Robert Michael Poole has been to more than 180 countries, lived as a digital nomad for over a decade, and built one of Asia’s first social media agencies, Plus Alpha Tokyo, now with offices across Japan, China, and Singapore. A former CNN editor and National Geographic photographer, he has turned three passions — music, journalism, and photography — into careers. Speaking to Humans of Mallorca from Bangladesh, he shared how he started in the early days of influencers, why he loves islands most of all, and why taxing tourists might be the fairest way to manage mass tourism worldwide. His goal, he says, remains simple: “To enjoy life every day and help others do the same.”

Tell us about your early life.
I was born in Swindon, England. My father, David, was an engineer, and my mother, Patricia, worked in catering. They gave me a stable upbringing and encouraged me when I decided to leave home young to study abroad. That choice really set me on the path of travel. I ended up studying at six different universities in six countries: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, England, and Japan. When I was very young, I wanted to be a doctor. At university, I wanted to work in the music industry, which I did for six years. Eventually, I became a journalist and chief editor for CNN, and now I run a social media agency.

Where do you live now?
I’ve been living as a nomad for ten years. My last permanent home was in Tokyo, but as a journalist and photographer I began to travel nonstop. I’ve been to over 180 countries. I don’t have a base — at the moment I’m in Bangladesh. That said, I don’t fly excessively because I prefer to explore countries slowly, but I still fly internationally about 12 to 15 times a year.

What countries have you visited — and which would you still like to see?
It’s easier to say where I haven’t been. On my list this year are Brazil and Polynesia. Personally, I love islands the most. I visited Mallorca when I was younger and, more recently, I spent time in Ibiza during the winter. 

How did you choose your profession?
I’ve had three careers, each starting as a hobby. First it was music — I set up a music agency in Tokyo to support Asian artists. It was very successful, but eventually I decided that I enjoyed writing and journalism more, so I turned that hobby into a profession and joined CNN and then Wall Street Journal and started shooting for National Geographic. At that point my Instagram became very popular as I took photos in unusual locations, all around the world and showcased parts of the world that people don’t often visit. I then turned that into my third career, which is a social media agency based in Tokyo Shanghai and Singapore.

Tell us about your agency — what’s the concept, and how did it begin?
While working as an editor at Culture and Travel in New York, I was encouraged to post my photos on Instagram. At that time, travel content focused almost entirely on places like Bali, Hawaii, and Greece, while I was visiting far lesser-known destinations — North Korea, Afghanistan, obscure Caribbean islands, and remote overseas territories.

In 2016 one hotel asked if I could promote them on my Instagram channel and the era of influences was just beginning. I understood the opportunity that my knowledge as a journalist and understanding of marketing could help tourism agencies of different countries and famous hotels could benefit from more professional social media strategy. I began partnering with national tourism boards in Africa, Seychelles, and Dominican Republic and then when I return to Tokyo, I offered to the Park Hyatt Tokyo to manage their Instagram account for free. Nobody at that time outsourced their social media to an agency and there was no social media agency in Japan.

Over the years I built up a team of 60 staff and we continue to grow fast with over 100 premium hotels and resorts relying on this for their social media recently the China market has become the most important with international hotels targeting the largest tourism market in the world by creating account accounts on Weibo WeChat and red note with us.

What is the most interesting thing about your job?
Every day is different. Social media constantly evolves — new strategies, new visuals, new technologies like AI. At the same time, I travel and experience new cultures almost every week.

Describe a typical day.
There really isn’t one. Social media never switches off, and I’m often in different time zones. Generally, I wake up, check urgent emails and messages, then spend the day balancing work with exploring wherever I am. I usually make time for the gym, then check in again on clients before bed.

Were there challenges along the way?
Yes. After my time at Culture and Travel in New York, I had an offer to join the BBC, which would have been a dream. But it would have meant a desk job, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 —something I had never done. Instead, I took the risk of starting my own company from my Instagram work. I gave myself a year. Meeting a blogger in Panama convinced me it was worth it, and my journalism connections gave me an advantage. I also brought in friends and new staff who wanted to make a living from social media, and together we built the agency. Luckily it worked out, and Plus Alpha has grown quickly.

What are you most proud of?
In both journalism and now with my agency, I’m proudest of giving opportunities to others — to help writers, creators, and staff develop their own platforms and skills so they can succeed in ways that make them happy.

What do think of the protests against mass tourism in Mallorca?
It’s an issue in many parts of the world — Kyoto, Bali, Europe. I definitely support the idea that the more that people travel the more integrated and understanding the world becomes. The problem is that people tend to travel to the same places, causing over-tourism in specific spots. I support taxes on travellers so money can go back into infrastructure or local communities, while reducing numbers in the most pressured destinations. Kyoto already uses this system with a city tax.

What plans do you have for this year?
I plan to visit Rohingya refugee camps here in Bangladesh, explore UNESCO World Heritage sites in the northwest, and later head to Central Africa before spending the European winter in Brazil.

What is your goal in life?
To enjoy life as much as possible on a day-to-day basis and try to be kind and help others to be able to do the same.