Meet Jimmy Im | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jimmy Im and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jimmy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was fortunate to be a successful freelance travel writer for top-tier outlets, such as Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, New York Post, Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire and more. I appeared on TV news segments as a travel expert, and I was even a host on a show on Travel Channel.

I started a travel blog that did very well, and I was quite surprised that so many people trusted my insight and guidance on travel. I suppose I have traveled to over 113 countries, stayed in more hotels than anyone else in this world (over 750) and flew millions of miles 🙂

So because I serve as an authority, and people trust me, I wanted to offer a bigger platform and launched Travelbinger. Immediately, it became part of Google News and Apple News, and to this day, Travelbinger is the only independent travel website that is on both publishers.

What should our readers know about your business?
Absolutely! I think some people still think my site is a blog. It’s not 🙂 There’s a blog component to it, but it’s a global travel website with daily stories. I was able to get to where I am today due to the fact I’ve been a travel expert for over 15 years, and I am very passionate about travel. Readers see this through my stories.

I’ve also expanded into lifestyle (auto, tech, product reviews), which really reaches different audiences. I’d say this was the biggest challenge, but I worked at CNBC as the senior lifestyle writer, so working at a fast-paced news desk really helped me eye the right details in areas I was less familiar with.

The biggest lesson I learned is that it is NOT EASY running a global website alone. I write all stories, and Google and Apple News both require daily stories to be part of their publishing programs, so I have written a daily story for the past three years! Hopefully I’ll hire a writer soon 🙂

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Tough question for New York City!

I actually left Manhattan for Williamsburg, Brooklyn during Covid. Williamsburg is a “mini-Manhattan.” I live blocks away from Whole Foods, Apple store, Nike, etc… so it’s an exciting place to live. There are amazing restaurants that continue to rack up Michelin stars and James Beard awards, and new luxury hotels continue to open every year.

I’d say the rooftop at Moxy Williamsburg is a must. It’s the only rooftop in Brooklyn where you have views of all three bridges, and the views are glorious. I’d also recommend Domino Park, a gorgeous, riverside park that preserved the historic Domino Factory. Here, not only can you see locals in action (volleyball, dog park, etc) and have perfect views of Manhattan, hundreds gather here for the nightly sunset.

I’d also recommend Mekelberg’s. It’s a “locals only, best kept secret” type of place, a restaurant and bar in the back of a gourmet grocery store. Many of the menu items are award winning or a superlative (porchetta sandwich was voted best sandwich by Bon Appetit, as example).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to my website designer and developer! I have absolutely no clue on how the backend works, but I’ve had many different people help in this capacity. I also need to shoutout to all the tourism boards, airlines, hotel brands and other companies in the travel industry that really helped me along the way as I visited destinations.

Website: www.travelbinger.com

Instagram: @travelbinger

Twitter: @travelbinger

Facebook: @travelbinger

Youtube: @travelbinger

Image Credits
Travelbinger