The MultiPod

In this conversation I sit down with Christine Lozada, travel content creator and influencer, podcaster, drone expert, pickleball aficionado, cruising rock star and more, who is able to successfully wrap all of this up under one banner: ChristineLozada.com.   Christine and I met at Camp Indie in 2023, and have done some great podcasting exchanges since, including our own miniseries, "How to Start a Podcast." This episode is our latest collaboration. Christine is a wonderfully supportive and encouraging friend, who is great at nudging us to take action, give it a shot, press record, try the thing: you can do it.   This one is a fascinating window into the mind of a prominent creator, who is also a multipotentialite. How on earth could someone like Christine niche down and choose "one thing," and would she not be quote unquote punished for it, i.e. never get anywhere?   As you'll hear in this conversation, Christine has figured out a way. Like anything in life, it takes organization, planning, intention, responsibility and being professional and committed. Fortunately, it is also something you can have a tremendous amount of fun doing.   We cover: 

•  Content Creation and finding the right management systems 
•  Getting good tools and automation in content creation 
•  Being a professional creator while still having fun 
•  Understanding social media performance analytics 
•  When and how to engage and respond to your audience 
•  Career reflection and embracing pivots 

  Tips include: 

•  Batching creative content 
•  Managing scale and growth 
•  The concept of having a "brand umbrella," under which you can place your various interests 
•  Using existing tools to repurpose and post to as many platforms as possible. It's not as overwhelming as you'd think! 
•  Creating as a mindset, habit and lifestyle 
•  You're always learning, adapting and improving. Embrace the process 

  Most of all, we talk about why it's worth creating, and how to overcome the notion that "no one's listening, no one cares." Consider different metrics for success. Give yourself credit: you have self worth!   Encouragement links:   Christinelozada.com, her umbrella! Christine Lozada on YouTube Christine Lozada on Instagram   Podcasts: Everyday Badassery

• Everyday Badassery on Instagram
• Christine & Ted's 3-part "How to Start a Podcast" series. If you want to start a podcast, then start here!
• Episode: "Your story can change lives, why podcast is POWERFUL"

  My thanks to Jeff Long for his help with audio repair and processing for this episode. You can find him here at Zigzag Along with Deana & Jeff   Photo credit: Christine Lozada   The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg   ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

This is a Saturday morning check-in from the site of the Everything Conference, the McNamara Alumni Centre, which has been a wonderful setting for our event.

I share an update on what we've been up to so far, the pace and rhythm of the event, and what it's like experiencing coming together like this to spend quality time.

The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg   ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

It's morning outside the McNamara Center, and I sit down with Thomas Beutel. Thomas was a guest on The MultiPod way back in November of 2020, an episode we called "Creative Techniques to Improve Your Creativity." And Thomas is an amazing creator. He lives to create.   The multipotentialite side of it comes in with all the different things that he creates. Thomas paints, draws, builds, programs, works with wires, he carves, molds, assembles, which results in all kinds of models, tools, sculptures, and fundamentally, he creates art. Which includes some digital animations and creative coding, too. So it's little surprise that here at the Everything Conference, Thomas offered a workshop under the title of "Harnessing Focused Creativity for Multipotentialites."   We were talking on Saturday, and his workshop was the day before, on Friday, so he was able to reflect on how it went. It kind of boiled down to asking the question, "How does it feel when you have 17 projects started and none finished?" And I'm sure a lot of people can sympathize with that feeling.   We cover: 

•  Overcoming procrastination, daydreaming, distractions, and what to do when creative inspiration gets stale 
•  What to do when you say to yourself, "I am not interested in doing that anymore" 
•  Embracing experimentation and action, and making the most of the supportive opportunities around you 
•  Pushing through the "stranger danger" as an introvert, and recognizing how welcoming and comforting an event like this is 

  Tips include: 

•  The three techniques that Thomas has come up with to help rediscover your focus 
•  Visualizing not just the end, but the part-way through the process 
•  Making the most of communities like the Puttyverse for practicing, testing, feedback and more 

  And Thomas is doing ETC interviews series for his own podcast. It's called the Creative Shoofly podcast. Just like myself, Thomas is going around getting little tidbits and interviewing people for a compilation that he's now published on his show. We'll share it here in The MultiPod feed as well. Definitely check it out, you'll hear lots of familiar, friendly voices, including perhaps yourself!   Encouragement links:   thomasbeutel.art Thomas on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/beutelevision Podcasts: 

• You and I Make a Thing, host Thomas Beutel and a guest make something they have never made before 
• Creative Shoofly, An exploration of art and creativity 
• Thomas' own podcast series interviewing participants at the ETC

 Photo credit: Thomas Beutel

The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg   ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

Friday morning at the Everything Conference, everyone is here, we've checked in, more hugs and high-fives, picked up our brand new Brag Bags, and discovered the stunning Great Room in the MacNamara Alumni Center.

I pop out to the front lawn for a quick pause to catch my breath, and reflect on a whirlwind 12 hours already, all those dreams coming true. We've made it, it's happening and it's incredible.

The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg   ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

Thursday, August 1, 5 pm local time: arriving in downtown Minneapolis!

I hop off the Metro train next to the big football stadium, and pause for an update in a nice little park, circled by skyscrapers and sights of the city.

I was heading to the get-together hosted by John and Mark, after which was the Welcome Party! A little taste of the city before things really got hopping on Friday.

The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg   ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

Today is Wednesday, July 31st, and the Everything Conference starts tomorrow!

In fact, there are a number of folks already in town, probably hanging out for dinner at this exact moment at Malcolm Yards near the university... hi guys! I'll see you tomorrow!

Today is also a good opportunity and timing to give everyone following along a lay of the land, a visual overview of where exactly we'll be, where the various sites and activities are located, and how they relate to each other.

So I've fired up Google Maps, turned on screen share, and am giving you a quick tour of the city. If you're listening to this episode on audio, I do recommend that, at least for this one, you pop over to the YouTube version so you can really see where things are. 

Don't worry though, there will still be lots of audio-only content, i.e. vivid descriptions and ambient sounds, coming up over the next few days.

I show you how to get around the city on the Metro system, which is remarkably affordable: only $5 for an unlimited day pass, $4 on weekends. I'll be taking the bus and metro all over, that's for sure. 

And I show you where the social activities for each evening are located, the ones we know about so far. There will be more to come! 

But grab 15 minutes to follow along here and get a sense of where we'll be throughout the weekend. Then, when we're chatting to you from the front lawn of the McNamara (or more likely enjoying the A/C from inside), you'll be able to picture exactly where we are!

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We'll be publishing episodes of the miniseries on our new MultiPod YouTube channel, for quick and easy access, followed over time by rolling them out in the various podcast apps. For now, make sure you follow our new channel to not miss those daily updates.

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Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

The MultiPod's co-host, Vanessa Hennessey, joins Ted today in advance of the Everything Conference to chat about podcasting at the conference and to share stories of meeting in person people from the internet.

Like Sónia yesterday, Vanessa will be joining us vicariously, following along with the MultiPod's updates and descriptions. Vanessa and Ted talk about capturing the event's immersive nature for the podcast, emphasizing descriptive audio and background noises to create a dynamic experience for listeners. 

Vanessa has been able to meet a few Puttypeep in person, in Edmonton where she lives, while her and Ted have actually met in person twice! Both times in Ottawa, and the first formed the occasion of The MultiPod's first live recording, way back in August of 2020 (In the Backyard and Live! with Ted, Vanessa & Taylor - The MultiPod 062).

Ted tells a story of what it was like meeting internet friends in person over 20 years ago, on another continent, having only ever connected via text and email, with perhaps one simple photo to go by. Those were much different times!

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We'll be publishing episodes of the miniseries on our new MultiPod YouTube channel, for quick and easy access, followed over time by rolling them out in the various podcast apps. For now, make sure you follow our new channel to not miss those daily updates.

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Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

The Everything Conference of 2024 is this weekend! August 1-4, 2024. And The MultiPod will be there! 

Co-host and producer Ted Cragg has the great fortune and privilege to attend this year's event. Having missed out on the first Everything Conference, in Portland, Oregon in September, 2019, he is acutely aware of how it feels to not be able to attend, and so he is on a mission to share the experience with you!

Ted will be circulating throughout the weekend grabbing snippets and sound bites, and compiling some longer conversations too, with familiar names and new friends. You'll hear some ambient sounds, detailed descriptions of places and locations, and hopefully some birds singing and waterfalls gurgling during walks along the Mississippi River.

Come along vicariously with The MultiPod and get a feel for the energy and enthusiasm of this wonderful event. 

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In today's first episode of our Everything Conference miniseries, Ted is joined by good friend and Puttyverse lenda Sónia da Veiga who, living in Portugal, is one of many multipotentialites wishing to go but not able to make it this year. 

Therefore, Sónia is sending Ted on a mission to document not just the activities, but the atmosphere -  descriptions of people and nuances that we don't always think about until we meet in person: how tall is that person, is there anyone who loves hugs as much as Sónia, will Joel walk around barefoot, what's the temperature like and what's the feel of the Twin Cities like?

Sónia is a great representative of our vicarious listeners and we'll do our best to make her and all our listeners feel welcomed and included during the weekend.

In today's conversation we talk about the excitement of meeting people in person for the first time, the nature of the Everything Conference's interactive events, and take a look at the programming schedule.

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We'll be publishing episodes of the miniseries on our new MultiPod YouTube channel, for quick and easy access, followed over time by rolling them out in the various podcast apps. For now, make sure you follow our new channel to not miss those daily updates.

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Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.

Hannah Cattouse joins The MultiPod today to chat, as we do on this show, about a multitude of topics, including copywriting, her home country of Belize, and her upcoming workshop, "Connect & Convert: How to Write an About Page That Gets Results," which takes place on Saturday, July 13.

Hannah and Ted share a professional background as tour guides in their native countries, a skill she taps into here in giving us some background on Belize's cultural history and evolution. If you've ever been curious to learn more about this increasingly-popular destination in Central America, tune in for some great context and perspective.

For instance, how is it that Belize is the only native English-speaking country in Central America, and the only former British colony? What does that mean for Belizeans' sense of identity and community in their wider region, when they don't speak the same language of their neighbours? Do they feel more connected to places like Jamaica or Bermuda as a result, even though they are farther away?

For those of us from huge countries where normal driving distances are measured in hours, it's always fun to think about the reality of driving from one end of a country to the other in scarcely 4 hours, if not less. Hannah talks about the differences between the north and south of Belize, and the coastal areas vs. the interior, where you'll find hundreds of Mayan ruins sites.

Then, we get to her upcoming workshop. Hannah started moving towards online work and marketing a few years ago, and has dipped her toes in a few different areas: helping people with their LinkedIn bios, understanding remote work regulations and bureaucracy for Belizeans, and more recently the value of a good About page on your website, and how to maximize it.

If you're reading this, and listening to this episode, before July 13, and are a member of the Puttyverse, hopefully you can join in on the workshop that day. 

In Hannah's words, 

"The struggle to write about ourselves is real! And multipods have additional challenges since we’re so multifaceted.

This workshop will walk you through an interactive way to distill your awesomeness (without diluting your essence) into a concise message that matches the needs of your website visitors.

There will be no more “me, me, me!” on your About page. It’s time to master the art of “we” and make all your copywriting better anywhere on the internet."

17h00 UTC is the start time, and you can RSVP for the link here.

We hope to see you there!

 Resources Mentioned in This Episode 

• Hannah's Puttyverse profile
• Belize Remote Workers, Hannah's site for supporting Belizean remote workers
• Hannah on LinkedIn
• Hannah's overview on writing good LinkedIn bios, and a great testimonial video!

Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, or on your favourite podcast app.

Today's episode of The MultiPod tackles a subject we've never broached before, in over six years of doing this show: politics.

Puttypeep Joel Corcoran joins us with his perspective from years of working in the political realm, as a patent lawyer in Washington, DC, to working in constituency services in his home state of Oregon, for Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

Joel and MultiPod co-host Ted circle around the fundamental question of how multipotentialites have particular strengths when it comes to the many multi-faceted jobs within politics, jobs that are perfect for professional generalists who love change and variety.

But, there are also the many jobs and positions in politics that are confined to their specific roles and place, the jobs where if you step out of your "lane," you'll hear about it (and quickly) from your superiors.

Political offices can seem like a mixing of oil and water: the specialists narrowly focused on their area of expertise, and the generalists who want more of a global understanding of how things work. They don't always mix together well, and undermining it further is the Beltway culture of, "You're just supposed to know how it works."

Needless to say, the type of work environment with its fair share of challenges and pressure.

But what our conversation today is ultimately about is understanding the nature of partisanship and division, our general lack of dialogue and communication, the gotcha politics and sound bites, and how that filters down to the ground level, as witnessed by someone like Joel, at the receiving end of daily rants and complaints.

Joel shares with us how he responds to this direct exposure to politics, the dangerous moment he found himself in, and his plans for a podcast and in-person event that looks to bridge divides and work on solving problems. 

• Joel C's Puttyverse profile
• Reluctant Cynic Legal Services, Joel's law practice
• Joel on LinkedIn
• on Instagram

Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, or on your favourite podcast app.