Natalie LeFevre has always felt the call of the island. Born in the Seychelles Islands, the cheerful blues, tantalizing greens and calming tans of beaches, oceans and islands sang in her bones from birth. As a child, LeFevre lived among lush tropical vegetation, swam beside exotic marine life and rose with the sun. When she decided to launch a travel Instagram much later in life, it’s no surprise she chose to dedicate it to the waters of the world.

Under the Instagram handle @island_natalie, Natalie LeFevre garnered a million global followers. In her pursuit of visiting the best beaches and islands, she also shares the most exclusive luxury experiences and spreads a love for conserving the environment.

Stung with the wanderlust, LeFevre tentatively started her career in social media when Instagram launched back in 2010. At the time, she was working in the public relations and media sector at Euronews NBC. As the Director of Corporate Affairs, she helped create a luxury-centric website known as Living It. She was also part of the team that led to the success of the news division’s travel website, Wander. Here, she began to delve into the world of social media and travel.

“I started getting into (the project) by analyzing, researching and seeing how we could create strong partnerships,” LeFevre said. “These people were living cool lives and they looked like beautiful, inspiring pictures. I knew then that you could go and enjoy these beautiful places without having to pay for them yourself. You could just work for it.”  The images of those glamorous vacations and idyllic locations stuck with LeFevre years after leaving Euronews. Eventually, she decided to follow her calling and started an Instagram journey alongside a friend and fellow travel influencer.

Digging into her roots, Natalie LeFevre remembered her time in grade school when friends and classmates use to call her “Seychelles” or “island girl.” When it came time to choose a niche, Natalie knew she wanted to create content that made her heart sing and her soul resonate. There was only one option – islands. “I love islands,” she said. “I’m from an island and I prefer to go where there’s an ocean. So, I was like, this is the direction I’m going.”

LeFevre says her content is unique because of her focus on islands and the ocean. With a happy, vibrant feed, she is also famous for the drone shot of the girl swimming in the middle of the ocean. Abundant photos on her account show her drifting in the water between distinct islands worldwide.

While visiting these islands, LeFevre began to take notice of pollution and the destruction of coral reefs in places around the world. Around 2018, she shifted her content to reflect not only her passion for the ocean but also her desire to save the wonderful locations she shares daily for future generations. The concept brought a new level of uniqueness to her feed. She began to use her voice and platform in a new way. “I realized that I don’t care about my feed,” she said when she adapted her content to include sustainability projects and highlight eco-friendly resorts and brands. “I didn’t care if I went down to 400K followers. For me, it’s about using my voice to protect these animals that are dying and can’t speak for themselves.”

LeFevre is chairman of the NGO One Ocean One Future campaign as well as an ambassador for UN Partner, Oceanic Global. She is also frequently involved in numerous conservation projects and works with the World Wildlife Foundation and Beneath the Waves, a shark tagging and protection program. LeFevre says her passion and ability to use her platform for good is part of what makes her content unique. “(My followers) know that it’s not just a fun trip to do, but one that helps save the ocean and its wildlife.”

Outside of being a luxury travel influencer and conservation journalist, LeFevre also owns a digital marketing agency. Eagle Eye View provides social media services to help influencers and businesses curate content, grow engagement, create brand deals and more. The agency partners with names like Yahoo News, Forbes, MSNBC, The Luxury Collection and Fashion for Relief. LeFevre lists her own successful social media journey as an example for potential clients.

With a million followers on Instagram, LeFevre’s success can be measured in numbers, but it is her passion, determination and general love for the world she lives in that garner her thirst for more. “It’s the emotional connection,” LeFevre says of her traveling nature. “It’s the connection to the beauty of nature and this magical world or ocean and knowing how to just live and enjoy life. That’s what I’m really about.”

Although she is taking a step back from traveling full time to work on Eagle Eye View, Natalie LeFevre’s future includes returning to the Seychelles Islands, The Maldives and the Caribbean Islands. She is also planning trips to visit South America, Albania and Greece for the first time.

Her parting advice for anyone looking to follow her path is to have a good stable income while following your dreams. To future world travelers, she says to be mindful. “It’s not about big changes, it’s about little steps. We are all one electric force of energy. If everyone did that little part, the world would be a more beautiful place.”