Peter Santenello started over his life at 40 while traveling in Ukraine. He had some money saved up, a failed startup, and no direction on his content whatsoever. But regardless he started telling stories by himself in a foreign land.

He kept making videos in different countries and eventually decided to return to America in 2020.

Since then he has made videos on communities all over the country by traveling to their neighborhoods and has gained over a million subscribers on YouTube. Some of his most exceptional work are his stories covering Hasidic Jews, the Amish community, and the Projects in New York.

Show Notes:

0:00 Intro

0:46 Life In Ukraine

5:12 Frugality 

7:26 Proof of concept

8:39 Coming back to the USA

12:27 Storytelling style

14:12 Protests in 2020

18:10 Narratives in politics

23:13 Diversity in America

25:41 Mainstream Media

28:17 Crime

32:01 Niche Communities 

35:19 How Peter Makes Money

38:44 Patience

41:28 Editing and Production

43:44 IRL fans

45:59 Regrets

Welcome to The Sagnik Show — where politics, media, and identity collide.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked across legacy and new media, from FOX to independent platforms alongside people like Tucker Carlson, Saagar Enjeti, and Krystal Ball.

I didn’t come to the U.S. to cover politics—I just happened to fall into it. What followed was an unexpected crash course in the American political machine, taught by some of the sharpest (and most polarizing) voices in the business.

This show is my attempt to process what I’ve learned—and unlearned.

I also speak with creators and entrepreneurs building media on their own terms—people forging new paths outside the traditional gatekeepers.

I’m not here to sell you anything. None of this is monetized. I’m just grateful you’re listening.

IG: @sssagnic

YT: @thesagnikbasu

X: @_sagnikbasu