Paid To Travel: The UGC Podcast

I just got back from hosting my first-ever travel UGC retreat in Mexico, and it shifted a lot for me not just in my business, but in how I see myself and what I want next.
Being in a room with women who get it who are building their UGC businesses, chasing freedom, and thinking differently was such a powerful reminder of how important it is to surround yourself with people on the same path. We created so much content, built out travel UGC portfolios, and had real, in-the-moment coaching that you just can’t replicate online.
But beyond the retreat itself, this experience brought up something deeper for me…
I’ve been feeling this pull to expand—beyond just UGC, into helping creators with creator monetization, coaching, and building businesses that actually align with their lives. And if I’m being honest? That’s felt scary.
Because when people know you for one thing, it’s easy to feel like you have to stay in that box.
In this episode, I’m talking about what it looks like to move through that fear, stop worrying about what people think, and actually go after the things you want—even if it feels uncomfortable, cringe, or uncertain.
What I Talk About in This Episode:
 What it was like hosting my first travel UGC retreat
 Why in-person experiences can completely change your growth as a content creator
 How we built out travel UGC portfolios in just a few days 
 The internal fears that come up when you want to evolve your brand 
 Why you can’t build a successful business while trying to please everyone 
 Expanding into creator monetization beyond just brand deals 
 Following what actually lights you up (even when it’s scary) 
 If this episode resonated with you, I would love to hear from you. Send me a DM and tell me what hit for you!
And if you’re a UGC creator who’s been thinking about adding coaching, launching a digital product, or expanding your income streams, you can apply for a 1:1 intensive with me here:
👉 Book an Intensive with Me 
We’ll map out your offers, your positioning, and how to build a business that actually aligns with your life.

For Talented A.F. Podcast Production:
Follow: @yourgirlmedia
Find us: www.yourgirlmedia.com
🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% off for life:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Follow Me on Instagram: @maddyoutdoors.coach
3-Month UGC Accelerator Program: https://maddyoutdoors.mykajabi.com/ugc-accelerator
Free UGC Masterclass: I've distilled my 3-month process into an easy-to-understand training that will give you clarity on your next steps to becoming a successful UGC creator, so you can work less and travel more! https://maddygarrett.myflodesk.com/accelerator-masterclas
FREE 50+ UGC Ad Examples Library

🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% OFF your membership:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Today we’re getting real about what’s actually working right now when it comes to cold pitching, landing brand deals, and monetization as a content creator.
I’m recording this from my hotel room in Edinburgh and while I’ve been out here living my best life… my business has still been WORKING. Like, thousands of dollars in inbound UGC deals just casually landing in my inbox. 
So let’s talk about it.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
 The exact breakdown of how I get paid: inbounds, outbound, and repeat clients
 How to build a personal brand as a content creator (without becoming an influencer) 
 Simple ways to get inbound UGC deals while you’re literally off living your life 
 How to use social media to find UGC opportunities daily
 The best keywords + strategies to train your algorithm to show you paid creator jobs
 Why you should still apply to opportunities—even when there’s tons of competition 
 The truth about UGC monetization and why there’s no “one right way” to do this 
 How to approach cold emailing brands (templates vs personalized pitches) 
 My current system for consistent outreach using Bento + VA support
 What I would do if I were starting over as a UGC creator in 2026
 How to create a sustainable strategy to consistently land brand deal

💫 Want to stay consistent with cold pitching and actually land more brand deals?
I use Bento to send pitches in the background (yes, even while I’m on vacation), and it’s a game changer for UGC monetization.
Use code MADDY for a discount and start getting those emails out consistently.
Need help figuring out what to post as a content creator?
Go listen to The Travel Creator Podcast—it’s all about making content creation easier and more strategic so you can land more brand deals.
For Talented A.F. Podcast Production:
Follow: @yourgirlmedia
Find us: www.yourgirlmedia.com
🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% off for life:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Follow Me on Instagram: @maddyoutdoors.coach
3-Month UGC Accelerator Program: https://maddyoutdoors.mykajabi.com/ugc-accelerator
Free UGC Masterclass: I've distilled my 3-month process into an easy-to-understand training that will give you clarity on your next steps to becoming a successful UGC creator, so you can work less and travel more! https://maddygarrett.myflodesk.com/accelerator-masterclas
FREE 50+ UGC Ad Examples Library

🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% OFF your membership:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Today we’re getting real about what actually went down in Q1 of my UGC journey—and the mindset shift that kept me from spiraling.
If you’re trying to land paid brand deals, become a UGC creator, or build a content creator business that lets you travel for free—this episode is a MUST listen.
✨ What We’re Getting Into:
 The behind-the-scenes mistake that tanked my pitch response rate (like… 2% 😅) 
 Why I didn’t spiral—even though I easily could have 
 The truth about landing deals (spoiler: perfection is NOT required) 
 A mindset exercise that will literally change how you show up in your business 
The Situation (aka what went wrong)
In Q1, I wasn’t landing as many UGC deals from pitching.
 Which was weird… because pitching is usually a big part of how I land paid stays and brand deals.
So I dug into the data and realized:
 👉 My VA had been sending ~1,000 pitches
 👉 But ONLY to hotels, tourism boards, and experiences
 👉 Using a pitch meant for product-based brands
Yeah… not ideal, so I am going to help you today with a 3 step mindset change to keep you positive and going in your UGC journey. 
Because real talk, being a content creator is not just about aesthetics and brand deals, it’s about resilience.
The difference between people who “make it” and people who don’t?
 👉 They don’t spiral over every setback.
They adapt. They adjust. They move.
🎧 Loved this episode?
Share it with a friend, screenshot it, and tag me—let’s normalize the real side of building a UGC business.
See you next Monday 💋
For Talented A.F. Podcast Production:
Follow: @yourgirlmedia
Find us: www.yourgirlmedia.com
🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% off for life:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Follow Me on Instagram: @maddyoutdoors.coach
3-Month UGC Accelerator Program: https://maddyoutdoors.mykajabi.com/ugc-accelerator
Free UGC Masterclass: I've distilled my 3-month process into an easy-to-understand training that will give you clarity on your next steps to becoming a successful UGC creator, so you can work less and travel more! https://maddygarrett.myflodesk.com/accelerator-masterclas
FREE 50+ UGC Ad Examples Library

🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp— podcast listeners get 25% OFF your membership:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
In today’s episode, I’m breaking down my full Q1 income as a content creator—every deal, every brand, where it came from, and how much I charged. And the best part? I did this working part-time hours.
We’re talking UGC, brand deals, paid stays, inbound leads, and how this all adds up to a $10K+ quarter… without grinding 24/7.
Let’s get into it.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
 How I made $10,420 in Q1 as a UGC content creator 
 The exact breakdown of brand deals, deliverables, and pricing 
 Where my deals came from (inbounds, returning clients, pitching) 
 How I structure ad usage + monetization in my contracts 
 Why I don’t do UGC full-time—and how I still make great money 
 The role of paid stays + gifted experiences in your income 
 My average hourly rate (this might surprise you 👀) 
Let’s Talk Numbers (Because I Know You Want Them):
 January: $2,870 (+ a gifted resort stay) 
 February: $3,175 
 March: $4,375 
Total Q1 Income: $10,420
Avg. Hourly Rate: ~$110/hour
Working ~8 hours/week. 
🎙️ 👉 Want real travel creator strategies (not viral fluff)? Check out the Travel Creator Podcast with Laura Haley.
For Talented A.F. Podcast Production:
Follow: @yourgirlmedia
Find us: www.yourgirlmedia.com
🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% off for life:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Follow Me on Instagram: @maddyoutdoors.coach
3-Month UGC Accelerator Program: https://maddyoutdoors.mykajabi.com/ugc-accelerator
Free UGC Masterclass: I've distilled my 3-month process into an easy-to-understand training that will give you clarity on your next steps to becoming a successful UGC creator, so you can work less and travel more! https://maddygarrett.myflodesk.com/accelerator-masterclas
FREE 50+ UGC Ad Examples Library

If you’ve ever wondered how the hell creators actually make money without having 100K followers and are able to do this full time?  This episode is your cheat code. 
Today is a episode swap with Laura Haley from the Travel Creator Podcast to talk about monetization as a content creator — UGC, affiliate, influencer partnerships, group trips, digital products… all of it.
And she’s here to tell you exactly what works right now — especially if you’re a travel creator trying to make this your full-time thing.
We dive into:
The REAL ways content creators make money
Maddy breaks down every single path she’s used over the years:
UGC (user-generated content)
Micro-influencer partnerships
Affiliate marketing
Hosting group trips
Digital products + coaching
If you’ve been thinking you need a massive audience to monetize — this episode will change your mind.
 Why UGC is the BEST place to start (especially for travel creators)
Growing into bigger monetization as content creators 
Are group trips worth it for travel creators? 
Why Digital products are the most underrated monetization tool
Connect with Laura:
Travel Creator Podcast
Follow her @travelcontentwriting
Check our her membership: Travel Content Business Plan to get one step closer to quitting your job to become a full time content creator 
For Talented A.F. Podcast Production:
Follow: @yourgirlmedia
Find us: www.yourgirlmedia.com
🏔 Ready to start hitting consistent 4-figure months?  Sign Up For UGC Basecamp—podcast listeners get 25% off for life:  https://app.heartbeat.chat/ugcmastermind/invitation?code=4AFJA2&promo_code=SAVE25#landing-page
Follow Me on Instagram: @maddyoutdoors.coach
3-Month UGC Accelerator Program: https://maddyoutdoors.mykajabi.com/ugc-accelerator
Free UGC Masterclass: I've distilled my 3-month process into an easy-to-understand training that will give you clarity on your next steps to becoming a successful UGC creator, so you can work less and travel more! https://maddygarrett.myflodesk.com/accelerator-masterclas
FREE 50+ UGC Ad Examples Library