Bootstrap Bonfire

Not every interest belongs in the same box. And more importantly... not every blog needs to serve the same purpose. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I run three different blogs — how they work together, why I built them this way, and how creating an ecosystem of brands has given me more clarity, creativity, and freedom in my business. Because sometimes the problem isn't tha...

What if the most valuable hour in your business isn't the one that pays you today? In this episode, I'm exploring a question that's been stuck in my head all week: what is your highest-earning hour? Because when we're building a blog, we're not getting paid by the hour. We're investing our time now in hopes of creating income, opportunities, and momentum that compound far i...

Not all income streams are created equal. And more importantly... not all income streams are aligned . In this episode, I'm diving into one of the most overlooked parts of monetization: building a business that actually fits your personality, energy, and long-term vision. Because making money is one thing. Building a business you still want to run three years from now? That's something else entire...

I sat down to talk with the world’s first-ever “travel blogger,” who’s credited with uploading the world’s first travel blog to the World Wide Web in 1994, a year after I (Bri, your "modern-day" travel blogger!) was born. This is a VERY special episode, my fellow bloggers and creators, not only because I’m joined by our collective godfather-in-blogging, but also because Jeff Greenwald, w...

In this episode, I’m walking you through my simple (but very honest) “Output - Outcome” exercise that completely shifted how I look at my work and why improperly measuring your time, effort, or even “busyness” might be the reason you feel stuck. One of the tools I’ve been using for my weekly audits is the Content Analytics dashboard in Travelpayouts. Not auditing your affiliate performance yet? Si...

Destination pages are one of the most recommended travel blogging strategies… But do you actually need them? In this episode, I’m breaking down why destination pages are often overhyped (especially for newer bloggers) and how they can quietly drain your time without giving you the results you expect. We’ll talk about: What destination pages actually are (and what they’re for) Why they can be a tra...

After hosting our recent Bootstrap group trip in Sumatra, I found myself sitting with a much deeper question than traffic, sales, or growth metrics: What are we actually building online? In this episode, I’m reflecting on the unexpected impact of turning an online blogging community into real-life friendships, shared adventures, and meaningful connections, and how this experience has shifted the w...

This week’s episode is a really special one because I’m joined by six women from the Bootstrap community while we’re all together in Sumatra, Indonesia after 10 days of jungle trekking, volcano hikes, river swims, karaoke nights, deep chats, and honestly… a lot of laughing. This episode is basically one big cozy group chat. We reflect on blogging, creativity, online friendships, and the kind of co...

“What should I write first?” It sounds like a strategy question… but most of the time, it’s just overthinking in disguise. In this episode, I’m bringing this back to something much simpler: the writing itself. We’ll talk about: Why you don’t need the “perfect” first post How overthinking disconnects you from your voice What actually makes a blog post worth writing Why your early posts are meant to...

Pinterest doesn’t get talked about enough in the travel blogging world… but it might be one of the most underrated traffic sources out there. In this episode, I’m sharing why Pinterest has been a steady traffic driver for me for years — and how you can start using it without overcomplicating your workflow. We’ll talk about: Why Pinterest is a visual search engine (not social media) How it captures...

You built the blog. It’s working. You’re making progress, maybe even money. So why do you still feel… stuck? In this episode, I’m sharing a more honest look at this weird phase of blogging, where things are technically “working,” but something feels off when you sit down to create. Because this kind of stuckness isn’t always burnout… and it’s not always failure either. We’ll talk about: The differ...

If your blog isn’t growing the way you expected.. you might be pulling the wrong lever. Or trying to pull all three at once 💪 In this episode, I’m breaking down the three core levers that actually drive blog growth and how to figure out which one deserves your focus right now. We’ll talk about: The 3 levers: traffic (visibility), conversion (income), and authority (positioning) Why more traffic i...

Hey, you little busy bee 🐝 You’re doing a lot… but your blog still feels stuck. You’re showing up, staying consistent, checking the boxes, and yet the growth you expected isn’t really happening. In this episode, I’m unpacking the difference between being in motion vs. actually building momentum… and why “doing more” isn’t always the answer. We’ll talk about: •The subtle ways busy work shows up (a...

What if the fastest way to grow your blog income isn’t more traffic, but different types of posts? While traffic posts like itineraries and travel guides are important, they’re not always the content that actually drives revenue. And sometimes the biggest growth opportunity is simply doubling down on what’s already converting. In this episode, we’ll talk about: •What I discovered after analyzing m...

In this episode, I’m inviting you into a bigger reflection: what are you actually building? 🦋 Because if your goals are mixed, your strategy will feel confusing…and that stuckness you’re experiencing might not be about productivity at all. It might be about misalignment. In this episode, we’ll talk about: Why you might feel stuck (even if you're “growing”) How to stop optimizing for goals you...

In this episode, I’m sharing a straightforward look at how my baby  Japan blog  reached $1,000/month in affiliate revenue — from just a handful of posts! 💖 I break down the content strategy, monetization structure, and decisions that made it possible, plus what I focused on (and what I intentionally ignored). If you’re building a blog or a tighter niche site and want a realistic look at early-sta...

If you’re refreshing your analytics multiple times a day… this episode is for you! 👀 Checking your stats (traffic and income) feels productive. It feels responsible. It feels like you’re “running a real business.” 📈 But more often than not, it’s just holding you back! In this episode, I’m talking about: Why constantly checking traffic and affiliate dashboards can stall your growth ❌ The subtle...

As we move into 2026, this isn’t about blowing up your blog and starting from scratch. I’m sharing what realignment can look like for your blog and business, and how to pivot without reacting to temporary traffic dips. We talk about: Moving from “building a blog” to building a body of work Releasing resistance around how you “should” be showing up Breaking habits that disconnect you from your crea...

If you’ve felt tired, behind, or unsure about your blog lately — this one’s for YOU, gf! 💖 I spent a few quiet months off the mic 🎙️ (oops!) because I noticed just HOW EASY it is to confuse productivity with progress when you’re always publishing. So, in this episode, I’m sharing my reflections on stepping back from giving "equal balance" to everything, all the time — blogging, content...

If you’ve ever wondered why some travel blogs effortlessly dominate Google/search engine results (hi, 👋) while others struggle to rank, this episode is for youuuu. I’m breaking down the power of content hubs and topical clusters, and why they’re the foundation of my sustainable, evergreen SEO strategy! 🌿 Learn how to structure your blog so posts actually support each other, how to identify corne...

I reflect on my speaking experiences at two very different but equally inspiring conferences: TBEX , the world’s largest travel blogging conference, and the Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference , which just celebrated its 33rd year. I share what it was like to connect with fellow creators, writers, and industry leaders, and my journey of being a participant at my first travel...

In this short and sweet episode, I dig into the difference between ACTIVE vs PASSIVE income for bloggers and content creators. I talk about the upfront work that goes into so-called “passive” streams of blogging, such as affiliate marketing or ads, and how they compare to active-active income streams like brand partnerships/social media/content creation. You’ll hear why  both  active and passive i...

So much of blogging and content creation pushes us to show up more, post faster, and keep up with the algorithms. But if what you’re sharing is something anyone else could put out, it’s usually because you’ve taken yourself out of the equation . In this episode, I reflect on how easy it is to lose our own voice in the noise — and what happens when we do. I talk about why weaving in YOUR unique sto...

Let’s talk burnout, shall we? Take it from me, who has learned the hard way... burnout isn’t a badge of honor, and success doesn’t have to mean doing it all, all the time 😮‍💨 In this reflective episode, I’m sharing how my definition of success has shifted over the years—from hustle and perfectionism to something much more grounded and flowy! I'll discuss what it means to build a blog (and a...

Let’s talk money money MONEYYYY because YES, it is possible—even in 2025 and beyond—to turn your (travel) blog into a profitable business. In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m breaking down exactly how I went from making zero dollars as a hobby blogger to consistent $10K+ months through my blog business—with a lot of ups and downs and hesitancy along the way (but also a lot of heart and trusting...