Meet Emmy Atkinson | Content Creator & Social Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emmy Atkinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emmy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had always wanted to be freelance and work on my own terms, I never understood the need to be chained to a desk all day not even able to take a dentist appointment without ‘making up the time’. For me, it all started with a career break. I had been climbing the corporate ladder for 6 years in London but spent all my spare time travelling, dreaming of a more balanced lifestyle where I could see the world too. I got 3 months into a backpacking trip in Asia before the pandemic started, once I came home there were no jobs available so I decided this is actually the perfect time to go freelance. I started designing a logo, creating a website and socials and it all snowballed from there.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For me it was definitely a small stepping-stone process to get where I am today. The pandemic really changed everything for me as it made me realise how precious our time here is and I didn’t want to waste any more time doing anything I didn’t really want to do; both professionally and personally. I had set up my social and content agency during the pandemic which was going great but I also wanted a more creative and fun outlet that was just for me which led to starting a TikTok account sharing my travels which quickly grew an audience and has created a whole new world of opportunities for me. Right now, I am sat in the jungle in Costa Rica because I was invited here by an adventure retreat centre to shoot content for them. Being able to do a job I love, that’s creatively fulfilling and allows me to travel the world on a full-time basis is more than I could ever have dreamed of. The funny thing is I used to look at people in my position now and think it was impossible to get there, but it’s really so much more possible than you think.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As I am officially living in Lisbon, Portugal now as my home base let’s do a perfect Lisbon itinerary.

For a week I would recommend going for lots of brunches and tasty dinners, some of my favourites are Combo, Zenith and Miolo. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with most brunches in Lisbon. Spend the first couple of days wandering around Lisbon, the hills can be a little tiring but if you jump in a Bolt its super quick and easy to get around. Explore some of the nicest neighborhoods. My favourites are Cais do Sodre, Alfama, Belem and Principe Real. Another great aspect of Lisbon life is the rooftops and daily sundowners at one of the many viewpoints in the city. I would recommend hitting up Miradouro de Santa Catarina and Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Every night there’s such a good vibe with musicians creating a buzzy atmosphere. For dinner, again you can hardly go wrong for food in Lisbon but some of my favourite spots include; Rosamar, Ramiro’s and Yak & Yeti. And, if partying until sunrise is your thing, be sure to check out Lust in Rio, Lux Fragil, Ministerium and Incognito.

Another aspect that I love about Lisbon is the close proximity to the beaches! If the weather is good (which it most likely will be), I would head over to Costa da Caparica to take a surf lesson and stroll along the front which has a plethora of good cafes and restaurants. My absolute favourite spots include; Leblon restaurant, Praia Irmao and Casa Reia. Other beaches and towns you can check out within an hour from Lisbon are; Ericeira (surfers paradise), Cascais and Sintra.

Lisbon is one of the most fun, vibrant and exciting places to be right now, the people are great, you meet so many people from across the world, there’s so much to do and see, the weather is always on point and the food is truly to die for.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, I would shout out my best friends for always supporting my wildest dreams and always being the best sounding board for me. We’ve grown up together and it’s a blessing to be able to watch each other grow over the years.

Website: www.emmygoesplaces.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmygoesplaces/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylysianneatkinson/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emmygoesplaces