Paid To Travel: The UGC Podcast

If I had to start your UGC journey completely from scratch, here is what I would do to make my first $100.  In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the exact 14-day game plan I’d follow to make my first $100 in UGC , even with zero experience, zero portfolio, and zero connections. Whether you dream of getting paid to travel , want to become a UGC creator , or you’re ready to finally start landing pa...

If rejection has ever made you want to curl up and never pitch a brand again and you want better pitching strategies, and the confidence to run your business like a CEO, this one's for you. Today I’m joined by my girl Ericka , founder and CEO of Silkenn , and host of the Boss Babe Reset Podcast . We dive deep into how to handle rejection (as a founder and as a creator), emotional regulation,...

If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I actually make money doing UGC?”   this episode is your proof. Krista joined the UGC Accelerator just two months ago and made $1,000 in her very first month —all through Upwork. Now she’s landed over $2.5K in paid brand deals and is turning UGC into her dream remote career (all while being a mom of three.) In today's epsiode,  Krista shares exactly how she disco...

This month, I averaged $130 an hour working part-time as a UGC creator. Today I’m breaking down exactly how I did it — every brand deal, every deliverable, and how I balanced it all while only working around 10 hours a week . This isn’t influencer content. This is real, sustainable user-generated content (UGC) that pays you to travel, create, and work remotely.  If you’ve ever dreamed about landin...

Today I’m breaking down how to pitch yourself for holidays and seasonal campaigns — from Black Friday to Valentine’s Day — so you can land more UGC brand deals and grow your income doing what you love. This week we’re diving into how to tailor your UGC pitches for holidays and special seasons to stand out in brand inboxes. I’ll walk you through: ✨ How to tweak your general pitch for Q4, Black Fri...

If you’ve ever wished brands would come to you instead of spending hours pitching or think "Fiverr doesn't work for me" Your mind will be changed after today's episode.  My guest, Nate Flake , just landed a $3,000 UGC deal on Fiverr minutes before hopping on this interview. And he didn’t cold pitch. He didn’t chase brands. He simply set up his Fiverr gigs strategically — and le...

Today we are sitting down with my UGC student Lana to unpack how she went from seasonal work to building a thriving UGC (user-generated content) business that funds her travels across the U.S. She shares how she started small — filming $50 videos from her RV — and grew her confidence, her client base, and her income to over $3,600 a month within three months. We talk about the real journey of beco...

Today I’m spilling all the details on exactly what I made from UGC in September plus some seriously inspiring wins from my students inside the UGC Accelerator. From landing four-figure retainers to snagging their very first deals through cold UGC pitching, my students are proof that this industry is not too saturated—you can 100% do this too. If you’ve ever wondered:  ✨ How much you can really ma...

What if I told you that sending cold emails as a UGC creator could actually land you thousands of dollars in deals—without ever hopping on a sales call? Yep, it’s possible. Today I am sitting down with Jaclyn, the co-founder of Bento, the #1 UGC app that has completely transformed the way I pitch.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why pitching is a numbers game and how to stay consistent The sec...

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about UGC rates in 2025 —from base pricing to ad usage, whitelisting, raw footage, bundles, and more. Whether you’re a brand-new UGC creator or an experienced travel creator looking to scale, you’ll walk away with a clear picture of how to price your work with confidence. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The truth about beginner U...

Okay, let’s be real — no one becomes a content creator because they love thinking about taxes. But if you’re making money with UGC or content creation, the IRS still expects their cut. And trust me, not knowing the basics can come back to bite you hard. That’s why I brought on today’s guest, Catina Borgman . Catina has been a tax professional for nearly 20 years. Today, we’re covering them all — f...

Today, I’m breaking down exactly how I made $6,460 in UGC contracts in August —what brands I worked with, what the deliverables were, and how I actually landed those clients. Whether you’re just starting your UGC journey or you’re already booking deals, you’ll see how doable it is to turn this into a steady income stream while keeping your freedom. And spoiler: I’m only working about 10–15 hours a...

Today I’m spilling the tea on what no one tells you about how to start UGC, what it really takes to make it as a content creator, and why those first six months are the hardest—but also the most transformational. This episode is here to save you from self-doubt, wasted time, and unnecessary freebies (seriously, no more than five gifted collabs, okay?). What We Cover in This Episode:  The real diff...

Ever wonder why some creators are landing four-figure deals while others are stuck chasing $200 one-off gigs? Today I am sharing a recent live webinar I hosted — all about scaling your income as a UGC content creator. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in the “mid-tier” creator zone and ready to break into consistent four-figure months, grab your matcha and let’s dive in. Inside this episode, you’ll...

This episode is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to start over — and make it wildly successful. Today, I’m chatting with Goldie — a former nurse who swapped her scrubs for a camera and turned her creativity into a full-time UGC business. She’s now working with over 50 brands, getting paid to travel , and recently had a $7,000 month (yes, from content creation). Goldie shares how she we...

Starting something new like becoming UGC content creator  is exciting —but it also stirs up a lot of fear, self-doubt, and straight-up discomfort.  In today’s episode, I sat down with Erin Valenti, a trauma-informed therapist, to break down why that happens and what you can actually do about it. We dig deep into how the nervous system and unprocessed trauma can quietly shape your decisions, your f...

Today I want to talk about how I made $5.7K in UGC Deals this month (without personally pitching.) In this episode, I’m giving you the full behind-the-scenes look at exactly how that happened—what kind of brands I worked with, how I landed the deals, how much they paid, and what kind of UGC content they wanted from me. If you're a content creator who dreams of getting paid to travel, or you&a...

You do not need a million followers to get free stays, dreamy adventures, or actual money just for showing up somewhere with your phone. Yes, this is real. And in this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how to get paid to travel using UGC (user-generated content), even if you're just getting started. This is the step-by-step, no-fluff breakdown of how I (and my students!) have landed free hot...

What if you could start a side hustle that gives you the freedom to travel, reduce your hours at work, and still make bank—all without being an influencer?  Today we hear from my UGC student, Jess,  a professional massage therapist turned successful UGC creator who proves it’s 100% possible. ✨ What We Talk About: How Jess went from full-time massage therapist to building a profitable side hustle...

Ever dreamt of getting paid to stay in dreamy Airbnbs around the world? Today we sit down with Emma—Airbnb content creator and social media manager—who went from free stays to fully booked and fully paid … all without a massive following or photography degree.  If you're ready to land paid stays , build your travel creator portfolio, and break into the UGC (user-generated content) world—this...

What if ONE brand could pay you nearly $10k ... and some of it was passive income ? This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of my longest-running UGC partnerships—the kind of deal that feels like a paycheck from the universe . Yep, passive income with UGC is real, and I’m showing you how to make it yours too.  I’m sharing the real story behind a UGC deal that brought in $9,865+ —and it&apos...

Today, I’m chatting with Ashleigh — one of my UGC Accelerator students who went from thinking about UGC for months… to actually doing it and getting results. We’re talking about exactly how she made her first $16,000 as a total beginner UGC creator, what’s working for her now, and how she built a flexible part-time income that fits around her life (not the other way around). 🌟 What You’ll Learn:...

If you’ve ever been ghosted by a brand, stressed about late payments, or totally overwhelmed by contracts—this episode is for you. Because let’s be real: this stuff will happen. And today, we’re diving into how to protect your income and your energy as a UGC creator. Whether you're new to UGC or knee-deep in brand deals, this convo with Grace from DuPay breaks down everything you wish someone...

Today I’m breaking down the must-know UGC lingo that’ll make you sound like a pro in your brand deals — and help you get paid like one too. Whether you're just starting your UGC journey or looking to level up your conversations with brands, understanding the language of the industry is a total game changer. From “organic UGC” vs. “ad-style videos” to conversion metrics and what the heck a con...

Meet Ruchel – a college student, working mom, and UGC creator who’s building her dream portfolio between diaper changes and homework deadlines. If you’ve ever thought “I’m too busy for this,” this episode is going to change your mind. Ruchel, who has only been in the UGC world for just two months and is already landing paid brand deals — all while juggling mom life, school, and a full schedule. To...