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CREATOR: The Podcast

CREATOR: The Podcast

By: 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© Matador Network Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Rob Gerard: The Tequila Creator Who Turned His Collection Into Opportunity

    Rob Gerard: The Tequila Creator Who Turned His Collection Into Opportunity
    Sep 2 2025
    Rob Gerard, founder of the Tequila Collective (@the_tequilacollective), joins CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss building a multi-faceted tequila business from a pandemic hobby. Host Ross Borden explores Rob's journey from LA real estate agent to tequila scholar, diving into the hidden world of tequila additives, the difference between highland and valley agave, and why expensive doesn't always mean better. Rob offers behind-the-scenes insights about taking strangers on distillery tours in Mexico, plus he reveals how brands struggle to communicate with creators, leading him to launch a successful marketing agency. Whether you're an aspiring content creator or simply interested in understanding what makes great tequila, this conversation delivers valuable perspective on turning authentic passion into sustainable business success. To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com 00:00 - Introduction to Rob Gerard 01:30 - From Real Estate to Tequila Content Creation 03:19 - Going Viral and Building an Audience 06:15 - Understanding Tequila Additives and Quality 09:29 - Becoming a Tequila Scholar (Not Expert) 12:38 - Traveling to Mexico and Distillery Visits 13:45 - Starting Tequila Tours and Travel Experiences 18:30 - Building the Tequila Collective Business Empire 21:56 - Revenue Streams: What Actually Pays the Bills 24:47 - Tasting Session: Fortaleza and Tapatio 35:42 - Wrap Up and Final Thoughts
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    36 mins
  • Rene Daniella: Building a 10-Year Content Empire Across Beauty, Travel and Lifestyle

    Rene Daniella: Building a 10-Year Content Empire Across Beauty, Travel and Lifestyle
    Aug 26 2025
    Lifestyle creator Rene Daniella (@ownbyfemme) joins CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss her decade-long evolution in the creator industry. In this episode, Rene shares her remarkable journey from studying in Paris to building partnerships with major brands like Google, Disney, and Hulu, including how she pitched a hair brand for her Barbados carnival trip and turned it into ongoing six-figure collaborations. Host Ross Borden explores her strategic approach to content diversification, her financial crisis moment when she had a countdown to bankruptcy, and her unique passions for freediving and Trinidad carnival culture. Rene offers candid insights about the business side of being a creator, from managing irregular income to negotiating multi-year brand deals, and defining success on your own terms. Whether you're a content creator looking to scale or someone fascinated by unconventional career paths, this conversation delivers an honest perspective on building sustainable creative businesses beyond follower counts. 00:00 - Introduction to Rene Daniella 01:27 - How Rene Started as a Content Creator (10-Year Journey) 02:32 - From Paris to Travel Content Creation 03:17 - Working with Passport Heavy and Industry Evolution 04:49 - Getting Into Free Diving 06:06 - Free Diving Certification and Breath Holding 07:15 - Swimming with Humpback Whales in French Polynesia 08:03 - Diversifying Content: From Hair to Home Decor 10:15 - Creating Content-Ready Living Spaces 12:07 - Cold Pitching Google Pixel (Success Story) 15:56 - The Art of Brand Outreach 17:43 - Follower Count vs Income Reality 19:04 - Carnival Culture and Travel Passion 21:32 - Caribbean Carnival vs Brazil Carnival 22:05 - Why Trinidad Carnival is #1 24:12 - The Hard Side: Financial Struggles as a Creator 25:56 - November 2023 Financial Crisis 27:41 - Strategy for Overcoming Slow Periods 29:25 - Home Decor Content Success and Audience Growth 31:15 - Advice for Trying New Content Niches 31:35 - Three Countries Passport Question 33:23 - Where to Find Rene Online
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    35 mins
  • Jo Franco: From YouTube Star to National Geographic TV Host

    Jo Franco: From YouTube Star to National Geographic TV Host
    Aug 19 2025
    Multilingual travel creator Jo Franco (@jo_franco) joins CREATOR: The Podcast to discuss being an immigrant kid who didn’t speak English to a global polyglot television host for Netflix and National Geographic. Host Ross Borden explores Jo's journey from her three-year grind of uploading consistently to YouTube while working night shifts, the moment she chose risk over a corporate salary, and her recent accomplishment of learning Dutch as her seventh language. Jo offers candid insights about the emotional toll of being a creator where "if a video fails, it's like I failed," plus her philosophy that confidence comes from putting yourself in moments of true discomfort. Whether you're a content creator looking to level up or someone fascinated by the courage required to reinvent yourself multiple times, this conversation delivers a valuable perspective on turning obstacles into opportunities and never settling for "young travel will never sell." To learn more about CREATOR: The Podcast, visit creatorthepodcast.com 00:00 - Introduction to Jo Franco 01:30 - Getting Started: From Immigrant Kid to Content Creator 03:28 - The TV Pitch Rejection That Changed Everything 04:28 - Building Damon and Jo: Three Years of Grinding 06:11 - The Bathroom Meeting That Launched a Career 08:49 - Going Full-Time: The Leap of Faith Moment 10:30 - Building Confidence and Sales Skills as a Creator 13:13 - Language Learning: From Portuguese to Polyglot 16:06 - Tips for Learning Languages Fast 18:08 - YouTube Strategy: Playing the Long Game 20:32 - National Geographic's Big Little Italy 22:11 - Creators vs. Hollywood: The Industry Shift 24:59 - Balancing Traditional Production with Creator Content 28:12 - How the Nat Geo Opportunity Came Together 29:47 - Closing Thoughts
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    30 mins
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