Meet Maddie + Patrick McLean

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maddie + Patrick McLean a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maddie + Patrick, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Creativity, for us, is part self-discipline and part inspiration. As full-time travel content creators, it’s easy to romanticize the idea that creativity just happens—like it’s waiting for you on the top of a cliff at sunrise or in a perfectly lit Italian alley. And sometimes, sure, it is. But most of the time? Creativity shows up because we do.

We stay creative by staying consistent—writing even when the words don’t flow, editing even when we’re not feeling it, and sharing even when the algorithm seems to be asleep. That kind of self-discipline builds the foundation, so when inspiration does strike—whether it’s while hiking in Kauai or watching strangers connect over a plate of Roman cacio e pepe—we’re ready to capture it.

But honestly? There are days when we feel totally uninspired. The ideas run dry. The edits feel flat. The views aren’t coming in. And in those moments, one of the most grounding things we’ve learned is this: it’s not about us.

When creativity feels distant, it’s usually a sign we need to stop trying to produce something impressive and start trying to serve someone else. We ask: How can we be useful? What would actually help someone plan their dream trip, feel more confident traveling, or connect with their partner on the road? Shifting the focus from ourselves to our audience—our community—unlocks something deeper and more meaningful.

So we keep our creativity alive by staying curious, by being consistent, and by remembering that our best work usually comes when we’re focused on lifting others up—not trying to impress them.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

We’re Maddie and Patrick McLean—husband and wife, travel content creators, and the duo behind The Travel Mentors. We create storytelling-rich, visually compelling content that inspires people to travel deeper, connect more meaningfully, and chase experiences that actually matter. Whether it’s boating down the Nā Pali Coast, savoring local food in a Roman alleyway, or wandering through ancient ruins with no agenda, our goal is to help others find magic in the world—and the courage to go after it.

What’s most exciting about what we do is the way travel becomes a bridge. Not just between places, but between people. We’ve built a global community of over 137,000 travel lovers who trust us to guide them to places that stir the soul—and we don’t take that lightly. Every video we create, every itinerary we write, and every destination we feature is about more than just the views; it’s about inviting people to step out of the routine and into something real.

Right now, we’re especially excited about a few new chapters:

We just launched our first digital product: The Ultimate Guide to Rome—a 130-page downloadable ebook packed with neighborhood guides, hidden gems, food recs, local tips, and curated itineraries based on years of in-the-field experience. It’s our love letter to Rome, and it’s designed to help travelers fall in love with the city on a deeper level.

We’re also launching our first group travel experiences, starting in Kauai—bringing small groups of like-minded adventurers together for surfing, canyon hikes, secret beaches, and sunset boat rides down the Nā Pali Coast. These trips are all about connection—both with the place and each other.

And finally, we’ve recently started a new podcast, A Thousand Miles, with two fellow travel creators from around the world. It’s a raw, funny, and honest look at what it’s really like to build a life around travel, friendship, and creativity—when your best friends live across oceans.

At the heart of everything we do is the belief that travel can change you—and that those changes ripple out. We’re not here to just collect passport stamps; we’re here to mentor people into richer, bolder, more connected lives. And we’re just getting started.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three qualities that were most impactful in our journey have been:

Consistency over perfection
When we first started, we had a vision—but not a polished process. The truth is, we got better by simply showing up, over and over again. That consistency—posting content even when it wasn’t perfect, pitching brands even when we were nervous, learning new skills on the fly—created momentum and growth we never could’ve planned for.

Advice: Don’t wait until it’s perfect. Done is better than perfect, and you’ll learn so much more by doing than by thinking about doing. Set a realistic, consistent pace for yourself and honor it. The creativity, confidence, and results will follow.

The ability to tell a compelling story
You can have the most beautiful travel photos in the world, but if there’s no heart behind them—no story, no perspective, no reason to care—it’s just noise. We learned how to translate moments into meaning, how to write with emotion, and how to make our audience feel like they were right there with us.

Advice: Practice storytelling constantly. Pay attention to what moves you. Then reverse engineer it—why did that post, book, or video hit so hard? Don’t just share what happened—share what it meant. That’s what people remember.

A service-first mindset
It’s easy to get caught up in views, followers, and brand deals—but the most lasting success comes from asking: How can I help someone today? Whether it’s giving practical travel tips, helping someone plan a honeymoon, or just reminding people they’re not alone, the content that truly resonates always comes from a place of service.

Advice: Know your “why,” and let it evolve. The sooner you shift from “what can I get?” to “what can I give?” the more fulfilling—and successful—your journey will be.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Our biggest area of growth in the past 12 months has been stepping fully into the mindset of being business owners—not just content creators.

For a long time, we were focused on the creative side: storytelling, visuals, connection, inspiration. That’s still the heart of what we do—but over the past year, we’ve built systems, launched products, negotiated partnerships, tracked analytics, refined our offers, and made decisions not just for today’s content, but for the long-term vision of our brand.

We went from sharing travel tips on Instagram to selling a 130-page Rome guide we wrote, designed, and marketed ourselves. We launched group trips. We pitched tourism boards and landed paid partnerships with major brands. We stopped waiting for opportunities to fall into our laps and started creating them on our own.

It hasn’t always been easy—there’s been a lot of trial and error, imposter syndrome, and figuring things out on the fly—but the growth has been real. We’re building a business that’s sustainable, scalable, and deeply aligned with our values.

The most empowering part? Realizing that creativity and strategy don’t have to be at odds. In fact, when they work together, that’s where the magic happens.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thetravelmentors.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetravelmentors/