This week, we're bringing back this conversation with Gareth Leonard as an encore presentation - originally published March 18th, 2025. 

Travel YouTuber and Content Creator Gareth Leonard (@GarethLeonard) shares his remarkable journey from quitting his job with just $5,000 to becoming a successful travel creator with 700,000+ YouTube subscribers. In today's episode of CREATOR: the Podcast, we explore how Gareth went from living in Argentina as a bartender who "kept getting fired but showing up anyway" to building a thriving multi-channel content business. Ross and Gareth discuss how he started as an "OG travel blogger" in 2009 with the mission to live in Argentina for a year, focusing on genuine cultural immersion rather than country-counting. Gareth reveals his early monetization strategies selling banner ads and text links, his five-year plan living in countries like Colombia, Bolivia, and Guatemala, and his transition from written blogs to video content. Learn about the business side of travel content creation, including YouTube revenue differences across global markets, his multi-channel strategy with his main YouTube channel versus his food YouTube channel Gareth Eats, and how he's repurposing years of archive footage for short-form content. Gareth also discusses the challenges of maintaining authenticity while scaling a travel brand, the financial realities of social media monetization, and why he prefers self-publishing over traditional TV deals. Whether you're an aspiring travel creator or interested in the business of content creation, Gareth's insights on balancing authentic storytelling with strategic growth offer valuable lessons for turning travel passion into a sustainable career.

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

00:00 - Introduction to Gareth Leonard

01:30 - First meeting in Toronto and the beginning of a friendship

03:16 - Origin story: From Tourist to Townie blog in 2009

04:55 - First year in Argentina: Learning Spanish and bartending

07:08 - Building an authentic travel brand through vulnerability

09:53 - Documenting the journey for friends and family back home

11:53 - The difference between Instagram travel and YouTube authenticity

13:17 - Early monetization: From banner ads to tour partnerships

16:12 - The five-year plan: Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, and Brazil

18:57 - The evolution from blogging to video content

20:49 - The Brazil tourism board deal: Filming all 13 World Cup cities

22:58 - Building a YouTube channel to 700,000 subscribers

26:41 - Balancing authentic storytelling vs algorithmic content

28:51 - Creating Gareth Eats: A strategic second channel for consistent revenue

31:08 - YouTube monetization: The benefits of high CPM US-based content

33:18 - Comparing revenue models across platforms: Why YouTube wins

35:40 - Content strategy: Reposting and maximizing your video library

37:57 - The challenges with social media scheduling platforms

39:23 - Current content plan: Day in the Life series and local San Diego food

41:35 - Why major streaming platforms aren't always worth pursuing

44:07 - Passport question: Choosing three countries for life (US, Japan, Portugal)

44:51 - Why Bhutan is Gareth's favorite travel destination