Episode 130: How to Build a Creator Career That Survives Algorithm Changes

What happens when a three-month trip turns into an entirely new life and eventually, two full-time careers? In this episode of the Creator Passport Podcast, we sit down with Katie and Ben, the husband-and-wife team behind Two Wandering Soles. After quitting their jobs in 2014, they traveled through South America, taught English in South Korea, embraced van life, and built a travel blog that grew to more than 500,000 monthly page views. Katie and Ben share how they turned that early passion project into a sustainable creator business, what it’s really like working with your spouse, and how they’re continuing to travel and create while raising two young daughters. We also explore why they shifted their attention from blogging to Instagram, how niching down helped them gain roughly 35,000 followers, and how greater confidence in pitching and negotiation helped them generate more than four times their Creator Passport investment through brand deals. In this conversation, we cover: Turning a travel blog into two full-time careers Adapting when algorithms and creator income streams change Balancing a website, social media, email marketing, and family life Growing on Instagram through consistency, clear content pillars, and information-rich posts Negotiating brand deals and confidently charging what your work is worth Deciding when to accept, negotiate, or walk away from an opportunity Building genuine community as a creator Traveling adventurously with young children Katie and Ben’s advice for anyone starting as a creator today Whether you’re building a travel brand, working alongside your partner, navigating a changing creator economy, or wondering how parenthood fits into an adventurous life, this episode is packed with honest lessons and practical advice. Links and resources: Visit Two Wandering Soles Follow Katie and Ben on Instagram Watch Katie and Ben’s Creator Passport case study