Meet Mark & Val Domnenko | Travel Content Creators

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark & Val Domnenko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark & Val, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
The quote “progress over perfection” has had a profound impact on our approach to work. We used to have a tendency to strive for perfection in everything we did, which often led to frustration and disappointment. However, as we continue to travel and create content, we have adopted a simple but effective rule: is the work we do this month better than the work we did last month?

Although this rule may seem straightforward, it’s actually quite challenging to implement. We devote hours each week to learning new editing tricks, refining our captions, perfecting our voice intonations, and improving our camera movements. We then apply this knowledge to our work, which has led to our rapid growth and a significant increase in the quality of our content.

What should our readers know about your business?
Around five years ago, despite all the hard work, three of our companies went bankrupt due to a partnership failure. It was a painful experience, but we decided to sue our partner, and although he eventually settled, he stopped paying us. As a result, we found ourselves in a dire financial situation and almost lost our home. However, we chose to never give up and decided to work hard to get back on our feet.

We started reading books, something we had never done before. The book that changed our lives was the E-myth, and it sparked our interest in reading more books. Gradually, we began to rebuild and improve our systems, and we even started a new company.

Looking back, we consider the bankruptcy a blessing in disguise. Although it was a difficult experience, it prevented our family from falling apart. Running three companies with day and night shifts meant working 80-100 hours per week. Our lives revolved around work, and we rarely saw each other. Losing everything made us rethink our priorities. We decided to buy an RV to spend more time together and to look for ways to make it financially feasible to work and be together. That’s when we discovered content creation, which became our new business.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We have mostly traveled in the RV to cities on the east coast so far, so we can share our experiences about those cities. New York City is definitely the standout city. Here are some of the things we did during our last visit that we found particularly enjoyable:

To start your day off right, you must try the lox bagel from “Best Bagel & Coffee.” Trust me, it’s a game-changer.

Then, go to the East Village for a coffee at “Coffee Project.” They offer a unique deconstructed latte with milk, espresso, coffee, and even seltzer water as a palate cleanser. It’s like a morning party for your taste buds. You can take a taxi or get an Uber to get there.

Next, take a leisurely walk on the NYC High Line, which is a converted train track turned elevated walkway. It’s an amazing experience with great views of the city. You’ll come across art, greenery, and the classic NYC buzz as you explore.

If you’re interested in art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) is a must-visit.

For lunch, head over to Chelsea Market, which is a foodie wonderland with a mix of everything.

As the day goes on, visit Times Square to experience the flashy lights, energy, noise, and people. It’s like sensory overload, and it’s a great spot for people-watching.

End your day by going to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center. The sunset views of the city skyline are breathtaking and make for the perfect ending to a wild day in the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to share a few books that have had a profound impact on our lives, leading us to positive changes and growth. The E-Myth
Traction
Pound The Stone
Greenlights
Man Up
The five love languages

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