Version 1

James Barrett is a 2x New York City Marathoner, advanced certified merman, avid scuba diver, New Jersey native and has visited every continent as of last year. He’s a travel & lifestyle journalist with 200+ published articles seen in various publications such as Travel + Leisure, InsideHook, Redbook, Elle Decor, Veranda, Country Living and more. His weekly Jimmy Rox newsletter defines honest travel and shower thoughts with personal travel stories, itineraries and think pieces that’s grown to more than 11,000+ subscribers. In this episode, we talk about how he got started in travel writing, his creative process, how he balances work for publications with his newsletter, why travel inspires him, scuba diving and getting his advanced certification in mermaning, and why he walks 5 miles a day. 

Follow James Barrett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmyrox/ 

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Dara Israel is a documentarian, underwater photographer, and freediving instructor currently based wherever her suitcase is. When she isn't underwater or working on her latest film, The Element, you can usually find her singing karaoke or curled up with a book. In this episode, we discuss how she got started in underwater photography during the pandemic,  why she loves freediving over scuba diving, the unique challenges shooting underwater presents, starting her underwater film production company, and the current film she’s working on.  

Follow Dara Israel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daradives/ and https://www.instagram.com/onebreathdeepdocs/ 

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London-based travel couple Toti & Ale are the slowmads and creators behind Passport and Stamps, a platform built around authentic experiences spanning five years of adventures and 47+ countries. From chasing the sun around Southeast Asia to road tripping in Morocco, they share budget-friendly adventures, hidden gems and unique stories. In this episode, we discuss how they got into content creation, balancing their relationship with working together, how they manage traveling full-time with work, making sure their content is original, their experiences with imposter syndrome, and more. 

Follow Passport and Stamps on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passportandstamps/ 

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Helen Zhao is a videojournalist who spent five years at CNBC making videos about personal finance and entrepreneurship. She reports, hosts, scripts, shoots and edits her own videos. In 2022, she quit her dream job to fulfill her longtime dream of traveling the world full-time for 1.5 years. After exploring 18 countries across South America and Asia, Helen landed another job in videojournalism, got laid off, and is now doubling down on independent content creation, covering travel, money and work. Her content explores what survival, success and happiness look like around the world. In this episode, we dive into Helen’s career trajectory, how she found the confidence to quit her job to travel, content creation, how to start putting yourself out there, and how she wants her content to have a positive influence. 

Follow Helen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenjzhao/ 

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Katie Scarlett is an illustrator, animator and graphic designer from Newnan, Georgia. Using vibrant colors and interesting perspectives, Katie brings a fresh way of looking at familiar settings. She typically illustrates scenes of home such as dining rooms and kitchens, and sometimes other spaces like landscapes and street scenes. She often incorporates the plants, furniture, and other decorations she has in her home into her work. Katie has worked with a wide range of clients including Microsoft, Urban Outfitters, Thrillist, The Washington Post and more. In this episode, we talk about how Katie got her start in design, themes in her art, getting past creative roadblocks, trying photography, and how she wants her work and business to grow in the future.

Follow Katie Scarlett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie.scarlett/ 

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Aaron Nessel is the founder and one man show behind Bushwick Yacht Club, a Brooklyn-based lifestyle brand blending streetwear and community impact. Since its launch in 2020, Aaron has grown the brand into a multi six-figure business, spearheading everything from product design and digital marketing to guerilla campaigns and local collaborations. Bushwick Yacht Club is not just a brand for Aaron, it's a vehicle to give back to the less fortunate in New York City, with thousands of items of clothing and thousands of dollars donated to youth services programs, neighborhood organizations, and mutual aid groups. In this episode, we talk about how he started his brand Bushwick Yacht Club during the pandemic with no fashion experience, running the brand alone while working full-time, overcoming setbacks in life and how those give him perspective, going back to school after dropping out of high school, and how he makes an impact on the local NYC community through BYC. 

Follow Bushwick Yacht Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwick.yacht.club/ 

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Alexis (Lexi) Brown is a photographer, filmmaker, writer, and community builder. Lexi first was recognized nationally at age 12 for her photography, and has been creating ever since. She built her foundation in classical music, studying opera at Manhattan School of Music while simultaneously building a career in visual art. She’s worked with clients such as Vrbo, Polaroid, Fujifilm, Lumix, travel agencies, tourism boards, and many more. She has combined both of her passions into a directing career, with her first film “Sunny Side Up” in the festival circuit. Her sophomore film will go into production in November of this year. Lexi is passionate about using storytelling to evoke empathy and eliminate indifference. In her experience feeling misunderstood, she uses her unique gifts to guide others to a place of understanding and authenticity. In this episode, we discuss how Lexi started photography at a young age, how she built her portfolio, why she loves to travel, digital vs film, her experience directing her first short film, how her autism diagnosis affected her work, and more. 

Follow Lexi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexibrownphoto/ 

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Emily Pavacic is a Queens-based visual artist, dancer, and educator whose artistic career has been shaped by her dual passions for the visual arts and dance. Her love of creating hand-stitched art began with an unconventional drawing assignment while studying at Adelphi University. Upon graduating, she decided to continue her studies and earned a Masters in Art Education from NYU- the prelude to a 9-year public school-teaching career. Inspired by the human experience and deep connections, her work is often described as tender and intricate. While Emily no longer teaches for public school, she has maintained a deep interest in community work and teaches weekly volunteer ballet classes to her local community. In this episode, we talk about her dance background, how she started using embroidery in her art, what hands mean to her in her art, eco printing with flowers, and overcoming depression and imposter syndrome. 

Follow Emily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilypavacicstudio/ 

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John Fabiano is the Founder of Wags Around The World, a photography project that explores the varying relationships between dogs and humans in different cultures. After working a career in sales, he left his 9-5 role to pursue his passion full-time. The project has taken him to 20 different countries to photograph dogs, including sled dogs in Greenland, herding dogs in Australia, and street dogs in India. In this episode, we talk about how being laid off led John to pursue his passion for dog photography full-time, teaching himself photography, adventures he’s had around the world with all types of dogs, making friends through his work, and overcoming imposter syndrome. 

Follow Wags Around the World on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagsaroundtheworld/ 

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Anika Ignozzi is a self-made artist and fashion designer who launched Ooh Baby in 2018 at just 20 years old, after dropping out of college to pursue her vision. What began with a dream, naïve courage, and a clothing rack at a street market in Pittsburgh has evolved into a thriving brand rooted in creativity and self-expression. Each Ooh Baby collection starts with a painting—Anika’s artwork forms the foundation of the designs, brought to life through bold patchwork, vivid patterns, and vibrant color stories. Her mission is to create clothing that taps into your inner child and empowers self-expression through wearable art. In this episode, we talk about dropping out of college and going into fashion, how Ooh Baby has changed throughout the last 7 years, the advantages of being self-taught, and how she uses positive affirmations in moments of doubt. 

Follow Ooh Baby on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oohbabybyanika/ 

Subscribe to Version 1's substack: version1podcast.substack.com/ 

Follow Version 1 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/version1podcast/

Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/waverlycolville