Ann Davis loves to travel—a fact perhaps best represented by her having stepped foot in 50 countries at some point in her life.
The Milwaukee-based entrepreneur also yearns to make an impact wherever she is.
These dual passions created the perfect pair of ingredients for Venture with Impact, which, in less than two years, has provided professionals with an opportunity to roll up their sleeves in other corners of the globe, oftentimes while working remotely for their regular full-time jobs. The travel startup specializes in organizing workspace, accommodations and volunteering opportunities for professionals who live and/or travel abroad for over 4 weeks or more.
In its brief existence, the nonprofit has provided logistical assistance to volunteers in disparate corners of the globe, including Colombia, Thailand, Peru and, most recently, Portugal. More locales are in the works in the journey ahead.
Getting to the destination of launching a startup was, at times, a bumpy ride for Davis, who is a native of Waukesha, a community a half-hour west of Milwaukee.
Taking the bold step of leaving the full-time working world and establishing her own business was spurred, she said, by a life-altering period in her life. At age 23, Davis said she was met with a moment of clarity at a time when she received troubling news.
During a routine jog one morning, Davis said she received a strange sensation in one of her legs and immediately started to go into convulsions. Upon further examination, doctors discovered Davis had a golf ball-sized lump in her brain—the outgrowth of brain cancer.
“It was a huge shock for me,” said Davis, who is Venture with Impact’s founder and CEO. “It gave me some perspective, and it allowed me to think more about what mattered to me in my life.”
The marvels of modern medicine, including a craniotomy, have provided Davis with a cancer-free diagnosis five years after the incident. She continued working in the full-time working world a few more years before officially launching Venture with Impact.
Drawing on her past experiences of balancing large-scale travel with a full-time employment commitment, Davis said Venture with Impact provides logistical support to the travelers before the excursion begins.
To date, the organization has facilitated volunteer projects with groups of 5 to 15 volunteers in the countries it has a presence. Volunteer with Impact takes care of airport pickups, lodging accommodations and co-working space.
Davis said the “impact” part of the startup’s name points to the bountiful cultural activities and service projects available in a host country. Alongside the logistical support, out of the gate, the organization has in place a core program that matches a volunteer with a personalized pro-bono opportunity with a local partner group.
“They each have their own individualized skills-based project,” Davis said. “It provides a great opportunity for cultural awareness.”
In many instances, Davis said the volunteers matched with partners in the host country are able to use their professional skill sets. Case in point: a physical therapist in the Milwaukee area recently worked with a nonprofit in her host country and used cutting-edge technology to create prosthetics.
For Davis, she sees boundless possibilities for Venture with Impact as the startup inches closer to its second full year in operation.
“Traveling has been a big passion and hobby of mine,” Davis said, pointing out how she enjoys sharing her love of taking in different cultures with other people from the U.S.
In the road ahead, Davis said she envisions offering more flexible options for interested participants unable to make a full one-month commitment.
One likely prospect is a partnership program with employers offering the option as a perk alongside traditional benefits. Accommodations for shorter windows of time are also planned.
Also in the works are customized team retreats, lasting anywhere from one to three weeks.
“It’s a real good opportunity,” Davis said. “It can help with professional development.”
