“I’ve always struggled with being a ‘business owner’ and a ‘boss’ but also being in a bikini on the beach flying drones. I was worried people wouldn’t take me seriously and it didn’t make sense”

Name:  Monica Walton

Age: 29

Cultural heritage: Mixed / Caribbean

Place of birth/Resides: The Cayman Islands

Kiki: How has your upbringing shaped the woman you are today?

Monica: I grew up in a big family with two brothers and sisters. My brothers were closest to my age so we would hang out more, maybe that’s why I’m a bit of a tomboy! I’m so grateful that I was raised to be independent and self-sufficient. It led me to fall in love with learning, growing and facing life’s challenges head-on. I’m very career-focused and hope to inspire other women to have the drive to go after their goals. I want everyone to know that they don’t have to accept any situation they are in – if you want something, you have to go after it and carve out your path.

Kiki: I love your platform @BeachBoxTV tell me more about what you do?

Monica:  I run a media company called Vagabond Media Group in Cayman Islands where I get to manage a small team of talented people and help other businesses tell their story through video and creative content. Doing what you love every day is very fulfilling! I love seeing people’s businesses grow, seeing the entrepreneurial journey’s around Cayman and being a part of that. It’s fulfilling making a difference to someone’s life. I love to see women pursuing creative careers, especially in video. I also have an online travel platform called Beachbox (www.beachboxtv.com). It allows me to travel the Caribbean and shoot videos for tourism boards and resorts and have a place to share the experience online.  I’ve always loved to travel and have my freedom, hence the name ‘vagabond’. I’ve worked hard to be able to incorporate travel into my work as I knew that’s what I wanted for my life.

Kiki: That’s amazing, I notice you do a lot of outdoor video work under hot temperates. How do you manage to look so effortless doing so?

Monica: I try and run every day and if I can I hit the gym now and then.  I love to cook and eat my greens. I’m a big believer in natural products; coconut oil is excellent for skin, hair and general health.

Kiki: What exciting projects are you currently working on?

Monica: Lots of things at the moment! I have some exciting travel plans around the Caribbean coming up, which will be fun. I’m looking to get involved in more community projects around the island and collaborate with others who inspire me.

Kiki: What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

Monica:  Haha, not sure I would listen, but I’d tell myself to chill out a little bit and not to worry, life will work itself out! I’d also remind myself to enjoy being young and not having too many responsibilities while I’m young! It’s easy to point out your regrets and mistakes, but they are what make you, you. We’re only human.

Kiki: What do you love about being a woman?

Monica: We are in touch with our emotional and intuitive side, which helps us figure out what we want for our lives. I love that we can continue to push boundaries and limits, we can empower each other and stand up for ourselves. Women can make their mark on the world if we believe we can. I’ve always struggled with being a ‘business owner’ and a ‘boss’ but also being in a bikini on the beach flying drones. I was worried people wouldn’t take me seriously, and it didn’t make sense. I learnt to embrace it, to not care what anyone thinks and to do my thing…. and I love it!

Getting to Know you… and everything about you….

Kiki: What can’t you live without?

Monica: My family and my dog… oh and my camera!

Kiki: What’s in our online shopping basket right now?

Monica: Sunglasses – I always lose mine!

Kiki: Who do you ista-stalk and why?

Monica: I love any sort of meme account – they make me happy!

Kiki: What’s the next thing on your bucket list?

Monica:  I would love to go on a Safari in Africa and do some volunteering abroad again.

Let’s get connected…

@beachboxtv