Claim OwnershipPaid To Travel: The UGC Podcast
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© 2025 Paid To Travel: The UGC Podcast
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Welcome to the side of the internet where we get paid to travel. In this podcast, I will teach you how to create UGC content so you can work part-time creating fun content and spend the majority of your days exploring the world, rather than sitting at a desk. All while making MORE money than we did at our soul-sucking 9-5. Does that sound like a dream? Well, it’s my reality and it can be yours too.
I’m your host Maddy Garrett, your UGC Travel Bestie. I help everyday people just like you start their own UGC digital nomad business so that they can achieve this kind of life-changing freedom, too. I’ve taught over 2,000 students in my Masterclasses, Programs, and 1:1 Coaching, and I educate my audience of 40,000+ ambitious dreamers daily on social media.
So tune in every week so you can quit your job and start getting paid to travel.
37 Episodes
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Today we are sharing our most POPULAR episode of 2025 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 one’s PACKED with actionable tips. In This Episode: Exactly how she landed her first free and then paid Airbnb staysWhy professio...
Everyone wants to be paid to travel ( that is why you listen to this podcast)… but no one talks about what it actually costs you. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on travel UGC, burnout, and why I stopped chasing free hotel stays (even though I still make money as a content creator.) If you’ve ever scrolled Instagram thinking, “I want that life,” this episode is for you. Today I’m getting very real and very honest about my journey as a UGC creator and what three years of being a full-time ...
I met up with 9 top UGC creators in Nashville and that weekend changed the way I see the UGC industry, and today I’m spilling everything. Welcome back to the Paid to Travel Podcast, where we talk all things content creation, getting paid to travel, and building a freedom-first life as a UGC creator. Let’s dive into what really went down at the Nashville UGC meetup… and the biggest lessons YOU can apply to grow your own creator business. We talk about: 1. What is the #1 important thing to g...
If you’ve been grinding so hard in your UGC or content creation journey that you can’t tell the difference between hustle and full-body burnout… this episode is your permission slip to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and build a business that doesn’t drain your soul. Today, I’m sitting down with my friend Jordan Flynn — a life transformation coach and somatic practitioner — to talk about the real reason creators burn out, what “high-functioning burnout” actually looks like, and how to get...
November was one of my biggest months ever . Today I want to show you how I made $14k in one month in UGC so you can too while working an average of just 20 hours a week. We’re diving into: ✨ The exact breakdown of every deal ✨ Where each client came from (inbound, returning, or Bento cold pitch) ✨ How I crossed my Q4 goal early with $22,150 earned so far ✨ What this means for YOU as a new or growing UGC content creator If building a lifestyle where you can travel, cr...
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 paid brand deals, this episode is your no-fluff roadmap. ✨ What We Cover in This Episode In this ...
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, and stepping into your role as a business owner, not “just” a UGC creator. What We Talk About in This Epi...
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 discovered UGC, built her first portfolio, and landed her first $1,000 project on Upwork within 30 ...
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 landing paid brand deals or building a flexible remote work lifestyle, this is your episode. ...
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 Friday, or Christmas campaigns 💌 What timeline to use when pitching for each season ⚡️ A ...
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 let inbound UGC deals roll in. We’re diving deep into: Fiverr vs. Pitching — Which One Gets Faster Results?How to S...
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 becoming a content creator, the power of mindset, and the practical tools that helped Lana stay consi...
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 make as a beginner in content creation ✨ What UGC pitching looks like in action ✨ A...
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 consistentThe secret to creating portfolios that brands actually want to click onCommon mistakes new creators ...
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 UGC rates and why there’s no one-size-fits-all answerHow to structure base rates, ad usage, and whi...
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 — from filing as a sole proprietor vs. LLC, to what you can actually write off, to the sneaky truth a...
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 week on this right now! Inside this episode you’ll hear: My August UGC income breakdown (and how ...
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 difference between UGC and influencer marketing Why it’s normal to get ghosted... a lot&nbs...
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 learn: The 5 biggest mistakes holding most UGC creators back (and how to fix them).How to shift ...
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 went from scared to pitch anything… to landing retainers, working from the road, and getting videos ...
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