Okay so I need to tell you something embarrassing 😭
When I first started out, I was OBSESSED with the idea of getting a brand deal. Like genuinely, embarrassingly obsessed. I’d scroll through other creators’ pages thinking “Why are brands reaching out to THEM and not ME?!”
And then one day I just decided I wasn’t going to wait anymore.
The first non-sponsored branded reel I ever made was about this product by Sirona called Pee Safe. It helps women stand and pee without touching public toilet seats. And if you’ve ever used a public toilet in India, you KNOW why this is LIFE CHANGING 😭 I made a simple reel about travel essentials for women in India and included it because I genuinely couldn’t believe more women didn’t know about it.
OMG it BLEW UP on my page.
Women were losing their minds in the comments. Saving it. Sending it to every female friend they had. Because it solved a real problem that nobody was talking about 🥹
And that’s when it hit me. That reel was doing EXACTLY what a brand would pay me to do. Natural, authentic, story-led content that made people want to buy something. I had just created my first portfolio piece without even realising it.
THAT is the shift I want to talk about today 👇🏽
🎙️ Quick thing before we dive in: In this newsletter I’m only covering ONE of the things you’re doing wrong. But honestly? There are two OTHER steps you need to take so that brands find YOU before they find any other creator. I’ve seen 80% of travel creators not do this for way too long and they lose out on SO much money because of it 😭
If you don’t want to be that creator, make sure you register for the FREE live masterclass on July 18th and 19th . PLUS I’m also covering my full content system AND how to make the algorithm work in your favour so your content gets the maximum eyeballs possible.
Okay here’s what nobody says directly 😭
When a brand scouts a creator, they don’t just look at follower count. They land on your page and they’re asking one question:
“Can this person make our product look good without it feeling like an ad?”
If your page is all beautiful travel footage with no product content, no recommendations, no “here’s something I genuinely love” anywhere on it, they have no proof. And without proof, they move on.
This isn’t about not being good enough. It’s about building a portfolio BEFORE you pitch. And most creators skip this step completely 👀
1. The Travel Essential Reel 🎒
Pick something you use on every single trip and talk about it like you’re telling your best friend!!!
Nashiya Salim one of my students from Creator Takeoff Academy made a reel about Home Exchange as part of our weekly challenge. She just made content about a concept she genuinely found interesting and posted it 😌 The brand SAW it, loved it, and reached out to her for a collab. She didn’t pitch them. She didn’t email them. They came to HER because her content already proved she could make their product look good 😭
THAT is what portfolio content does. You create the proof first. The deals follow.
2. The Problem I Solved Reel 💡
“I used to panic every time I got sick abroad until I found this...”
“this is the travel mistake that cost me so much stress 😭”
You had a travel problem. Something fixed it. You talk about it honestly.
This format is GOLD for brands because it has a clear pain point, a clear solution, and a very real reason why someone would want it.
Arpita another one of my students from CTA made content about the anxiety of solo travelling without insurance, something she GENUINELY worried about and eventually solved for herself. She wasn’t pitching SafetyWing. She was just being honest about a real problem she had. SafetyWing came back with a PAID deal because her content already proved she understood the exact fear their product solves 👀
The brand didn’t need to be convinced. The content did it for them.
3. The Experience Spotlight Reel ✨
“okay this place did something I’ve NEVER seen before and I’m obsessed”
“this cafe stopped me in my tracks and here’s why”
You genuinely love an experience. You film it and talk about it the way you’d describe it to someone who’s about to visit.
Madhumitha from my CTA batch made content about an Eco Farm the way she’d tell a friend about a trip she loved. Genuine. Warm. Specific. No deal involved 😌 Just honest content about a place she actually stayed at. They came back with a PAID collaboration. Under 2,700 followers when it happened 🥹
Because the content on her page already proved she could make an experience feel real and worth visiting. No pitch required!!!
See the pattern? 👀 None of them were waiting for a deal before they made the content. They made the content FIRST. And the deals followed because brands could see proof of what working with them would look like. That's the whole game.
Here’s where my brain goes a little crazy because this is SO simple but SO important 😭
Every single piece of content you post is either building your brand portfolio or it’s not.
A graphic designer doesn’t wait for a paying client before they have design work to show. A photographer doesn’t wait for a paid shoot before they build a portfolio. So why are you waiting for a brand deal before you have brand-style content on your page?!
Pick the travel products or places you GENUINELY love right now. Talk about them. Film them naturally. Post them.
When a brand lands on your page? They’ll see the proof before you even send the pitch 🙌🏽
💡 And here's the thing…knowing WHAT to post is one part of it. But knowing HOW MUCH to post, in what order, how to stay consistent enough that brands trust you, AND how to make the algorithm work in your favour so your content gets maximum eyeballs? That's the full system I'm teaching for FREE at the live masterclass on July 18th and 19th. I'm literally handing everything out.
Open your Instagram. Go through your last 12 posts. Be completely honest.
If a brand landed there today, would they see even ONE piece of content that shows them what working with you could look like?
If the answer is no, that’s your one thing for this week 😌 One reel. One product or place you genuinely love. Film it naturally. Talk about it like you’re telling a friend. Post it.
That’s your first portfolio piece and it starts everything.
OKAY I love this question so much because my answer is not what most people expect 😭
I LOVE how alive this city feels!! People think Bangkok and they think party city, and yes, that side exists. But there’s this whole OTHER side of Bangkok that most people have absolutely NO idea about 👀
I’m really into sports and fitness, and I had no idea how ACTIVE people here are. There are run clubs everywhere. Ice bath houses. Fitness meetups. People playing active games outdoors. There’s just so much happening for people who love being active, sporty, outdoors, and social all at the same time.
Honestly it’s been blowing my mind!! I feel like I’ve found my people here 🥹 My answer might completely change as I explore more of the city, but as of right now? The sports and fitness culture is what is exciting me the MOST about Bangkok 💛
Honestly? The coolest thing I did this week was finish the full curriculum I’m teaching at the masterclass 🥹
And WOW. It took SO much effort. We poured so much value and energy into this and I am genuinely so proud of what we built. It is one of the most comprehensive things I have put together for travel creators and I cannot WAIT to teach it live 😭✨
If you’re reading this, I really really hope I’m seeing you there 🫶
Tell me, do you have even ONE portfolio piece on your page right now? Go check and hit reply 👇🏽
That’s it for this week’s Unpacked…see you next Wednesday with something new to unpack 👋🏽
Lots of love & sunshine,
Aakanksha
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