Meet Will Hatton, the genius behind The Broke Backpacker, one of the coolest travel blogs out there. He didn't start with some big master plan; it all began with a simple email list where he shared his budget-friendly adventures. Fast forward ten years, and he's turned it into a massive success, with a ton of awesome content spanning 4,000 pages, 800,000 people visiting every month, and a global community that's really into what he's doing.
The Broke Backpacker isn't just your typical travel blog. It's a whole lifestyle brand that inspires a new wave of digital nomads and entrepreneurs who like to keep things flexible. Thanks to Will's leadership, the site has powered through crazy growth, online world shake-ups, and even the curveballs thrown by the pandemic. And throughout it all, it's remained true to its main mission of promoting travel experiences that anyone can enjoy.
The team from Niche Pursuits recently had a chance to chat with Will about his wild journey, starting from when he had nothing more than a backpack in India to now running a million-dollar business. He shared a bunch of lessons he's learned along the way. In this article, we've picked out the interesting parts of the interview and shared them with you so you can easily get the scoop on different parts of Will's story.
Will Hatton
From a broke backpacker to internet fame
Let's start by digging into the early days and finding out what sparked Will's idea for The Broke Backpacker in the first place.
Will's entrepreneurial journey began by necessity during a prolonged stint backpacking around India in his late teens and early 20s. With virtually no money and living on around $10 per day, he was forced to get creative:
"I started packing my backpack with shiny bits and pieces I thought I could sell back home on the street or at festivals. That was how my entrepreneurial spirit sort of started...for a while I was carting backpacks backward and forwards between India and England, selling stuff and funding my travels that way."
It was during this period that Will first began documenting his travels in the form of a humble email list shared with around 30 contacts. But in 2013, frustrated with the limitations of email, he launched TheBrokeBackpacker.com as a proper online home base.
In the early days, the site consisted of lengthy "blocks of text" covering Will's adventures with no images, SEO knowledge, or sophisticated design. But crucially, he was among the very first independent travelers chronicling destinations like Iran, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Myanmar — places with virtually no online coverage at the time
.This strategic focus on off-the-beaten-path locations with little internet presence proved key to the site's early success:
"Google had no information on those topics, so that was an important part of my early success...I was putting out content on backpacking in Pakistan. Even though it was just blocks of text, it would rank because Google had no information."
Will also started documenting his travels on Snapchat, again focusing on remote regions rarely shown online. Sharing raw, unedited videos from places like Iran and Pakistan resonated deeply with early followers.
Combined with Will's fearless, filter-free writing style detailing even the most unexpected adventures, this captured content helped generate immense buzz. Soon, media outlets were taking notice, publishing and syndicating Will's standout stories, driving backlinks and awareness.
Early success
While exposure was growing, monetizing the website proved challenging in the first one to two years. Initially, Will relied solely on sponsored posts that brought in a maximum of $1,000 to $2,500 per month, but this wasn't sustainable.
A potential breakthrough came when Will documented a trip through Pakistan on Snapchat and sold tour group slots for $750 each in real time. Without any marketing efforts, all 12 spots were sold within 24 hours, resulting in a life-changing windfall of $20,000:
"That was my first cash injection... I was able to hire a couple of riders, a Filipino virtual assistant, and build a system for scaling content. I actually spent all the tour money, but affiliate marketing filled the gap, and we had crazy success."
With new resources at hand, Will negotiated significantly improved commission structures, which became a "game-changing moment" and exponentially boosted affiliate earnings. He attributes the success of affiliate marketing to two factors: targeting high-intent travelers through optimized on-brand content and nurturing honest relationships with partners, regularly renegotiating terms to maximize revenue potential.
To produce content at scale, Will implemented a systematic approach that efficiently tapped into expertise. Here's how his refined workflow worked:
- Expert English editors introduced and outlined money posts.
- Junior editors expanded on the content.
- Virtual assistant (VA) teams handled visual and technical elements.
- All parties collaborated remotely using tools like Asana and Trello.
This workflow helped to streamline Will’s content creation process, enabling the publication of several articles each week.
Continued growth: Diversification and building a team
As The Broke Backpacker blog gained momentum, Will focused on diversifying income streams to mitigate risk and maximize revenue potential. He expanded into various areas, including:
- E-commerce: Will started selling merchandise such as t-shirts, backpacks, and travel accessories through an online store. This allowed him to leverage the brand's popularity and provide additional value to his audience.
- Courses and E-books: Recognizing the demand for in-depth travel resources, Will created and sold courses and e-books tailored to specific destinations or travel-related skills. This helped generate additional revenue while establishing The Broke Backpacker as an authority in the industry.
- YouTube and social media: Will recognized the power of video content and invested in building a strong presence on platforms like YouTube. By sharing high-quality travel videos and engaging with his audience across social media channels, he expanded his reach and diversified his content offerings.
To manage and scale the growing business, Will built a team of remote workers who shared his passion for travel and the brand's mission.
Hiring virtual assistants, editors, and writers allowed him to delegate tasks and focus on strategic growth initiatives. He emphasized the importance of finding team members who were aligned with the brand's values and had a genuine interest in travel, ensuring a cohesive and dedicated workforce.
The result? The company experienced rapid growth while maintaining a collaborative culture that valued customers, communities, and opportunities rather than rigid structures.
Dealing with challenges
No business growing as quickly as The Broke Backpacker could avoid difficult periods. Will encountered two major challenges:
- Google algorithm changes: Constant Google updates required experimenting with new ways to optimize web pages, create different types of content, and build relationships. Although these changes were disruptive, Will says that they also present opportunities if approached with positivity and flexibility instead of resistance.
- COVID-19 pandemic: The global travel restrictions severely impacted the company's revenue in 2020, reducing it to only 5-10% of normal levels. As a result, Will had to lay off more than 20 employees overnight and endure monthly operating losses of $40,000. The company survived thanks to Will's personal savings.
Instead of fighting against these crises, Will focused on strengthening the community by providing free resources, webinars, and digital initiatives. His team reimagined and optimized operations from the ground up.
As the world began to recover from lockdowns, the company regained momentum through affiliate marketing and it’s social media presence. By late 2022, earnings had almost reached pre-pandemic levels, although competition had also intensified.
When facing existential threats, Will emphasized the importance of resilience, diversity, experimentation, and caring for stakeholders instead of solely focusing on short-term performance indicators. His ability to adapt and pivot during challenging times ensured future growth potential, even in an ever-changing landscape.
Now let's explore Will's vision for expanding his growing company through new channels, products, and a stronger community focus.
Future plans
Moving forward, Will plans to expand The Broke Backpacker brand by diversifying its revenue streams and deepening its positive social impact. Here are some of his ideas:
- A hostel empire: Building on the success of the digital nomad hostel in Bali, Will intends to franchise additional co-working spaces globally, providing location-independent professionals with unique experiences.
- Email and podcasting: Will aims to grow the subscription and sponsorship potential of his revitalized email newsletters and potentially start a podcast that focuses on inspiring entrepreneurial journeys outside of the typical 9-to-5 jobs.
- Published works: Will plans to monetize passion projects, such as an anticipated "Ultimate Backpacker Survival Guide," by exploring new channels beyond just affiliate marketing.
- Social media takeover: Will will oversee the growth of the company's community engagement through revitalized social media channels managed by trusted experts rather than himself directly.
- Mentorship platform: Will envisions creating a platform that offers affordable advising and accountability packages to help aspiring travelers achieve a sustainable lifestyle.
As new opportunities arise, Will's formula for achieving sustainable success revolves around these core principles:
- Maintaining an adaptive culture that embraces creativity, failure, and change.
- Aligning all operations with a clear mission and values rather than focusing solely on short-term performance indicators.
- Sharing knowledge and recognizing passion to empower others to surpass his own achievements.
- Growing various revenue streams to avoid huge revenue fluctuations.
- Prioritizing community, education, and mentorship over profits alone.
When asked for parting advice, Will emphasizes the importance of cultivating intrinsic motivation through diverse interests, relationships, and impact-focused goals that go beyond financial benchmarks. Continuous learning and serving others nurture resilience in the face of life's inevitable challenges.
"My motivation has always been to help people see the world from a new perspective. If you stay true to your values and passions during difficult times, people will naturally continue to follow your journey."
With his perpetual optimism, empathy, and insatiable curiosity about our fascinating planet, Will Hatton's story promises many more chapters that empower a new generation to find purpose, connection, and adventure on their own terms. His ability to positively influence global culture through authenticity, community, and continuous growth serves as an inspiration from which we can all learn.
