There is, quite likely, nobody in the tiny house movement who embodies the “making lemons into Lemonade” mantra better then Jenn Baxter. While it would be understandable that she would be bitter and even a bit angry after what happened to her famous tiny house; instead, she proudly tells her story of loss and redemption, forgiveness and acceptance. And while most of us would likely cower in the face of confrontation, she held her ground and advocated for herself and has come out on top. Tune in this week for a chance to hear “the other side of the story” from this resilient and engaging young woman who took her mother’s dying advice, to live life without fear. Instead of being defeated by challenge, listen in to hear how Jenn used her tiny house building experience as inspiration to launch her new venture. The Tiny House Podcast Team is cheering for you, Jenn! And, we imagine the whole world will be too, once they hear your story.

Http://liveafastlife.com

In addition to our love of tiny houses, we love guests who make us question our reality and push our own understanding of our future. And this week, Sharon the self-described AfroVivalist fits that bill, and then some! Imagine a world where all electronic devices have been disabled by a disaster. ALL OF THEM. What would you do? Where would you go? How would you survive? Admittedly, this might not be a fun or entertaining thing to think about but living intentionally isn’t always just about focusing on what brings you happiness. Intentional living can also bring you peace of mind and security that takes the form of a disaster plan. Yes, we know you cannot fit 6 months of food in your tiny house. Or can you? If you’re inspired by badass women who push the boundaries of what “prepared” means, you’ll LOVE this week’s episode!

http://www.afrovivalist.com/

The tiny house movement is full of focused and engaged advocates and this week we’re interviewing a real North Carolina Pioneer. Sophie pushed the city and questioned the rules and is now proud to report that she is in the process of building a fully-permitted but less-than-300-squarefoot tiny house that is NOT on wheels; on an surplus city lot that she bought for only $5,000. These are the kinds of “if they can do it so can we” stories we love to hear. She knew that a tiny house on wheels would not suffice and now her house is the first of its kind in HER town. As you listen in this week we know that you’ll be as inspired and impressed as her no-doubt-soon-to-be-tiny-house neighbors will be. She’s opened the tiny door and made it possible. Now, all they have to do is follow her lead.

tinysparklesite.wordpress.com

People who live tiny often have more than one motivation for doing so, and our guest this week is no exception. Mike from Vivo Training Systems is no exception. His tiny house doubles as his own personal training gym, as well as a unique place for him to train and engage with his fitness clients. And, this guy really knows his stuff. After losing over 100 lbs, after surviving the harrowing and stressful process of having his house built on TV, he and his wife have launched their new tiny life focusing on helping others to get fit and intentionally live their lives. And now, in addition to dumbbells, they have a baby to lift. And while he admits that their tiny house is likely a transitional one, he shares his permanent appreciation for the freedom their tiny house affords them all. We love the idea of combining a passion for health and a tiny house but we’re not yet sold on the climbing rope to their loft. But hey, maybe you’re a gym teacher or training for the circus and you’d love it!?

www.VIVOTrainingSystems.com

We’re sure you’ve heard the adage “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” but you haven’t heard it with THIS twist… You see, Will’s jet setting juices get flowing when he’s feeling stress and we have decided that we want to be just like him when we grow up. (OK, maybe just Michelle does) Just a few months ago, one of our listeners reached out to Michelle to tell her all about Will from Tiny House Atlanta and about the impressive advocacy work he has been doing down south. He leads one of the largest Tiny House Meetup groups in the country, is now fully employed as a tiny-house-small-dwelling-and-intentional-life advocate and consultant, and has turned his newfound passion into a fun loving job that allows him the flexibility to be when and where he wants to be. He’s found his mission, his partner, his voice, and us. And we’re oh-so-tiny-house happy that he did.

http://tinyhouseatlanta.com/

If you have ever wondered if Andrew has a serious side, if he thinks more deeply than he laughs, if he tires of talking about tiny houses after 8 years of living intentionally, if he accepts anyone’s opinion but his own, or if his future includes a soap box; you’ll want to tune in this week to hear the somewhat somber side of this funny guy. After overhearing him sadly comment on the homeless crisis in America, and after reading his chapter in Turning Tiny, we wanted to hear more. We wanted to hear his take on this complex issue. What really IS the problem that is causing the homeless epidemic in America? Are tiny houses the answer? How can we advocate for tiny houses as a tool to help the homeless while not devaluing them at the same time? If you think that we should be building tiny houses instead of walls to solve our societal problems, tune in this week. And, if you don’t learn anything at all, we know you will come away with a newfound appreciation for Andrew and his contribution to the tiny house movement that really isn’t going anywhere….(pun intended)

http://tinyrevolution.us/

What started in a small Amish community, gained momentum in the Florida high life, then became an all out mission in London, that ended with love. And the rest….as they say….is love filled history. (Do “they” really say that?) This week we’re chatting with the energetic and fun loving powerhouse couple behind United Tiny House Association, John and Fin. This funny and generous duo lives in a 300 square foot tiny house in Georgia with their six (Or 7?) cats. But even if you’re not a cat lover we know you’ll love the story of how they met, the first Georgia Tiny House Festival, why they decided to donate the proceeds of their events to charities, why their volunteers love them (almost as much as we do) and their less-than-linear direction towards minimalism. But don’t let the term “association” lull you into thinking these are passive folks. No way! They’re the passion and drive behind the Georgia and Florida Tiny House Festivals and Michelle is positively giddy that she’ll be joining the crazy party in March. Maybe you should too!!??

http://unitedtinyhouse.com/

It’s not often that we get to interview tiny house enthusiasts on other continents, so this week we’re THRILLED to feature two very influential and dedicated individuals from Down Under; Darren and Lisa from Tiny Houses Australia. Even Michelle is a little jealous of the following these two have amassed since they ventured onto the tiny house scene. We think that ANY story told with an Australian accent is fun to listen to and this one is no exception. Listen in this week while we discuss relationships in tiny spaces, the unique challenges of building and living in tiny houses in Australia, as well as some common themes heard no matter what country you’re parking in. They may not have all the TV shows we do, or the Festivals and Jamborees and Conferences that we do, but they’ve got the same real estate and zoning challenges we have here in the US and are enthusiastically facing them with the same change-is-good attitude.

http://www.tinyhousesaustralia.com/

Today we chat with Tiny House Swoon owner, Steven Harrell. Steven created Swoon after a dream inspired him. This was after he had already created several other tiny house websites, including tinyhouselistings.com and tinyhousevacations.com. Obviously Steven has tiny houses flowing in his veins. But it hadn't always been that way. Before tiny houses he was a successful entrepreneur living the high life. That high life ending abruptly was a good thing because it lead to Steven finding his passion.

Today Steven lives on a North Carolinian island, enjoying a life purpose built around all things tiny.

"Nuff' said"