The MultiPod

The fabulous Chichi Enu joins us today on The MultiPod to share a classic multipotentialite story: born in Nigeria, then moving to the United States, studying to become a lawyer and passing the bar, becoming a licensed attorney, then shifting to becoming an opera singer, yet with a twist: pop songs sung opera style, which you'll find on her YouTube channel!

Chichi, Vanessa and Ted sit down together to explore a journey of all kind of twists and turns: Queer, ADHD, Nigerian-American self-love advocate, entrepreneur, YouTuber & classically-trained singer. Chichi talks willingly and openly about her mental health journey, self-love and compassion, and how she intersperses those topics with her singing. 

Her channel features unique fusions of popular songs into opera/classical versions, see how many you can recognize! Chichi's joy, energy and honesty will inspire bold and courageous action from her fellow multipotentialites, as she relives in our conversation today the many decision points and leaps into the unknown that have brought her to where she is today. With some helpful behind-the-scenes YouTube tips as well ;)

Time stamps:

01:04 Getting to Know Chi Chi: The Opera Singer and YouTuber 02:10 Chi Chi's Unexpected Journey into Law 04:43 Chi Chi's Transition from Law to Music 08:02 Chi Chi's Unique Approach to Opera and Music 11:37 The Process of Creating Opera Covers of Popular Songs 22:19 Intersectionality and Identity 23:49 The Importance of Openness and Compassion 25:51 The Power of Self-Love and Self-Compassion 27:02 The Role of Music in Mental Health 27:13 The Challenges of Pursuing a Career in Opera 39:08 The Impact of Ageism in the Music Industry 41:44 The Future: YouTube and Beyond 44:33 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Chichi's Puttyverse profile
• Chichi Enu on YouTube
• Chichi on Instagram

 

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If ever you’ve dreamed of a live event full of multipotentialites, an event of spontaneity, encouragement, wackiness, reflection, creativity and originality (I could go on), know that in August of 2024, your dream will become reality.   The Everything Conference returns this year, after a five year hiatus, bringing multipotentialites together in a space where they don’t have to explain what it is. Imagine being at an event where everyone just gets it. Where you can dive right into exploring diverse ideas and projects, follow your nose and be inspired, and know that that’s exactly the point.   August 1-4 are the dates, and the location is the McNamara Alumni Centre at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis. Tickets are on sale now!   To learn more about the ETC in its 2024 form, MultiPod co-host Ted is joined in today's episode by conference coordinators Joel Zaslofsky and Vanessa Tharp. Learn all about the inspiration for this year's event, how it builds on the previous one in 2019 yet has its own shape and character, how and why they settled on Minneapolis as the location, how the conference is structured, how it's an event for introverts, extroverts and everyone in between, and most of all: how it's a participant-driven event that encourages pop-up sessions and spontaneous escapes to discover even more fun and adventure in the city.   And there are already some Special Contributors lined up on the schedule, who will share all kinds of insight and perspective, including familiar names like Emilie Wapnick, Annie Sisson, Heather U-K and more.    For all the times that multipotentialtes have wished to "take it offline" and immerse ourselves in non-verbal communication, this is the opportunity to do so. As anyone who has done so can attest, nothing compares to meeting in real life someone you've known for years, but in digital form only. It makes everything just become that much more real.    If your interest is piqued and you want to learn more, fire up our conversation today, and then head on over to https://everythingconference.com/ to learn more.   AND, as an extra bonus to get you excited and meet your fellow future attendees, come join us for EverythingLive™ – a hang out session with some of our Special Contributors.

They’ll introduce themselves and lead a short sample session on topics including art, engineering, woo spiritualism, productivity, and a bunch of other stuff you’ve never heard of … but will likely be fascinated to learn about! 

EverythingLive™ is via Zoom on February 28 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific / 2:00 p.m. Eastern / 20:00 Central European.

Click here to register for free.

The MultiPod returns with our first episode of 2024, entering our 7th season - not that we've ever really measured it that way! Our episodes and seasons float on the breeze and settle into your podcast apps whenever the mood strikes and inspiration beckons, which over the past 6 years has been quite frequent.

Our breaks are rarely too extended, and now we're back with the first of a series of conversations with Puttypeep, of whom you'll enjoy hearing their voice, and getting to know them better.

In this episode of the MultiPod, we delve into the nuanced and diverse life of Pennsylvanian Laura Pritchard and her near five years in the Puttyverse. Laura elaborates on her experiences and various interests, ranging from her career in graphic designing, to gardening, dog sitting, reading, painting and joining various huddles within the Puttyverse.

Laura's experiences, her relaxed approach to multipotentiality and her outlook on life underscore the vast array of possibilities multipotentialites have to pursue their passions, hobbies and careers in unconventional yet fulfilling methods.

Time stamps:

06:18 Laura's Journey in the Puttyverse 07:44 Transition from Graphic Design to Gardening 10:36 Exploring the World of Dog Sitting 17:36 Participation in Puttyverse Activities 20:55 Getting Started and Overcoming Initial Hurdles 22:25 Diving into Creativity, Art, and Madness 17:00 Discovering Neuroscience and Reading Habits 24:01 Contemplating Writing and Sharing the Puttyverse Experience 28:29 The Joy of Pets the Cat Who Came With the House 31:23 Reflecting on Projects and Priorities 32:02 The Puttyverse Community: A Genuine and Peaceful Space 33:34 Podcasting in the Puttyverse: Your Opportunity to Get Involved!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Laura's Puttyverse profile
• PritchardDesign, Laura's business
• Laura on LinkedIn
• Laura on Instagram
• "The Naive and Sentemental Lover" by John le Carré
• "The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs are Smarter Than you Think" by Brian Hare, Vanessa Woods

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Many Puttypeep will recognize Marta Giani from her coaching sessions over the past couple years, where members of the community helped her gain experience while also having the opportunity to talk about their options and challenges for jobs, careers and, really, life in general.

Thanks to the help and support of her fellow Puttypeep, Marta is now on the verge of entering a new phase of her own career journey, and developing a life and career coaching business.

Our conversation today on The MultiPod between Marta, Vanessa and Ted touches on what attracted Marta to coaching, how it's a great occupation for multipotentialites and how she balances her energy as an introvert, when coaching requires a lot of focus and concentration. 

We talk about having the permission to explore hobbies and passions, and push back at the structured, working world which insists on specialization and mastery of skills.

However, Marta reveals that over the years she found it was she herself who was forcing her to conform to those stereotypes and expectations, more than outside pressures.

Letting go of that internal pressure, and allowing yourself to say no, has been a breakthrough as a multipotentialite at this stage of life and career.

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

Those of you Puttypeep who have been around for a couple years or more may recognize the term, "Evidence of Now," from regular Forum posts, back in around 2021. They were part of a wonderful initiative to encourage multipotentialites to write, consistently and regularly, about interesting topics of their choosing, in a straightforward and accessible way.

What had started in Medium eventually evolved into its own separate, independent entity, coordinated by two of our Puttyverse stalwarts, Heather U-K and Mercedes, aka Mafimathi. Thanks to moving the project to their own website, www.evidenceofnow.com, they could shape and organize the blog into something truly dynamic, full of fascinating contributions, covering a plethora of topics.

Whether it was exploring Art & Creativity, Being Human, Habits, Life Crossroads, Parenting, Relationships, Spirituality, Technology or the wonder of "Uncategorized," multipotentialite writers could share their expertise, explore and learn about new topics as they wrote, or encourage conversation and discussion.

As things are wont to happen, Evidence of Now fell a bit to the wayside in mid-2022 as Mercedes and Heather planned the next step, and how to make it more consistent and inclusive. 

They were then joined by a third Putty veteran, Sonia, who brought a multi-dimensional element to the concept. As well as writing, now further artistic mediums are included, from visual art to music, design and experiments with technology. 

Today, we have a special, group episode of The MultiPod featuring both co-hosts Ted and Vanessa, joined by Heather, Mercedes and, at least briefly from Portugal, Sonia, talking about their plans for the Evidence of Now relaunch.

This was always envisioned as a substantial project with the potential to influence far beyond the Puttyverse itself, as a way to explain and promote multipotentialites, the concept and their interests, to the broader world. Something that could be shared and pointed to as an example of how we think and how we operate.

The ambition is in turn to create exposure and even income opportunities for its contributors, whether through subscriptions, Patreon-style programs or as a prominent online portfolio. Essentially like a magazine, with regularly-featured contributors as well as guests.

If this all sounds very exciting and enticing, the even better news is that the trio are leading a workshop, or more specifically, a "huddleshop," on Saturday, Nov. 18, where they will guide you through the process of how to participate, and help you with some focus and structure.

You'll find the event listing in the Puttyverse Events page, but in the meantime: check out our episode today, for a great conversation about the return of a very invigorating initiative.

https://evidenceofnow.com/

 

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

Esther Bennett embarked on an entrepreneurial life a few years ago, delving into coaching fellow entrepreneurs with their businesses. She relishes the challenge of taking ideas to the next level, identifying strengths and helping people transform, to make the most of their potential.

 

Her own challenge however came down to learning how to focus on specific ideas and offers for her own business, which, as we know, can be a bit of a struggle for multipotentialites when there are just so many paths you can choose, and that you are capable of choosing.

 

On this new episode of The MultiPod, Esther and today's host Ted get into an engaging discussion about Esther's take on multipotentiality, and how we each find our own way of identifying with it. For her, it's not necessarily about trying as many things as possible, but maintaining enough variety to not be stuck into doing just one thing. Her business life has allowed her to see what works and what's sustainable for her life and habits.

 

Nicheing down, pricing, marketing, project work and trial offers are all themes that we chat about today. Esther combines her business pursuits with a part-time job, for the variety and the social contact. But she knows she will never work full-time for someone else again! The freedom and possibilities of being an entrepreneur are too enticing.

 

We also chat a bit about life in the Netherlands, green space and cycling, and the ever-intriguing concept of space and distance. And, for all of our Dutch speakers, check out Esther's own podcast about entrepreneurship, making choices, taking action and having fun!

 

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

Amongst a busy few months of activities this year for the MultiPod crew, co-host Ted managed to get to a live event in June of 2023, the Camp Indie conference in Kent, Connecticut. Bringing location independent-minded folks together, there was a lot of crossover between the Location Indie and Puttyverse communities, with numerous folks there members of both.

One of whom was Colleen McGraw, part of the Puttyverse since early 2019, and someone we have long hoped to get on The MultiPod. As so often happens, things come together at the right time and, in particular, place, as Ted and Colleen were able to sit down for a live recording of today's episode.

We focused on the theme of attending live events, finding our place as multipotentialites, introducing the concept (as so often happens), and "finding your people." Colleen has been to quite a few of these in-person events, and talks about what it's like to meet people in person for the first time, and finding a path through an event as an introvert. You don't have to participate in everything, and you can certainly find the moments to recharge and take a break.

But it's wonderful to get to chat with people without any digital barriers (as much as those tools have brought us together in the first place). Live events have even made Colleen a hugger!

In the post-pandemic world, we appreciate the IRL meetups more than ever. Listen in for shout-outs to Ryan C and the Netherlands contingent of the Puttyverse! And if you're listening from the northern Virgina/DC/Maryland area, get in touch with Colleen, she'd love to go for a coffee ;)

To top it off, things are looking promising that The Puttyverse's own in-person event will take place again next year, this time in the Minneapolis, MN area, in either August or September. Visit https://everythingconference.com/ to get on the waitlist for more info!

And when the time comes, if you're on the fence: Just Buy the Ticket!

 

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

The date was April 19, 2020, and a brand new member sat down in The MultiPod chair to introduce himself and his fascinating backstory.

 

He was known as Ti0, and he was not even three weeks into his Puttyverse journey. The episode was titled, "Finding the Ability to Deal with the Unknown," an apt title not just reflective of Ti0's life changes but the state that we were all in at the time, 1 month into the pandemic.

 

Today, Ti0 is a well-entrenched, active and influential participant in the Puttyverse experience, to the extent where he even has a new position: "Community Coordinator," or at least that's what we're calling it for now! It's a bit of an "everything & anything" role that fills a gap in the administrative structure of the community, and is, of course, perfect for a multipotentialite.

 

The announcement in March of Ti0's new position led to Ted approaching Ti0 to reconnect and share his ideas for activities going forward, and find out more about how he ended up with this new role. Not even thinking that it was anywhere close to the same time-frame of when he was first on the show.

 

We connected on April 14th, 2023, and quickly realized how coincidental the timing was. This episode is being published on April 19th, 2023, three years to the day after Ti0's first apperance on The MultiPod. Time travel indeed.

 

Ti0 continues to live in the Brasilian jungle, seemingly remote and isolated from everything but in fact, in a place with deep ties to community and to the retreat centre nearby, where he worked for the past 8 years. He has now left that position, but while he maintains connections there, the Puttyverse's impact on his life has increased. 

 

We chat about place, wandering and then staying put. The end perhaps of the physical journey and the start of the metaphysical. Ti0 has had many pensive thoughts about the nature of home and his own association with "home," having grown up in Mumbai, then moving to and living in Seattle for years, and now very much settled in Brasil. Did they all feel like "home" at the time? How does one resolve themselves to a place that is no longer, and will likely never again be, your home?

 

We chat about letting go and moving to the next chapter in life. The ayuhuasca retreat centre was a big part of Ti0's life, and he recently went through that moment that so much of us encounter in our multipotentialite journey: letting go of the thing you've loved and done for a long time. You know it's time, you know you're ready, but how easy is it to close the book? How much do you even need to "close" the book?

 

Tune in to hear Ti0's thoughts on the Puttyverse experience, how it's evolved and changed from his perspective over the past three years, and hear his answer on whether he's an introvert or extrovert... what would be your guess?!

 

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

 

Today's episode of The MultiPod is a very special one, a rare opportunity and a moment a long time coming: host Ted sits down with Puttyverse stalwart Sónia da Veiga, live from her house in Portugal!

Ted and family are coming to the end of a 3 month voyage, mostly in Portugal, slow travelling and learning about the country, its history and its people. It's tricky though as a traveller to really get that local exposure, to step into someone's house and observe what day to day life is really like.

The visit here has been that opportunity, and so the topic of today's conversation is Portugal itself, a chance to understand the country better and connect the dots that have been forming over the past few weeks. We chat about Portugal's influence on the world, from Japan to India to England, and how even for a small country, the regions and districts have their distinct identity and dialects. 

Ted has been curious about Portguese attitudes towards everything from recycling to graffiti, public art and the remarkable tiled sidewalks that are everywhere in the country. It's a place that values equally, if not more, the public space as a tableau for creativity and design, rather than simply being functional. Although that can make surfaces very slippery when it rains, it leaves the entire country feeling like a work of art. There's marble and granite everywhere!

Enter any grocery store and immediately you will smell the fresh fish section, with tremendous variety. But how do people actually cook it, especially the salted cod, flattened and laid open, and stacked prominently front-and-centre? How do you eat that? Sónia tells us how, plus we learn about some other Portuguese dishes and the history behind them.

We chat about distances, driving times, the impact of tourism and the gradual movement of people back to the countryside over the past couple years, as they search a better quality of life.

And we conclude with a handy Portuguese lesson, particularly on pronunciation: dictionaries and YouTube can only do so much; here's your chance to learn from a native speaker how to pronounce "ao."

We've been planning this visit for the past year, and now it's finally here. It's such a delight to share this conversation with our fellow Puttypeep. 

The MultiPod hits its milestones: 100 episodes, coinciding with our 5th anniversary week since launching the podcast in January of 2018.

To celebrate, the original band gets back together. Ted and Vanessa are joined by Sandrine, Sara and Mike, reconnecting for the first time in years.

The episode is full of updates of what we've all been up to, news - including two marriages - career and business evolutions, reflections on the impact podcasting has had on our lives (particularly this very show), and most of all, perspective on the Puttyverse and multipotentiality.

We learn how episodes and conversations on The MultiPod helped us make bold decisions, take action and feel empowered and even accountable in doing so. We each talk about how we have embraced multipotentiality and used it to our advantage, as a source of pride and confidence, through direct applications to our work, our businesses, how we spend our time and how we live our lives.

Most of us haven't connected since before the pandemic, so that played a role too in forcing adjustments and adaptations over the past couple years, but our flexible, multipotentialite selves perhaps seized new opportunities at hand as a result.

And we learn how we each feel more comfortable with ourselves and our identities, thanks to this community of like-minded people who bring out the best in us, understand our approach to life and inspire us to be ourselves.

It's a positive and heartwarming conversation amongst old friends, and for those who have been around long enough you'll enjoy hearing some familiar voices again. Links to reach out to Sara, Mike and Sandrine are below, if you wish to send anyone a message. Vanessa and Ted were ecstatic to be able to put this together for you. 

5 years is an eternity for multipods, and somehow The MultiPod has kept going, year in, year out. It goes to show that as long as you enjoy doing something, you might as well keep doing it!

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