Tiny House Podcast

In the middle of a typical day in a typical family, Rene’s “Ah Ha!” moment led to her becoming a not-so-typical-one-woman whirlwind of tiny house change and advocacy. She started out with one goal in mind, to live a simple life. Nowadays, however, her days are anything but; divided between her family, her job, and her tireless work with planning and promoting the new Rockledge Tiny House Community. If you’ve ever thought you cannot advocate for tiny houses alone, that finding exceptions to the tiny house zoning rules in your tiny corner of the world is too daunting, we know you’ll be impressed and inspired by Rene and her progress.

Anita’s life has literally gone to the dogs. And cats! As a pet therapist, she spends her entire day offering furry friends therapies such as reiki, massage and more. Why are we featuring her on the show? Anita also lives in a tiny house. And a famous one. The Lilypad is one of the most beautifully appointed tiny houses we've seen. With east Indian inspired flair, Anita has created a true tiny oasis that she calls home. Anita recently, moved her tiny house from Portland, Oregon to Boulder, Colorado. It was a move packed (pun intended) with lessons learned. We check in with her on this move, what she's doing now that she's in her new location and what's next in her life.

Like Madonna, Cher, or Bono (or any other rock star who needs no last name) Kai really NEEDS no introduction. But, since we have to write an intro, write one we shall. Kai Rostcheck is a fun guy to chat with because he knows everyone, and everything, about the tiny house movement. He’s the creative genius behind TinyHouseDating.com and more than a few love struck tiny house enthusiasts have him to thank! He’s also a true tiny-house-data gold mine and knows the tiny house movement inside and out as a result of this tireless efforts spent in creating TinyHouseLending.com. After spending only 45 minutes comparing notes with this marketing genius we were left thinking “Already? That time went by FAST!” and we know you will to. And, yes, Perry’s cat is OK….

There is nothing tiny about the monumental family effort that is takes to keep Tennessee Tiny Homes and Tiny Happy Homes up and running. This week we interview Joe, another tiny house pioneer, and the leader of the crew which includes his mom, wife, brother, and his beloved rescue dogs. Joe waxes poetic about the struggles of managing a business with a creative mind, keeping his tiny house prices low and the quality high, and maneuvering the mind-numbingly complicated RVIA standards. We loved Joe before, and have admired his made-famous-by-TV houses from afar, but we have a whole new appreciation for him now.

Kevin Cavenaugh is a locally famous builder. He’s soon going to be even more famous. His developments, which have become more unique, more successful and more innovative, have caught attention of other developers, the media and investors. Kevin’s latest development ideas are taking aim at solving the housing crisis in America. He’s not alone, as previous Tiny House Guests are doing the same. But Kevin’s approach is one of the most interesting ideas we’ve seen in awhile. And he has millions behind him. Will it work? We think so. Take a listen.

There is simply nothing tiny about Sarah Carter’s adventurous life. After backpacking around the world this 23 year old downsizing junkie moved onto a tiny small sailboat in the San Francisco Bay harbor. She’d never slept or cooked on a boat but that certainly didn’t stop her from taking a risky dive into boat living. At a dinner party for her nearby boat neighbors, she met the love of her life, quit her job, and now they’re planning to sail around the world together. What could be better than taking your tiny house, and your newfound love, with you to Japan?

Sarah Carter’s story is so fascinating and we came away from this interview aghast at her bravery and adventurous nature. Her conservative parents would really prefer that their 23 year old daughter live in a house next to them and let’s hope they don’t suddenly take an interest in podcasts. They just might also be aghast to learn what she’s up to now! After backpacking alone around the world, getting arrested in Japan, riding in shady taxi’s in Cambodia, and enjoying the West Coast’s scenery, she decided to settle down in San Francisco. But, not willing to shell out $2000 a month for rent, she bought and moved onto a tiny sailboat in the harbor. She then met Mister Perfect, sold her boat, moved in with him, and now they’re planning a sailing trip around the world. Her abject bravery is certainly admirable, but her throw-caution-to-the-wind life plan makes even us a bit nervous. And we’re not even her parents. If you enjoy a risky story in the making, you’ll love this admittedly not-quite-normal interview.

Fresh off of Steve Harvey’s stage, still bouncing from his party with Lil’ John, and waiting for his next flight to somewhere; Zack Giffin finds time in his jetset schedule to chat with the podcast crew. Somewhat reluctant to talk much about tiny house type, but really enthusiastic to talk about the environment, Zack puts the passion in passionate. He tells us about his early days spent ski bumming with friends near his hometown of Gold Hill Colorado, and what led him to carpentry, minimalism, and then finally building his own tiny house. His ski sponsor then made a movie about his tiny, ski, adventures and that led him to where he is now; the most well known tiny house carpenter in the world. When you’re done hearing this week’s episode, you might be a bigger Zack fan than Michelle is!

On this week’s podcast we chat with Zack Giffin, the KING of one liners like these:

“Downsize your life upscale your adventure”

“Tiny houses, A return to sanity”

“There is long rooted stigma that drives our population to not understand tiny houses at all”

“Ski bumming, the gateway drug to carpentry”

(So, if you’re looking for your next bumper sticker idea, you’re welcome.)

Originally from Gold Hill Colorado, Zack built his first tiny house with his girlfriend and the help of a sponsor. Hooked on skiing, loving nature, and already living the minimal lifestyle, going tiny made sense for Zack. After the release of the 20 minute movie featuring his tiny ski bum lifestyle, called “Living Tiny”, he was thrust into the media spotlight and invited to audition for Tiny House Nation; a role he seemed destined to fill. Comparing tiny house to tetris puzzles, he admits that the funnest part of his job is building unique and artistic pieces. And, we thank him for that. Just when we think he can’t be any more original, he impresses us all! Admittedly, he says, moving into such a small space looks crazy, but when you consider the environment of non-accessible housing, tiny houses are a great solution. But that’s not all. What’s up with that whole Steve Harvey interview? And what is the famous rapper, Lil’ John REALLY like? This interview is enlightening, fun, and will no doubt leave you setting your DVR to record Tiny House Nation. He says this new season is really worth watching. But, we think they all are!

Alek Lisefksy might be surprised at his fame but if you’ve ever seen his tiny house, “The Tiny Project”, you certainly won’t be. This week we got the chance to lasso him between projects and chat with him about his design, his present and past relationships (Oo La La!) and how they have been impacted by his decision to go tiny, his new collaborative project, and his brand new life and space in Texas. Looking for a space to park your tiny in Texas? He might end up being your neighbor! If you think you’re excited about your tiny house, just wait till you hear Alek. This guy puts the “passion” in passionate; and then some...

In this episode, we talk with RVIA Certified Tiny House builder Tiny Idahomes owner, the venerable Jesse Collinsworth. In this episode, our roughest ever we chat with Jesse about poop and pee (of course), living off grid, RVIA certification, customer service and what it takes to be a premier Tiny House builder. Jesse takes his job seriously. You can tell his heart and soul are in the business by the sound of his voice. He says there’s nothing that scares him when it comes to pushing the limits of what a Tiny House can be. His builds demonstrate that. Listen in as we cover the gamut...including someone dying in their Tiny House.

Sustainable Builder Eli Spevak is a man on a mission. His projects are almost always about small living spaces, affordability, community, and twisting around or creatively using land use regulations to create interesting living communities. Everything from large shared housing projects to tiny houses, Eli is making his mark in the Tiny House Movement. While Eli seems low key, he’s actually a mover and shaker, interacting with land use planning officials, community leaders and other people focused on the increasing housing crisis.