Every single day there is a new and unexpected challenge and part of me loves that because you wake up not knowing what’s going to go happen. There is always a new problem to solve. But I think the way to get through that is to acknowledge that you are afraid and terrified, acknowledge that there is a lot at stake and do it anyway. I think there are many reasons people don’t embark on a creative project or to delay doing something. But you have to trust in the process and you have to lead with your heart.

These are the words of Liz Schaffer, founder and publisher of Lodestars Anthology, a London based travel magazine that showcases all the beauty around us, one country at a time. Liz is an Aussie but now lives in London. She talks so casually about how her deep desire to be in the middle of all things creative in London made her just pick up her life and her belongings and move half way around the world from Sydney to London just to carve her own path.

Liz actually has an acting degree and despately wanted to be an actress. But somewhere along the road she realized that perhaps she did not have the right skills and took up journalism instead. She comes from a photography, writing and journalism background and always enjoyed the escapism magazine provide – especially travel magazines.“The way they told stories, the freedom and the personalities that were captured in their pages, those were always captivating. And I always had a journal and a disposable camera on hand everywhere I went. I just didn’t really realize you could make a career out of it”, she says.

As she spent time in the freelance writing and photography space, Liz realized that what was missing was a deep dive into a particular country, a way to tell stories and capture the true essence of a place. So on whim she decided that she would fill that gap with a travel magazine dedicated to one country at a time. She thought she would just do a couple but when the project just took off, she realized she had stumbled onto something that was missing in the marketplace.

When we talked about motivation and mindset, Liz had something quite profound to say. She said, “If you have an idea and you are desperate to make that work – that’s what keeps you going. Cliché as it sounds, the day I wake up and I am not excited to be at my desk or think it is easy and I am following a formula, is the day I will stop because it will not be a driving force for me anymore”.

Now when you hear this, don’t you just want to listen to everything else that Liz has to share about her journey as an entrepreneur? I know you are going to enjoy getting to know Liz on this episode of CulturallyOurs.

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