Mike and Anne Howard (@honeytrek), the couple behind the world's longest honeymoon, join CREATOR: The Podcast to share how they've built a successful travel brand while living nomadic for 14 years straight. What started as a 500-day honeymoon in 2012 has turned into 5,000+ days without owning a key to a house or apartment, two National Geographic books, and a thriving business focused on glamping and sustainable couple's travel. In this episode, they reveal the unglamorous reality of luxury travel and explain why their best travel memories come from the bumps in the road, not the fancy hotels. Host Ross Borden explores how they've maintained their relationship through constant travel, their partnership strategies with tourism boards and brands, and their commitment to amplifying indigenous and marginalized communities. Mike and Anne share the secret to 5,000 days without a single plastic water bottle, why Africa is much safer than people think, and their lightning round of favorite high-end and budget accommodations across six continents. For travel creators looking to build authority or couples dreaming of extended travel, this episode proves that the adventure doesn't have to end.

Follow @HoneyTrek on Instagram and check out their website https://www.honeytrek.com/ and their books https://www.HoneyTrek.com/BookStore

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Mike and Anne Howard

01:38 - What is a 5,000 Day Honeymoon?

03:11 - Starting the Journey: Budget vs. Luxury

04:04 - The Honeymoons.com Partnership

06:46 - Building a Travel Creator Business

08:30 - Pushing Couples Beyond Package Resorts

10:06 - Content Creation and Brand Partnerships

13:03 - What Makes a Good Honeymoon?

15:40 - The National Geographic Book Deal

19:55 - The Power of Being Published

21:08 - Traveling Successfully as a Couple

25:28 - Underrated Couples Destinations

29:28 - Breaking Africa Misconceptions

31:34 - The Art of Spontaneous Travel

34:18 - Sustainable Travel Practices

36:10 - 5,000 Days Without Single-Use Plastic

39:01 - Lightning Round: Favorite Hotels & Resorts

46:56 - Amplifying Indigenous and Marginalized Communities

48:22 - Three Countries for Life

50:20 - Where to Find Honey Trek

Renee Hahnel (@reneeroaming), the photographer who visited every US national park and turned it into a best-selling book, joins CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss building a sustainable creator business over the past decade. In this episode, Renee shares the wild story of how winning the US green card lottery led her and her husband from Melbourne to Colorado, eventually settling in Washington State where they've built their entire creator business. Host Ross Borden explores Renee's journey from visiting all 63 US national parks in just seven months to publishing the best-selling coffee table book "Roaming America," diving into the reality of turning brand partnerships into long-term income, the difficult decisions around turning down lucrative deals that don't align with your values, and why integrity matters more than quick money in the creator economy. Renee offers behind-the-scenes insights about working with partners like Expedia and Capital One for years, plus candid reflections on why Washington State is the most underrated outdoor destination in America. Whether you're an aspiring travel creator or simply interested in how digital creators sustain careers long-term, this conversation delivers valuable perspective on building a business that lasts beyond the algorithm.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Renee Hahnel

00:24 - Host Introduction

01:05 - Reno Tahoe Creator Camp Experience

04:13 - Meeting Followers and Building Community

08:50 - Moving from Australia to the United States

11:02 - Why Washington State

15:07 - Fire Lookouts and Pacific Northwest Adventures

18:19 - Visiting Every US National Park

21:09 - Creating "Roaming America" Book

25:35 - The Business of Being a Creator

28:50 - Turning Down Brand Deals

30:41 - Going Full-Time as Creators

36:30 - Favorite Travel Destinations

37:22 - Antarctica and South Georgia Island

38:18 - Iceland Adventures

40:20 - Alaska's Remote National Parks

43:03 - Bear Viewing Safety and Experience

44:54 - Three Countries Question

47:28 - Where to Find Renee Online

JJ Yosh (@jjyosh), the creator behind viral TikTok sensation, Backpacking Kitty (@backpackingkitty), joins Creator: The Podcast to discuss building a content empire around his adventure cat Simon. In this episode, JJ shares the remarkable origin story of how he reluctantly adopted Simon—a rescue kitten hours away from euthanization—and transformed him into an internationally-traveling mountaineering phenomenon. Host Ross Borden explores JJ's journey from filming outdoor excursions at UC Santa Barbara in 2006 to taking Simon snowboarding, mountain biking, and climbing 14ers across Colorado, the Austrian Alps, and Guatemalan volcanoes. JJ reveals the challenges of training cats for extreme adventures, the logistics nightmare of international pet travel, and how he influences Simon to perform on command for brand partnerships with companies like Purina. He also discusses going viral on TikTok in 2019, the waves of plateaus and reinvention that come with content creation, and his ambitious plans to attempt the seven summits with Simon in 2026. Whether you're a pet owner dreaming of adventuring with your animal or a content creator navigating brand deals and virality, this conversation delivers inspiration on turning unconventional ideas into sustainable creator businesses.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to JJ Yosh

00:25 - Welcome and podcast intro

01:07 - Why travel with a cat?

02:05 - How JJ met Simon (rescue cat story)

02:14 - Simon's natural athleticism and training

04:43 - Public reactions to adventure cat

06:03 - Snowboarding and skiing with Simon

07:27 - Encounters with dogs on the trail

09:02 - Can any cat become an adventure cat?

11:25 - Technical climbing and peak bagging

13:25 - Starting content creation with Simon

14:25 - Going viral in 2019 on TikTok

15:55 - International adventures (Alps, Guatemala, volcanoes)

17:09 - Future bucket list: Seven summits

19:43 - Travel logistics and international requirements

22:01 - Flying internationally with a cat

24:16 - Cost of traveling with pets

29:42 - Brand partnerships and working with Simon

32:02 - Starting the production company

33:31 - Meeting Simon on camera

34:08 - Launching Simon's own social media accounts

35:16 - Where to find JJ and Simon online

35:57 - Outro and podcast credits

Alex Parra (@alex1leg), a two-time cancer survivor and disability advocate, joins CREATOR: The Podcast to share his extraordinary journey of beating stage two bone cancer and stage four lung cancer before his 20th birthday. In this episode, Alex reveals the shocking moment at age 15 when he flipped a coin to decide between knee replacement and leg amputation—and how that gut decision saved his life when doctors discovered the cancer had spread further than expected. Host Ross Borden explores Alex's path from a 10% survival chance and three months to live, to becoming cancer-free and inspiring millions through content creation. Alex shares the reality of phantom pain, the hidden cost crisis of athletic prosthetics ($35,000 out of pocket), and why he attempted a marathon on crutches to raise awareness. He also opens up about his "cancer bucket list," traveling to Japan and Australia, and meeting young amputees who remind him why his advocacy matters. Whether you're facing your own health challenges or simply need a reminder of human resilience, this conversation delivers a powerful perspective on turning tragedy into purpose.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Alex Parra

01:18 - First Cancer Diagnosis at 15

04:22 - Choosing Between Knee Replacement and Amputation

06:09 - The Coin Flip Decision

08:28 - Surgery Day and Losing His Leg

10:54 - Recovery and Learning to Walk Again

11:25 - Understanding Phantom Pain

13:43 - Finishing Chemotherapy and First Remission

15:29 - First Cancer Scare: Dots in the Lungs

18:14 - Stage Four Diagnosis: Three Months to Live

20:08 - Three Impossible Options

22:57 - Clinical Trial Success and Second Remission

24:14 - Officially Cancer Free

24:41 - The Cancer Bucket List

27:07 - Traveling with a Disability

30:34 - The Marathon on Crutches

35:04 - Creative Prosthetic Designs

36:40 - Giving Back to Others Fighting Cancer

37:49 - Brand Collaborations and TEDx Talk

39:05 - What's Next for Alex

39:47 - Where to Find Alex Online

40:17 - Three Countries Question

Scott and Collette Stohler, the travel creators behind Roamaroo (@roamaroo), join CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss building a location-independent life and creative career while raising two young children. In this episode, the couple shares how a single podcast interview with Rolf Potts and Tim Ferriss inspired them to quit their jobs as a TV producer and chemical engineer, turn a planned seven-month trip into 18 months of travel, and launch a decade-long career as travel creators. Host Ross Borden explores their journey from living out of backpacks to surviving the pandemic in an Airstream for 18 months, plus their upcoming move to Italy through Boundless Life's world schooling program. Scott and Collette offer candid insights about the challenges of creating content as a couple, how they structured their roles between "front office" and "back office" responsibilities, and the viral success of their "We're Americans" video series that sparked conversations about parenting in the United States. Whether you're an aspiring travel creator, a parent dreaming of location independence, or simply curious about unconventional family lifestyles, this conversation delivers practical wisdom on taking calculated risks and building a creative life on your own terms.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Scott & Colette Stohler

00:51 - Traveling with Young Children

02:25 - From Nomadic Life to Home Base

03:45 - Moving to Italy with Boundless Life

05:43 - What is Boundless Life?

09:16 - How Scott and Colette Became Full-Time Creators

13:07 - Managing Their Rental Property

14:06 - Living in an Airstream During COVID

16:57 - Exploring Empty National Parks

18:50 - Monetizing Through Brand Partnerships

20:30 - The Power of Having a Why

22:17 - Working Together as a Creator Couple

24:29 - Launching the Roamaroo Podcast

26:04 - Creating Viral "War Americans" Content

29:43 - Finding Confidence as Creators

31:36 - What's Next for 2026

32:53 - Three Countries for Life

Jordan Egbert (@counting.countries) joins CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss his goal to visit every country on earth and the unexpected business he built along the way. In this episode, Jordan reveals how he went from zero international travel until age 23 to visiting 142 countries, including returning to door-to-door pest control sales each summer just to fund another year of travel before monetizing his content. Host Ross Borden explores Jordan's most unique destinations, from Turkmenistan (dubbed "the North Korea of the Middle East") to the futuristic cities of China where you can pay with your palm print. Jordan offers practical advice for traveling with young children, and explains his counterintuitive content strategy of studying what already works rather than chasing viral trends. Whether you're planning your next adventure or building a creator business, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on turning passion into profit.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

0:00 Introduction to Jordan Egbert

1:11 Why Travel Every Country?

2:16 From Corporate Job to Full-Time Creator

4:29 Door-to-Door Sales for Travel Funding

5:17 COVID Pivot and Daily Content Strategy

6:55 First Viral Video Success

8:05 Growing from 10K to 300K Followers

10:09 Launching the Travel Hacking Business

12:37 How Credit Card Points Actually Work

14:12 Building an 80K/Month Business

15:27 Favorite Destinations Around the World

16:33 Turkmenistan: North Korea of the Middle East

20:15 Why White Cars and No Dogs?

22:22 China: Living in the Future

25:50 First Impressions of China

27:39 Must-Visit Chinese Cities

30:10 Harvey Ice Festival

31:21 Lapland Finland: Santa's Village

33:17 Adventure in the Arctic Circle

34:02 Traveling with Young Kids

36:09 Tips for Family Travel

37:13 Hidden Gems in Japan

38:20 Three Countries Passport Question

39:02 Why Indonesia Made the List

39:47 Switzerland's Mountain Beauty

43:04 Future Plans and TV Show Dreams

46:50 Where to Find Jordan Online

Chelsea Yamase (@chelseakauai) joins CREATOR: The Podcast to share her journey from shy Hawaiian surfer to million-follower creator. Host Ross Borden explores Chelsea's 11 trips to Indonesia and her philosophy of prioritizing raw, authentic experiences over Instagram-perfect locations. Chelsea dives into growing up in Hawaii and how she learned to free dive at a later age. She offers candid insights about earning 80% of her income through quality brand partnerships over quantity, organizing epic women's adventure retreats from Patagonia to the Galapagos, and why she recently put everything in storage to search the world for a new place to call home. Whether you're an aspiring travel creator or simply interested in conscious tourism, this conversation delivers valuable perspective on building an authentic creative career while grappling with your impact on the places you love.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Chelsea Yamase 

01:14 - Living in Bali and Upcoming Scooter Adventure 

02:06 - Exploring Lesser-Known Indonesian Islands 

04:05 - Philosophy on Travel and Authentic Experiences 

05:41 - Balancing Tourism Recognition vs. Protecting Places 

09:33 - Growing Up in Hawaii 

11:28 - Free Diving Journey and Underwater Passion 

14:35 - Travel as a Path to Mindfulness 

16:19 - Social Media, Mental Health, and Inspiring Young Women 

19:09 - My Soul Track App and Affirmations 

20:49 - Business of Being a Creator 

23:55 - Running Retreats and In-Person Events 

26:14 - Three Countries Passport Question 

30:38 - Leaving LA and Searching for Home 

32:38 - US Culture vs. European Lifestyle 

35:39 - Community and Third Spaces 

36:07 - Closing Thoughts

In this special year-end episode, we revisit the biggest lessons from CREATOR: The Podcast's most impactful conversations of 2025. Ross curates wisdom from five groundbreaking creators who've cracked the code on building massive audiences and sustainable careers. Adventure photographer Chris Burkard (@chrisburkard) explains his counterintuitive strategy of freely sharing his best work to create more opportunities, proving that exposure truly is a long-term strategy. Lifestyle creator Rene Daniella’s (@ownbyfemme) reveals how one cold pitch email to Google—found through a press release—turned into a two-year partnership including trips to Coachella and Puerto Rico. Diving creator Shane Brown (@shangerdanger) shares how one viral short about cracking an egg underwater generated over 400 million views and earned him a million subscribers from a single video. TV host Oneika Raymond (@oneikaraymond) discusses why 99% of her work is now inbound and how being genuinely easy to work with has created multi-year brand partnerships. And former Corporate VP Timm Chiusano (@timmchiusano) offers the brand perspective, explaining why authentic storytelling beats checkbox briefs every time. Whether you're grinding toward your first thousand followers or scaling to millions, this episode distills the essential strategies you need heading into 2026.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction: Year-End Roundup

00:53 - Chris Burkard: Exposure as Strategy

06:03 - Renee Daniella: The Power of Cold Pitching

11:36 - Shane Brown: From 10K to 7M Subscribers

17:33 - Oneika Raymond: Building Long-Term Partnerships

23:09 - Timm Chiusano: Making Brand Deals That Matter

28:49 - Closing: Strategy, Persistence & Staying Ahead

This week, we're bringing back this conversation with Luke “Sailing Songbird” Hartley as an encore presentation - originally published February 25th, 2025.

Solo World Sailor and Viral Creator Luke "Sailing Songbird" Hartley (@sailing_songbird) shares his remarkable journey from quitting his job as a middle school music teacher to sailing solo around the world on a 27-foot sailboat. In today's episode of CREATOR: the Podcast, we explore how Luke went from zero sailing experience to sailing solo around the world, learning everything through YouTube before embarking on his global circumnavigation.

Luke reveals how his social media exploded from 300 to 100,000 followers in just five days - now sitting at around 2M, his content creation process while navigating remote waters, and surviving a 49-day Pacific crossing with no engine or communications. Discover how he’s producing long-form content for his YouTube channel, manages extreme isolation while maintaining a positive mindset, and turns his adventures into compelling content.

Whether you're interested in adventure travel content, sailing vlogs, or building an authentic social media presence, Luke's insights on transforming a personal journey into viral videos offers valuable lessons for creators looking to document unconventional lifestyles.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 Introduction to Luke "Sailing Songbird" Hartley 

02:05 From music teacher to sailing around the world 

03:38 Learning to sail from YouTube videos 

05:37 Quitting his job and buying a boat 

07:10 Family reactions to his global sailing plans 

09:32 Safety in the middle of the Pacific Ocean 

12:13 Paddleboarding 1,000 miles from land 

15:17 Sailing without an engine across the Pacific 

17:29 Going from 300 to 100,000 followers in 5 days 

19:07 Losing communication for 30 days at sea 

21:51 Impact of his content on viewers' lives 

23:51 Maintaining positivity through challenges 

25:25 Content creation setup on a small sailboat 

27:39 Overcoming creator's block and mental health 

30:15 Life at sea: fishing and catching mahi-mahi 

32:11 Preserving eggs with Vaseline for long voyages 

34:37 Brand partnerships and monetization challenges 

36:43 Future sailing plans and five-year itinerary 

40:17 Favorite destinations: French Polynesia and beyond 

42:56 Living off spearfished mahi for a month

44:21 Where to find Luke online

This week, we're bringing back this conversation with Jessica Nabongo as an encore presentation - originally published March 25th, 2025.

 Content Creator and Travel Expert Jessica Nabongo (@jessicanabongo) joins CREATOR: the Podcast to discuss her journey as the first Black woman to visit every country in the world. She explains how reading about another traveler's global journey in 2017 inspired her to undertake her own mission to visit all 195 countries—completing it just months before the pandemic hit in 2019. Jessica offers a candid look at how she funded her travels without major brand partnerships, and the challenges of reaching remote destinations in the South Pacific and Central Africa.

The conversation explores her evolution as a creator and entrepreneur: from launching a luxury travel agency to publishing with National Geographic, having her photography displayed at Christie's, and developing successful partnerships with major brands like Four Seasons and Expedia. Jessica also reveals her upcoming projects, including a new cookbook featuring one recipe from every country in the world, and shares honest advice about authenticity, financial management, and airline loyalty for aspiring travel creators.

To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com

00:00 - Introduction to Jessica Nabongo: First Black Woman to visit every country

02:15 - Jessica's origin story: Growing up in Detroit with Ugandan parents

03:43 - Moving to Japan at age 23

05:38 - Learning Japanese and living as an expat

06:50 - Starting "The Catch Me If You Can" blog

08:44 - Following life's opportunities: Benin, Rome, and DC

09:22 - The decision to visit every country in the world

11:04 - The world of "country counting" and extreme travelers

12:35 - Strategy for visiting remaining countries

14:52 - The Seychelles: Jessica's final country celebration

16:47 - Post-journey: Media attention and the Nat Geo book deal

18:23 - Funding the journey: Working vs. brand partnerships

21:06 - Writing a book with National Geographic

24:27 - Highlighting underrepresented countries in her book

26:28 - Jessica's photography at Christie's auction house

28:37 - Recent brand partnerships: Four Seasons, Cadillac, and more

30:39 - Speaking engagements around the world

32:48 - Most lucrative aspects of Jessica's creator career

34:13 - Advice for aspiring travel creators: Find your "why"

36:33 - Jessica's new cookbook: "Catch Me in the Kitchen"

37:52 - Food origins and cultural identity through cuisine

39:19 - Jessica's top three countries if limited to only three

41:09 - Where to follow Jessica online