Meet Naudia Salmon, Founder and Director at We Drifters

Q1.What is your project about?

Naudia Salmon: It’s about travel, self-care, and the freedom to live life on your own terms. We Drifters believe in the importance of these three elements and in connecting like-minded travellers through our community of Drifters. We have also developed Anti-Insect Sleepwear, made from soft bamboo and anti-insect technology, to keep bugs at bay and you comfy while travelling. Our all-in-one sleepwear gives you peace of mind to travel wherever your wanderlust takes you.

Q2.Where did the original idea stem from?

Naudia Salmon: From travelling of course! The idea for Anti-Insect Sleepwear came from my first backpacking trip to South East Asia. I didn’t cope well with insects – my bites turned into hives and I reacted badly to my antimalarials. Plus I wasn’t sleeping from being really uncomfortable in a restrictive repellent sleeping bag liner. It gave me the idea to create sleepwear that was super comfy, with the added benefit of keeping bugs away.

Bad sleep aside, I absolutely loved travelling. I learnt so much and it gave me a sense of freedom to live life more on my own terms. For me this meant the beginning of my start-up journey and making travel a big part of my life. This essentially formed the We Drifters ethos and a way of connecting with like-minded travellers.

Q3. What challenges have you experienced in your journey so far?

Naudia Salmon: Developing Anti-Insect Sleepwear from idea to final product has definitely been the biggest challenge. Initially finding the right vendors to work with was key, it was important to work with people who not only had the capabilities and high standards, but also the right ethics and belief in the product. As the product evolved, it became important to know what features could be tweaked versus what absolutely couldn’t be compromised. This at times was a challenge and caused delays with development, but helped ensure the original idea and problem being solved remained at the centre of the product.

Q4. What is it that you are trying to achieve by the end of the year?

Naudia Salmon: This year we have planned to launch Anti-Insect Sleepwear in the UK and continue to build our community of Drifters. It’s an exciting year for us and we hope to make a splash in the travel community!

Q5. What do you want the legacy of your project to be known for?

Naudia Salmon: Empowering people to travel and live life on their own terms.

Q6. Where can people find you?

Website: www.wedrifters.co.uk

Instagram: wedrifters

Twitter: we_drifters

Facebook: wedrifters.co.uk

Email: Naudia@wedrifters.co.uk

You can also hear more about my story on Wandertale’s audio blog.