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What if the story you've been sitting on is the one someone else has been waiting to read? Join entrepreneur, community builder, and winner of Essence's 2025 Writing Contest Cole Banks for an pursuing your passions and how staying true to your voice and purpose can lead to new opportunities on the page and off.
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00:03Okay, great. Can you hear me? Okay. Yes. Okay. Hi, Cole. Hi, how are you? I am well, thanks. How
00:10are you? Good, good, good. So the thing here is that I already know this wonderful woman,
00:16very talented entrepreneur, founder, and now new author. Cole, can you introduce yourself
00:24to the folks? I am Cole Banks. I am the author of the soon-to-be Go Solo, coming out
00:31in May
00:312028. I'm also the founder of Sisters Traveling Solo. We are a travel company that encourages
00:37women to go solo. We've been in business for 10 years, and my goal is always to get women
00:43to step outside their comfort zone and do things that they normally wouldn't do.
00:49Okay, do you remember, I'm sorry, this isn't one of the questions that we prepared, but
00:54as someone who is new into traveling solo, do you remember the first trip you took, your
01:01first international trip that you took alone, or don't let me actually qualify that, your
01:06first solo trip and why you took it and what you learned?
01:10So I think we've all been in a place where we planned a trip, and we invited family and
01:15friends and coworkers, and everybody said, yeah, I wanted to go, but then when it was time
01:20to pay, everybody backed out. So that was me. In 2012, I wanted to go to the London Olympics.
01:28It had always been on my bucket list, so I invited my family and my friends, and everybody
01:32said, yeah, we want to go. But by the time it was time to play and book those flights,
01:36everybody backed out. So I had a choice. Either I not go to the Olympics, and I wait until everybody
01:43else got their life in order, or I take a chance and go solo. And for me, it was about
01:48not regretting, not going, you know, because Olympics happen every four years. So I said,
01:53you know, am I willing to wait another four years and hope that everybody can book that
01:57flight? And so for me, it was a no. So that was my first trip.
02:03And what did you learn? Did you have fun? Did you have as much fun as you expected? What
02:07surprised you? So things didn't go as planned, but I learned that I can adapt, and I can keep
02:13going. And I learned that the world wasn't so scary outside of Miami, Florida, which is
02:18where I'm from. This was, I think, my second time out of the country. So going to London
02:24in particular, it was good because they knew the same language. It was the same English,
02:28so it wasn't that hard. When I took a trip to, I did a side trip to Paris, and that
02:34was
02:34a little scary because I didn't know the language. I literally had to get off the train, sit
02:38down, and calm my nerves, and then push forward. But what I learned is I can adapt, and I can
02:45push through anything. Okay. Yeah. Now, you have done that yourself. By this point, you
02:51have taken multiple trips solo. To the extent that you created an organization, Sisters Traveling
02:57Solo, what brought that about? So, Sisters Traveling Solo came about because I
03:04was online reading an article about solo travelers, and under the comments, I don't
03:09know if you guys ever seen something, anything about solo travel. Under the
03:13comments, there are people always discouraging you from not to solo travel
03:15because it's fearful and all these other things, and somebody commented that black
03:19women shouldn't travel solo. So I was like, black women, like, in particular
03:24shouldn't travel solo? And so I knew I love to travel solo, and I knew there were other
03:29black women who travel solo. So what I did was create a space on Facebook, a community
03:34for other women who like to travel solo as well. That Facebook group grew into a business,
03:40and from there, you know, we've inspired women to not just travel solo alone, but also travel
03:46solo in groups. So everybody who travels with us, they don't know each other, but they come
03:51anyway. So they travel solo, but not solo solo, you know? Solo, but together. Solo, but together.
03:58Yeah. Okay, so how many years between your first trip in 2012 to the London Olympics and the decision
04:06to bring Sisters Traveling Solo to Facebook?
04:11Um, I would say five, about five years. Yeah. Wow, things happen fast. Yeah, five years. Yeah. Okay,
04:16because now that's 2017, and not quite 10 years later, you are about to be a published author.
04:24Yeah, I didn't see that on my bucket list, on my bingo card. When did you start thinking about maybe
04:30you have the idea for a book, like you have the community, but now you want to bring that into
04:35book form? Why? Um, you know, the thing is, again, it goes back to regret. So I kept seeing
04:41conversations about solo travel online, and I knew I was an expert in that space, and I always had an
04:47opinion, like, no, that's not right, or yes, you should do this or shoot that. So I wanted to, you
04:52know,
04:52leverage that information that I have, and I had an idea what the book should look like about solo
04:56travel. I didn't want it to be full of fear and people discouraging you from solo traveling,
05:01and I didn't want it to be the extreme, because sometimes solo travel is the extreme, like
05:06something bad happens to you, and you just want to get out and go solo traveling, or like,
05:10you put yourself on the edge of a cliff, and because you just want to prove that you can do
05:14it,
05:15but I wanted to be that space in between. For those women, we have, we still have it all together,
05:19but we still prefer to go solo, and I knew there wasn't a book out there, and for me,
05:24I didn't want to regret somebody else writing this book, and taking that vision that I had,
05:29and putting it out there. Okay. Yeah. So congratulations, because that's not easy. Yes.
05:35What was your first step? So now you, okay, you have the idea, you know the information that you want
05:40to convey, you think that this needs to be in a book, it's more than just a website, and so
05:45now what?
05:45You have an idea for a book. Who did you call? How did you make that happen?
05:51So, you know, when I first started writing the book, I would say I wanted to take a shortcut.
05:56What's a shortcut? I'm sorry, I've worked in publishing. I don't know.
05:58Well, you know, I use Google. You know, how do you write a book? I use Google, and I said,
06:02okay,
06:03how do I put this on Amazon or KDP, and do, that's what I say, the shortcut. I mean, I
06:10know that's
06:11the avenues people take, but for me, it was like, I didn't want to sell this book short,
06:15because I knew there wasn't a book out there like this. So for me, it was going back to the
06:19drawing board and saying, okay, I'm not going to go that route. What route can I take? So I signed
06:25up
06:25for Book Academy to learn the process of actually from an author of actually how to write that book,
06:32and took that process to help me get my idea out there and go the right way, you know, whether
06:39it's
06:39the agent or the hybrid or all those different things that I didn't know that I could have Googled
06:45forever and still not found, you know. That's right. And so this is a wonderful kind of confluence of
06:54things that happened for you, because you went to a community of writers and writer hopefuls
07:01and learned the process not only of pitching your idea or bring your idea into print, but also
07:08pitching the idea, how you talk to publishers or agents about that. When you finished the Book Academy,
07:14did you immediately start querying literary agents or you won a contest here? What role did the
07:22contest play in your path to publishing? That's a good question. So, you know, once I finished the
07:27Book Academy, I started querying agents. There was a lot of silence and a lot of rejection. So you have
07:33to kind of prepare yourself mentally that not everybody's going to get that vision. Even though I knew the
07:39space, I think because I knew the space and I knew there was a story out of this, I kept
07:44pushing and I
07:45kept sending the letters out. And then it was so happy. I follow Essence, right? But I didn't see the
07:53post about the writing contest. I saw it in the Book Academy. So had I not been in that Book
07:59Academy,
07:59had I not taken that, you know, decided not to take that shortcut, I might have never seen the Essence
08:05contest. And that's where I seen it. And that's where I applied. Yeah. What a difference a year
08:10makes. So that Essence contest that she applied to, we launched from this stage last year at
08:16Storehouse Voices. So thank you. Yeah. Yeah. But at the same time, you find a literary agent.
08:23How did you and the dynamic Javon Bolden, hi Javon, who was also here last year and working with some
08:30of her other brilliant authors who are dynamic contributions to the culture. How did the two
08:35of you find each other? The Book Academy. Javon was one of the people that they mentioned
08:42as an agent. And I, I queried, I sent her my information and I didn't hear from her. And then
08:49I think we went to a Woman in Words by Storehouse Voices and we missed each other there.
08:59And then I was announced as the winner of the Essence contest. And then I think a week or so
09:03later I messaged, Javon actually emailed me and said she wanted to work with me. So it was kind of,
09:10it kind of all worked out according to plan. Right. Yeah. According to the plan. Yeah.
09:15So now can you talk about your pitch to Women in Words, right? So you find out about Women in
09:20Words
09:20through the Book Academy and you know that we have a kind of, our platform, our platform at
09:27Storehouse Voices, which gives you room uniquely to submit your manuscript directly. Yes. What was
09:33that like pulling it together? Because those pieces of the application are essentially the elements
09:39of a core book proposal. What was that like for you? Well, I would say first, I really appreciate
09:45your process because I got to submit my information directly to you versus trying to find an agent to
09:51submit my work on my behalf. I think that's one of the most unique things that I've seen or experienced.
09:58And it was just getting that feedback right away from the publisher versus having to convince an agent to
10:03convince a publisher was awesome. But I put together my book proposal after I finished the book academy.
10:11That's one of the assignments they had was the, they gave us a deadline, you know, try to get your
10:15book proposal done by, I think it was May. And it was just in time for me to submit for
10:21the essence
10:22contest. So had I not, you know, been actively engaged in that academy and knew to this is what they're
10:29looking for, like a book proposal. I don't think I would have, I wouldn't have been prepared or won
10:34the contest. As our publisher Tamira Chapman says, you were found ready. I was found ready. Yeah.
10:40Right. Yeah. Love that. Yeah. So one of the elements of a book proposal is your overview line,
10:47right? In one sentence or two sentences, because you were definitely accomplished.
10:51How would you answer the question? What is the book go solo? Go solo is giving people permission
11:00to stop waiting. And that's to stop waiting on other people, stop waiting on the right time,
11:05stop waiting on the right amount of money in your bank account. You know, when people look at
11:09go solo, they think it's just about travel, but it really is about giving yourself permission to go
11:15after the life you want. Even if that life you want, it requires you to step out on your own.
11:19Mm-hmm. Yeah. And why is now the right time in your life?
11:25Good afternoon. It's now the right time.
11:28If you are with Gary or Darian, please contact the nearest law enforcement representative. Again,
11:39if you are with Gary or Darian, please contact the nearest law enforcement or public safety representative.
11:49I hope everybody's okay. The littles are here, I'm like, look at that.
11:53Yeah. I hope it's not a missing joke.
11:55They're okay. So okay, why is this the right time in your life to be able to pause? Writing a
12:02book
12:02doesn't happen overnight. So why are you ready to actually put pen to paper? What kind of space do
12:08you have to carve out in your life to now get this book done? Well, luckily I have some time.
12:14So the book doesn't come out until May 2028. And I have several months to write it. For me,
12:21I'm just tired of waiting. And that's it. I don't want to put this off to the side and say,
12:27okay,
12:27well, my, my twins get older. I'll take the time. Or, you know, when I have more time from
12:33sisters traveling solo, you know, for me, it's just about making it, getting it done. I'm just,
12:38I'm just tired of waiting.
12:41Um, and I love that you said that you're tired of waiting and your book won't come out until May
12:472028.
12:48That you can appreciate that. But you know that it's active time, right? So right now you are in
12:54the editorial process. I keep looking around for your editor, our editorial director, Jen Baker,
13:00handpicked and hand selected Cole's work for Storehouse Voices. What was it like to get the
13:06call from Jen? And then what have your calls been like now that you're not just a prospective author,
13:11you are her author?
13:13Um, you know, when I opened the email, I was literally put my twins to sleep and I opened
13:19the email and I read and I was like, I literally screamed because I'm like my book, you know,
13:24because you see the vision. And like I said, the process, you get some rejection, right? You get
13:28people who read it and say they pass and you know, it's nothing against your book. It's just not for
13:34them. Um, and then you get people who, who see your book and want to change it a little bit.
13:39And
13:40you're like, that's not the vision I have for the book. So to get somebody who saw
13:45my potential other book and for it to come straight from the publisher was a huge deal.
13:51And especially to win it with Essence was an even bigger deal. Yeah. Yeah.
13:56We feel very fortunate and very fortunate to have you. Thank you.
14:00Have you started your work with Jen? Have you had like your first editorial call? Like,
14:04what has that been like now? You're not writing, you're not writing solo. This is writing team.
14:10This is writing team. And Jen is a hard cookie. Yeah.
14:14We had, we had, we've had one meeting so far, um, just to go over the steps and the process
14:19of,
14:20um, the whole editing process. Um, but now the pressure's on, right? Because now I have timelines
14:26to meet, um, um, and deadlines. Yeah. And she'll make sure I make those deadlines. Um, where before
14:33I just took my time. Uh, so it's getting a little, I have to get used to it. And now
14:38I have to be very,
14:39um, uh, intentional about taking time out just to focus on a book to make sure I hit those deadlines.
14:46Yeah. She will make sure she will help you. Yeah. We all.
14:49I'll help you. Um, what is the biggest piece of advice? So I am ready to travel solo for the
14:57first
14:57time. I think I have my destination in mind. It is a place where I speak the language. What do
15:04I do
15:04first? Um, you know, a place you're going, we're going to Ireland. Oh, nice. Um, that's,
15:12I would say the first thing to do if you want to go solo is to join a community, um,
15:16like sisters
15:16traveling solo, because that's where you get the best advice. Um, one of the things I talk about
15:20in the book is that, especially as black women, we don't always get the full story by looking at
15:24blogs or reading, um, magazines or all that stuff because they don't know what it's like to travel
15:30as the black woman, to be the only one in the room, um, to have people question if you're supposed
15:35to be in first class, um, or have somebody ignore you when you're trying to check in. Right. So I
15:40would
15:40say join a community particularly for black women. Um, and that's why I created sisters traveling solo
15:45because they give you that advice that you're not going to find in, in different places.
15:49Yep. So that would, that would be your first step. The second step is always research.
15:54And one of the things I like to say, tell anybody, um, is always take your American glasses off
15:59when you go to another country. Right. And what I mean by that is go in, not expecting that country
16:05to be like your home country, but go in with open mind to say, I'm here to learn and understand
16:10why you guys do the things that you do. Right. Because the American way of doing things is not
16:15always to write. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. You're welcome. What are you looking forward to the most,
16:21right? Some folks are looking forward to the moment where you're holding your book in your
16:26hand for the first time and we see these glorious unboxings. There's the signings, there's the
16:33readings, right? There's media, but there's also really connecting, right? With the folks who will come
16:40up to you and be like, I've read this book and it just moved me. What things are you looking
16:44forward
16:45to once you have your book in your hand? Um, the first thing I'm looking forward to is, uh,
16:51my twins love books. Um, and I took them to a Barnes and Noble, uh, well before I got the
16:58book deal.
16:58And I said, mommy's book is going to be in here. So that's the first thing I'm looking forward to
17:03is walking into a Barnes and Noble and saying, that's mommy's book. Right. That's so beautiful.
17:09Yeah. That's so beautiful. What has been the hardest thing so far now that you're a public,
17:14well, you're a soon to be published author, you have a book deal. What has been the hardest element
17:19to transition into as now you have to sit down? I know what it would be for me. I think,
17:26um, you know,
17:27when you're writing by yourself and you're reading your words, you know, it sounds good. But then when you
17:31get that, when you have to turn it over to someone like Jen, you're like, okay, does this make sense?
17:37Is it flowing? Um, and what I found lately is that I'm reading my words over and over.
17:42So because I'm reading it over and over, I keep questioning myself, is this the right thing to say?
17:46Am I saying it right? Do I need to say enough? Um, so I find myself just going back and
17:50forth
17:51over the same chapter. So I'm ready to kind of release it to somebody else to say, okay, this,
17:56this is good. Um, we need to do this and we need to fix that. So that's been the hardest
18:01part
18:01for me is, um, just looking at my words and making sure that it's the best that I can
18:06put on paper. Yep. Now, did you, when you pitch the idea for Go Solo and in your proposal,
18:14did you have, did you have your chapter outline? You're essentially like, these are the chapters
18:19and the way you envision it. Are you still in that place now, like thinking that those are
18:26still the chapters? How did you come up with the kind of organizing principles for a book like this?
18:32And of course, it's still a work in progress. So anybody watching this recording in May,
18:3620, 28, don't be surprised if it's different. Um, yeah. So when I, when I thought about what
18:42I wanted to include in the book, I thought about all the things that people talk about when they
18:45talk about solo travel, right? They talk about the fear, um, of solo travel. They talk about being
18:50lonely. They talk about, um, safety. Um, they talk about, you know, things like where to go and
18:57things where to stay and things like that. So I just went back and, and a good thing about a
19:02community is I can go back into my space and kind of see where, what people are talking about,
19:07right? And I can see what's a hot button and what people still want to know about, um, and what's
19:12keeping people back from, um, traveling solo. So that's, that was the great thing about my community.
19:15It helped me kind of draft, okay, this is what I, this is what I want to talk about and
19:21this is
19:21what I want to address, but didn't, this is what I want people to take away, um, from the, from
19:26the
19:26book. Yeah. Thank you. I think I have time for one more question. And it's something that you kind
19:33of inspired me to ask here, the role of your community in your writing process. So especially
19:38for folks who are writing nonfiction, and I think that may have been some of the hurdles you found
19:43yourself with and querying an agent and not necessarily hearing back because one of the
19:47things people will hear from agents is, yeah, this may be a great idea, but you don't really have a
19:52platform, right? Um, you know, the world doesn't really know enough about who you are for you to
19:58have a book that's standing alone on the shelves. How do you talk about what your platform is and how
20:06that helps support your visibility for bringing a book into the world? So I, I think my platform, um,
20:13was important for me when it, I think because one, you know, my platform is similar to essence.
20:19Um, I, I, it's black women, right? Um, so I think that was a part of it, but I think
20:24community in
20:25general is very important. Even now, um, I know we're in a world where it's people want you to follow
20:32them, but I think having a space where people can actually engage with you, um, and talk with you
20:38is very important. Um, so for me, I think my community not only helps me in a sense that it,
20:45it got me here, but it just helps me in general because I can go back to that community every
20:50day
20:50and talk about the things that I, I may want to talk about in my book and kind of test
20:54that ground
20:55as well. Yep. Yeah. That's the way it is. I like to say platform is a thing you stand on
21:00to make your
21:00book visible to others. Yeah. And so if you're standing within that community to whom you need
21:05your book to be visible and they will be the ambassadors to your book, then you're already
21:08winning. Yes. You have already won. Thank you. Literally and figuratively. Thank you.
21:13And it's an honor to be your publisher. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
21:16I really appreciate all those voices. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody.
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