Creator Gigi Bello in the simple gear setup she relies on to capture content

In 2025, content creator Gigi Bello (@okaycoolgigi) took her audience on her journey. He was determined to fix a “special landlord” – a hole in the door of his New York City apartment that had long been painted over. The video (and its subsequent follow-up) went viral, featuring the 28-year-old CPA People and lots of new fans.

“Creating content happened by accident after a few videos went viral, but I fell in love with it,” said Bello.

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Bello’s account is otherwise devoted to his sourdough bread-making exploits and his beloved novice, Eloise. But Bello says the peephole video made him realize that “no matter what I post, if I care about it, other people will too.”

Bello adds, “Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be stuck making sour dough all the time (sorry Eloise, I love you), but it’s made me feel better about posting other things that I like and trusting that people will still care.”

When it comes to capturing content, Bello uses a low-tech setup in his apartment kitchen. We caught up with the creator about his favorite gear, his love of sourdough, and what it takes to remove all those layers of paint.

What are the key factors in creating your content?

iPhone 17 Pro

Bello uses his iPhone to capture both video and audio. “I need something simple, since it’s basically a one-woman show and I’m filming everything myself in the kitchen, so my phone just does it all,” she says.

TikTok

This is Bello’s platform of choice and his editing software all rolled into one. Bello says he uses TikTok to record and edit his videos.

“I find that editing on TikTok is very convenient for me. It makes my life easier than having a bunch of random little clips in my camera roll, because I get to pause and start recording again from the same clip,” he said. “And editing on TikTok is so easy to use that I don’t feel the need to use anything else if I don’t have to.”

CapCut

For times when he needs an editing program with more oomph, he turns to CapCut.

“I mainly use CapCut when I have to edit a product video, as it makes me feel ‘safe’ that my video won’t be deleted randomly. (Yes, TikTok has done this to me before).”

Portable LED selfie light

“Sometimes (especially in the winter months) my kitchen doesn’t have a lot of light, so portable lights help a ton,” says Bello. “I find that having LED lights directly on me looks unnatural, so the bounce feels real.”

The iPad

Bello says he uses his iPad to do research and take notes.

“I’ll use my iPad to search for recipe inspiration or just go down rabbit holes when I’m trying to think of ideas,” she says.

What was the magic goop that got all the paint out of the peephole?

Bello: CitriStrip! A paint and varnish stripping gel that I’ve seen many people revert to using when trying to scrape old paint off door frames. I should have used a mask; I had a headache for days after using it and accidentally inhaled it.

Is it safe to say you’re in a sourdough season?

Mashable: Talk to us about the journey there and any tools one might need.

Bello: Honestly, the whole “sour dough season” thing makes me cringe (sorry!!!). I’ve always been a big fan of carbs. In 2024, I was scrolling and saw many people talking about how hard it was to make sourdough bread; they also say how much better it was for you. I decided [that] if I can successfully make sourdough, I must be a genius. In fact, it was just a test [of] my skills and how to have a hobby at home.

I don’t think you need much to start making sourdough, and you probably already have the ingredients at home. Perhaps the biggest thing you need to start is patience.

What is your favorite bread pan?

Bello: My current favorite bread pan is made by Nordic Ware. It’s so light, it’s not like a dutch oven, and my most recent loaves have been made using it, and they’ve come out really good.

What do you love about what you do?

Bello: I love that I can do whatever passion project I want at the moment (Eloise being a big part of that) and share my experience with it, whether it fails or succeeds. My favorite thing is to create something from an idea, even if it seems silly, and being able to do something and show it off is really exciting.

I feel like I have a double life – my day job is analytical and very creative, but my natural personality comes out in my videos, where I get to be more creative.

Who is your ideal audience?

Bello: My ideal audience is people who are just ordinary people at their best. Like, kind, a little nosy, and actually invest. People who enjoy the process, not just the end result, and aren’t okay with things being imperfect. Also, people who get my jokes and don’t take everything too seriously. I love when it sounds like we’re all just sitting around comparing myself to “posting content.”

What are some notable achievements in the past year?

Bello: Being in the middle People my peephole magazine was up there and something I didn’t expect. Also, Eloise’s second birthday — I can’t believe I made sourdough for two years; it really puts it into perspective. And going to FoodiCon was something I feel very grateful for. I got to meet a lot of my online contacts, and hearing that people were going there to see me felt really healthy, not real, and a little crazy. I often record alone in my kitchen convincing myself that none of this is real, so seeing it in real life was really fulfilling.

Does Eloise have anything she would like to add?

Eloise: I admit it, I shoved Ophelia in the trash drawer.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they build their platforms.the gear they swear byand the trends they see coming next. Read more about our creators cover, meet Mashable 101 for the funniest quotes on the internet, and tell us about your favorite creators today.

UPDATE: April 22, 2026, 3:02 pm EDT Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story misstated the NordicWare pan used by Bello. This has been fixed.