Globetrotter Returns to Roots in Nebraska, Finds Perfect Home to Build Her Business

Sally Bunnell is a true globetrotter, having visited 119 countries. She has also lived abroad in Denmark and London and resided in New York City and Los Angeles. Yet no place in the world rivals the contentment she feels in her home state of Nebraska. “I’m Nebraska through and through,” she laughed.

Bunnell grew up in Oxford, Nebraska, a town of about 700 people, and had never flown on an airplane until she was 19 years old. During college, she moved to New York City for an internship with David Letterman. It was her first big experience outside Nebraska. Her job after finishing the internship afforded her the opportunity to travel extensively within the U.S. “That was kind of my first taste of other cities and places to live,” she said.

Her first time traveling outside the U.S. was a red-carpet event she hosted in Sydney, Australia, for the CMC Music Awards. “I was so scared to go. I couldn’t have gone further away. The flight was like 24 hours, New York all the way to Sydney,” she recalled. But her experience traveling also thrilled her. “That was the catalyst that got me started on travel.”

Bunnell’s job allowed extended travel, so she began taking longer trips to see more parts of the world. It was exhilarating for her to explore so many new places. She took multi-week trips once or twice a year to countries she’d never visited. “At that point I was like, ‘I’m at 23 countries, I’m at 30, I’m at 40, I’m at 70,’” she said. She has now visited 119 of the 193 countries in the world.

A global journey leads to Nebraska

She continued to travel extensively, both for work and leisure. Yet when her job became entirely remote, she was unsure whether New York City was the right place to live. She moved to Denmark and began renting out her New York City apartment. “I realized that I could experience work-life balance from anywhere in the world so long as I had my laptop. That’s what inspired me to become a digital nomad,” she said.

After living in New York City for 17 years, and spending time in Denmark and London, Bunnell felt ready for a change. In 2019, she decided to pursue a business dream that lined up with her enjoyment of travel. In 2020, she chose her childhood hometown in Nebraska as her base of operations.

Goodbye to New York City

Initially, Bunnell wasn’t sure how long she would live in Nebraska. “I went back to Nebraska during the pandemic. I ended up having such an amazing time,” she said. “It was an amazing experience to be around my grandmother who was still alive, my grandpa, my sister and her three kids and her husband, and my high school friends.” She had not returned to her childhood home for more than 1-2 weeks during the previous 20 years. But once back, she knew she was home again.

In mid-September 2020 she went to New York City, packed her apartment, and said goodbye. She still had a lease on her New York apartment, but she was determined to close the chapter on her time there. She found tenants to sublet her apartment and moved all her things to Nebraska.

The NaviSavi startup dream

After moving back to Oxford, Bunnell launched NaviSavi Travel. The app is designed for sharing travel experiences through video, viewing other people’s travel experiences, and booking your next vacation destinations. Anyone can share videos of their unique experiences through the platform, which offers users the opportunity to make money on the content they upload.

Bunnell’s new business was her sole focus in late 2020, and Nebraska felt like the perfect place to grow it. She wanted to be somewhere she could settle in, focus, and not be distracted by everything else going on around her.

“I was the sole founder. For me, New York was a distraction. Having roommates was a distraction. Trying to keep up with everything was a distraction.” Life in Nebraska offered her peace of mind and serene surroundings where she could concentrate on developing her business.

Bunnell readily made connections with fellow business founders in Nebraska. She announced the launch of NaviSavi at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha. Nebraska’s startup community rallied around her business venture through investments and other support. She also began attending gatherings of local entrepreneurs such as 1 Million Cups in Lincoln and Omaha.

“I really dove in headfirst,” she said. “I was experiencing Nebraska by being in Oxford and being in Lincoln and Omaha again. I absolutely loved it! Coming home and having good, supportive people.”

Building a business during economic chaos

Starting a small business in the middle of the pandemic, when so many activities were paused, allowed Bunnell to assess what was working and what needed to be adjusted. At the same time, the travel industry had been so severely disrupted that many investors were reluctant to commit to her venture. Bunnell focused on acquiring content from people to include on the app – videos they had shot of their hometowns or vacations. “I was giving them an opportunity to monetize that. And people started seeing the traction,” she said.

In 2022, Bunnell received a phone call and a LinkedIn message from the social technology company Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram). “I thought, Is this fake? Is this real?” She spoke to the representatives, and they explained that they were starting Facebook Reels and would like to use video content from NaviSavi on their platform.

“There I was with no money from the company, digging into my savings to keep it afloat, and I have one of the biggest companies in the world asking to share my content!” she marveled. The opportunity with Meta allowed her to attract more potential investors and show the growing value of her business.

From financial hurdles to a global spotlight

A potential investor noticed her business and was close to committing $1 million for its development. Unfortunately, the opportunity fell through. Bunnell already felt like she was fighting an uphill battle trying to launch during the pandemic. When the investment didn’t happen, she was uncertain whether the business could continue.

“I remember in 2023 I was in my room saying, ‘I don’t know how to do this anymore, and maybe it’s time to close NaviSavi. If this is supposed to continue, I need a sign.’” Two weeks later, Techstars Global Startup Network committed $120,000 to NaviSavi.

“There were a lot of things that finally started turning the right way,” she said. “After our Techstars investment, we ended up getting a Nebraska Department of Economic Development grant. We got $100,000 to build our content licensing platform with a company in Omaha. These are wins you’re not going to get in New York City.”

The value of starting a business in Nebraska

Bunnell said that one of the biggest advantages to starting a business in Nebraska is how accessible the startup community is. Nebraskans go the extra mile to help one another. Within the state’s startup community, business owners readily facilitate introductions, connecting one another to people and resources who can support their growth.

“They’re making phone calls on my behalf, and I haven’t talked to them in a year. Or they shoot me a LinkedIn message to tell me they saw this opportunity and thought of me,” explained Bunnell. “People genuinely care to help. You do not get that on the coasts. In Nebraska, people are willing just to sit with you for an hour to talk about your marketing plan.”

Advertising Nebraska globally

Having been reacquainted with her home state’s hospitality and generosity of spirit, Bunnell is now using her marketing skills to recruit new Nebraskans. She takes pride in having convinced three friends to move to the state, one of whom was a startup founder from California.

“I told them about the startup scene. I told them about what it means to come to Nebraska–the support system, the available grants,” said Bunnell. “My friend drove from San Diego all the way to visit Lincoln and Omaha. She liked it so much she bought a house. It blows their minds how nice and levelheaded the people are.”

“It’s the people. They are our number one [selling point],” she added. “And the quality of life is like nothing you’re going to get elsewhere. In Nebraska, you’re part of a community that’s active and supportive.”