JOSH
GARCIA
FT: How did you get your start in the travel & entertain-
ment industry? What led you to the position you are in
today?
JG: I did not get my Bachelors degree in “Travel Show
Host” or even “Journalism.” Instead, I got my degree in
Engineering and spent 6 years working my tail off. I was
miserable. They knew it and I knew it. Eventually, I was
fired from my only two engineering jobs, which was dev-
astating, but probably one of the best things to ever hap-
pen to me. It forced me to really think about how short
life is, and that I better get my act together and figure out
what I want to do (not what other people want me to do).
I had to do what I hated, only to find out what I loved, and
once I realized that I wanted to host my own travel show,
I bought a camera and worked my tail off making the
best stuff I could. It's the hardest question, but if I can
clearly answer “What do I want?” (not, “What am I told I
should want?” But honestly, what I REALLY want!), without
hesitation, without caring how ridiculous it may sound to
my friends, then I'll work my ass off until I get there. Even-
tually I figured out the business, got an agent, and after
8 years of trial and error, I finally landed The Voyager.
Lots of work, and some luck too. It wasn’t easy, but it was
worth it.
FT: What was your childhood dream job? Did you al-
ways have a love for travel, or did you initially have
other plans for a career?
JG: I wasn’t ever taught to dream big as a child. The idea
of doing what I love for work is something I had to figure
out on my own in my late 20s. So my childhood dream
jobs were mostly jobs that don’t exist like steam engine
train operator, or driving a giant yellow Tonka truck
through dirt.