The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders

Hear how racism and misinformation about her hometown inspired viral art that transformed her creative career.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Laura Gao takes us on her journey growing up in Wuhan, China, immigrating to the U.S. as a kid, and winding up in a small conservative town in Texas.  She opens up about navigating racism and homophobia while coming of age and trying to fit in.  Laura then talks about her college experience where she was able to explore both the nuances of her Chinese-American identity as well as her gender and sexual identity, and shares her experience coming out as queer.  She also talks about the role of basketball in her life, including playing pick-up hoops in Wuhan.  Laura then talks about the role of art in her life, and explains the important role it played throughout.  Next, she shares her experience as a Wuhanese-American living in San Francisco during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising racism and violence against Asian-Americans, and the rampant misinformation about her hometown, Wuhan, in the media.  Laura explains how she was inspired to write a web comic called “The Wuhan I know” that went viral, and led to the book deal for her best-selling graphic memoir “Messy Roots”.  She talks about her creative process, how her art and writing were impacted by her world travels, and reflects on some of her highlights and personal growth from spending time in Taiwan and Portugal.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

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FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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Learn how to balance career ambition with life abroad, remote leadership, traveling with a spouse, and finding home.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Chase Warrington takes us on his journey growing up in the U.S., studying abroad in Austria, and developing his passion for travel.  He explains how he and his wife decided to sell their house and travel the world.  Chase shares his highlights from their South America travels, how they eventually ended up with a base in Valencia, Spain and what he loves so much about the different regions of Spain. He also talks about nomading with his Siberian Husky, and his experiences traveling through Europe in a camper van.  He offers tips on traveling with your spouse, staying in Spain long term, and nomading with a pet.  Chase then talks about his career trajectory and how became Head of Remote at Doist.  He offers tips on managing remote teams, building remote company culture, and landing your remote dream job.  Chase also talks about hosting the “About Abroad” podcast, how he grew his audience, and what he has learned from his guests.  Finally, he shares how travel has impacted him and what travel means to him today.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear how spontaneity and years of world travel shaped her approach to growth and sustaining a nomadic life long term.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Dani Dirks shares her experience at Carnival in Rio and talks about the legendary street parties, the main event at the Samba Drome, and the unique level of gender fluidity throughout the event.  She also talks about her first skydiving experience in Floripa, Brazil.  Dani then talks about her trip to the Komodo Islands in Indonesia and tells stories about interacting with the Komodo Dragons.  She then shares her experience of free diving with sperm whales in Sri Lanka and attending a free diving retreat in Phuket, Thailand.  Dani explains some of the skills, techniques, and lessons she has learned from free diving, and why she loves it so much.  She then talks about her lifestyle choices and reflects on her willingness to seize opportunities and make spontaneous decisions.  Dani also reflects on how her world travel experiences have impacted her personal growth and share her tips on maintaining a fulfilling nomad lifestyle over the long term.  She then performs her original song “The Moon and More” and discusses her new musical project “This is Everyday Love”.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear what five years without a base taught her about love, connection, power dynamics, and processing life with music.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Dani Dirks talks about growing up in Northern California, moving to a rural village in Uganda, and then becoming a full time nomad and traveling the world for 5 years with no base.  Matt and Dani talk about their recent wine tasting experience in Portugal, and how they originally met in Vietnam when Dani was a program lead for Hacker Paradise.  Dani then reflects on navigating the power dynamics of “voluntourism” and shares some of her personal experiences.  She then talks about “the canoe theory” and shares her relationship lessons learned on a white water kayaking trip in Namibia.  She opens up about some of her dating experiences and reflects on finding connection and love in the nomadic lifestyle.  Dani also talks about the central role of songwriting in her life, especially in processing her experiences and expressing her emotions.  She plays “The Traveling Song” on the guitar, an original number that she wrote, and then talks about her current musical project “This is Everyday Love”.  Dani also talks about her experiences in South Africa, from block parties in the Townships to bungee jumping, and from cage-diving with sharks to attending AfrikaBurn.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear how exploring cultures through food and living nomadically shaped her approach to identity, impact, and leadership.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Grace “Ori” Kwan reflects on her experience growing up in a Chinese immigrant family in Westchester, NY, navigating her Chinese-American identity, and how her interest in world travel developed. She then takes us on her culinary journey, explains how she likes to explore other cultures through food, and then shares her path to entrepreneurship. Ori also opens up about her Cryptocurrency journey, including why she was initially skeptical of crypto but how she came to understand it can be used for good. She provides an overview of decentralized finance (“DeFi”), decentralized exchanges (“DEXs”) and the Solana blockchain. She then offers some reflections on the collapse of Terra Luna, and lessons we can take from that. Ori also talks about founding Orca as an Automated Market Maker (“AMM”) on the Solana blockchain. She provides an overview of how Liquidity Pools work and explains the downside risk of Impermanent Loss when providing liquidity with a token pair. She then talks about Orca’s “Whirlpools” and explains how  Concentrated Liquidity Pools work. Ori also talks about the Orca governance token and DAO, the Orcanauts NFT project, and the Orca Impact Fund. Ori then talks about how she structures her digital nomad life, shares some travel experiences from Italy, gives tips on managing a fully distributed team, and reflects on what travel means to her.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn how a global mindset shaped his approach to community, remote teams, productivity, and working across borders.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Danish Soomro takes us on his journey growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, becoming a local entrepreneur, then going to do his MBA in the UK, and eventually becoming a full time digital nomad.  He talks about founding “Digital Nomads Around the World” and growing it to the largest community of digital nomads in the world with over 150,000 members.  Danish also talks about getting accepted to the “Startup Chile” accelerator program and building VisaDB.io as the first online visa information database and marketplace to make global mobility easier for everyone.  He gives tips for growth hacking, productivity automation, managing remote teams and building company culture in a fully distributed company.  Danish also shares some of  his travel experiences, and gives tips on visiting Brazil, Chile and Pakistan.  Finally, he reflects on the concept of being a global citizen with numerous micro-identities.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear how building a community in a Bulgarian mountain town transformed his approach to nomad life, connection, and home.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Matthias Zeitler takes us on his journey growing up in Munich, Germany and transitioning from a corporate job to becoming a location-independent entrepreneur. He explains how his interest in travel developed, how he became a digital nomad, and how he structures his nomadic lifestyle.  Matthias then shares some travel stories about competing in the Rickshaw Run in India and taking a catamaran across the Sea of Bengal.  He then reflects on the impact of traveling to 100 countries.  Next, Matthias talks about founding “Bansko Co-Working”, explains how he built community around it, and shares why he is so passionate about the town of Bansko.  He also talks about his upcoming project “Bansko Co-Living”, and explains how Bansko is becoming a premier nomad destination.  Matthias also talks about hosting the annual Bansko Nomad Fest, how it evolved, and what attendees can expect this year.  And, finally, he reflects on what travel means to him.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear what becoming a full-time nomad in his 40s taught him about transitions, identity, and the real value of travel.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

============================

ON THIS EPISODE

Mujtaba Saifuddin takes us on his journey growing up in a Pakistani immigrant family in Los Angeles, becoming an actor, a pilot, and an aerospace professional, before transitioning to becoming a full time digital nomad in his 40s.  Matt and Muj reminisce about their most recent trip together and share reflections on El Salvador, Medellin and Cali, Colombia, as well as Guatape and Lago Calima.  Muj also reflects on his own travel journey, from teaching in the slums of Delhi to taking the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia to hiking the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.  He shares his experiences scuba diving with Manta Rays in the Maldives, Dirt Biking Across Mexico, and Watching the Northern Lights in Alaska. Muj then reflects on his decision to become a full time nomad, the mental and emotional aspects of the transition, and his biggest lessons learned so far in his first year with no base.  Matt and Muj then discuss on their crypto currency investing journey, and talk about some NFT projects they both hold and some upcoming events for NFT holders that they will be attending.  And, finally, Muj reflects on what travel means to him.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Hear how emigrating after a bomb exploded at her school shaped her views on freedom, minimalism, and long-term travel.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Victoria Zapata takes us on her journey growing up in Cali, Colombia, learning Salsa as a kid, and emigrating to the U.S. during the Colombian political conflict after a bomb exploded in her school.  She talks about acclimating to the US, going to college, and eventually becoming a location-independent entrepreneur. Vicky then reflects on her first two major trips through South America and Southeast Asia, and talks about how that influenced her minimalism. She gives specific packing tips for women on how to travel the world long-term with carry-on luggage only. She then talks about how she prioritizes helping animals and the environment during her travels. Next, Vicky talks about her business “All Digital Media” and gives tips for business owners on how to improve their social media marketing and their web presence. She then offers tips on being a business partner with your spouse, as well as tips on nomading full-time with your spouse. Vicky also reflects on the keys to sustaining a fulfilling life of long-term world travel over many years. She talks about how she balances local cultural immersion and socializing with other nomads around the world. And, finally, Vicky reflects on the impact of traveling to 70 countries and what travel means to her.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!

Learn how nomad communities can support local economies while preserving cultural immersion and genuine local exchange.

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Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Gonçalo Hall takes us on his journey growing up in Portugal, connecting with many different cultures, and eventually becoming a full-time digital nomad. He shares his entrepreneurial journey, and reflects on how his sports background contributed to his business success. Gonçalo also opens up about how he assessed his own strengths and weaknesses, and gives tips on selecting the right business partners. He then shares how his experience nomading in Canggu, Bali impacted and inspired him to create the Nomad Village. on Madeira Island, Portugal. Gonçalo shares the story of meeting with government officials, pitching the project, and building the Nomad Village with a focus on positive local impact. He then talks about building the second Nomad Village on the African island nation of Cabo Verde, and the positive local impact it has had thus far. Gonçalo also talks about acquiring the “Nomad X” brand, partnering with “Nomads Giving Back”, and shares his vision for the future of Nomad X. He then reflects on ways to balance nomad-community building with local cultural immersion, and offers his thoughts on the future of work and the digital nomad movement. Finally, Gonçalo shares tips on nomading with your spouse and reflects on what travel means to him.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

============================

FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE

Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests.

============================

FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU

See my Top 10 Travel Apps

See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn

See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend

See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

============================

ENJOYING THE SHOW?

Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation

Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally

Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!