In 2025, content creator Gigi Bello (@okaycoolgigi) captivated audiences by tackling the “landlord special” — a peephole on her NYC apartment door that had been painted shut. Her video showcasing the process went viral, earning the 28-year-old CPA a feature in People magazine and a surge of new followers.
“Content creation kind of happened by accident after a few videos went viral, but I fell in love with it,” Bello says.
Although her account centers on sourdough breadmaking and her starter, Eloise, the peephole video showed Bello that when she posts content she is truly passionate about, it resonates with others too.
Using a simple setup in her kitchen, Bello captures her content with an iPhone 17 Pro, saying the phone is perfect for her one-woman shows. TikTok serves as her platform of choice for recording and editing, with CapCut used for projects requiring more robust editing capabilities.
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be stuck making sourdough all the time, but it made me feel better about posting other things I’m interested in and trusting that people will still care,” she shares.
For lighting, Bello utilizes an LED portable selfie light, especially useful during the dim winter months. Her iPad is essential for research and note-taking on recipe inspiration and ideas.
Bello’s efforts to restore the peephole involved CitriStrip, a paint-stripping gel that proved effective despite causing a headache when used without a mask.
An avid carb enthusiast, Bello’s love for sourdough is driven by both a personal challenge and a way to enjoy a hobby at home. She emphasizes patience as key when getting started with sourdough baking.
She currently favors a loaf pan by Nordic Ware, a lightweight alternative to a Dutch oven that has delivered excellent results.
Bello relishes the freedom to pursue passion projects while sharing her journey — whether successful or not — with an audience that’s more about the process than perfection. Her day job may be analytical, but her videos allow her creative side to shine.
Unexpectedly featured in People magazine for her peephole project, attending FoodiCon, and celebrating Eloise’s second birthday have been standout achievements for Bello. She appreciates an audience that’s kind, curious, and engaged with her humor, valuing the journey as much as the end product.
Her ideal audience isn’t focused on perfection but enjoys the process and the humor along the way, transforming content sharing into a collective experience rather than mere output creation.