Life & Work with Zoe Zyvith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Zyvith. 

Hi Zoe, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am originally from New Jersey but moved out to Denver, Colorado in 2019. I studied Engineering in college and was brought out to Colorado to work in the tech consulting industry. Although I never thought I would have ended up in Colorado (the idea of moving to Denver was never even close to being on my radar), I always knew that in the back of my mind I needed to leave the only place I’ve ever known and experience something new. 

Once I moved, I started meeting people who slowly got me more into hiking, camping, and snowboarding. I had done these activities as a kid with my family but it was never a constant thing I wanted to do. I’ve always been active and was a competitive gymnast for 11 years. But after graduating college, I needed a new activity and creative outlet. Since moving I’ve hiked multiple 14ers, visited 4 new national parks, became a better snowboarder, started backpacking, and even did my first solo backpacking trip. If I told 16-year-old me that I would be hiking with 30 pounds on my back and sleeping in the middle of the forest alone, I would’ve thought I was insane. Getting out of my comfort zone has always been a challenge for me. While I love new experiences, doing things on my own has been a huge challenge. 

In 2021, I came to the realization that I needed a creative outlet to keep my mind busy. I decided that since I just started learning these new outdoor skills then why not teach others what I’m learning and how the journey is going. Not to mention it’ll allow my friends and family back at home to keep up to date with everything I’ve been up to! Within the past year I’ve started getting into photography (both digital and film), built up my Instagram and TikTok accounts, started a blog, and learned how to create multiple streams of income. This time last year, I had no idea that I could not only teach others how to live their best life and spend time in nature but that I could also make money from it?! Definitely a game-changer for me. Social media has become a wonderful outlet to share my stories, share the person I’m becoming and allow others to hopefully be inspired and go out and do those things that make them the happiest. As someone who struggled with finding herself, and still struggles with self-confidence and motivation, I want to be able to motivate other women to be the most bad-a** version of themselves and to encourage everyone to explore and give back to this beautiful planet we live on. 

I truly believe that taking the risk of moving to a completely new state, with no friends or family, has been the best decision I could have made for myself. Although it was scary, I would never have gotten to where I am today, had I not taken that risk with the support of my family and friends. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been an easy transition from where I was 3 years ago to where I am today. And don’t get me wrong, it’s still challenging today! Every day I’m slowly figuring out my way and who I’m supposed to be. I used to think that everything had to go a specific way: graduate from college, go work in a certain industry to put my degree to use, buy a house, get married, etc. Recently I’ve been really trying to figure out what it is that I want to do, what I love, and what gets me out of bed every morning. 

Throughout these past few years, I’ve made friends, lost them, ended a serious relationship, and found a stronger love. There’s been highs and lows, but these lessons have helped open me to new experiences I would have never gotten had I stayed in NJ. 

Photography is also not an easy and quick journey. It’s been taking a lot of practice to really figure out my style and although I may not quite have it figured out, it’s been so inspiring learning from incredible photographers and using their insight to advance my skills. 

My journey is only beginning. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
For the past 8 months, I have been doing content creation and photography. I utilize multiple social media platforms to encourage active lifestyles, self-care practices, and outdoor education (e.g., as to leave no trace principles). Through this work, I’ve been able to meet so many amazing photographers, and work with amazing brands. 

I love the community I’ve been building and the relationships I now have with the amazing people within that community. I have made some incredible friendships with people all over the country and even internationally. The support I receive from my community is more than I could ever ask for. 

What sort of trends in your industry are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Influencer marketing is definitely on the rise. In fact, it is expected that the influencer marketing platform market will reach over $80 billion by 2028. There are so many opportunities out there through influencer marketing across all industries and niches. Currently the trends are going toward video content, both short and long form (e.g. Tiktok and Instagram Reels).I’ve also been seeing more people use drones/FPV for capturing aerial shots and videos (just make sure to be cautious of No Fly Zones and be courteous to those who might be trying to enjoy the sounds of nature).

The outdoors industry isn’t going anywhere. National and State Parks are only growing in popularity and more people are wanting to explore them. I can only hope to see more people take on more sustainable practices in order for us to continue to enjoy these amazing locations and beautiful views. I also believe that the covid pandemic has allowed people to feel more in touch with nature.

Contact Info:

• Email: zoezyvith@gmail.com
• Website: www.zoezyvith.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoezyvith/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@zoezyvith?lang=en

Image Credits
The personal photo was taken by my friend Riccardo Mui (instagram @projectanalogphotography)