About Kristy Burns & My Town Travels
From Nonprofit Management & Philanthropy to Small Town Tourism
My name is Kristy Burns (@mytowntravels).
I am a travel entrepreneur, writer, podcaster, and founder of My Town Travels, Travel Small Towns, The Travel Small Towns Podcast, & My Town Today platforms. As a lover of small towns, travel enthusiast, and small-town foodie, I work with small towns to showcase their unique attributes, experiences, and businesses on our Websites, Additional Article Sites, Podcasts, and to our Social Media Audience, telling their stories.
2,000+
Small Towns Explored
15+
Years in Travel & Tourism
2,500+
Articles/Posts Published
5
Seasons of Podcast Episodes Recorded
1M
Monthly Website Visitors
My Story
So far
Hi! I’m Kristy Burns, the Founder and CEO of My Town
Travels, Travel Small Towns & My Town Today. I have been a travel
professional for over 15 years. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and
Sociology with a Minor in Geography from Valparaiso University and a Master’s
in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy with a concentration in Fundraising.
I have always been an entrepreneur. I founded my first
consulting business 17 years ago and spent many years serving nonprofit clients.
Under my direction, clients raised millions of dollars in philanthropic support
through direct response, strategic special events, and major gift efforts. I founded
two nonprofit organizations and have built nonprofits from the ground up,
including board development and strategic planning. I have worked with clients
in several areas, including environmental, conservation, education, arts,
historic preservation, health, and wellness, and continue to contribute and
collaborate on publications, books, and newsletters. I have also served as a
Director of Development and Executive Director for many years, as well as a
Community Event Planner. Many events I have created or been a part of planning
are continuing to this day.
Growing up in a small town and visiting small towns across
the country through philanthropic work, it wasn’t long before I began working
in small-town economic development. I became the Promotions Committee Chair for
my hometown’s Main Street Program, and it wasn’t long before this skill set
started to focus solely on small-town promotion. Over the years, I began to
fill a need for Small Town Tourism by creating a Woman-Owned Business focused
on websites, a podcast, and social media dedicated to promoting small towns. I now focus my skill set on small-town tourism
through travel, awareness, targeted messaging, and careful, creative work with small-town
clients’ unique promotional, travel, and tourism needs.
My Town's Mission
How Small Towns are defined can vary. But if you love an emphasis on “Local” everything, such as historic sites, boutique shopping & lodging, friendly culture, mom-and-pop shops, and small crowds when you travel, you’re in the right place!
Mission Statement:
Connecting People to Small Town Destination Experiences, Culture, & Values Through Travel
*** Our Mission Is Simple: My Town Travels is here to Promote Small Town Destinations & Hidden Gems, Connect them with Visitors, and Grow the My Town Platform for Small Town Representatives and Enthusiasts to Utilize.***
Journey of How My Town Travels Began
Note:
My Town Travels would not exist without The Love of my life, my husband, Geoff Burns. Geoff has been with me from the very first spark of inspiration and has continued to be the “jack of all trades” and the unseen foundation behind My Town Travels.
Our Story:
As consultants who travel the country, the founders of My Town Travels, Kristy & Geoff Burns, had an idea inspired by their love of visiting small towns. They found that, while traveling, finding something to do when visiting a new town was often not easy, and on weekdays even less so.
One day in June of 2017, on the way to work, Kristy was going through the event section of the local visitor’s guide and realized there were several events she would have loved to attend had she known about them the night before. The conversation led to the question: What if we had a platform that made small towns and events easy to search for? Not just local, but national, and accessible all the time? Then the idea for My Town Travels (now commonly referred to as My Town) was born.
Since that day, Kristy and Geoff have dedicated countless hours to creating a collective space for small towns to connect to visitors. My Town has continued to grow from small-town residents, travel enthusiasts, ambassadors, and members of Travel Small Towns (Our Sister Site), who spread the word about their unique and interesting small towns.
Wanderlust: Why I Travel
Traveling is more than just a hobby—it’s a way of life that shapes my perspective and enriches my soul. Each journey offers a new adventure, a chance to step out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in small-town cultures and landscapes.
