Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Cooper.
Linda, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Los Angeles where it seemed everyone was “in the business” in some way, shape or form. I knew I wanted to work in television so I majored in Radio-TV-Film and graduated with a BA in Broadcasting.
The best advice I ever received was to follow your passion and the money will come. I’ve always been “entrepreneurial” and that advice has served me well over the years, along with having an attitude of gratitude and the intuition to let things snowball into other opportunities.
I’m passionate about Travel, Shopping and Fitness and feel so fortunate to have brought impact through entertainment on these topics.
I started modeling as a teenager in print and for fashion shows. My favorite job was as 16 when I booked a Summer Dance Fashion Show series for the Broadway Department Stores. Rick Dees was the Host of the show and as part of this model/dance troupe we performed choreographed dance routines at the various store locations around Southern California throughout the summer. That experience was invaluable to me in so many ways because it was hard work but extremely fulfilling and I was doing something that I really loved.
From that fashion show experience I went on to become a fitness model, creating a unique brand of fitness called “A-rope-x”, performing a stylized dance/aerobics with a jump rope that was choreographed to music for top fitness brands such as Nike performing in their fashion shows. When I first moved to Dallas in 1990, I taught “A-rope-x” at several workout facilities and later on as a TV Host I featured fitness as a regular topic for my lifestyle television segments, shining the spotlight on boutique fitness studios such as CorePower Yoga, Flywheel, Orange Theory Fitness and Title Boxing Club.
Fitness has always had a very special place in my heart and another fun fact…..I met my husband of 28 years at the gym!
With an undying love for retail therapy, back in 2001 I created a popular statement t-shirt line sold nationwide. My bestseller tank “Shopping Is My Cardio” later became the name of my signature TV shopping segment as well as the namesake for my Blog and a magazine column. I get an adrenaline rush when I walk into a fabulous new store, so getting paid to shop on TV was my dream job and after a few years I thought to myself, I can also do this for Travel!
Having been bitten by the travel bug at an early age, the opportunity to offer travel inspiration on TV and showcase the essence and flavor of exotic locales lead to my “Travel Time with Linda” segments.
As a Lifestyle Host and Producer, over the years I’ve been very blessed to appear on multiple shows that have aired locally here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market.
With my latest venture, I’m beyond excited to share that my new show will air nationally starting January 6th 2018… “Travel Time with Linda” featuring “Caribbean Dreaming” bucket-list must destinations is a half hour show debuting nationwide January 6th through June 30th on AXS TV Network. The TV series is also available to watch, rent or own on Amazon Prime Video.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I always tell my children, “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. You have one life to live, so go for it and don’t let anyone stand in the way of your destiny”.
There will always be obstacles, no matter what business you are in. Stay on path. Stay driven. My kids, Teal and Tristan Cooper definitely inherited the entrepreneur gene from my husband and I and they created a cool startup called VendiBean. It’s basically an instant coffee house, “a barista at the touch of a button” in a sleek vending machine. It’s the best playing field to learn, creating something from scratch and I’m super proud of them…..
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Please see AXS TV announcement for my show details~ https://t.co/kb3TAZWmmj
I’m the Television Host, Executive Producer and Creator of the “Travel Time with Linda” TV show.
TRAVEL SERIES TRAVEL TIME WITH LINDA, JOINING AXS TV’S DAYTIME PROGRAMMING LINEUP STARTING SATURDAY, JANUARY 6 AT 8 A.M. ET
Produced by 24-7 Productions and Hosted by Linda Cooper, the 13-Episode Series Takes Viewers on the Ultimate World Tour Highlighting Unforgettable Destinations from Costa Rica to the Bahamas
Los Angeles, CA (November 16, 2017) – AXS TV brings some of the world’s most breathtaking locations home, as the all-new luxury travel series Travel Time with Linda joins the network’s daytime programming lineup—airing every Saturday at 8aE, starting January 6, 2018. The 13-episode series is hosted by TV personality and travel enthusiast Linda Cooper, who will be on-hand each week to guide viewers on an unforgettable tour of that puts the spotlight on beautiful and exotic destinations from Costa Rica to the Bahamas, and everywhere in-between.
The upbeat series is inspired by the three essential elements of high-class travel: Glamour, Luxury, and Adventure, with episodes focusing on a different tropical locale every week. The insightful profiles are designed to showcase the local flavor, essence, and luxury aspects of each location, as well as action-packed adventure opportunities that are sure to get the heart pumping. Season highlights include zip-lining and whitewater rafting in Costa Rica; a candid conversation with reggae superstar Bankie Banx in Anguilla; a trip to the Caicos Conch Farm in Turks & Caicos; watersports and retail therapy in Bermuda; rum tasting and surf lessons in Barbados; swimming with sharks and exploring Mayan Ruins in Belize; bobsledding and a spooky look at the legend of the White Witch of Rose Hall in Jamaica; kayaking and volcano climbing in St. Kitts; and more.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my adventures with AXS TV’s audience,” said series host and executive producer Linda Cooper. “On ‘Travel Time with Linda,’ viewers will be able to experience some truly incredible sights and sounds from all across the world. I couldn’t be more thrilled that my show has found the perfect TV home on Saturday mornings.”
“Linda Cooper has a true passion for travel, and her knowledge of what to see and do in these luxurious locations will resonate with our viewers as she guides them on weekly explorations and adventures in paradise,” said Lucia McCalmont, VP of Program Acquisitions, AXS TV.
In light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, which has left the island of Dominica deeply in need, Cooper has partnered with the humanitarian non-profit agency IsraAID to air a 30-second public service announcement during the show. Cooper explains, “2017 marked an unprecedented Hurricane Season, and while many of the beautiful locales I featured on the show were spared, Dominica experienced massive devastation. We’ve partnered with IsraAID, a disaster relief program that had boots on the ground helping the hurricane victims of Dominica within 24 hours. This PSA was made to help the many people in the regions affected by the hurricane disaster, and also includes Puerto Rico and Houston here in the US.”
The PSA commercial will air at the break of the show for the first 10 weeks to help the Hurricane Victims.
See link: https://youtu.be/TWpEKoWE0rg
What were you like growing up?
I was a bit of a tomboy growing up which surprises most people being that I’m such a girly girl now. Being an only child my Dad taught me all the sports because I was a boy and a girl wrapped into one for him so I definitely owe my athleticism to him.
By the time 8th grade rolled around and I started to develop, I gave up playing neighborhood football in the streets with the boys… (Actually I was forced to because they started to get too handsy) and took a total about face discovering makeup and modeling.
In high school I was a cheerleader and as captain loved to create the dances that we performed at the half time shows. Personality wise I’ve always been described as bubbly and outgoing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.traveltimewithlindatv.com
- Email: linda@traveltimewithlindatv.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lindacoopertraveltimetv
- Facebook: https://fb.me/lindacoopertvhost
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/traveltimelinda
- Other: www.shoppingismycardiotv.blogspot.com
Image Credit:
Chuck Shanlever
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