CREATOR: The Podcast

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