Tiny Global Footprints: Inspiring Young Explorers One Book at a Time

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor hear another episode of High Velocity Radio and this is going to be a good one. Today on the show, we have Deborah, Hila, and Jonah Seyoum and they are with tiny global footprints. Welcome.

Deborah Haile: Thank you Lee. We appreciate the opportunity. Thank you.

Lee Kantor: Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about Tiny global footprints. How you serving, folks?

Deborah Haile: Okay. Um, Jonah will go first, and then I’ll go out right after.

Jonah Seyum: So tiny global. Footprint is our business, and we write books together. For example, I’ve written seven books. Three with my mom and three by myself, and one with my friends who live in Asmara, Eritrea, which is in Northeast Africa.

Deborah Haile: So the the brand it started kind of global footprint started back in 2019 as my son and I loved to travel and see the world, and from our travels came books. We started writing books about our adventures. We wrote books on Thailand, Cuba, Eritrea. Like Jonah mentioned this in Northeast Africa, which is our original. Our families are from there as well. And then that kind of ignited some type of author a writer want to be to Jonah. And so he started to get to start writing books on his own. And then that went into us having like our own podcast as well. And then from that just it’s just been growing over the years. And then now we have also a nonprofit in Africa. Basically, we help other kids write books as well, which is the one that Jonah just mentioned. They just published it with his friends in Eritrea. So it’s been evolving over the years, but a global footprint originally started for us just because we have a love for travel and writing books.

Lee Kantor: So at the beginning, when it was just you traveling, what kind of was the genesis of, hey, maybe we should write some of this down and turn and turn our adventures into books.

Deborah Haile: It was people just coming and asking questions like my friends and family just saying, I don’t know how you’re doing it. Traveling with, you know, a five year old, a four year old, you know, to Thailand, to the other side of the world to like Cuba. These are just, you know, places that adults are somewhat fearful of going to. So I said, oh, let’s write a book about it because it’s safe. And, you know, we need to have a cultural. We need to bridge this cultural barrier. It seems like, because everyone feels like there is this fear to go abroad and learn about other cultures and learn about, you know, other areas, parts of the world. So. And taking children with you. So that’s where that came from.

Lee Kantor: And what was kind of the like. Why didn’t you write it as you as being, you know, somebody that’s had the career that you’ve had, why didn’t you just have it from your perspective? What was the thinking of getting your child involved?

Deborah Haile: He has a different perspective than I do. So we always, you know, and when we started writing, I was writing children’s books. So I wanted it to have a child’s voice as well, not just an adult’s voice writing. And, you know, for children. And I think that’s also what’s been inspiring for other children now to wanting to write and wanting to travel because they see him doing, you know, this and the whole purpose is for us, you know, to to inspire other families. And I, I’m not doing it by myself. So I’m doing it with my son. And I wanted his voice to be heard as well.

Lee Kantor: So as a parent kind of creating a business with their child, how are you kind of guiding your child and, you know, while still giving them support but not necessarily taking over the whole project? How are you creating that balance?

Deborah Haile: Well, creating a balance between, um, it’s difficult, but I think he he’s growing into it too now, meaning it’s changing his, uh, perspective. He is writing his own books. He has he’s he’s creating YouTube videos like vlogs from our travels, which he’s getting, you know, a lot of subscribers to he’s moving on to getting subscribers and moving on to, uh, being just a, uh, knowing, I guess he’s moving into him, getting his own voice heard as well. Uh, from this is giving him confidence, is giving him a way to, um, set in his own, um, you know what what what it is that he wants to say and what it is that he wants to do in these travel vlogs that he has on, you know, YouTube that’s, you know, also helping you know, with, with along with the books, I guess. So I guess I balance I’m feeding off of him now. Initially he used to feed off of me. Um, he has his own confidence going and he has his own ways of doing things. And so because he’s been doing it for the last six years. And so, um, I guess he’s, you know, him finding his voice, uh, it makes me happy, and I’m balancing it. Well, because it’s not. I used to run everything, but he’s definitely there supporting me with it now. So Jonah answered the question.

Lee Kantor: So? So, Jonah, what? Um, what do you like more? Do you like doing the videos? Do you like writing the books? Do you like maybe some of the speaking that you’re able to do now? What are your favorite parts of this adventure?

Jonah Seyum: So I like doing all of them because I like to show the people, like on social media about traveling and about the world and different cultures. But I also like to show younger children about cultures and traveling through books as well.

Lee Kantor: So when you’re traveling, what do you look for? Uh, what what types of things are you excited to do when you get to a new country? Is it the food? Is it the people? Is it the sights? What are your favorite parts of traveling?

Jonah Seyum: Normally, my first thing that I love to do is go sightseeing and then have some traditional food. And then after that, if it’s like somewhere that has a beach, go to the beach.

Lee Kantor: So are you primarily going to countries that have beaches? Is that, uh, what you’re all looking for?

Jonah Seyum: Um, not really like, but we do go to some. But like, over the summer, we just went to Qatar and Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Deborah Haile: And. And there. What did you do there?

Jonah Seyum: And there we went to like, different different like known locations, went to malls, museums and stuff like that.

Lee Kantor: Um, because of your work, are you getting opportunities when you get to these different, um, communities? Are you getting opportunities to interact with the children, like, do you set up kind of, um, talks with, uh, young people?

Jonah Seyum: I do that in Eritrea, but not sort of with other countries, because in Eritrea, like, it’s easier to, um, to bond and to tell them about writing and traveling and like. Yeah.

Deborah Haile: And in Eritrea, we have a writers program that is, um, that he’s involved with. And so that’s where the children come in, that’s where his influence and the kids come in to.

Lee Kantor: And that hasn’t been able to expand beyond Eritrea.

Deborah Haile: So that’s new right. Like so again like I this is not a full time work for me. I have a full time job. I’m, um, I’m a director in a legal operation, so I don’t have this is a part time thing that started as, you know, again, like us, um, just traveling, writing books. But then that evolved into us having a, you know, podcast media, um, as, um, also being having this nonprofit now. So the reason why, uh, we, we had no plans on even doing it in Asia. It’s just the kids were interested after they seen what Jonah has done. Um, he was able to, um, you know, show them that he was able to write books on his own, that he was able to show them like he’s been to, you know, 22 countries and what he’s learned from there. And, you know, they the kids wanted to be part of, you know, our journey. And they wanted to be involved, and they wanted to write their own books and their own stories. So then we, you know, started having like teachers and other, um, instructors there for them that help them kind of with this process. And then they are writing and they are reading and they are doing all these things there, and we are helping them from here. But yeah, it’s so that’s been our contribution is just helping, you know, these kids, you know, that were that showed interest in this um, in our program basically.

Lee Kantor: So are there any lessons you can share to other parents who might want to get involved with the business with their children? Maybe some do’s and don’ts?

Deborah Haile: Yeah. Um, studying them early is a do for sure. Um, I would say, um, you know, setting them early, not only setting them early, but have them having them be part of the process. So, for example, Joanna, can you tell them about the festival that we just had. And what did you do with the book selling and stuff like that?

Jonah Seyum: So we just had an annual Eritrean festival that was in California and family came in, but we had like our own booth at the festival and we were selling our books, and I sold most of the I sold most of the books. And I was explaining how, like how kids should go, how kitchen explore and travel the world, like how I did and to inspire them to read and write.

Deborah Haile: And you did it at the Miami Book Fair as well, every year. Right. Mhm. Doing it. And so it’s so again it’s like he’s having um he’s growing up to have confidence in showing up on. Oh these are our books. This is what the book is about. This is why you should get it. This is why I wrote this. This is I wrote, you know why. Oh, about chores. Because I hate chores, and I. Now, as I get older, my chores keep increasing. So I wrote about it. I love basketball and soccer, so I wrote about it. These are things that are happening in my daily life. So then that’s basically what is inspiring, you know, the kids to do. So starting him early I think, is what helped him have this voice now and is also helping him have this voice now, as you know, a 12 year old, um, about not only about traveling, but also like having these vlogs, these travel vlogs, and he’s where he’s explaining about where he is, what he’s doing. Um, his travel vlogs show different parts of the world the Middle East, Asia, Africa, um, you know, South America. So it’s it’s good, uh, to start them early and I would say like don’t. And with business as well, he’s he controls the money like everything that we made for example from the festival, he got 50% because he was there selling the entire time.

Deborah Haile: He didn’t go have fun with his friends. He also, um, also did a lot of, um, PR work when we were there, just going out and meeting people. And a lot of people recognize him from our Instagram, our, um, YouTube. So they were coming and saying hello to him, taking pictures with him, which gave him more motivation and told him, you know, you’re a young leader. Keep going. And so that gave him even, um, you know, encouragement. Um, so it’s a really good, like, confidence, you know, I guess booster in a, in a way. And he’s learning. In the same token, he’s learning about, you know, being how to become an author. He’s writing, he’s learning about, you know, the world culture, um, and he’s contributing to that as well as a young author. Um, so which is, um, which is, I think, helpful. And so to do do’s and don’ts, I think it’s more do’s than don’t I don’t think I said anything that you don’t, but just get them involved. Um, the money part, you know, to get them financially. To get them to learn about financials, like I mentioned.

Deborah Haile: Like him, how much he was getting when he was like writing that he was getting 50% of it. And and he was doing the calculations. He counted everything. He put it in an Excel sheet. He calculated how much you were getting back and everything. So it’s great because he’s able to, like, explain, um, what, you know, his involvement is with everything. So, um, and so having a business with a child is has been more, you know, beneficial than than not. Because even in the podcast, as both of us talking to both of us, um, you know, explaining about, you know, our travels or the do adults of different countries, we want to what are some tips that we have learned for family travel that is um, so even in the podcast, he runs it with me. He sets it up. He does. He makes sure the video is working, he records it. He’s the one who sends it to our editor. He’s fully involved and engaged in the whole process. Um, like I mentioned, I was the one who was doing all this. You know, when we started. But now he is definitely doing the 50% of it and supporting, uh, his end, uh, by doing, uh, by doing all these that tasks that I just mentioned.

Lee Kantor: Now, what about some tips for family travel? Uh, that sounds like that’s where this all began for, uh, just traveling internationally. Um, is there anything that you would recommend for families when they travel together? Um, how to involve the child more and how to maybe get some of their input on where to go and what to do?

Deborah Haile: Yeah. Um, how how do you do it? Joanna, we’ll start with you.

Jonah Seyum: So I recommend, before leaving, check the weather on on the destination, because you don’t know how you’re going to pack for this trip. And you want to know, like the weather, so that you’re not too cold or hot and don’t bring the right clothes. Close next. Research about your destination before you go. Like make sure it’s safe and places and cities that you want to visit and landmarks that you want to see. And and yeah, that’s those are my tips.

Lee Kantor: Now how do you all find kind of the hidden gems? How do you find the places the locals go to rather than, you know, where a lot of tourists go?

Deborah Haile: Oh, good. Good point. You know, um, back in the I would say like, you know, 5 or 6 years ago, I would make sure to Google and check it to see what’s, you know, again, what’s our plan? Uh, some of them also we try to do multiple countries. So we go to every trail once a year. Oh sorry. Twice a year usually. And once we go to Eritrea we usually go, you know, we try to go. For example, last time we did London and then Eritrea, and then last time after that we did Rome. And then another time we did this past time we did Qatar and Dubai and Abu Dhabi. So. And then so when we go to these places when we’re trying to figure out where to go. It’s usually a few days that we’re there, so I make sure that I do a plan, a tight plan, right? Like, okay, we’re there for three days. What do we want to. What are the masses in three days that are not. Um, there are sometimes I think that are not popular. So for in Qatar, I said, what are the best? Where is it? I asked ChatGPT this time before it used to be Google. I asked ChatGPT what is the right place I need to go in Qatar? Where do I need to stay? That is in the middle. Um, and it’s not like, you know, downtown or anywhere, but it’s close to, you know, the museums is close to things that we must see as a, you know, family, um, of, you know, traveling.

Deborah Haile: Um, and the hotel that we ended up seeing was right by the souq, which is the market. Um, and it was an area. It was a hidden area. Like no one, really. The hotels and the tourists stayed on the other end of the city. And when we were staying, it was, you know, really nice, but it was really right next to the market. It was really it was next to all these museums as well. And then there’s a a flag area that that also a flag plaza that’s also well known. So we made sure to stay close by so we can walk to it. But it was very hot. So we also Uber at the same time. But we tried to make sure we plan it ahead. So when we were traveling. One of the things we try to do is plan ahead. We tried to get Johanna and I involved in like what he wants to do. What I want to do, and then we try to obviously even it out with figuring out what is it that that we both are going to enjoy doing. So the itinerary usually involves both of us. We try to obviously always embrace the local culture. So we always say, where is kid friendly food, places that we need to go to, or where is it? You know, we want to make sure like we have authentic, uh, food that we want to eat.

Deborah Haile: What are the what are some, uh, restaurant recommendations? Um, usually we do this when we get there. We don’t plan that ahead. Actually, we don’t do any restaurant research ahead. We get there and we ask the locals. We get there. We ask the concierge concierge that are at the at the hotel. Um, so we always try to make sure, you know, that we are, uh, prioritizing, you know, looking, um, prioritizing, going to areas that are, you know, hidden, not only hidden gems, but also somewhere where we can learn the culture, um, and obviously but and make sure that we’re staying, you know, safe at the same time. But embracing the culture, the local culture is definitely our go to. So, um, and we make sure that, you know, we are doing that for, you know, where we’re meeting like locals, we would go places and we would meet locals and we would say, hey, what do you recommend for? We were thinking to do this. And they say, oh, you have to do this. So, you know, just having chats with locals also helps. We, we basically like we we don’t go from here, from the US. Basically, we don’t go from the US planning every single item that’s on the itinerary. We go from the US saying, these are the things we would love to do. Let’s get there and see how we feel. Let’s talk to other locals there.

Deborah Haile: Let’s see how the culture is. Let’s see. We might change these plans so that that has happened multiple times as well, where we just get there and we say, okay, let’s do this instead. So just plans change. And so I try not to make it just concrete plans that we need to stick to. Sometimes I do, and there are some things that we really want to do, but majority of the time. Um, we go there and then, you know, we have some ideas of what we want to do, but when we get there and talk to the locals, we definitely change our minds. We’ve changed our minds many times of what how our itinerary goes because of the recommendations of our tour guide or recommendations of other local or hotel staff or, you know, restaurants that we end up seeing and stuff like that. So, um, we are definitely not, uh, travelers that that, um, plan every single detail of the trip. We we go, we try to go there. That’s part of the adventure that we do is we go there and we figure it out sometimes. A lot of times, actually, 80% of the time, um, there’s places we went and we didn’t have a hotel when we landed. We’re like, okay, what area should we stay this time? And, um, we figure it out when we get there. Um, so we’ve done that several times and it works out just well for us.

Lee Kantor: Now, how do you decide what, uh, subject to publish books on, uh, especially moving forward?

Deborah Haile: Um. Good question. So our books, the the theme is the the book series is called Jonah’s Global Footprint. And so the book, again, like I mentioned, it’s, uh, Cuba and Thailand and Eritrea, and now we’re writing our new book in, um, in the Middle East. Uh, actually, the new book will be coming out of Middle East. So the theme of our books is travel, because that’s how this whole thing started. However, in parallel, Joanna also writes. Kind of day to day life, things like I mentioned. He wrote about chores. He wrote about basketball or soccer. He wrote about what does daddy do, do do all day during, um, Covid because he sees me. You know, he was young, he was only like six, seven then, and he saw me, like leaving the house and, you know, uh, sorry, staying at home and working. And he he would see that, you know, leaving the house. And he got curious. Where is it that you work even though he knew or he worked, but he still was curious about it. So he wrote a book about it. What does daddy do all day while mommy works? And so, um, it was it’s just things that, that he is really interested on that he writes, uh, books on. Um, but our theme for our, for the, for the books that we write together is travel. So new destinations like, you know, we did Africa, we did Asia. We did, um, you know, Kiva, and now we’re doing the Middle East. And so, you know, next we’ll see which, you know, country, which region we’re going to concentrate on. But it’s going to consist of writing more on, you know, different parts of the world to introduce that, you know, to introduce those cultures, to introduce those ways of, um, you know, working and um, just embracing, embracing those cultures, basically.

Lee Kantor: And, um, if somebody wants to learn more and follow your travels, get Ahold of the books or listen to your podcasts. Is there a website where they can kind of a centrally located place where they can learn more about what you’re up to?

Jonah Seyum: Yeah. So our website is called Tiny Global Footprint Net.

Deborah Haile: And, uh, they can contact us with an email. Um, hello. Tiny global footprint net. Um, but on social media, we are, um, tiny global footprint. Um, and we have, um, you know, uh, followers from all over the world. So which is, you know, great. Uh, our podcast is also on our website, so you’ll be able to find it there. Um, and all the media that we’ve had, all the articles about us and all the TV interviews we had everything. All, all. All of that is also in the website. So. And the books included. Um, all our books are also on there. All seven books are also on there. So you’ll be able to find everything about us on our website. Tiny global footprints net.

Lee Kantor: Well, Deborah Jonah, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Deborah Haile: Thank you. Lee. We really appreciate the time.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is all right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on High Velocity Radio.