From blog to book to full-time digital nomad
Cole detailed his year of travel on this blog, sharing stories and photography from the road. That writing became the foundation for his first book, "Filling My Bucket: A Year of Solo Travel Across Seven Continents." He's currently working on a follow-up, "People 'n Places: The Untold Story," a collection of street photography and unplanned portraits from around the globe.
After stepping foot on his seventh continent, Cole found he simply couldn't stop. That year had opened his eyes to an entirely new way of experiencing the world, and he wasn't ready to close that chapter. Working remotely allowed him to keep serving his mortgage clients while he found his footing in this next chapter — and in turn, he launched his travel advisor business, a way to bring his friends, family, and mortgage clients along for the ride, helping them explore the world alongside him.
Today, Cole balances three lines of work: mortgage loan originator, travel advisor, and travel writer. Since July 2024, he's written a monthly column for The Compass, the trade publication of VAX Vacation Access, covering destinations, cruise trends, and the travel industry for a readership of fellow travel professionals — see his full body of work on the Press page.
After returning to Colorado from his seventh continent on December 22nd, Cole became a travel advisor with Inteletravel — a way to share his experience and passion for travel professionally. He specializes in cruises, all-inclusive vacations, solo travel, and LGBTQ+ travel, and today he lives as a full-time digital nomad, balancing mortgage lending with travel advising from the road.
Cole is also a travel photographer with a portfolio spanning 55+ countries, licensed through Getty Images, and a regular contributor to The Compass, VAX Vacations' industry publication. He previously served as Board President of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association and Board President of the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction.
