A French traveler transforms her love for exploring and organizing information into a thriving blog and a bestselling series of travel guides.
Challenge
When Claire R. worked as a quality manager for a medical device company, she was constantly traveling the world for business. Though she loved exploring new destinations, the travel itself was rarely leisurely.
To make the most of each trip, she started a small blog called ZigZag on Earth — a space to document her adventures and share travel tips. Blogging helped her relive her experiences, connect with others, and provide detailed itineraries for travelers who preferred planning every step, just like she did.
But at first, it was purely a hobby — no ads, no sponsors, no monetization plan. That changed after a trip to Iceland in 2014. Claire wrote a detailed series of posts about Icelandic landmarks and road trips, and suddenly her blog traffic skyrocketed. People loved the level of detail she offered.
Then tragedy struck. Claire’s brother — a police officer in a special investigation unit — was killed in the line of duty. His death deeply changed her perspective. He had lived his life passionately, appreciating every moment. Claire decided she wanted to do the same.
Action
Inspired by both her brother’s memory and her readers’ interest in Iceland, Claire decided to create a digital guidebook that reflected her meticulous style — simple, clear, and practical.
She wrote and designed the book herself using Keynote, Apple’s presentation software, and exported it as a PDF. To sell it, she used a service called Selz, which handled payments and automatic downloads for buyers.
She didn’t spend months planning a marketing campaign. Instead, she quietly added a note to her Iceland blog posts:
“If you’d like more information, check out my downloadable Iceland travel guide.”
No hype, no launch emails — just a small, honest addition.
At first, she sold nothing. But the next morning, she woke up to two sales — her first taste of passive income.
Encouraged, she quickly created a second guide focused on Iceland’s famous Ring Road, adding it to her site. To attract more readers, Claire began using Pinterest, designing beautiful pins in Canva and linking them to her blog posts.
Result
By the following year, Claire had earned $4,500 from her travel guides. The next year, she passed $10,000 — all from part-time work and mostly passive income once the guides were written.
Her Pinterest account now attracts tens of thousands of monthly visitors, and her detailed itineraries have helped thousands of travelers plan their dream trips. Most importantly, Claire feels like she’s living her life with intention — honoring her brother’s spirit while building something of her own.
Lesson
Claire’s success wasn’t built on flashy marketing or luck — it came from combining passion, precision, and persistence. She focused on one country, one audience, and one problem: how to make trip planning easier.
Her story is proof that even hobbies can become income streams when paired with focus and authenticity.
And as Claire says, “You can’t control everything that happens in life — but you can choose to live with purpose.”
Inspired by a true story originally featured on Side Hustle School by Chris Guillebeau. This rewritten version is independently produced and fully original.