Member Spotlight: Esha Gupta of EatWith

Each month San Francisco Travel Massive features a community member in their latest newsletter. In this month’s edition, they turn the spotlight on Esha Gupta, Head of Community for EatWith in San Francisco. Co-chapter leader Stephanie Uniacke sat down with her in San Francisco about why she joined Travel Massive meet ups.

How did you begin to work in the travel industry?

Working at EatWith is technically my first job in the travel space. Finding this job was really just a matter of chance. My best friend from college was forwarded the opportunity by a friend of hers and wasn’t interested, so she forwarded it to me, and then I emailed Guy (the CEO of EatWith) to schedule coffee…and the rest is history. Prior to EatWith, I worked at General Assembly, Fullscreen and Google.

What does your current role entail?

My current role encompasses three major things. I am responsible for finding and recruiting amazing hosts to be on the EatWith platform in San Francisco and the Bay Area (such as finding them, stalking them, scheduling demo dinners with them, attending these demo dinners, taking pictures, refining menus, building their profiles, and then getting them live).

I also help to market the dinners so that they get filled – both online and offline marketing efforts!

Finally, I offer continued support for hosts as they host meals or create new offers.

What benefits have come from attending Travel Massive meet-ups?

Meeting Erika, SFBA Travel Massive founder, has been a huge blessing! She has helped me find value in meeting such a diverse group of people doing so many different, crazy, or interesting things within the travel space!

What changes do you hope to see in the travel industry?

We need to think of travel as more of an authentic, immersive and life-changing experience. Eating with a local in their own home is a great way to do that.

“We learn so much about others, ourselves – our place in the world and what it means to be human – when we really understand ways of living that are quite different from our own”

I would also like to see travel become more affordable and accessible for all. If it becomes increasingly possible for everyone to travel, I think the world would ultimately be a peaceful, more connected place!

If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go?

Hands DOWN – Cuba!

Stephanie Uniacke is the co-chapter leader of San Francisco Travel Massive. When she is not organizing meet ups in her city she blogs over at Just Cherished, proving you can still have travel adventures with a 9-5 lifestyle. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.