In conversation with Mississauga's world traveller Lauren Yakiwchuk, creator of the wildly popular OntarioHiking.com and Justin Plus Lauren.

What enticed you to become a digital content creator in the travel industry?
In 2013, I started my travel blog, Justin Plus Lauren, to keep an online diary of all the trips that I took with my partner, Justin. I figured that if it inspired others to travel to these places along the way, that was awesome! I really didn’t expect that anyone would read it besides us. 

I started getting into travel writing and photography more and more and never dreamed that I could make a full time living doing what I love; traveling, blogging, creating travel content on social media, and inspiring others to see the world. I previously worked as a video editor in the television industry, which I enjoyed. But, it could be a stressful at times with long shifts, mostly on evenings and weekends.
I’ve learned that this is my true passion and I wake up every day loving what I do.

From the outset, I’ve written about things that I’m passionate about; eco-friendly and responsible travel, and inspiring people to travel in a way that’s kind to people, animals, and the planet. 

I went vegan over a decade ago and write vegan food guides to places around the world to help others looking for delicious plant-based eats.

What inspired you to create Ontario Hiking?
I’ve always loved hiking.
When the pandemic struck, I realized that I wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while and that no one was interested in travel as everyone was staying home. This is not a great scenario for someone in the travel industry.

I’ve written about hiking on Justin Plus Lauren since the beginning and I’ve been slowly hiking the entire Bruce Trail and chronicling my journey. 

I can remember the exact day that I came up with Ontario Hiking. It was one week into lockdown and I thought that it would be fantastic to start a blog specifically about hiking in Ontario. If I couldn’t travel far, I wanted to explore all of the amazing trails close to home.

I registered the domain and social media handles immediately and within 24 hours, Ontario Hiking was completely up and running.

The Ontario Hiking social media pages are inspiring, specifically the wildly popular Facebook group with nearly 50,000 members. What do you attribute this success to?
I feel we’re all craving some time away from our computers, the Zoom calls, and technology. 
It’s also a safe way to enjoy the outdoors during a pandemic.

I invest a lot of time administering the Ontario Hiking Facebook group and happily help people find hiking trails near them, and have created guides for trails around Ontario. 

I run a hiking challenge each season where I challenge members to hike at least five times during the month. At month end, they get a digital badge to show they’ve completed the challenge, plus a chance to win prizes from the Ontario Hiking shop. 

The group members really make it an awesome community. Everyone shares their photos, tips, and stories. If someone has a question, there will be numerous people stepping up to help. 

As a one-woman operation, what motivates and drives you?
I love what I do and the variety of work. As a blogger and content creator, I wear many hats. I’m a writer, photographer, video editor, graphic designer, public speaker, social media marketer, and more. If I don’t know how to do something for my business, I’ll learn how to do it. I love connecting with other people in my industry and am lucky to have connected with many friends and colleagues through blogging. I’m in an amazing mastermind group with some inspiring female bloggers and we bounce ideas off one another and continually motivate each other - it’s fantastic!

You also co-own "Justin Plus Lauren - Adventure and Kind Travel." 
How has the pandemic shifted your approach to running both sites?
I’m focusing mostly on travelling locally as we have so much to see and do in Ontario. I visited some fantastic destinations close to home like the Thousand Islands, Oxford County, Stratford and Brighton. We have several cute towns and great outdoor adventures. Plus, I love supporting and featuring small businesses throughout Ontario that could use our love during these times.

What's been the most rewarding aspect of being an entrepreneur and why?
Helping people plan their trips and adventures. 
When someone hikes a trail based on my blog post and has the most incredible day, it’s so wonderful and motivates me to create more content. 

When you reflect on those great memories in your life, you probably think about those incredible moments on vacation or spending time with loved ones doing something fun. 

I hope that my advice and ideas have helped!
It’s rewarding to be your own boss and have full control over your life. 
If I feel like going for a hike on a weekday morning, I can do that as I make my own schedule.

What important lessons have you learned during your journey?
It’s all up to you to be successful and earn a living. There is no hourly pay cheque when you are your own small business. There will be times where I’ll make more money from a contract and other times where I’ll make far less. You have to learn how to budget properly. 

I work way more than 40 hours a week; it's closer to 80! It doesn’t feel like work because I love what I do. There’s always more work to do, so it’s easy to work all the time. I am learning to get better at taking time off for myself, but it is challenging.

Also, follow your gut and pivot where necessary. 

If you could change anything over the course of being an entrepreneur, what would it be and why?
It literally took breaking my ankle and being couch bound for 10 weeks to realize that I could become an entrepreneur. Yes, that happened! 

In 2018, I broke my right ankle and I couldn’t drive or do anything. So, I stayed at home and worked entirely on my blog. 

I realized that I could make a living as a blogger once I started creating content full-time. 

I wish that I had enough faith in myself to make the leap to this before breaking a body part. It’s a scary thing to do, but it’s important to believe in yourself. 

I’m also grateful to always have had Justin’s full support behind everything that I do!

What advice do you have for those looking to enter the entrepreneurial world?
Have multiple income streams. Don’t be afraid to pivot. Network with others in your industry.
Continuously learn and teach yourself new skills. 

If you could pick only one place to hike in Ontario, what would it be and why?
That is way too difficult to answer! 

For sentimental reasons, I’ll go with the Dundas Valley Conservation Area, as I grew up in Dundas and visiting those trails holds a special place for me. Plus, there are several interesting features, including a Victorian train station, old ruins, multiple trails, and I always spot wildlife when I’m there.