We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessi Bang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
About 10 years ago, I came across a family that was traveling the world for free through blogging and content creation. As someone who had always been obsessed with travel, outdoor adventure and seeing new places, I remember thinking, “Wait, that’s a real job?” The idea stuck with me.
A couple of years later, I found myself at a crossroads. A business I had built with a few associates had gone under, and instead of looking at it as a failure, I saw it as an opportunity to try something completely different. I decided it was finally time to start the travel and adventure blog I had been thinking about.
The problem was I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.
I had never built a website. I didn’t know graphic design. I wasn’t a writer. I had no experience with social media management, SEO, or any of the things that are now part of my daily life. So I started teaching myself. Every day was spent learning. I watched tutorials, read articles, experimented, failed, fixed things and repeated the process. I built my own website, created my own branding and started writing blog posts. I bought a drone and learned how to fly.
My original goal was actually pretty simple. At the time, Instagram required 10,000 followers before creators could use the swipe-up feature in Stories, and I wanted a way to drive traffic to my blog. So I started creating content on social media with the sole purpose of getting people back to my website.
Then something unexpected happened.
Within a month or two of launching my blog, Adidas somehow found it and invited me into their blogging community. Suddenly I was working with a global brand and creating monthly content for Adidas, a partnership that lasted about two years. It felt completely surreal. Here I was, someone who had just taught herself how to build a website, and one of the biggest brands in the world was reaching out.
That was the moment I realized this might actually work.
From there, I just kept showing up. I kept learning, improving and creating. I invested in photography, videography, storytelling and marketing. I learned how to pitch brands, negotiate contracts and create campaigns that delivered real results. Every new opportunity opened another door.
Today, my audience has grown to more than 110,000 followers on Instagram, more than 12,000 on TikTok, more than 7,000 on Facebook and thousands more across other platforms. I’ve traveled around the world, partnered with hospitality brands, adventure tour companies and household-name companies across fashion, travel and outdoor recreation.
Looking back, the biggest lesson is that there was never some magical moment when I suddenly knew what I was doing. The journey was really just an idea followed by action. It was a willingness to learn skills I didn’t have, push through the anxiety of being judged for starting a blog and keep going even when nobody was watching.
What’s even more interesting is that the blog ended up creating opportunities I never expected. About five years ago, it helped me land a full-time career as a journalist and news reporter because it demonstrated my ability to tell stories, create content and connect with an audience.
What started as a dream of traveling more turned into a business, a personal brand and ultimately an entirely new career path. It all began with a single thought, followed by the decision to take the first step before I felt ready. Looking back, that’s probably the most important part of the story. The idea mattered, but execution changed everything.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Jessi, and I am a content creator, travel writer, photographer, videographer and journalist based in Utah. While my work spans several industries, everything I do centers around one thing: storytelling.
Today, I create content for tourism destinations, hotels, outdoor recreation companies, family-focused brands and lifestyle businesses. My work includes photography, video production, drone content, social media campaigns, written content and destination marketing. I help brands tell their stories in a way that feels authentic, relatable and inspiring while reaching audiences that are actively looking for travel ideas, outdoor adventures and family experiences.
What makes my work unique is that I don’t just create content from the perspective of a creator. I approach every project as a storyteller and journalist. My background in news reporting has taught me how to identify what truly resonates with people, ask the right questions and find the stories that often get overlooked. That perspective helps me create content that goes beyond simply showcasing a product or destination and instead creates an emotional connection with an audience.
I am especially passionate about helping people discover experiences they may not have known existed. Some of my favorite projects involve highlighting hidden gems, unique outdoor adventures, small businesses and destinations that deserve more attention. I love being able to introduce people to places that create lifelong memories for families, couples and adventurers.
Over the years, I’ve built a highly engaged community across multiple social media platforms and have had the opportunity to work with brands ranging from local businesses to internationally recognized companies. I’ve traveled extensively, created content around the world and developed long-term partnerships with brands that value authentic storytelling and measurable results.
One of the things I am most proud of is the trust I’ve built with my audience. In an industry where people are constantly being marketed to, I have worked hard to create a platform where recommendations feel genuine and earned. My audience knows that when I share a destination, product or experience, it’s because I truly believe it provides value.
I am also proud of the versatility I’ve developed throughout my career. In addition to running my content creation business, I work full-time as a journalist. That combination allows me to bring professional writing, interviewing, photography and video production skills into every project I take on.
If there is one thing I want potential clients, followers and partners to know, it’s that I care deeply about quality and authenticity. I don’t see content creation as simply taking photos or posting videos. I see it as helping brands communicate who they are, why they matter and how they can positively impact people’s lives. The most successful campaigns are the ones that tell a meaningful story, and that’s what I strive to create every day.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Building an audience on social media wasn’t something that happened overnight, and it definitely wasn’t the result of some secret formula. Looking back, I think the biggest reason I’ve been able to grow a loyal audience is because I’ve always been unapologetically myself.
When I first started creating content, I thought I needed to fit into a certain mold. I looked at what successful creators were doing and wondered if I needed to sound more professional, be more polished or present myself differently. But the more I created, the more I realized that the content people connected with most was the content that felt genuinely me.
For better or worse, that includes an endless supply of cheesy puns.
I’ve always loved making people laugh, and over the years, my audience has come to expect the occasional eye-roll-worthy caption. Those little pieces of personality became part of my brand. They helped people feel like they were following a real person instead of a carefully curated highlight reel.
I also think one of the biggest keys to long-term growth is being willing to evolve. Many creators build an audience around one specific niche and become afraid to change. While travel and adventure have always been at the heart of my content, my life changed when I became a mom to a beautiful baby girl.
Instead of pretending that part of my life didn’t exist because it wasn’t part of my original content strategy, I embraced it. My audience has been able to experience that journey alongside me. Today, my content still includes travel, outdoor adventures and exploring new places, but it also includes family experiences, motherhood and the realities of balancing career, travel and raising a child. That evolution has allowed my content to grow with me rather than forcing me to stay stuck in a version of myself from years ago.
For anyone just starting out on social media, my biggest piece of advice is to stop worrying so much about what everyone else is doing. Trends come and go. Algorithms change. Platforms evolve. What doesn’t change is the value of authenticity. People are incredibly good at sensing when someone is trying to be someone they’re not.
Show up consistently. Be willing to learn. Create content that genuinely excites you. Don’t be afraid to let your personality come through, even if that means sharing your terrible puns, quirky interests or unconventional perspectives. Those things are often what make people remember you.
Most importantly, don’t wait until everything is perfect. Some of my earliest content makes me cringe now, but if I had waited until I felt ready, I never would have started. Growth happens through creating, learning and improving over time.
At the end of the day, followers are great, but community is what really matters. The goal shouldn’t be building the biggest audience possible. The goal should be building an audience that trusts you, grows with you and wants to be part of the journey. That’s what I’ve been fortunate enough to create, and it’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
One thing I think many non-creatives struggle to understand is the idea of “free.”
People often see a hotel stay, adventure excursion or destination partnership and say, “I wish I got to do that for free.” What they don’t see is that brands aren’t simply giving away experiences. They’re hiring a marketing partner.
When a hotel hosts me, they’re receiving professional photography, video content, social media exposure, storytelling and access to an audience I’ve spent years building. The compensation may come in the form of a hosted stay, but there is still work being exchanged for value.
What many people don’t realize is that content creation doesn’t start when I arrive and end when I leave. There’s planning, filming, editing, writing, posting and reporting. Behind every “free” trip is years of learning photography, videography, storytelling and marketing, along with countless hours spent building an engaged audience.
After seven years as a content creator, I’ve learned how to seamlessly incorporate content creation into my travels and experiences without letting it take over or make the experience less meaningful. But that’s a skill that comes with time and practice. Not everyone can balance being present in the moment while also capturing content that delivers value to a brand.
Free is relative. The experiences are incredible, and I’m grateful for them, but they’re also the result of years of work, trust and expertise. What people see as a free vacation is often a carefully planned business partnership built on the value a creator brings to the table.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theramblingraccoon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theramblingraccoon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theramblingraccoon
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/theramblingraccoon
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theramblingraccoon
