This week, Caleb Simpson—viral content creator known for his “man on the street”–style home tour series—joins us to discuss his approach to creating content and what he learns about people from their abodes. Simpson talks about how curiosity is at the heart of his work, the importance of rejection and the people who inspire him. Below, you can watch the full episode, read highlights from our conversation and shop the products Simpson uses to fuel his success.On Starting His Viral Series“How it really started is that I’m super curious about people and connecting with others. When this sort of street interview craze happened, I just thought, ‘Oh, these people seem interesting. I want to learn more about them.’ And I was like how can I extend this idea? I saw an [interviewer] who was interviewing somebody in New York and was like, ‘How much do you pay for rent? What’s the most expensive thing in your home?’ I just thought, ‘Oh! I should go in[to] their home and see what it’s like, what their life is like, and that expensive item in their house.’ I mean, most New Yorkers told me to fuck off, straight up. They’re just like, ‘What are you talking about, dude? This is crazy, you can’t come into my house.’ Eventually, someone said yes, and it sort of went viral overnight because everyone’s so nosy.”Courtesy of Caleb SimpsonWant to save this story for later?No need to bookmark—get it straight to your inbox.We've sent this story to your inbox.On His Interest In People’s Homes“You cannot walk down the streets of New York City without looking up and thinking, ‘What is going on up in that house?’ You see an illuminated window or someone walking back and forth, and you’re just like, ‘What is their life? What’s going on?’ On top of that, I think New York City in and of itself is a place people dream of moving to. So I’m literally opening up the door to someone’s life who has moved here. It’s giving a glimpse of hope that maybe I can do that, maybe I can see myself in this person.”On What Drives Him To Create“I just wanted to connect with people and give them a platform. I wanted to show up, have fun and learn. Really, I want to learn, and then I would love to share what I've learned through the lens I’m filming with or through my own perspective. I kind of use those things to lead where I go. And honestly, it’s one big excuse to explore the universe. All these places I’ve ever wanted to visit or go, I’m like, I’m going to go to Japan, and I’m going to talk to people and see how they live [because] I’ve always been super curious [about] this place.“That’s been the most interesting part about it to me. I’ve been doing it [content creation] for three and a half years, and you kind of reach this point where you’re like, ‘Okay, I’ve done a lot. Where is my curiosity?’ That’s the only thing that can keep driving you to make things when no one’s asking you to make anything. It’s like you’re leading with your own curiosity.”On Putting Yourself Out There“If you haven’t filmed anything, I wouldn’t start with shoving a camera in somebody’s face. I would start taking a baby step forward and do whatever in life scares you, whether that’s showing up to a meet-and-greet, trying out for your basketball team or talking to the girl you have a crush on. Those little steps build confidence…I think that’s key in your regular everyday life before you take it and try to build a business off of it.”On The People That Inspire Him“I personally like to study people who have come before me. One person I look up to and admire for their career is Anthony Bourdain. He traveled the world. He wrote about his life. He connected with people. He kind of had an ‘I’m going to do this thing’ attitude…It’s hard to look at everyone who’s doing similar things to you online. I like looking at people who have already shaped a path.”Courtesy of Caleb SimpsonCaleb Simpson’s Tools For Success:A Signature Pair Of Sneakers: “Typically, I wear my Brooks running shoes, and I wear those everywhere. I wear them as my dress shoes, my running shoes and my everyday shoes. It’s the only pair of shoes that I pack because I realize that the more and more I travel, I’m kind of a minimalist.”A Must-Have For Filming: “I have four cell phones, which is kind of nuts. I keep one with my social media on it, and another for extra filming. One has my regular number that everybody has, and another that no one has…let’s say I traveled across the world and my phone died for some reason, I’m like, I should have three backups just in case.”A Hack For Elevating His Space: “The easiest thing is either a room spray or candles. I wasn’t into that at all before I started doing home tours. Then, when I noticed it, when I walked into people’s homes that took care to make their home smell nice, I was like, ‘That changes everything.’ It changes my mood. It changes how I feel when I walk in. It changes how a guest feels when they walk in. And it’s relatively cheap and simple to just light a candle.”Watch the full interview on YouTube or stream it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For more Forbes Talks Shop episodes, visit our YouTube page.