Meet Monica Walls: Founder of Keca's Usna, a Croatian Heritage Beauty Brand

Monica Walls spent years as an HR executive in Silicon Valley, leading with purpose in the boardroom and showing up just as much outside of it, volunteering at food drives and walk-a-thons along the way. Her Croatian roots and love of travel eventually pulled her in a new direction, and she founded Keca's Usna, a lip color line built on heritage, storytelling, and the idea that beauty should feel personal rather than manufactured. Every shade tells a story, and every tube reflects the values she built her second act on.

Connect with Monica Walls

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kecasusna/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kecasusna

LinkedIn (Monica): https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicawalls/

LinkedIn (Keca's Usna): https://www.linkedin.com/company/keca-s-usna/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kecasusna

Website: https://kecasusna.com/

About Your Host, Sandy

Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 40 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026. Just 8 spots available, now flash sale - $2,200 off! https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world. Upcoming trips include China, Southern France, Tanzania, Greece and more!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy:

Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling

Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc

TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy

YouTube: @sandystravelounge

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Learn how to travel with confidence and ease with luxury travel advisor Sandy. Get practical inspiration for your next trip.

Ever come home from a trip needing a vacation from your vacation? In this episode I sit down with California licensed psychotherapist Kim McLaughlin, author of Feed Your Soul, Nourish Your Life, to talk about why so many of us can't actually relax when we get away, and what to do about it.

We get into setting real boundaries with work while you travel, why food routines matter more than people think, how living in an Airbnb instead of a hotel changes the way you experience a place, and why letting go of expectations is the fastest way to actually enjoy your trip. Kim also shares her own process for managing travel anxiety before every trip, even after years of traveling.

If you've ever put travel on the back burner or come home more drained than when you left, this conversation will shift how you think about your next trip.

About Kim Kim McLaughlin, MA, LMFT, is a California licensed psychotherapist, speaker, author, and host of the Feed Your Soul with Kim podcast. In her psychotherapy work she helps individuals, particularly high achieving women, navigate anxiety, overwhelm, burnout, relationships, emotional eating, and the challenges that can get in the way of truly enjoying life. She is the author of Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life: A Six Step System to Peace with Food and is passionate about helping people stop putting themselves last and start creating lives that feel more fulfilling.

Therapy Website: https://feedyoursoultherapy.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcLaughlinLMFT/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feedyoursoulunlimited/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-mclaughlin/

About Your Host, Sandy Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 39 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in curated, confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

👉 Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026, just 8 spots available, currently $600 off in honor of my 60th! https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

👉 Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want hidden gems, real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world. https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

👉 Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy: Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy YouTube: @sandystravelounge LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Learn how to travel with confidence and ease with luxury travel advisor Sandy. Get practical inspiration for your next trip.

What happens when your family history spans Russia, China, Japan, Hawaii, and the United States?

In this personal episode of Just Travel with Sandy, Sandy shares the fascinating global story of her family and the discoveries she has made while exploring her roots. Her Russian grandmother, her father Solomon Raphael Colling—born in Shanghai in 1919 and raised in Tientsin (now Tianjin), China—and his years in the Merchant Marine reveal a family history shaped by migration, travel, multiple cultures, and a rapidly changing world.

Sandy explores what it means to grow up with a family story that crosses borders and cultures, and how old photographs, postcards, documents, and memories can reveal connections between generations.

From Russia to China and beyond, this is more than a genealogy story. It's a conversation about cultural identity, family history, migration, travel, and the ways our ancestors' journeys can shape our own understanding of the world.

If you've ever wondered where your family came from, how cultural heritage shapes identity, or what old family photographs and documents can reveal, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

About Your Host Sandy

Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 39 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in curated, confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

👉 Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026, just 8 spots available, currently $600 off in honor of my 60th!

https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

👉 Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want hidden gems, real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world. https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

👉 Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy:

Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling

Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc

TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy

YouTube: @sandystravelounge

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Learn how to travel with confidence and ease with luxury travel advisor Sandy. Get practical inspiration for your next trip.

Topics include: Russian heritage, family history, genealogy, Shanghai, Tientsin/Tianjin, China in the 1930s, the Merchant Marine, multicultural families, cultural identity, migration, travel, and bridging cultural gaps.

Karen Gershowitz left home at seventeen, flew to Europe alone, and didn't come back

for three years. That was the beginning of a life built entirely around travel. She has

since visited more than 90 countries, climbed Kilimanjaro, witnessed Berlin shortly after

the Wall came down, and collected stories, friendships, and meals in places most

people only dream about.

She studied ceramics in college but made a deliberate career change to marketing so

employers would pay for her travel. That career as a marketing strategist and

researcher took her around the world, where her skills as an interviewer turned

strangers into storytellers and casual conversations into dinner invitations. She is the

author of two travel books, Travel Mania and Wanderlust, and by her own description, a

travel addict with no interest in treatment.

Karen's Books

Travel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust

A memoir of fifty years of travel exploring how the road can change a life. Available on

Amazon. amazon.com/Travel-Mania-Wanderlust-Karen-Gershowitz-

ebook/dp/B08DXYZZ59

Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places and Curious Cuisine

The follow-up built around the people, food, and surprising places Karen encountered

across 90 countries. 2024 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Travel.

Available on Amazon. amazon.com/Wanderlust-Extraordinary-People-Curious-

Cuisine/dp/1647425573

Connect with Karen

• Website: karengershowitz.com

• Facebook: facebook.com/karen.gershowitz

About Your Host Sandy

Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 39 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in curated, confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

👉 Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026, just 8 spots available, currently $600 off in honor of my 60th!

https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

👉 Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want hidden gems, real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world. https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

👉 Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy:

Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling

Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc

TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy

YouTube: @sandystravelounge

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Learn how to travel with confidence and ease with luxury travel advisor Sandy. Get practical inspiration for your next trip.

Meredith Brace Sloss spent 15 years building content for Netflix, Disney, Lucasfilm, Apple, and the British Film Commission. Three weeks after returning from maternity leave, she was laid off, and instead of retreating, she built something entirely her own.

She is the founder of Wanderous, a travel beauty platform that matches your skincare and haircare to the climate of your destination. She is a solo founder and a solo mom by choice, and she is proof that the best pivots sometimes come from the hardest moments.

Connect with Meredith:

Instagram: instagram.com/meredithbracesloss

Wanderous website: wanderous.ai

YouTube: youtube.com/@thebackupplan

Listener discount: wanderous.ai/pages/podcast

About Your Host Sandy

Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 39 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in curated, confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

👉 Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026, just 8 spots available, currently $600 off for Christmas in July!

https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

👉 Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want hidden gems, real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world. https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

👉 Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy:

Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling

Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc

TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy

YouTube: @sandystravelounge

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Learn how to travel with confidence and ease with luxury travel advisor Sandy. Get practical inspiration for your next trip.

Amy Graves has traveled to some of France's most beautiful corners, including the fairytale towns of Colmar and Strasbourg in the Alsace region. But beyond the cobblestone streets and Christmas markets, Amy noticed something: food in Europe just feels different. And that is exactly what she has dedicated her career to unpacking.

As a food educator, published author, and founder of Hidden Consumers Consulting, Amy helps health-conscious women understand the connection between what they eat and how they feel. Using her own story alongside peer-reviewed research, she breaks down what ultra-processed foods are, the health risks they pose, and how to spot them hiding in plain sight.

Her book, The Hidden Consumer: Understanding the Power of Health-Conscious Buyers, dives deep into how the food industry obscures ingredients and what we can do about it.

In This Episode We Talk About:

• Traveling through Alsace, Colmar and Strasbourg, and what French food culture can teach us
• What ultra-processed foods actually are and why they are so hard to identify
• The connection between what we eat and how we feel, especially for women in midlife
• Why food in Europe often feels and tastes different, and what that tells us
• Simple shifts health-conscious women can make starting today

Connect with Amy:

Website: hiddenconsumersconsulting.com

Speaking: hiddenconsumersconsulting.com/speaker

Book: hiddenconsumersconsulting.com/the-hidden-consumer

All links: hiddenconsumersconsulting.com/all-the-links

About Your Host Sandy

Sandy is a luxury travel advisor, author, and podcast host who has traveled to 39 countries, speaks three languages, and has made it her mission to help women 50+ travel the world without the overwhelm. From leading small group tours through the Christmas markets of Germany and France to sharing hard-won travel wisdom in her book The Travel Lounge Life, Sandy specializes in curated, confidence-building travel experiences for women in midlife.

Christmas Markets Germany and France, December 2026, just 8 spots available.

https://justtravelwithsandy.com/christmas-markets-2026

Just Travel with Sandy Facebook Community. The go-to space for women who want hidden gems, real travel experiences, destination guides, luxury travel tips, and first access to small group trips around the world.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Book a Virtual Coffee with Sandy

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/workwithsandy

Follow Sandy:

Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/luxurytraveladvisorsandy

Facebook: facebook.com/sandyjcolling

Instagram: @justtravelwithsandyllc

TikTok: @justtravelwithsandy

YouTube: @sandystravelounge

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandyjcolling

Website: www.justtravelwithsandy.com

Welcome back to Just Travel with Sandy! 🌍

I’m Sandy—travel advisor, world explorer, and author of The Travel Lounge Life. I help busy professional women 50+ create journeys that go far beyond a vacation. Because travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you become. ✨

My guest today is Noemi Beres, a true citizen of the world. She’s traveled widely and now makes her home in Cyprus, where the Mediterranean lifestyle continues to inspire her work and creativity. Noemi is the Co-Owner of Podcast Connections, helping entrepreneurs grow through meaningful podcast interviews. She’s also a linguist, seasoned content creator, and artist who channels her travels and love of nature into soulful mixed-media pieces. Most recently, she launched Silent Thinking Sessions—intentional spaces for slowing down and reconnecting in our fast-moving lives.

👉 Follow Noemi:

Website: Podcast Connections

Silent Thinking Sessions: noemiberes.com

LinkedIn: Noemi Beres

Instagram: @noemi_beres_

✨ And don’t forget—I’m also leading a transformational trip to India in 2026: culture, wellness, and soul-deep renewal. Learn more here: justtravelwithsandy.com/india-2026

🎁 Grab my free e-book The Effortless Escape: A Luxe Guide to Europe for Women 50+ and start planning your dream trip with ease: https://justtravelwithsandy.com/ebook

📖 Plus, check out my book The Travel Lounge Life for stories and strategies to make travel life-changing instead of overwhelming: justtravelwithsandy.com/my-book

🐾 Luca and I also invite you into Sandy & Luca’s Travel Lounge, our warm community for women 50+. Join now and be part of the very first circle shaping this supportive space: justtravelwithsandy.com/sandys-travel-lounge

✨ Whether you’re curious about podcasting, creativity, slowing down, or transforming your travels and life—this episode is for you.

#Podcasting #WomenEntrepreneurs #TransformationalTravel #JustTravelWithSandy #TravelPodcast

Welcome back to Just Travel with Sandy! 🌍 I’m Sandy—travel advisor, world explorer, and author of The Travel Lounge Life. I help busy professional women 50+ create journeys that go far beyond a vacation. Because travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you become. ✨

In this episode, I sit down with Amy Keats, founder of Kefi Tours

After 30+ years in New York’s textile business, Amy turned her lifelong love of Italy and Paris into a travel company that curates off-the-beaten-path, small group tours designed for connection, culture, and discovery.

🚨 Amy has a new Italy trip coming up soon—and you’ll hear why traveling with Kefi is so unique. We’ll talk about:

✅ The magic of slow travel in Italy

✅ How to uncover hidden gems beyond the tourist trail

✅ Why travel is a doorway to transformation and joy

👉 Follow Amy:

Instagram: @kefitours.ak

Facebook: Kefi Tours

LinkedIn: Amy Keats

✨ And don’t forget—I’m also leading a transformational trip to India in 2026: culture, wellness, and soul-deep renewal. Learn more here: justtravelwithsandy.com/india-2026

📖 Check out my book The Travel Lounge Life for stories and strategies to make travel life-changing instead of overwhelming. https://justtravelwithsandy.com/my-book

🐾 Plus, Luca and I invite you into Sandy & Luca’s Travel Lounge, our warm community for women 50+. Join now at Founding Member pricing until the end of August and be part of the very first circle shaping this supportive space. https://justtravelwithsandy.com/sandys-travel-lounge

✨ Whether you love structure, crave connection, seek knowledge, or live for adventure—this episode is for you.

#ItalyTravel #WomensTravel #TransformationalTravel #JustTravelWithSandy #TravelPodcast