CREATOR: The Podcast

Matador Network
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Join Matador Network CEO Ross Borden as he uncovers how top content creators turned their passions into thriving businesses. Each episode delves into creators' origin stories and biggest obstacles—from early setbacks to breakthrough moments—while revealing their strategies for growing audiences, monetizing content, and building brands while traveling the world. Perfect for aspiring creators and entrepreneurs seeking actionable insights to launch their own creative careers. Learn more at creatorthepodcast.com

  1. 2D AGO

    HoneyTrek: The Couple On The World's Longest Honeymoon

    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

    52 min

  2. FEB 10

    Renee Hahnel: Where to Find the Best Outdoor Experiences in the US

    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

    49 min

  3. FEB 3

    JJ Yosh: Backpacking Kitty's Journey from Local Hikes to International Summits

    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

    37 min

  4. JAN 27

    Alex Parra: Beating Cancer Twice Before Turning 20 Years Old

    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

    42 min

  5. JAN 20

    Scott & Collette Stohler: The Creative Couple Behind Roamaroo

    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

    35 min

  6. JAN 13

    Jordan Egbert: The Mission to Visit Every Country on Earth

    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

    48 min

  7. JAN 6

    Chelsea Yamase: The OG Travel Creator Protecting The Places She Loves

    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

    37 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    What Creators NEED to Know for 2026

    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

    30 min
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About

Join Matador Network CEO Ross Borden as he uncovers how top content creators turned their passions into thriving businesses. Each episode delves into creators' origin stories and biggest obstacles—from early setbacks to breakthrough moments—while revealing their strategies for growing audiences, monetizing content, and building brands while traveling the world. Perfect for aspiring creators and entrepreneurs seeking actionable insights to launch their own creative careers. Learn more at creatorthepodcast.com

Information

  • Creator
    Matador Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Matador Network
  • Show Website
    CREATOR: The Podcast

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