In this episode: Liz Rivas on choosing herself at the altar, solo traveling 12 countries in 12 months, and building RoamCircle, a global women-first community app, from airport-lounge idea to live product in 90 days.

If you've ever landed in a new city and realized the hardest part of solo travel isn't the logistics but the loneliness, this conversation is for you. Liz walked away from her engagement in November 2024, spent the next year digital nomading through 12 countries, and then, in a single half-hour at an airport lounge, had the quiet nudge that became RoamCircle. We get into the origin story, what it actually looks like to live a double life (corporate marketing job by day, founder by morning/night/weekend), why she books business class on purpose, and how to rest without guilt when you're building something you're obsessed with.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- You don't need more time, you need more ownership. Your capacity grows with what you choose to build, not what you passively survive.

- Community while traveling can be hard to find and the infrastructure for authentic female friendship on the road has been missing until now.

- Self-sacrifice has an expiration date when you're building toward a life you love. Living a double life can only last so long.

- You can't ask for what you've never seen. Sometimes you need to enter different rooms, or airplane cabins, to see your options differently.

- Hormones, energy, and creativity aren't linear and neither is your timeline. Resting without guilt is a founder skill.

"One thing that you never hear millionaires say is that they're busy. As you start to make more decisions and build something, your capacity grows, it's not constricting. You actually find more time." — Liz Rivas

CONNECT WITH LIZ RIVAS

Instagram: @roamcircleapp

Website: roamcircle.app

RoamCircle, live in 12 cities and growing

Connect with Teresa

- Join the Becoming Obsessed Playground weekly email for curiosity-led women building a life they love.

- Instagram: @becomingobsessedpod + @teresaajean

- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it's the biggest thank-you, and it helps ambitious women find the show

- Website: teresaajean.com

Topics: solo female travel, digital nomad community, women entrepreneurs, building a startup while working full time, authentic female friendship, curiosity-led living, personal growth podcast for ambitious women, life design

Mentioned in this episode:

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And I'm literally at the airport. I'm like, okay, I want to create this app. What do I do? What's the name? And within half an hour, I had an llc.

I had the website, I had the Instagram, I had the Facebook. I had the LinkedIn. And I'm like, okay, I could do this. One thing that you never hear millionaires say is that they're busy.

They have multiple deals going on. They have global partnerships. They have their families.

And as you start start to make more decisions and building something and you're in that mindset, your capacity grows. It's not constricting. You actually find more time and learn how to manage your time and operationalize things better.

Welcome to Becoming Obsessed, where curiosity leads you to a life you love.

I'm Teresa Stasmi, and after over a decade of traveling the world, working with small business owners and creating a couple of businesses of my own, I know a thing or two about playing by your own rules. It's not always easy, and I. And it's often messy. It can be hard, especially if you're doing it alone.

I've seen way too many incredible women shoot for the stars only to burn out along the way. Or worse, live on default and never chase their dreams. We're done with all of that.

Together, we're going to challenge what keeps us stuck and figure out what it takes to live a life we truly love. Today, we are becoming obsessed with finding, finding community.

While traveling this week, I saw a girly pop on Instagram talk about how she moved from Atlanta to Tampa. And while she was moving, all of her friends said, you can move away from your problems. And then she was making this video saying, you know what?

Since I moved, I am happier, I am hotter. My problems disappeared. And while I know nothing about her story at all, she just came across while I was scrolling. I relate to that.

And in the comments, somebody said that idea that you can't move away from your problems is BS because movement is a great way to process and move the energy. Whether you're moving and dancing and doing yoga or you're moving across the country or traveling abroad.

And that is something that I've experienced in my own life.

I've used traveling abroad and going on big trips many times to put my life in perspective, to break free of something that feels really stuck, or when I'm going through really heavy things in my life, it's a great way for me to get out, get perspective, process. Or when I've gone through a huge breakup, it's also how I've dealt with that. Today's guest knows a few things about that as well.

And in her own journey of traveling to process and heal, she realized that we need more options for finding community while traveling. I'm so excited to introduce today's guest, Liz.

Liz Rivas is the founder of Rome Circle, a global women first community platform helping women find authentic friendships wherever they roam.

After choosing herself and spending a year traveling across 12 countries, Liz built a life and a business rooted in sisterhood, connection, and designing a life she's truly obsessed with. Liz, I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. Welcome to Becoming Obsessed.

Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.

And yep, yes, our favorite.

I have to say, as soon as I kind of found you, we connected in the entrepreneista League, and I found out what you were doing, which is building Rome Circle, a global women first community platform that helps women find those authentic relationships and friendships while you're on the road. I was like, okay, I need to have you on. We need to talk about this, but I want to go back to your story before you developed this app.

I know a little bit about your story. You kind of went through some transitions, and then you're like, okay, I'm going to go be a digital nomad.

And Liz, I don't know if you know this about me, but I've also spent, like, over a year in Europe and just a lot of time abroad. And so I am so curious. You hit 12 countries in 12 months. Take me back to kind of the origin of that and of Rome Circle.

And long story short, my partner was dealing with addiction, unfortunately, was completely relapsed at the altar. He was sober for nine months. And one thing led to another.

Obviously, you're in Dominican Republic, all your friends from college are there, and everybody's partying. And one beer turned into several shots to being fully relapsed at the altar.

Like, bloodshot eyes, completely obliterated, drooling, holding onto the altar, just like a complete debacle. And at that moment, I knew that I had to choose myself. It wasn't super, super easy.

I mean, we still had a party to go after, and I'm, of course I'm gonna enjoy my party because I planned it. I'm like, yeah, I'm gonna have fun. And everyone's like, I didn't even notice that you were mad or anything. I'm like, yes. Botox.

Yeah, you can't even tell.

Travel is in my blood. My father's been a travel agent for 40 years. It's just natural to me. And through that is basically how Rome Circle was born.

Obviously, you know this as a digital nomad and traveling that it can get lonely sometimes. There's different WhatsApp groups and Facebook groups and meetups and all these random things. And also dating apps.

I was in a very fragile place last year, so dating apps were not the best idea. Unfortunately, I am also stupid. So I did go on them.

Girl, I hear you on that part. So you're not alone.

Some international entanglements, some situationships abroad. But it was back in August, actually, before I was going to go to Lisbon for a couple of weeks.

I'm at the airport, flying back from New York, where my family's from, back to Miami, and I'm like thinking, I'm like, how am I going to make friends when I'm traveling? I don't want to go on dating apps. Like, I know a couple of people in Lisbon already. Then I'm like, looking on Facebook.

There's these solo travel groups and expat groups. There's Meetup, there's WhatsApp. There's all of these things. And I'm like, oh, like, duh. Like, there has to be an app for women that are traveling.

Like, obviously there's the Bumble BFF and all of that stuff. But if, you know, you don't know. It's not necessarily for that demographic. I'm like, duh. Like, it has to exist.

So I googled it, and it turns out it didn't. And I had, like, that. Have you seen that? So Raven, when she has, like a vision, and that's like, what it felt like, stops.

And I just saw it and I'm like, oh, my God. That's my idea to create. Oh, my God.

And I'm literally at the airport at the Amex lounge, like, asking ChatGPT, I'm like, okay, I want to create this app. What do I do? What's the name? And within half an hour, I had an llc.

I had the website, I had the Instagram, I had the Facebook, I had the LinkedIn, and I'm like, okay, I could do this. I'm like, didn't know how to create an app. And I'll tell you that story a little bit later. But long story short, that's what I wanted to create.

I'm like, there has to be a way for women that are traveling or digital nomading or even an expat in their city to meet new friends and make community and authentic community and authentic friendships. And I kind of thought, like, oh, like, kind of like a bumble bff, but for this demographic.

And, yeah, that's basically the journey to Rome Circle and how I thought of it.

And we are currently in, like, the final days of February. August was not that long ago.

Yeah. So basically from the app idea to the app coming out was exactly 90 days and 180 days from that. I'm live in 12 cities currently and growing that.

But it's kind of like, I didn't know this at the time, but ChatGPT said that founder level of speed, and I'm just like, I have to do it. I have to do it.

But it's hard.

So energizing. And I guess, you know, like, the obsession part of it, it's like, oh, my God.

Yeah, I get it. And it is like, first off, congratulations, because getting something from thought to even, like, LLC in 30 minutes.

As somebody who's worked with a legal platform for creatives for, like, eight years, I'm like, yes, yes. It's easy. You guys can do it. So I'm glad that you're like, I did it. It's good.

Yeah. And I work in a corporate job. It takes so long for even just, like, a white paper to be created in corporate.

And I'm just like, I can create a whole app in 90 days. I'm like, what are you guys doing?

All of these, like, barriers, like, when it's just one person, and I'm just like, go, oh, I can actually do so many things if I don't have to wait for anybody to do it.

Yeah. So are you in the tech industry or are you tech adjacent? Or is this, like, new territory?

So I. Tech adjacent. I've been in the SaaS space, like, software for basically my whole career. And B2B, I'm a global marketing strategist.

So, like, that's my brain. That's how my brain works, is like, strategy and global and blah, blah, blah.

And, like, I know all the pieces of things that need to be done and created. But the tech world was so new to me. I basically asked ChatGPT like, how do I create an app? Super easy. And it's like, you could do anything.

Liz, I'm so proud of you. You're amazing. And like, okay, great.

I like, was Vibe coding in and I thought that I was a whole tech creator, but I basically coded a UI and it's like, oh, like I thought I could put this in the app store in like a week because that's just like my delusional entrepreneur brain. Oh, if I can make make a website in 30 minutes, I could totally make an app in a week. And that's like, not true. So I tried to Vibe code it for a bit.

I'm like, this is definitely not going to be able to go on the App store. So I found another website where I had the backend code of like a dating infrastructure and then I coded the front end and I'm like, okay, like this.

Now I need to figure out how to get it on the app store. Eventually I did find a really talented engineer and developer who is able to bring my idea to life.

And basically what Rome Circle is now is what I designed. Vibe coding it like the front end and then the back end is just very solid technology. It cost me a pretty penny.

But money's not real, it's a frequency. So I'm an abundant mindset. So we'll make that back. Yeah. But I'm just like, I have to do it. You have to figure it out.

Yeah, I'm really curious too because I know you told me before, you're working a 9 to 5 and you're building tech and you're doing it. I will say sorry if I offend anyone the right way by hiring an actual developer because Vibe coding doesn't help any security.

I'm like, okay, amazing. But moving forward, I'm so curious to know the not okay, my five year plan, but like, what's the vibe? Where are we heading? Are you still traveling?

Are you wanting to know the nine to five?

Yeah. So I have a three month plan. Basically I move very quickly and that's just kind of where my brain's been at lately.

It's just like, okay, like we need to figure it out. So basically my three month plan is I am working a full time corporate job. It is sucking the life out of me and it's very hard to live a double life.

Like, I haven't even posted anything on LinkedIn because I don't want my coworkers to kind of even know what I'm building because I'm like anyone that I talk to like, oh wow. Like I'm a global brand to anybody else who does not know me at my full time job.

And I'm kind of like a little bit hiding because you know, like in corporate or like, yeah, like what do you like? And also like I kind of suck at my job right now. Like, I'm not gonna lie. Like I'm a personality hire. So it's like, obviously there's KPIs.

I'm like, what are KPIs? Like I bring the hahaha. I bring the LOLs.

I have the energy.

Yeah. Like what are metrics? Like, stop. But obviously I am measured on things and my company is in like a restructuring phase right now.

So there's a lot of visibility on my role. So it does feel like a double life. It is really hard. I work on Rome Circle in the morning. I work on my full time job during the day.

At lunchtime I'll maybe take a couple Rome Circle meetings. Fridays are pretty light for me. I work all weekends. I'm working nighttime. So I'm not gonna lie and say that I have balance, but I kind of do.

One thing that you never hear millionaires say is that they're busy. It's always like people that have nothing really going on. I'm just like, you're not busy. You have your regular job and groceries today and laundry.

Like you're not busy. Millionaires, like they have multiple deals going on. They have global partnerships, they have their families and they have all these things.

And as you start to make more decisions and building something and you're in that mindset, your capacity grows. It's not constricting. You actually find more time and learn how to manage your time and operationalize things better.

What are some of the tips or key takeaways that have really helped you as you're living this double life? To create that space and to become more managed?

Number one, I think it's so important to have a fitness routine. And that is the number one thing that I'll tell anybody. I have not skipped a day at the gym.

Every morning I wake up, I do high intensity workouts and I wake up early to do that. And I think that keeps your mind and your body healthy. That's the number one thing.

Cause it's like you can have all the time in the world, but if your mind isn't healthy and, and your body is sluggish, you don't have the energy. And also eating well, like obviously that's super cliche. Like fitness and exercise, that is 100% so important. And then AI is so important.

And then finding people to help you. Like, I have just hired somebody to help with global events, making sure that the app is alive and working really closely with my developer.

So finding ways that I can operationalize as much as I can, but also offload as much as I can. I'm doing the founder thing. So this. It's important for me to do podcasts and to do press and to do investor calls.

And I'm like, I need capacity to do that. So I need somebody to help me do events.

And also I have the background in marketing, so I'm like, all right, like, I know how to do newsletters and how to do ads and how to do workflows, and, like, I know how to do that. So I'm like, I could just set it up and let it cook. But then also, I have to be present. Building community. You have to be there, too, which.

I want to dig into more.

So tell me about the community side of Rome Circle and how you show up in it, but also how it's designed and how we're kind of starting to help people build community.

Yeah. So, long story short, I'll preface this by I live in Miami. I moved to Miami about five years ago. I didn't really know anybody.

I joined a group called New Miami Girls.

Basically, it was one girl on Bumble BFF that she met another girl, and they're like, oh, like, maybe we should meet other girls and let's do a meetup. Let's go to dinner. Let's go to the park and do a picnic. And then it turned into 5,000 women strong right now.

And it's basically, it's really cute to see because the girl who started, she's such an introvert, but it's like she created this giant, thriving community and even, like, a business around it and all of that stuff. And that was really cool and really inspiring because it helped me so much, and I met so many friends through that.

And then when I was traveling to Lisbon, I was like, hey, how am I going to meet friends? And, like, even before Rome Circle was a thing, there's also all of these different groups globally.

So I partnered with a group called Nomad Girls Club, which is very similar to Girls that are new in Lisbon. It's a huge expo. Fat city. It's a huge nomad city. And then I partnered with a group in Mexico City. It's called Mexico City and Foreigner Girls Club.

And then another group in Buenos Aires, a Buenos Aires Brunch. Club and another group in Paris. Well, in France.

So basically also what I'm creating with the Rome Circle is a global ecosystem of all of these women communities. And I also personally vet them myself. So I talk to them. Like, I look for them, I pitch to them, and sometimes they pitch to me.

That's what's been happening recently. Hey, I noticed my city isn't on your app. I'll talk to them. I'll tell them my story. I'll. I'll learn about them.

And I want to make sure that any community that I'm partnering with is an inclusive group. All types of women, all different sizes and nationalities, and different age groups, like living in Miami.

There's some groups that are like Pink Pilates girls group. I love that for them. And I think identity is in community is so important. And if you find yourself in a community, that's amazing.

But I wanted to make a global community where every woman could see themselves in and just, oh, it's just for that type of girl. Oh, it's just like for that type of girl. I want any woman to open Rome Circle and be like, there's a community in here for me.

I have groups that do like night out or twerk classes, but I am also partnered with entrepreneurs and like female groups that are literally founders and very much like network and business women like and everything in between. Or women that have kids and don't want to see their husband tonight and you want to just go out to dinner or craft circle.

So it's like there's something for everyone and a community for everyone to feel included or seen.

And it's so important. I know some of my favorite travels have been when I go to a place for a community or for an event. And I've gone all over solo by myself, like fully.

But my favorite ones are always when I'm almost walking into, okay, 30 people traveling together for three weeks. And then I'll kind of stay and hang afterwards.

But just having those people that you can step into and go back to, even like you said, okay, we're going to Lisbon for a week or maybe for a few months. Especially if you're there for a few months. So often you'll meet the people like at the hotel or the hostel that are there for a week or two.

And then you almost feel like you're the local because everybody else is coming and going.

And so I love how you're like, okay, these hubs that already have groups for these women so that you can come and not just meet the People that are leaving tomorrow at your hostel.

Yeah. And also you can do that too, with Rome Circle. Like, I created it, so it's kind of like a bumble bff. So it's, oh, okay.

Like, this girl and me have something in common. Let's go grab dinner. Like, I don't need to be part of a whole group or let's go grab coffee or go to a wine tasting or go hiking or something.

If people are better, like, one on one, but also, like, the community aspect of it, I think is maybe people that are uncomfortable meeting one on one. It's like, all right, there's already a group of girls going out to dinner tonight. I'd love to join that. I feel comfortable there.

So it's basically whatever each one that you want to do.

And also, I am bringing travel groups onto the app and pew, too, so that'll be something to like a lot of, like, girl travel groups and things like that for women that do want to travel and do want to travel solo but would feel more comfortable with a group. Also, I know this all too well. Like, everybody, oh, I want a vacation with you. I want a vacation with you. I'm like, all right, so book it. Let's go.

And it's just like, everybody's down until it's time to book it. I need to find people that want to book it and are actually going somewhere.

You never want to be the person dragging all your friends to a thing because then it's so much more mental load to be planning it and making sure they're having a good time. And I bet you're like, me, where? I'm like, no, let me just get there and then figure out how to have a good time. Or maybe I'll have some plans.

But I like to be more fluid.

Yeah. So I'm both. So fun fact. I actually, before this, I always am the planner of my group trips and my girl trips. I'll have a spreadsheet.

I'm like, this is everything we're doing. But that, yes, the mental load is hard. Especially a lot of my friends or passenger princesses. They'll wake up like, what are we doing today, Liz?

One night, like, I won't want to go out. And I was in Montenegro over the summer for a friend's bachelorette, and my friends were going to go out.

I'm like, I'm tired and I'm not going to go out. They're like, but we need you. We don't know how to get around. And I'm like, you could do it. You also have Google Maps and you also have eyeballs.

Look at the street signs, look at landmarks. You don't need me all the time.

You're like, I'm happy to be a crutch sometimes, but, like, you got this.

Go do it. Yeah. They're just like, where are we going? What are we doing? I'm just like, just look around.

I have to admit, I am such a passenger princess in my day to day life. But it's like you said, you can be both. You can be like, okay, I know how to do this. I know what I want to do. I'll plan it for you.

But you don't always want to.

Yeah. And especially like last year, being single, I love my alone time and my solo adventures and my side quests.

And sometimes it's so hard to do that when you have, like, people with you. I'll even go to parties with friends and just be like, deuces.

I was like, recently at the Loveburn Festival and it's like, we're part of a huge camp and that was super fun. But also I want to be by myself and I want to roam and explore by myself. And whenever I'm done at a party, I'm like, bye.

And just run off into the sun. And I'm like, oh, I love this.

So I want to hear about some of your travel. What were some of the most memorable or favorite side quests from last year?

Honestly, everything was a little different. So for me personally, Berlin was incredible. I'm a New Yorker and like, I love the Brooklyn techno scene.

And this was my first time in Berlin and I was just blown away by the incredible music scene. But honestly, how present people are on the dance floor.

Being from Miami, everybody's on their phone all the time or recording all the time or recording themselves. And like, to go to clubs where it's like number one, like you. You can't even have your phone out.

They cover your phone and they cover the front and back camera.

And it's not always like, crazy stuff is going on all the time, but it's just like people are actually on the dance floor looking at each other and smiling or even just you notice that there's a lot of people there that are also there by themselves and finding community through the dance floor. And that was such a beautiful experience because I'm just like, oh, like, I feel at home here. I feel safe here.

Even just like before you go to a club or like, whatever, if you look kind of sleepy, the women in the front and be like, are you okay? Do you feel safe? And I'm like, that's so sweet. There's not a lot of places in the world that actually do that or even care about your well being.

So that was honestly super eye opening. And I just love German culture in general.

Like, they're so regimented, but Also, all right, 9pm like, let's go be freaky and wear leather and spank each other. But then it's like, you better recycle. Don't you dare not recycle. I really loved that south of France. This summer was super fun too.

I got adopted by a group of locals, me and my friend, and that's the best.

Like, when you're with the locals, you're not in the tourist areas and you feel like the people that you connect with that are locals are legitimately looking out for you too and, like, making you feel welcome and bringing you into their community. I love experiences like that. Obviously the tourist things and checking those things off your box are awesome.

But to go, like, where the locals are going and to go like to their spots and be part of their community just makes any travel experience better.

Yeah, it definitely does. I was definitely, like, spent so much time just creeping your travels on your Instagram story highlights. I was like, dang, girl.

Like, you did it the way that I always think I'll actually be able to track my journey. But I saw you spent some time in like, Athens and in Greece, and that's what in Athens, for me, I felt like I was there for a total of five weeks.

So I got to settle in a little bit. And I found a coffee shop that was like, okay, this is my home coffee shop. And I became friends with the baristas. And then it was like Halloween.

And I went out with them and their friends to like a Halloween party. And it really is. It just elevates the experience so much when somebody from there is showing you.

Yeah. And that's actually what happened in the south of France.

Like, my friend was talking to one of the bartenders at this beach club and it was like, oh, like, we're going to this party later. You can come with us. It wasn't weird at all. They're just like, yeah, like, we're getting an Uber. Like, you can, can come with us.

And it was the best experience because this bartender, like, knew everybody at this other place and we were just getting free bottles of rose and like, behind the DJ booth, I'm like, oh, okay. Like, this is the guy.

I love that you're Like, I'm in. I loved hearing what you were saying about Berlin and Germany and how there's almost this natural sense of community going on there.

Where else is, like, a notable moment of this country? This place felt like community or. Oh, this was, like, very different either culturally.

My best friend is Portuguese, and I basically was going to meet her. Her family's from the south. So I flew into Lisbon. I was there for a couple days, and then I took the train to go see her.

And that was my first solo travel experience ever. And I just felt so welcome and safe there.

And Lisbon is one of the safest countries for women and one of the top cities for expats and solo female travelers. And I honestly felt so safe and included. It's so easy just to talk to people and make friends there.

And their culture actually is very warm, obviously, expat and tourism and things like that are a little bit of a sensitive subject for a lot of different countries. And it sucks because as humans, like, we're nomadic. We've always been nomadic. But also, culture and nationalism does run deep and everywhere.

So obviously, you have to be sensitive to understanding that they're the locals there.

A lot of these new people are ousting them from their homes, but they're still so welcoming, and they make you feel so welcome at every restaurant, at every place, and, like, they make you feel like family. And I really, really love that about Lisbon. It is a little bit different in Barcelona.

Like, Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world, but now they're just like, we don't want you here, Taurus. We hate you. We want you to die. And it's like, crap. I was always thought I was going to live in Barcelona, and I'm just kind of like.

But I'm also building community there, too, with Rome Circle. And there's a lot of people that still want identity and want community, and there's so much expats and all of that. But when I actually.

When I traveled to Montenegro this summer, absolutely stunning country, but their culture is very cold. But I also. Because they were part of the Yugoslavia, they have that, like, Soviet kind of vibe. And they very much were like, why are you here?

They were not hospitable, very cold. And it very much felt like, you're an outsider and you're not welcome here. They were not very friendly to tourists.

So I wouldn't necessarily recommend that as, like, a solo adventure unless you're with a group of people, it might be a little bit difficult to be included into their ecosystem.

As you're talking, I'm like, yup, yup, yup. I've spent a good bit of time in Lisbon, and I'm like, I adore it.

And also it's really hard when you're like, okay, the piece of the puzzle that I'm playing right now is, like, being in this gorgeous city with these beautiful people and also kind of aiding to the, like, influx of tourism and the cost going up and more and more homes being converted into rentals.

Airbnbs. Yeah, it sucks. Yeah. And that's, like, the hard thing, too, is because Lisbon has my heart.

Like, I love that place so much, and that's, like, where Rome Circle was born.

And I was actually, like, looking into, like, my visa situation to moving there and stuff like that, but then also knowing that it's so hard now for the locals, but also moving to Miami from New York, and then all the people from Miami hate me now, and I'm just like, I'm sorry. It's literally in our DNA.

Our ancestors that used to literally walk around with woolly mammoths, our human DNA is to move somewhere that feels more hospitable to us, where we feel more comfortable. Like, we do that.

So I do understand, like, the nationalistic side of it, and obviously, like, immigration's a huge subject in the US and it's just very much like the me versus them. But it's always been like this.

We always want to be somewhere that we feel more comfortable and where there's more opportunities or better food and better quality of life. That's literally what we do as people.

And it is always different between a group of people and a person. And so it's like, yeah, this group of people, all these tourists.

But then when you're actually one on one talking to somebody so often, like, whatever, the issue is, so many of those walls can break down. And, like, going back to Barcelona, I Walking around Barcelona was like, this is the most magical, fantastical city I have ever been in.

Like, I get why they're like, okay, let's keep it this way.

The Gothic Quarter. Oh, my God. And it's just so vibrant. It's so creative. I love the energy there. Like, it really just, like, jazzes me up.

But, yeah, it sucks because it's just.

Yeah, everybody feels that way, and we do want to keep it authentic, but also it's so great to it, and then, like, to feel like, oh, you're not welcome here. It kind of hurts, you know.

So where is either travels coming up or like Rome Circle? Are you traveling for the partnerships you have all over?

Yeah. So long story short, I'm fully heads down right now. Last year I did nothing but travel and this year I am really focused on growing this business.

And I have very bad ADHD and very good ADHD too. I mean, it's great. But also it's important for me to be in one space right now to build and to focus. Because last year I was digital nomading.

I was finding myself, I was moving around a lot and I would be in a place where I would have a routine like in Lisbon. I was there long enough, I'm like, yeah, I have my workout studio that I go to every day.

I have like my little routine in the shop, in the store that I go to, but it's still not your house. So I am right now like as a retired digital nomad for the next year and also my company in November this year, I was in Mexico City digital nomading.

And my boss was like, hey, like you can't do that. That's not policy. HR found out that you're digital nomading, like you're allowed to work remote from your house. And I'm like, oh, great.

So due to policy stuff too. And then also my vacation days are accrued. So long story short, I am also looking for another job. I'm actively interviewing.

So I'm like building a business in a full time corporate job and actively interviewing. So it's a lot.

You're like, the trips are not on the horizon, at least immediately.

I love that you share that though, because so often it's so easy to see somebody else even listening to this episode and be like, oh, look at Liz, she is doing it all and she's lit up about her business. And yeah, the nine to five's a little bit, you know, here and there especially.

It's like you have a travel business in a way and that part gets put on hold for this moment. So I can focus on these and still keep your workout, your food, your sanity and keep everything moving.

Yeah. And it's almost like a sacrifice. Because the thing is, I know I am building the life that I want to live.

I'm building a life around travel and community.

But in order for me to have all of that, like I do need to kind of self sacrifice right now, get the systems in place, get the business in place, so it's actually a fully functioning business so I can actually live the life of my dreams. The thing is, like, I see it so well.

And when I had that that's so raven moment, like, I saw it so clearly of the vision of the life that I want for myself. And I actually. One thing I wanted to mention, I don't know if you know, like Steve Harvey. So he has this thing that I like to call.

It's like the first class theory. And this was like before Rome Circle happened.

But basically over the summer, I splurged on a business class ticket because it's around my birthday too and stuff. I'm like, still financially recovering for that. But that's not. That's okay. Liz in the future is going to be like, we are in the Emirates first class.

But yeah, long story short, I was in business class. And basically the Steve Harvey theory is that you should at least splurge on a first class experience. Experience at least once in your life.

Because once you are in that environment and you feel how good it feels and how good you're treated and how nice it is and all the people around you, you're just like, what do I need to do to make this my life? In my head, I'm just being bougie and doing my champagne. Like, yeah, I'm just like you guys.

But also I'm in my head, I'm like, what do all these people do? Anybody who's living that life, they built something. They're not working a 9 to 5. They're not working in corporate.

Like, even if they're a VP in corporate, they're not making enough to be always flying in business class. I know what the salaries look like. So I'm like, in my head, like writing down like different affirmations and manifestations.

And I'm just like, I want this. I want to be the top affiliate and travel. I want to work with credit card companies and do like, their points and do content for business class.

I want to do all these things and I'm just like writing what I want to do. Not necessarily from a business perspective, but like, okay, how do I want to feel? And that kind of set the sprinkling for Rome Circle.

But even before it was an idea, I was like, how can I create a life where I am traveling like this and I'm able to travel freely and not worry about a corporate. And that's the life that I want for myself.

I love that it's just the visual of what is possible. There's this theory I heard once that is if you've never seen an apple, you can't ask for an apple.

If you've never seen something as possible, it's, like, so hard to say that's what I want. And so I love that you're like, put yourself in a position to see what's possible and feel it and put.

Yourself in that, like, frequency and experience it too. Like, go to a nice restaurant and get a nice bottle of wine, especially in Miami. Like, you see the Lamborghinis everywhere.

You see the yachts everywhere.

I mean, yeah, there's crime and money laundering, whatever, but there's still people that are building businesses and entrepreneurs that are doing it. And then on Instagram, I'm always seeing women influencers that are building their businesses and they're doing all their things.

And I'm like, if they can do it, I can do it. Not like, oh, she doesn't deserve that. I'm like, no, we all deserve that.

Yes.

You are kind of talking about something that you had hit on earlier or hit on a notes somewhere of rewriting your story, of, like, not being afraid to try again, rewrite your story and take control of your life. And I'm curious. This sounds like it's the first time you're starting a business.

Yeah, like, I toyed around with, like, marketing consultancy and stuff like that. Or doing, like, B2B business for consultant. Like, that's not fun.

I did it and, like, I did, like, some marketing strategy for some small businesses, but I'm like, there's nothing like building your own thing and the energy that you get from something that energizes you and that you're passionate about. I can fake it in corporate, I can bring the energy, but it's not mine.

There's just a different thing when it's an ownership and something that you're genuinely excited about and you're creating something that's actually fun. What's more fun than hanging out with friends and traveling?

I wanted to create a business on doing something that I want to do and something that I know that I'm good at. And that's what gives me the most energy when it feels like truly in that alignment.

Like, it's that Japanese, like, proverb or whatever called ikagi, where it's just, like, find, like, what you're good at and what you're passionate about, Find a way to make it hard, profitable. And you are living in your purpose. You're living in that ikagi.

I'm thinking about other women who are listening and they. I talk so much about quitting and transitions and, like, following the what If. And I love that that's what this conversation has been.

I want to hear more about, like, up until you actually had the idea your life was a bit different. And like, the last 18 months sound like they've been a huge, you know, transition.

Oh, my God. It's like a completely timeline shift. So even before, like, Rome Circle last year, I had just such an identity crisis.

Like, all right, I'm supposed to be married by this age and have kids and do all these things, but, like, now I have to rewrite my whole life again. So it's like this identity of the person that at five years ago that I was like, oh, look, this is my five year plan.

I'm going to get married and then I'm going to have kids and happy ever after. Is that really what I wanted or what society actually wants for me? And then I had a lot of moments, honest.

Obviously, last year, really dark times where I was literally crying and I'm just like, what is happening? What is the purpose of my life? What am I doing? God, give me a sign, like, what the hell is going on?

Obviously, like, everybody's seeing all my traveling on Instagram and everybody's, liz, I want your life. Your life seems so much fun. Your goals, your goals. But meanwhile, I'm crying in hotel rooms. I'm lost, you know, I'm feeling hopeless, I'm lonely.

But I'm just living this life that I'm just like, what am I supposed to be doing with my life? Who am I? Everything has to honestly, like, fall apart for it to fall into place, and it's still not into place.

Like, I'm building this from the ground up.

There's days where I feel so much guilt when I'm like, on my period or I'm tired and I'm not creative and I'm just, oh, my God, I didn't get anything done. I'm like, paralyzed with anxiety. And it's just. Yeah, like, women or hormones, they go up and down like, I'm not the same girl I was last week.

I'm not very on two days in a row.

But then I'm like, oh, wait, that was my luteal phase. I'm back, baby.

And then, like, like, the amount of work that I can get done in, like, a good three days of being locked in, like, it makes up for that. But then it's that guilt of, oh, no, like, I'm wasting time, Am I gonna get fired? And it's like, all these other things are happening.

It's not easy, but you have to have a good sense of humor about it and also prioritize your rest too, and not beat yourself up about if it's like, all right, like, today I didn't accomplish what I wanted to. Like, I'm trying to connect things by API and doing all this stuff that I have no idea what it is. And my developers asking for code.

I'm like, I don't know anything. I'm just a girl.

You know the meme that this girl is like trying to push seashells over to help pay for something and her man, like keeps pushing them back and it's just, I just have seashells. What do you want from me?

What's literally all I have?

This is what you're asking to like, coat? What do you mean?

Yeah, literally, like, my brain is just a monkey playing the tambourine. That's it. There's nothing going on in there.

No, I hear you.

Because I think that, like, for me that is such a real experience of, okay, luteal face hits and all of a sudden I'm like, why am I incapable of doing simple things? And then I'll be like, oh my God, I could do anything. I can take on the world.

And it's so, in a way hard to put those together and just accept it as like, this is where I am today and not feel that guilt. And like you said, rest when you need to.

Any things that have helped you through that experience, like something somebody said or tools you've learned that just help you feel more okay, honestly, just like listening.

To your body, to be honest, I rest without guilt. Yes. There's always going to be a piece of you that's a little guilty. But like, yesterday I worked all day and at 5 o' clock I'm like, I'm tired.

Today I work when I feel like it. Because also, like, I work a full time job.

But just prioritizing yourself, like eating good food, hanging out with friends and sometimes going to the club and dancing and not taking yourself too seriously, I think that's the number one thing. I went to an investor event the other day and I went to go print business cards at Staples.

And you would think, think that the setting that they had on staples for business cards would be actual business card. And I get this big ass, like, and I'm just like, you know what, this is why it's important.

Like, I have a good attitude because I just was hysterically laughing in the street. Like, I paid 80 bucks for these.

But also I thought it was funny because I'M just like, oh, like, that's a bit like, I could totally go to an investor meeting. And if I'm hitting it off with an investor, like, obviously, like, they're gonna like my personality because I'm silly. And then I'll be like, hey.

They'll be like, hey, do you have a business card? I'll be like, okay, well, it's funny story. And then I pull out this big ass business card and they'll never forget me.

But at the time I was like, this is embarrassing. But then also it's just like, this girl doesn't know how to print business card. She's obviously stupid. We're not going to invest in her.

So it could go either way.

You're like, staples, why did you have to do me dirty?

Yeah. And they're just. You would think that the business card setting at Staples are just like, I'll make sure everything's correct.

I don't know what seven by five is. Like, I don't know what that is.

You're like, are we talking pixel?

Because yeah, I don't know math. I'm a marketing girly. I don't know numbers.

Okay, I do have a couple more questions, rapid Fire, because I want to know what you're obsessed with.

Honestly, I'm obsessed with building this business right now. Like, it is so feeling and so energizing to me. I never thought I would be like, the type of person that enjoyed working.

Like, I've always been a procrastinator. I'd like to chill. I'm a chill girl. Like, I think everybody should be in the forest picking berries.

So it's just been really cool to have something that I'm passionate about that I love. And then like, seeing that people think it's cool too and how fast it's growing. And I'm like, oh, my God, this is really cool.

I had this like, silly little idea and it's actually like turning into something and it's so cool to see. So that's honestly what I'm obsessed with right now. Like, almost in an unhealthy amount. People are like, hey, do you want to go hang out?

And I'm like, I'm working and it's fun. I'm having fun.

You're like, I'm good, but maybe in a few months.

Yeah. I'm like, these are my best working hours right now.

When it comes to the moments where it is like, okay, need to step back for a second. Rest, play, watch, whatever. Where do you go? What are you obsessed with? Right now to take that space.

I really love dance. Like, a static dance. I love hippie stuff.

Two weeks ago, it was the Loveburn Festival here in Miami, and it's just like, everybody's the weirdest person in the world. Everybody's dressed like a wizard or dressed as a clown.

Everybody's a main character, and you're just silly and stimming and just having the best, most, like, ADHD time. And I'm like, no. Like, today I'm gonna dress up as a unicorn and just, like, bite.

So I think it's so important to be whimsy and to be silly and not to take yourself seriously. Like, I had a flower, like, in my hair for three days and was just, like, dancing. I'm literally building a business about having fun.

So it's so important to move your body and to make sure you don't have stagnant energy and to play to dress up. I like, I have a unicorn horse mask that I wear sometimes.

I just want to go out and dance and be silly and bring a bubble gun out and dress as a weirdo. Like, I love that.

So I second, third, and fourth. That. That sounds amazing. I'm all for the dancing and the vibes. Okay.

Well, Liz, how can people find you, connect with you, and get involved with Rome Circle?

Yeah, for sure. So obviously, follow the Instagram Roam circle app on TikTok. Not really that great on TikTok.

I feel for, like, the gen zers, and I'm, like, getting a little elderly, but I'm working on it. And I'll Roam Circle app on the web. Honestly, like, if there's any women communities that are listening to this, I'd love to partner with you.

I think the number one thing also that I'm doing with Rome Circle is bringing a network of female communities together and different ways that we can collab with each other and uplift each other. Because I think the. The number one way for women to be successful is to uplift each other and to support each other.

So that's number one thing that I'm. I'm also really passionate about.

I love that so much. Thank you so much for coming on, becoming obsessed, and sharing your story and journey and obsessions with us.

Thank you so much for having me. This was so much fun and so easy. Like, you're so good at this.

Oh, my gosh. Thank you.

I love it.

That's why everyone who's still with us, please subscribe, comment DM us and tell us about your community, about your travel, about how you want to create something in the world that you are obsessed with. All right. Right, y'.

All.

Let's go get obsessed. You're still listening, which means this episode connected with you, and I want to know how. Send me a DM on Instagram at Becoming Obsessed Pod.

Then send this episode to a friend. If you know someone who is building a life that they love or they're feeling a little stuck and might just need a nudge, send this to them.

Then rate and review, because it also helps us get the word out. And as you know, now we're on a mission for more people to live a life they truly love. All right, let's go get obsessed.