not know what to do with ourselves. It felt like we should be doing something – but what? That’s when we returned to an idea we had been batting around for some time but never had the time for: creating a card game. We started sketching out ideas immediately, and the game started to take shape. In retrospect, I am so grateful for that time we had, otherwise we likely never would have created Trip Chaser.
What was the process of transforming your travel memories into a card game like?
That was honestly SO much fun. It took us quite a while to dive deep into all our memories and pull out the best (and worst!) ones. We also queried our blog readers for some of their travel stories, and they delivered some great ones! It gave us a way to relive our time on the road and engage with our blog readers, and who doesn’t love to do that? The best part about producing this game is to hear from players because some of the events detailed on the cards resonate with them so much.
What challenges did you face in bringing Trip Chaser to life, especially during such uncertain times?
Well, we had lots of time to test the game, so that was a plus! But there were so many challenges to producing the game that were all new to us. Finding a manufacturer was a struggle, as is the never-ending battle with Amazon to set up and now maintain a proper listing. And while it has been painful at times, we also love adding this new knowledge and these new skills to our repertoire.
How did your childhood love for games contribute to the design and development of Trip Chaser?
Growing up, my family was always playing games; it was how we spent quality time together! So, throughout my life, I’ve been exposed to all kinds of different games and competitive angles. I knew what I liked and didn’t like, and what techniques might work well with the travel game we wanted to develop. Trip Chaser includes elements from some of my favourites, and it is very interactive, but with a travel twist. We definitely could not have even conceived of this game without those lifelong experiences.
What lessons have you learned about resilience and adaptability from your experiences as a digital nomad and cancer survivor?
Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth – as Mike Tyson once said. I used to be a planner, but I’m not much of one anymore. I hate what if conversations and don’t worry about things until there is certainty in their happening. And when/if it does, I am much more suited to act.
With all I’ve been through in my life, I feel pretty equipped to face just about anything. I know how to live on only what I can carry in a backpack. I’ve lost people who were very dear to me, and I’ve faced death myself. What I always tell myself, in the hardest times, is that the only way through it is through it. It won’t always be that hard; and every time I’ve come through something difficult, I’ve been changed for the better.
How do you balance running multiple businesses with the demands of personal life and recovery?
I’ve been so fortunate to be surrounded by good people who have lifted me up. My mom and husband were constantly at my side during my bout with leukemia, and the employees we had at the time were equal parts compassionate and capable.
My husband and I are also very in sync – we’ve made all of our business decisions together and have always had each other’s backs. And we aren’t driven by money because we live minimally and simply – our marriage, our family, and our chosen lifestyle always come first. We acknowledge that we’ve been very privileged in many aspects of our lives, but we’ve also worked very hard to give ourselves the freedom to make these sorts of choices.
What strategies do you use to maintain your mental health and well-being amidst the pressures of entrepreneurship?
I’ve had to learn the hard way how important it is to have balance in my life. Before we sold everything to travel, I worked long hours and suffered from it. When tragic events sent my life into a tailspin, the decision to upend my life and travel was the only thing that pulled me out. It was certainly a drastic decision – but it ultimately taught me how important it is to put myself first. I don’t know where I’d be without that realization, or without the support of my husband who agreed to this unorthodox life.
Nowadays, I have a much more relaxed approach to life. Pete and I don’t take on any new work unless we need to, and we strive as much as possible to enjoy our lives and only do work we’re passionate about. And when we need a break – we take a day to immerse ourselves in nature, that always does the trick! Recently, we bought a rural house with an ocean view and living here for the past year and a half has made us so, so happy. Being able to look out our windows and be inspired by the view has taken the edge off of any pressure we may endure.
Can you share any advice for women who are facing unexpected life challenges while managing their careers?
Too often, women are expected to do it all while also caring for others. My advice to women is to lean on your community. Say yes to offers of help. Even ask for help. Surround yourself with people who genuinely have your back, and do the same for them. We are ALL going to face adversity at some point, there is no shame in it. But suffering in silence does nobody any good.
What has been the most rewarding part of creating and launching Trip Chaser?
The people who truly enjoy it are most often avid travellers themselves, and I love hearing from them. Some have reached out to share their own travel stories or have shared photos of them playing it in different places (we purposefully made it very small and packable so people can take it with them on their travels), and every time someone does, it makes me so happy!
How has working with your husband on this project strengthened or challenged your relationship?
We have been through SO much together – every new successful project we take on just reminds me that I hit the husband jackpot. From day one he stated that I was the ultimate boss and he was there to support me – and he has held true to that. We have our bad moments, for sure, but we always come through stronger and ready to take on the next big thing. I can’t imagine going through this roller coaster life with anyone else.
What can you tell us about the second game you’re working on and how it will differ from Trip Chaser?
It is very different! It is less about actual travel experiences and takes a much more strategic angle, having players endeavour to build continuous trips around the globe. I am so proud of Trip Chaser, but I truly love this new game, and we play it constantly. It is unnamed as of yet, but we hope to have it available in the summer of 2025.
What impact do you hope Trip Chaser will have on those who play it, especially in a post-pandemic world?
So many of our favourite travel moments made it into the game via the event cards, and they were purposefully added to entertain, educate, and inspire. Whether it reminds players (and travellers!) about the benefits of packing light, learning about a new culture, or how genuinely awesome it is to meet new people abroad and more, we hope that Trip Chaser reminds people that travel is amazing, even when it’s not.
What advice would you offer to other women who are looking to turn their passions or life experiences into a successful business?
My advice to anyone starting out is to think five to ten years ahead and estimate whether they can truly see themselves enjoying the work in the long run. Passion can easily turn to resentment when all the other stresses of running a business get in the way.
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