CREATOR: The Podcast

She grew up in a grey city near Moscow — so she turned the entire world into a fairy tale.

🎙️ Subscribe to CREATOR: The Podcast for more conversations with leading creators, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and storytellers.

In this episode of CREATOR: The Podcast, Kristina Makeeva (@hobopeeba) — the fairy tale photographer with 1.5M Instagram followers — talks about how she transforms real places into magical art without using AI.

Kristina is a multi-award-winning photographer and visual artist known for her dreamlike images blending fashion, nature, dance, and travel across 60–70+ destinations worldwide. From diving with sperm whales in Tonga to shooting on the frozen ice of Lake Baikal in Siberia, her work has been featured by Instagram's official accounts and global brands. Now based in London, she opens up about her creative process, her famous cat Kotleta, and why she refuses to use AI to generate her art.

Kristina breaks down how she:

• Escaped a "grey, ugly city" near Moscow by building fairy tales through photography

• Went viral on Instagram through photos of her cat Kotleta, featured by Instagram Russia

• Sources and custom-designs elaborate dresses with fashion designers for her iconic shoots

• Scouts locations across 60–70+ countries and adapts her creative vision on the fly

• Casts ballerinas as her favorite models — combining dance, nature, and photography as "three arts in one"

• Dove into open ocean with a rare pod of socializing sperm whales in Tonga despite barely knowing how to dive

• Shot the legendary frozen ice of Lake Baikal with custom dresses designed to look like the ice itself

• Explored Socotra, Yemen on only the second plane after the island reopened — inflating mirror balloons with a toilet pump

• Takes a firm anti-AI stance, explaining why real travel and handmade art matter more than generated images

Whether you're a photographer, travel creator, or visual artist navigating the AI era, this conversation is a masterclass in building a creative career rooted in real experiences.

🔗 Follow Kristina Makeeva: https://www.instagram.com/hobopeeba/

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

Conversations with the people building careers, businesses, and culture through creativity.

🎙️ Subscribe to CREATOR: The Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creator-the-podcast/id1788987273

🎙️ Subscribe to CREATOR: The Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aHdngxWvkUbpDlmmCq8Z6?si=zQjPxLneRaOUIwP-y5BmyA

🕐 CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introduction to Kristina Makeeva

02:05 - Early life and inspirations

03:16 - Learning Photoshop and first camera

04:21 - Instagram breakthrough & Cutleta Cat

06:15 - Costume design & fashion shoots

07:16 - Models, casting and ballerinas

10:54 - Creative process & location scouting

12:13 - Socotra: challenges and projects

16:24 - Diving with sperm whales (Tonga)

22:28 - Wildlife projects & favorite shoots

27:00 - AI, authenticity, and copyright concerns

33:34 - Russia highlights: Lake Baikal & Kamchatka

37:02 - Future ambitions: space & Mars

40:07 - Top three countries to live and work

41:54 - Where to find Kristina & closing

#KristinaMakeeva #Hobopeeba #TravelPhotography #CreatorPodcast #FairyTalePhotography #ContentCreator #NoAI #LakeBaikal #Socotra #SpermWhales #Tonga #PhotographyPodcast

A comedian built a viral brand around hating on neighborhoods — now brands, book agents, and algorithms are all paying attention.

In this episode of CREATOR: The Podcast, Adam Rotstein (@rot_bot) breaks down how he turned his inner monologue into a serialized content empire, why nostalgia is his secret weapon for shareability, and the real tension of monetizing a "negative" brand.

🎙️ Topics covered: the professional hater origin story, what makes a place ripe for roasting, handling flops as a full-time creator, the gentrification playbook that connects Williamsburg to every city, brand deal challenges when your whole thing is hating, and why a book deal might be next.

⏱️ CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Meet Adam Rotstein, Professional Hater

00:58 – How the "hater" persona was born

02:01 – East Coast roots, LA adulthood

02:40 – Villain origin story: Playa Vista

03:47 – What makes a place go viral (nostalgia + shareability)

07:54 – Dealing with flops and the creator grind

12:34 – Creative process: B-roll, notes app, VO

15:05 – Brand deals: Hulu, restaurants, and the monetization puzzle

16:56 – Why serialized format wins followers

18:30 – Next cities: Orange County, NYC, international?

20:51 – Anti-influencer culture and TikTok overtourism

23:31 – Gifted meals, ethics, and handshake deals

24:55 – Book agents calling: what a hater's book looks like

27:29 – Where to find Adam & wrap-up

He went from renting cars at Enterprise to 32 million followers — filming the world's most breathtaking places on nothing but an iPhone, without ever saying a word. This is Mega American's first long-form interview.

In this episode of CREATOR: The Podcast, Josh Platillero, otherwise known as @megaamerican breaks down how he built one of the largest travel accounts in the world, his "nature mogging" philosophy, the exact video that changed everything (and why a 50% like ratio made him quit his job overnight), his nomadic lifestyle with no home base for 2.5 years, the most beautiful places he's ever seen, and what's next — including live streaming adventures and a potential travel show.

Whether you're searching for a travel creator podcast, TikTok growth strategies, or just want to know how someone sees the best of Earth for a living, this conversation covers it all.

00:00 - Introduction to Joshua Platillero01:22 - What is Nature Mogging?02:14 - Becoming a Creator During COVID03:10 - Viral Reaction Format Breakthrough04:23 - Nomadic Lifestyle & Travel Strategy05:24 - Choosing Destinations & Flights06:33 - Researching Places & Audience Preferences07:40 - Favorite Sunsets & Destinations09:03 - Sea Otter Viral Video & Wildlife Filming11:23 - Tulip Lore & Tulip Mania13:30 - Filmmaking Style: Hands, Face & Presence14:33 - Faith & Psalm 19:115:39 - Audience Impact & Recognition17:03 - Filming Process & Solo vs Group Travel19:11 - Streaming Ambitions & Live Adventure Streams21:53 - Early Trends & Going Full-Time24:27 - Monetization & Brand Partnerships26:13 - 50 States in 50 Days Sunset Tour29:36 - Most Breathtaking Places on Earth33:00 - Places He Hasn't Been Yet37:37 - If You Could Only Live in Three Countries39:04 - Japan & Future Travel Priorities41:05 - Future Plans, Family & Wrap Up

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

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