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When Danielle Benjamin moved to Australia to earn her master’s degree in 2010, she needed a way to keep her family and friends updated on her travels. Instead of a large group chat or lengthy email thread, Benjamin started a blog.

After she completed her degree and returned to the U.S., Benjamin began working at Syracuse University in international education. Her students often came to SU from major international cities, and started out thinking that there was nothing to do in the campus area. But Benjamin, a Syracuse native, wanted to fix that misconception. In order to build her network of local activities, events and things to do, Benjamin returned to blogging.

“Don’t say there’s nothing to do,” Benjamin said. “There’s so much to do in the area, and no matter what you like, you can always find something.”

Benjamin’s blog, Wandercuse, focuses on travel, food and activities in the central and upstate New York regions, with a particular emphasis on Syracuse. With Wandercuse, Benjamin tries to share her passion for local activities and businesses with her readers.

Several years ago, Benjamin decided to turn Wandercuse into a business. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Benjamin has transitioned to being self-employed, working on both her blog and on freelance writing and social media work.

“Part of the reason I wanted to turn it into a business is I found out how much I love to do it,” Benjamin said. “I love sharing stories. I love learning more about the local history. I love trying new places, meeting new people and sharing the stories, both locally and I will occasionally throw in things that aren’t in Syracuse.”

The blog’s focus on the central New York region came together naturally, Benjamin said. During the pandemic, she wanted to show that there were outdoor activities people could engage in locally. She noticed her local posts received more engagement and got content ideas from local tourism boards.

When Benjamin travels both domestically and internationally, she’ll often write blog posts and travel guides about her destinations. Ultimately, though, her favorite content centers on local tourism.

“I’m super passionate about upstate New York, as silly as that might sound,” Benjamin said. “But I love where I’m from, and I think there’s so much to do around there that people don’t always realize.”

Though Benjamin earns money through affiliate income, ad revenue and sponsored posts with her blog, she wanted a profit stream that gave her more control and involvement. That goal led her to develop the Wandercuse Passport — a plastic $20 “punchcard” that offers one-time discount codes at 18 local businesses and activities during the 2023 calendar year.

Benjamin hoped that the passport, which features a variety of locations from a chocolate shop to the Erie Canal Museum, would help to promote and drive interaction with local businesses. When she set out to create the program, she’d already established relationships with many local business owners through blog content she’d previously created. Both businesses she had and hadn’t worked with were eager to get involved and saw how mutually beneficial it could be, she said.

Following the success of her Syracuse-based blog Wandercuse, Danielle Benjamin developed the Wandercuse passport. The card offers one-time discount codes for local businesses and activities during 2023. Meghan Hendricks | Photo Editor

When Benjamin first approached Sarah Simiele, owner of local cheese shop The Curd Nerd, Simiele knew she wanted to get involved with the passport. Since joining, Simiele’s noticed new customers coming in because of the passport card. Carissa Monahan, co-owner and operator of local craft beer store Branching Out Bottle Shop, shared Simiele’s excitement for how the project could help local businesses,

“After opening a small business, it has really been apparent how many small businesses there are, but how often they get overshadowed by bigger companies,” Monahan said.

The passport benefits more than just local businesses and Benjamin’s blog. With every purchase of the card, Benjamin donates 10% of the profits to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Benjamin has big plans for the future of the passport. She’s hosting a launch party in early May, and is currently working on special discount deals for cardholders so the passport continues to engage the community even after a person has used all the discounts. Benjamin hopes to continue offering a new Wandercuse passport each year.

“I really think the best way to create a business community that you want to be a part of is just to support a growing business community,” Simiele said. “None of us in Syracuse, as small businesses, are doing well if any of us aren’t doing well.”

Published on April 13, 2023 at 12:06 am

Contact Abby: avpresso@syr.edu | @abbyvp08