The MultiPod

The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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If you love to reminisce about your travels, or if you're like me and kind of hesitant to do so - a little wary of living too much in the past - my guest this week will unlock that permission and take you right back to your memories.

Melissa Rodway is the author of The People You Meet: Luxury, Leeches, Love, and Lao-Lao with a Host of Interesting Characters in Southeast Asia, her memoir about...

The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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You may have been seeing Tabitha Zeigler pop up a lot lately, and there's a good reason for that: Tabitha is a remarkably driven, engaging advocate who, unsurprisingly, is also a classic multipotentialite.

Today we trace her journey and life story, from pursuing education, learning French, and considering the military, before stumbling into the field she would end up working in for 17 years: a flight attendant in the airline industry.

There must be few jobs better...

The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Ellerie Fuller joins me today, a multipotentialite who loves variety and curiosity, and yet was able to spend 20 years in the US Air Force as an airplane mechanic! Fortunately, it was a job/career with enough twists and turns to keep her engaged, on her toes and ever-learning. 

Ellerie shares her experiences in the Air Force, including her roles in aircraft engineering, quality assurance, and leadership. She discusses the challenges and opportunities that arose from h...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Friend of the show and someone well-known to many of our listeners and viewers, John McKenzie drops by today to share some travel stories from a remarkable year of travel, even by his standards.

In the past 12 months he's flown over Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls), toured post-Assad Syria, done a Scandinavian circuit, added his 75th new country visited (Ireland), and still had time for lots of domestic travel around the United States, visiting family & friends. In fact, John...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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How do we explain that feeling that pulls us towards doing a certain thing, or that in turn steers us away from doing other things? What makes us actually want to do something, that creates that desire, or pull?

Dr. Matt Jarman is here to discuss that very question, the intriguing concept of 'pulls' - that draw individuals towards certain activities, particularly in the context of ADHD and multipotentiality. 

T...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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My guest today is Dr. Sarabeth Berk Bickerton, the author of, and you're gonna love this name: More Than My Title: The Power of Hybrid Professionals in a Workforce of Experts and Generalists.

Doesn't that just speak directly to multipotentialites? 

Of course you're more than your title, that's the nature of who we are and how we identify ourselves! How do we want to be identified in our work and life, and who gets t...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Charlie Biluck is someone who was never quite sure what he wanted to do for a career. Of course, he had lots of different interests coming out of high school and into college, tried some different things, and has been in his current job for the past 9 years. Ultimately though, while he doesn't mind his current job, he's certainly yearning for a change.

So over the last couple years or so, really just out...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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In the search for stability, yet the need for variety, multipotentialites often hit a crossroads. How to maintain a life open to discovery and curiosity, while providing for yourself and often, a family. 

And have you ever just gotten "tired of not knowing what was next"? My guest today hit that obstacle a few years back, another turning point that often confronts multipotentialites. 

My friend Nicole was visiting for a couple days recently, and knowing at le...

The MultiPod is now also on video!

You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Steve Pope and Patty Calbay are new to the concept of multipotentiality, but like so many of our guests, once they learn about it, it really hits home.

So we thought we'd have some fun in this episode, in the first part of our conversation, and go over multipotentiality to see how they react to the idea. It's like the pulling back of a curtain in real time.
 
Both Steve and Patty have craved v...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Apryl Schlueter joins me this week to chat about her journey as a multipotentialite, her fascination with productivity and accomplishment, and her new podcast! It's called The Accomplishment Project, and the promo trailer is out now. If you are catching up on this episode at a later date, you'll likely see a few new episodes as well.

This is a topic that extends nicely from the conversation last time with Becca, which revolved around the question of "completion"...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Last month I was fortunate to be able to attend Camp Indie, for the fourth time!, to meet lots of new folks, to meet people in person for the first time, and of course to see old friends again as well.

One of those is Becca Campbell, who I've now seen three times in the past year! Becca was at Camp...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Our guest today shares her experience of being 18 years in a cult, and finally getting out of it, which has led her to helping others escape and recover as well. Gerette Buglion is the founder of "Living Cult-Free," a non-profit organization that helps survivors and those close to them emerge from the experience of being in a cult.

She also hosts a podcast of the same name, and the producer of that podcast happens to...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Martie McNabb is my guest today, someone whom i think a lot of our viewers and listeners know, and not just virtually but in person!

Martie is great at getting out to some of the big events over the years that bring people together, including Camp Indie and the Everything Conference of 2024. I was fortunate to see her at both, and then we even met up again about three weeks after the everything conference on her way back...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Your kids are getting older, moved out or soon to do so, you're divorced and setting up a new life with a new partner. Moving across the continent, and to a new country, no less. You're entering a phase of life full of opportunity, flexibility, change, excitement and a pile of unknowns. 

So many options for a multipotentialite! Where to begin?

Eric Larson's answer is to follow his heart, his instinct and his nose. He embarked a...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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Charlotte Petit Noble is an entrepreneurial mother and breastfeeding advocate, originally from France but living in the Los Angeles area for about 15 years.

Charlotte's multipotentialite journey includes experiences in marketing, hairstyling and podcasting, before leading to her current focus on supporting breastfeeding mothers through her Instagram and coaching programs, "Breastfeeding by Design."

With two young kids of her own now, this latest business idea makes a lot of sense, and helps Charlotte lean into coaching and...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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My friend Ross joins us today to share his remarkable journey, particularly in the past year, of reasserting control over his health and sense of self.

The catalyst for these transformative changes: journaling. Ross has been a regular journaler for a few years, but leaning into it more recently has had an immense and positive impact on his health, mindset, and overall life balance. Ross developed his own journaling system, called "North Star Journaling," which...

The MultiPod is now also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here.

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The MultiPod is back, and we've changed.

Discover the new format of our long-running podcast, relaunched with a focus on intention and action.

The MultiPod remains a resource for multipotentialites, a place where we explore topics and themes that get to the heart of this identity and lifestyle.

And we continue to structure our episodes around the stories, offers and gifts of our people: fascinating folks from all walks of life, from around the...

Our podcast miniseries comes to an end, with some reflection on the Everything Conference experience, takeaways, calls to action and next steps.

With all the business and routine of getting back to every day life, the Everything Conference may feel like a mirage, a fantasy. Did that really happen? Did I dream it? Or in truth, did it just go by too fast and I didn't take the time to appreciate it? I think I can honestly say that not only have these worries not come true, I feel like we're all actively ensuring that the ETC 2024...

Our initial ETC series comes to a conclusion with a conversation with the one and only Ned Andrew Solomon, whose life is a wonderful example to multipotentialites, and who was a delightful addition to the Everything Conference.   Ned came with his wife Gina Lynette, a familiar friend to those of us in the Puttyverse and/or at the first ETC. It was an easy ask to get Ned Andrew to come along to this year's conference.   Once we get past some initial existentialist comparison regarding our names, we quickly get into Ned's winding path of interest jobs, make-ends-meet jobs, an...

Little did I know that just a couple weeks before the Everything Conference, Lindsay Gordon herself was in Montreal for a visit, just up the road from my little town. So our conversation today launches straight into the French language, the experience of English speakers when visiting (particularly the different experience between Americans and English Canadians when in Montreal), and how the French in Québec is different from that in France.   And Lindsay in fact spent a year in Belgium way back when, who have their own dialectical differences.   That was just the prelude to our conversation. I do...

I crossed paths with Tomoko Ito at the Everything Conference, but not as much as I had hoped to, so The MultiPod comes to the rescue again with a chance to follow up with each other and record a conversation.   Tomoko is now back home in the LA area, where she maintains strong connections to her native Japan. I wasn't aware that she is a business coach for Japanese multipotentialites, which raised some interesting questions and curiosity about how multipotentiality is viewed and understood in Japan, if there are strong cultural differences between Japan and North America, at least, a...

I've known Heather U-K for over 7 years, she predates me in the Puttyverse by about a year and a half. She's been on the podcast a couple times, we cross paths in huddles and online Offers & Needs Markets, and various groups and discussions.   In fact, we've "known" each other so long that it almost felt like we had already met! But of course, this was another one of those goosebump moments: seeing Heather herself walk in, right there in front of me. She's taller than I expected!   Heather and I hung out a bit over the course of the we...

Our series switches now a bit to the post-ETC reality: back home, back to regular routines and just trying to preserve as much of that wonderful spirit as possible.   On the plus side, the audio experience will be much better... I was a little disappointed with the quality of the lavalier lapel mics I bought before the conference, they sounded far more muffled and dampened than they should have. Tech and equipment can be a little hit and miss sometimes, but we can just keep testing and learning for the future. My thanks again to Jeff Long for his h...

Today is Sunday, August 4th. The Everything Conference has just come to an end. 

Or, has it?

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Yes, we are heading home, or on to our next destination, tomorrow. But in this episode of reflection, post-ETC, I sit down in a quiet corner of the University of Minnesota campus, around 10 o'clock at night, crickets chirping and a gentle breeze blowing past, to start the process of reflection. 

One can only comprehend so much, so quickly, after an intense and emotional weekend such as this. But that in turn may be a...

One of the highlights of the Everything Conference for me was to be able to sit down, in person, with Joel Zaslofsky and record a podcast episode together.   We had in fact met already, just over a year ago when he and his wife Melinda came to Montreal, and I popped into town for the better part of a day. We had lunch and explored the city a bit, but it wasn't the best moment to do any recording.   So this time, we made sure to make it happen.   I have Joel to thank for getting me set up in...

  Our next episode dives into our host city, or I should probably say cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul. Now, technically we are in Minneapolis for the Everything Conference, as the McNamara Center is on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis (side note I don't know if I've ever seen so many Ms and Ns in one place as over this weekend).   But are we obligated to mention St. Paul at least at some point whenever we mention Minneapolis? Or just say "Twin Cities"? Does the other one feel left out otherwise?   In order to sort this out, one must talk to...

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 i...

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 podca...

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 t...

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...

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 Mult...

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...

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 an...

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. Y...

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...

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 c...

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 j...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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 ex...

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 b...

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...

We enter the 5th Anniversary week of The MultiPod, starting with Episode #099, published 5 years to the day from Episode #001 (What Does Multipotentiality Mean to You).

Episode 99 welcomes Deb Bilger, and quickly evolves into a conversation on "place," a common theme here over many episodes. Deb and co-host Vanessa both live in Edmonton, Alberta, and even co-host Ted spent a few short months there in between jobs, 16 years ago (although it doesn't feel that long ago). We chat about commonalities and the not-so-distinct nature of the city, where streets are numbered and the suburbs are uniform. It can...

Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence take centre-stage in today's episode of The MultiPod, and it's framed around the challenge of building and shaping a career in those (and similar) fields, while maintaining a sense of control over your life, and balance between your interests and values.

Melissav is on this road as we speak, having embarked on a career in fascinating scientific disciplines, yet not wanting to be trapped into any one in particular. Fortunately, of late she has been in the midst of a healthy pause and reset, purposefully in between jobs, and considering her next...

From Zambia via The Puttyverse

Here in the Puttyverse we have always enjoyed connecting people together from around the world, in different time zones, languages and cultures, and The MultiPod is no exception. We're delighted today to welcome Mapalo, our first guest from Zambia, to share her story of being born and growing up in the US, but then moving to her family's native Zambia only later in her formative teenage years.

Mapalo is now busy building, with her business partners, an innovative and original business in Lusaka, providing digitization services for organizations that currently...

Today we welcome to the podcast Dee, our new Pop Up Friend. Dee is the type of Puttypeep who seems like she's been around for ages, and yet somehow only joined the community just a few short weeks ago.

Her profile is a wonderful and diverse mix of interests, passions, commitments, projects, businesses, studies and new beginnings. Co-hosts Vanessa and Ted chat with Dee today about as many of those as we can squeeze into 35 minutes. 

Dee's journey has taken her from a childhood in Southeast Asia to living the past decade in Berlin, Germany, r...

The MultiPod is back from its latest summer break, and today's host Ted is joined by Puttyverse polyglot Roby for a fun and thought-provoking conversation that floats through languages, travel, making big career changes, trusting yourself and your instincts and immersing yourself in transitions.

Roby hails from Switzerland (the Italian-speaking part ;), and after training as a translator, walked away from a typical corporate, mainstream career path to move to Rome and become an actress. 

19 years later, with numerous roles and experiences under her belt, including being part of Academy Award-submitted films, it was time to c...

The MultiPod has been on our summer break, but we're getting warmed up again with this bonus episode for you.

One of our plans over the next little while is to profile some of the Groups in the Puttyverse, to learn more about them and perhaps give them a boost of attention, a chance to make some announcements, or recognize achievements.

The Entrepreneurs group has been up and running for about a year and a half, but it's down to one facilitator (Ted) and could use a bit of a boost. True to form, entrepreneurs...

Sven Sommers is an audio producer based in Berlin, Germany, helping to lead a team of experts that fosters creativity and brings to life the projects of their clients. They recently put together the German language version of a new official Batman original podcast series, Batman under Toten (Batman Unburied), which was released simultaneously around the globe in different languages, featuring Hollywood actors.

In this role, Sven taps into his own creative energies, especially in the vein of audio design and music. Experiencing the reward of helping others figure out the intricacies of audio recording and get...

Deepti Kannapan joins The MultiPod today to talk about Multipotentiality With a Purpose, and how to try to piece together all the options and interests that you have, especially as you face major life decisions.

Deepti is an engineer, working in the space industry. The company she works for are essentially conslutants to the government, solving problems related to designing and launching spacecraft! Even better, it is a very multipod-friendly environment, as Deepti is routinely bouncing from project to project.

She knew as a child that she was passionate about (at least) two things: nature...

Where should I work?

It's perhaps the #1 question for most multipotentialites, at least at some point in your journey, and for many an ongoing struggle and challenge. Even if we find a job we enjoy, that suits our lifestyle and interests, how long will we be able to sustain that? What would happen if, for any reason, the job disappears or stops making sense: what are the chances that you could find something similar?

These are very existential questions, compounded by the fact that they may need to be resolved more than once, indeed it...

April 17, 2012: The Puttyverse (Tribe) officially opened its doors to its first members, and a new experiment was born. Could an online, virtual community survive and thrive without revolving around a specific hobby or topic, but rather something far more transcendental like multipotentiality? What was that term anyway?

What would Emilie Wapnick have thought on that day, thinking "Imagine if this community was still around 10 years from now..."

And here we are.

Vanessa and Ted are joined by Emilie and Joel to discuss the early days of Puttyland, from concept to reality, and how...

Eden Tadesse joins The MultiPod this week to share her remarkable life story, which is very much only at its beginning.

One of 12 children, including 9 daughters, born into a very patriarchal society in Ethiopia, Eden grew up with a father who chose to raise his daughters as "fierce, bad-ass women," empowering them to pursue their dreams, believe in themselves and not let anyone or anything stand in their way. 

Eden was a proud multipod and non-conformist even from a young age, and her father cheered her on every step of the way.

She a...

What are your thoughts on jellyfish?

What's a memory you have of where you changed your mind about something?

When's a time that you were brave?

When did you realize you were a multipotentialte?

and of course,

Do you prefer pudding or jello, and why?

Five amazing Puttypeep join host Vanessa to bring you their take on these questions, and more thoughts that spring from them, in Part 2 of Puttycomps #6, the Audio Extravaganza.

---- MultiPod Extras is an ongoing project of The MultiPod, where the...

Do we ever "figure it out"? For good and forever? Is that even an attainable or worthwhile goal?

Today on The MultiPod, special guest Jessica Tudos sits down with co-hosts Cristy and Ted to share the story of her amazing multipotentialite life, knowing instinctively even from a young age that she couldn't just do the "one thing." Even after commiting to something as incredibly intensive and driven as Olympic-level gymnastics.

Jessica shares her Olympic journey, how she started out in gymnastics at 8 years old and went to the Olympics representing Canada at age 15. For some...

Can you have three businesses at once, and live the multipod dream of variety, control and fulfillment?

Sarah Hockett is doing the thing, all the things, and finding that balance as we speak. But it has not come easily or quickly, nor without a fair share of obstacles and vulnerability along the way.

Sarah has always been a side-hustler, in addition to regular jobs, and was working in non-profits not so long ago. But bad bosses and toxic workplaces drove her to self-employment, full time. A visit to the Everything Conference in the fall of 2019...

Did you know that there is another podcast out there that talks to multipotentialites?

It's called Hat Collecting, and we're happy to share it! https://www.hatcollecting.com/

Lacey Artemis is the host, and she is also a renewed member of the Puttyverse, returning to the community in early 2022 after many years away.

While The MultiPod starts with the multipotentialite people and gets to know their professions and hobbies, Hat Collecting starts with multipotentialite careers and activities and discovers the people who work in them.

That, and it is primarily a...

As the calendar ticks over into 2022, The MultiPod bursts into its 5th year of existence since debuting in January, 2018.

Here to celebrate is someone who recently fêted his own 4 year Puttyversary: Ryan Cina, a regular stalwart in the forums and the new host of the Fortnightly "accountability" aka social group.

Co-hosts Vanessa and Ted welcome Ryan to chat about the Puttyverse experience, including recognizing that feeling of overwhelm when you first sign in, or perhaps for the first time after a while, and you're hit with all kinds of interesting topics and headlines, with l...

Native Capetonian Levi joins us today on The MultiPod, for a moving conversation on expectations, change, adaptation and perseverance. 

Fynbos is a South African plant known for its brilliant colours, rich scent and importance to the water cycle, but also for its life of blossoming, then burning out through brush fires, followed by rebirth.

Levi's journey mirrors this experience, as he tells a remarkable story of growing up in South Africa, coming to Chicago on a tennis scholarship, studying pre-med, and then, 3 weeks from graduating, finding himself in the hospital, in the psychiatric ward.

Puttystar Jef joins us today on The MultiPod, joining host Ted for an engaging conversation on the value of community and the support it brings, as we navigate major life changes.

Jef completed his Masters degree in engineering this past year, an experience that left him feeling that classic multipod mix of excitement about opportunities and adventures, while apprehension towards making the right commitments. 

The support of community not only helped him in finishing his degree, but also encouraged him to forge his own path and be confident in figuring out his journey. And it e...

1: A jellyfish named Jerry, who figures out they're a multipotentialite.

2: You might be a little wary of listening to this one if you're afraid of heights, or you can come along for the face-smashing thrill!

3: Do you prefer jello or pudding? It's a smackdown! (with sound effects).

These are the first three entries in Puttycomps #6, the Audio Extravaganza, coming to you today in Part 1!

Puttycomps = putty + compilation, and it’s pretty much exactly as it sounds. Basically, we choose a medium and, over the course of a month or so, whoever wan...

The MultiPod is back with regular episodes, kicking off with a great conversation between hosts Vanessa and Ted, and special guest Kaytu.

We begin by recounting K's journey through a summer of discovery, adventure, challenges, injury, opportunity and a classic multipod awakening moment, leading to a passionately complete and unexpected career change.

Kaytu emphasizes however that The Puttyverse played a central role in this experience. From advice, support, ideas and suggestions, supportive shoulders and open minds, the community came through as it always does.

And so our conversation today evolves into a celebration...

"Organize your dreams around your truth, and watch them come true."

Joan Maze joins us today on The MultiPod, sharing her story of growing up as an Air Force kid, moving around the country, continuing her education and always being in pursuit of her ideal life.

Joan's journey combines academia and multipotentiality, which led her to discovering a sweet spot of working in student affairs, giving her the community experience and variety she was seeking.

However, like for so many of us, her most recent professional position ended up as an untenable situation...

Today we are delighted to present Kati, live from Melbourne, Australia, and one of the most active and engaged Puttypeeps.

Kati's journey began in Milan, Italy, but love brought her to Australia. Through tragedy and challenges, she has persevered and forged a self-designed career that is perfect for a multipotentialite.

Kati and Ted chat about languages, community, food and family. We also ponder some of the challenges of managing a thriving, inclusive online community that has global reach and participation.

How can the Puttyverse best incorporate people fro...

Smart Generalists help small companies and start-ups navigate the challenges and changes in business, allowing these businesses to grow and reach their potential, and yet still hire one person instead of perhaps four. Marcela Killin's company, Complexly Simple, is a collaborative agency that helps people figure out complex and disparate ideas and make them as simple as possible, by making the most of multipotentialites' greatest skill: versatility.

Marci joins Ted and Vanessa today on The MultiPod to talk about her journey to this business idea, overcoming the uncertainties and expectations along the way, while navigating love and...

En este episodio, nos reunimos Marcelo (Argentina), Sónia (Portugal) y Vianney (México) para poner a prueba nuestra multipotencialidad mientras aprendemos a grabar y editar un podcast.

Contaremos nuestras historias sobre quiénes somos, cómo descubrimos los términos “Multipod” o “multipotentialite” y lo que esto significa para nosotros.

También hablaremos de la importancia de comunicarnos en otros idiomas y nuestra experiencia como miembros del Puttyverse y como Multipotenciales en nuestras culturas.

The MultiPod turns to photography, and engages in a delightful, insightful and motivational conversation with Diana Sherblom, puttypeep and photgrapher extraordinaire.

Diana and host Ted chat about what brought her to photography, how it's another great career choice for multipods and, in particular, her documentary-style approach to taking photos and doing photoshoots. 

Diana's goal is to capture real, authentic moments, full of spontaneity, that demonstrate a normal day, the regular interaction between a couple or a family. This leads to a different photography experience for her subjects, but one that has tre...

Allison is a multipotentialite coach from Alaska, who focuses on the beginning stages of one's journey to figuring out the life you are meant to lead.

She helps multipods unpack their identity and understand who they really are, thus enabling them to find work that is meaningful, satisfying and a match for their goals and lifestyle.

Her own story is one of being pushed into entrepreneurship by default, despite an instinct for security and steadiness, because she realized at last that it was the best, if not only, way to make th...

The MultiPod continues to build on its language exploration, with now the second episode in our series on "Multipotentiality in languages and cultures beyond the English world," following on from the German-themed episode, #67.

Today we welcome Vianney y Marcelo, from México y Argentina respectively, to share their stories on discovering the world of multipotentiality, and the Puttyverse in particular, but having to do so through a 2nd language.

We thus return to that conflict and frustration, whereupon those who are not able to function in English miss out on these opp...

In this tremendously affirming interview, Flo talks to Angela Cotelessa, who wrote the first PhD on polymaths. Angela shares her research and data, but also her deep insight into the life and reality of polymaths, or, in our language, Puttypeep.

Her study looked at common pain points, successes and struggles, emphasizing modern day, relatable people, not the classic historical figures from one hundred years ago. 

You'll be inspired by Angela herself, and her list of multiple, simultaneous jobs, "careers" even, and how matter-of-fact she juggles them.

And Flo shares his own story, talking a...

Paul Sockett is with us on The MultiPod today: actor, performer, improviser, hugger, traveller and storyteller. Citizen of the world and multipotentialte, navigating the exceptional changes of the past 12 months with grace and perspective.

Paul reflects on his journey to this point, and the lessons he continues to learn about identity, control, safety and how we interact with each other. How we are allowed to choose the words we use, and define what those words mean to us.

We talk about effective storytelling. You don't have to tell another person's story fo...

The MultiPod takes you on an adventure to northern Sweden, to the city of Skellefteå, overlooking the Gulf of Bothnia. The city lies at 64° latitude, similar to Iceland, Baffin Island and the northern reaches of Canada. It thus has very short days in the winter, and very long ones in the summer.

Co-host Flo had the opportunity to visit this extraordinary place at the end of December, 2020, a chance to explore not just a different culture and lifestyle but to understand the meaning of "darkness."

He went in tempered by common stereotypes surrounding "cold," "the no...

In the 2nd of our tandem episodes this week, building on the homsteading/intentional living theme of Episode 72 with Sonia, we introduce you to CatP and explore the wonder and freedom of life in a tiny home. In Cat's case that is primarily in the Dominican Republic, but in fact she and her partner typically travel amongst three tiny homes throughout the year!

Cat left the relationships of her 'old life' behind, corporate and otherwise, to embark on a life of simplicity and clarity, "decluttering" both physically and emotionally.

This led her to embrace a...

Sonia lives with her family in rural Portugal, having embraced a major lifestyle change a few years ago. She and her husband closed down their veterinary service in the city, bought a farm, lots of animals therein, and packed up their three kids for a life of homesteading, home-schooling and sustainability.

Not only that, but to help sustain themselves and pay the bills, Sonia also took up remote virtual assistant-style work, yet another thing to juggle at the same time.

This remarkable journey though has brought them a life of contentment and perspective, intertwined with...

What is it like to grow up in different countries, different languages and different cultures, all around the world? It sounds pretty exciting and exotic, and for the most part, it is!

But where does that leave your sense of home, and belonging? Third Culture Kids share this identity, punctuated by a key part of the definition: growing up, in their formative years, in a culture different from that of their parents.

Risa (pronounced Lisa), is our guest today on The MultiPod, sharing her story of being born in Japan, moving to Brazil as a...

Well, we've made it to the end of 2020, and boy was it something.

Amongst so many changes and unknowns, it was often a challenge to stay positive this year and make sense of it all. But any good year-end-show will do its best to be constructive and inspiring, and that's what we're here for on this, the last episode of 2020.

Flo, Vanessa and Ted get together to chat about the year and their experiences, try to make sense of new routines and realities, and focus on questions like, "What are some positive things that have...

The past couple or so months have seen a flurry of changes in Puttyland, as the community has taken on a new name and identity. This has also coincided with the recent ten year anniversary of the launch of Puttylike, the blog.

Meanwhile our little community podcast is coming up on its 3rd anniversary at the beginning of January. Time flies indeed!

It all makes for some momentous milestones: benchmarks worth celebrating as we come to the end of this tumultous and unexpected year.

And so who better to chat with than the fou...

Here at The MultiPod, we take the time every once in a while to incorporate an outside voice, someone from beyond the community, to gain their perspective on multipotentiality and what makes us tick.

Today that guest is Rinat Ben Avraham, who happens to host the That's the Ticket! podcast with our own co-host Vanessa, and who also happens to be a multipotentialite.

Rinat is not however part of The Puttyverse, although she certainly understands and identifies with the term. So what is her take on needing community and support?

Today's episode takes us into the German-speaking world, and the broader question of "how does language, culture and society impact our multipotentialite identity?"

We default to English primarily in the Puttyverse, including in this podcast, which means not only do we not speak in other languages but we forget about the cultural and societal implications that we're missing.

Flo and special guest Friederike talk about their upbringing, in Austria and Berlin respectively, and how German speakers come to understand and perceive multipotentiality. 

It may or may not come as a shock that the G...

Queerness and multipotentiality...Do they have anything to do with each other?

This question was brought up by a Puttyverse member, Niyoosha, and it piqued our interest here at The MultiPod. Co-host Vanessa speaks with Niyoosha and Hannah - all 3 members of the LGBTQ+ community, and all multipotentialites.

Part 1 of this two part series covers labels, identity crises, the parallels between multipotentiality and queerness, seemingly contradicting identities, and using labels as a mechanism for change.

In Part 2, we’re covering parallels between heteronormative culture and “non-multipotentialite culture,” how people try to put others in box...

Queerness and multipotentiality...Do they have anything to do with each other?

This question was brought up by a Puttyverse member, Niyoosha, and this piqued our interest here at The MultiPod. Co-host Vanessa speaks with Niyoosha and Hannah - all 3 members of the LGBTQ+ community, and all multipotentialites.

Labels can be important to help figure out your identity, but they’re just a tool that helps you, and they don't have to rule your life. Having identities that contradict each other is okay; you can identify as non-binary and a woman at the same time!

Thomas Beutel is a determined creator, of all things tactile: both for the hands and for the brain. 

Thomas paints, draws, builds, programs, wires, carves, moulds, assembles and imagines, resulting in all kinds of models, tools, sculptures and artwork, as well as animations and creative coding.

With all this, you would think that the creative process must come easy, even effortlessly, to someone so dedicated. But Thomas has always struggled with productivity, focus and completion.

A lifetime of self-study and effort has brought him to a place now where he is comfortable and c...

Welcome back to The MultiPod!

It’s been a while, and for starters, thank you to everyone who’s listening, who has still discovered our show and even gone through some of the back catalogue over the past few weeks.

It’s been two and a half years, a good chunk of time for any multipotentialite, and enough time to really measure our commitment to producing this thing. We set out to publish an episode every two weeks on average, and aside from some summer lulls the past two years have succeede...

It's a big moment for The MultiPod, after 2 1/2 years of recording this show, we have for the first time sat down together as co-hosts to record a MultiPod episode, live and in person.

Vanessa and her husband Taylor were visiting family in Ottawa, where Ted lives, so naturally he invited them over to both A), meet in person, at last!, and B), blow the dust off the ol' portable recorder, plug in the microphones and sit around the table on the back deck to reflect on the moment and get it all on digital tape.

...

It's summer, 2020, we all need a break from COVID-related news and info, and The MultiPod is here to help.

We've decided to start taking a look at the broader picture of multipotentiality, and figure out how we can expand our understanding of the concept, and who we can profile to give us that broader perspective.

To that end, today's episode is the first in a series of biographies of influential figures, who you likely won't be surprised to learn were indeed multipotentialites themselves.

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Nicola T...

Thriving multipotentialite Flo Stummer joins us today from Austria, fresh from discovering and joining the Puttytribe just a few weeks ago. His journey has taken him from his native land to the UK, United States, and all around Europe, with a particular fascination for Sweden. It's not so much about travel however, but following his nose, staying true to himself and not going down any pre-determined paths.

Along the way Flo has learned some valuable lessons in planning, expectations, making the most of failures and most of all the importance of good, clear communication.

Through...

Our guest today, Mary from Gabriola Island in British Columbia, is an inspiration for a life well-lived as a multipotentialite. From education to permaculture gardening, sailing to learning to play the bodhran, Mary has embraced the winding path of adventure and discovery, a journey that shows no signs of slowing down.

We profile in particular her experience in the most recent "Yes You May" activity, an annual tradition in the Puttytribe where participants give themselves the permission to choose something they want to work on, plan, and focus on accomplishing a goal within a short-ish a...

Our guest today is, like any multipotentialite, full of talents, ideas, dreams and motivations. However, she has also been through the type of experience that we usually only observe from a distance, involving celebrities and strangers, the kind of thing we would usually say, "It'll never happen to me."

Well, for Kylie it did: a workplace conflict that was dragged out into the local media, and she was publicly fired. She faced criticism, threats and character attacks, which she was unable to respond to or share her side of the story; the kind of public degredation you...

We at The MultiPod are happy to share with you a short excerpt from Breathing Wind, the podcast on grief and loss, produced by our guest in Episode 57, Sarah Davis.

This 3 minute clip will give you a good feel for the style of engrossing storytelling of her guests and the immersive experience of hearing them share their insight. 

Whether or not you have yet been touched by close, powerful grief, inevitably we all will, and the stories in this podcast will give you strength and solace when you need it most.

Visit www.b...

Our episode today addresses a delicate topic, but one particularly profound and prescient, given the current state of the world. Our focus is on grief, on coming to terms with death and dying, on witnessing our loved ones pass away, and on the complex emotional journey.

But our discussion is compounded by the fact that right now, we're not only grieving those we love, but also our own lives and comfortable routines that have been ripped away. 

It's a discussion that we've had in mind for a while here on The MultiPod, but we waited f...

We're over a month now, for most of us, into isolation & quarantine, and it's a moment where we're both familiar with the change yet aware that we're facing a very uncertain and unclear future.

Ti0 is a "Consciousness researcher," specializing in helping people understand the nature of change, the unknown, and how to confidently navigate their own journey.

His own journey has taken him from a childhood in Mumbai, to becoming a software engineer, working for Amazon in Seattle, until discovering his true purpose through an Ayahuasca retreat in Brasil, where he...

MultiPod Extras is an ongoing project of The MultiPod, where the hosts test out new podcast ideas in a bonus, typically one-off format.

Members of the Puttytribe can pitch their podcast ideas too! Email themultipodcast@gmail.com with the show that you would like to demo. The MultiPod team can help you put it all together.

Today's MultiPod Extra episode comes from Vanessa, who has launched a new travel podcast called "That's The Ticket!" with her friend, Rinat Ben Avraham. The goal is to talk about travel advice, tips and recommendations, and get an understanding f...

It's a rapidly changing world, and we're all trying to make sense of it. The coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19 global shutdown, is in full swing, but as of the date of this recording, none of us know how it is going to turn out, or what changes it will bring.

The MultiPod has gathered two stalwarts from the Puttytribe, Heather U-K and Rita JC, in a conversation about our thoughts, feelings, worries, hopes and predictions. In this time of isolation and quarantine, we hope to give some comfort and perspective, and keep you company as best w...

Today on The MultiPod, we take you to the countryside of rural Tennessee and speak with Marie, comfortably ensconced therein with her husband and daughter, chickens and dogs, with acres of space and oodles of fresh air.

It sounds idyllic, and it is! But it certainly takes some preparation, planning and proper mindset.

Today we have a very important episode for you, something a little different. We're coming out of February, the depths of winter, the low point of the sun. Two months into the new year, and time is creeping up on us. We're each dealing with some pressure and stress, anxiety and major life changes that are a test to our well-being.

Your co-hosts for today, Vanessa, Sara and Ted, decided it was the right time to assess the state of our mental health.

We're open, we're raw and we don't pull any punches. And it...

How does a freelancer start freelancing? How does a multipotentialite choose a career or profession? Today's guest on The MultiPod, Leah Waig, shares her story of putting 2 +2 together to set off on an unexpected journey full of twists, turns and nose-following.

It all adds up to an inspiring tale of being open, aware and persistent in finding work and opportunities, something that will hopefully encourage you to take action, put one foot in front of the next and embrace the journey.