The MultiPod

Building Islands of Connection in a Chaotic World. With Heather Martel

Heather Martel is off on an odyssey. End date: unknown Number of countries: to be confirmed Schengen Shuffle: sorted The sky's the limit. And she's here today to talk about it, how she ended up in Italy, what allowed her to embark on this journey and most of all, why she's doing it. It's in part about the digital nomad life, slow travel and adventure. But it's also an experience that delves into deeper understandings of time, relationships, community, purpose and ultimately, happiness. And how when we find joy and happiness in what we're doing, that reflects back onto those around us, particularly perhaps those who weren't quite as happy with our choices. Finding people of shared interests, values, priorities and projects means building islands of community, in the midst of a world of chaos. Find others who support what you do, and you supporting them in turn. And so while you might think that travelling in Europe with no long-term base or "security" seems inherently risky and unstable, in fact it may be one of the safest and stable positions you can put yourself in, should you have the chance to do so. It's not easy, it takes a lot of time and planning, and letting go of certain comforts and routines, but in this episode, with Heather as our witness, it is clearly both possible and worth it. Reach out to Heather: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathermartel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathermartel/] --- The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here [https://youtu.be/2VkuUXkFtnE]. --- Find The MultiPod around the internet! Visit our new website, www.themultipod.com [https://www.themultipod.com/], for more show info, and our entire archive of 111 full episodes, plus bonus episodes and the Everything Conference miniseries. We also have a new guest application form [https://themultipod.com/guest], where you can send in your ideas for topics and who you would like to meet, and we'll set a recording date! Meanwhile, I'll be posting clips and updated on Instagram, @tedcraggpodcasting [https://www.instagram.com/tedcraggpodcasting/] And, The MultiPod now has a sponsor! Quick Edit Podcasts [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] Yes, this is my own podcast production business. But I owe everything to The MultiPod for giving me that foundation in skills and experience in podcasting. Quick Edit Podcasts provides on-demand audio and video production, ideal for one-off episodes, when you don't have time (or feel like) doing the editing yourself. And we love to produce short-form podcasts, miniseries, seasonal podcasts and other projects that are ideally suited for busy, multitasking multipotentialites! Visit the website to learn more: www.quickeditpodcasts.com [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] or book a free 15-minute Quick Call [https://calendar.app.google/9Rc2ySHrUQN6qVX78]and let's chat about your podcasting idea! This podcast is a proud member of the Bold Departure Network, a collection of podcasts for those craving an authentic and unconventional life, on their own terms. Discover more of our shows at bolddeparturenetwork.com [https://bolddeparturenetwork.com/]

Create a New Relationship With Time and Work. With Julianne Benford

Could there be anything more enticing and invigorating to a multipotentialite than taking a sabbatical?  During which, of course, you'll pursue all kinds of different projects: ideas, discoveries, side-hustles, travel, home maintenance, reading, writing, relaxing, and the simple enjoyment of having lots of the greatest thing of all: time. Puttyverse stalwart Julianne Benford is here to share her story of letting go of a lifetime of constant work, and buying herself a career break, which just started this April, 2026. For someone who has gone from school to university to the workforce to professional positions, the notion of not working is a concept that is new and untested, but at 39, she's ready to try it out. And, based on her research, it might not be the last time she does it either! For Julianne, the plan so far is to take 6 months (including, as it happens, a wedding!), and then see where she stands. But in the search for productivity and personal fulfillment, she's taking the best route possible to discover a new relationship with time and work. If a career break of any kind is something that you find intriguing, or indeed if you've done it before and would love to share your experience, Julianne would love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to reach out, because as she says, "I want to inspire more people to give this a go." As we point out in this episode, there are certain professions where this kind of professional pause is standard and commonplace, so why not make it more acceptable? Even if you have to plan it yourself, without an employer chipping in.  Julianne is proof that it's possible, with some planning and intentional choices. Listen in and be inspired! Learn More About Julianne: Website: www.juliannebenford.com [http://www.juliannebenford.com/] Julianne's writing blog: www.betterthandreams.com [http://www.betterthandreams.com] Instagram:@juliannebenford [https://instagram.com/juliannebenford] Facebook: @juliannebenfordwrites [https://facebook.com/juliannebenfordwrites] --- The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here [https://youtu.be/CvHMv9xRTRo]. --- Find The MultiPod around the internet! Visit our new website, www.themultipod.com [https://www.themultipod.com/], for more show info, and our entire archive of 111 full episodes, plus bonus episodes and the Everything Conference miniseries. We also have a new guest application form [https://themultipod.com/guest], where you can send in your ideas for topics and who you would like to meet, and we'll set a recording date! Meanwhile, I'll be posting clips and updated on Instagram, @tedcraggpodcasting [https://www.instagram.com/tedcraggpodcasting/] And, The MultiPod now has a sponsor! Quick Edit Podcasts [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] Yes, this is my own podcast production business. But I owe everything to The MultiPod for giving me that foundation in skills and experience in podcasting. Quick Edit Podcasts provides on-demand audio and video production, ideal for one-off episodes, when you don't have time (or feel like) doing the editing yourself. And we love to produce short-form podcasts, miniseries, seasonal podcasts and other projects that are ideally suited for busy, multitasking multipotentialites! Visit the website to learn more: www.quickeditpodcasts.com [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] or book a free 15-minute Quick Call [https://calendar.app.google/9Rc2ySHrUQN6qVX78]and let's chat about your podcasting idea! This podcast is a proud member of the Bold Departure Network, a collection of podcasts for those craving an authentic and unconventional life, on their own terms. Discover more of our shows at bolddeparturenetwork.com [https://bolddeparturenetwork.com/]

Authenticity in the Age of AI, a Puttyverse Conversation

How do we tackle in 2026 this intersection of artificial intelligence and creativity, technology and genuine connection, and what role can a vibrant community like the Puttyverse play in understanding this? Ted is joined by friends of the podcast Emilie Wapnick and Thomas Beutel for an introspective discussion on understanding AI: what role can/should it play in creativity, and how do we use it without becoming dependent on it? Thomas has used ChatGPT from its early days, long, long ago in late 2022, and as a professional software developer and coder has seen instant improvements in efficiency and possibility when it comes to his work. Not to mention as a teaching tool for myriad rabbit holes. Ted meanwhile has resisted getting into AI prompting and research, although as a podcast producer will still use some of the tools that come with today's editing software. But he is wary about relying on it too much.  This description that you're reading right now, for example, was started by AI but was then completely rewritten by Ted (because the AI version was dull and boring). As for Emilie, she may be somewhere in the middle: intrigued by AI, open to learning and practicing with it, but resistant to letting it interfere with the creative writing process. Editing perhaps, but not original ideas. And so we enter into a fascinating conversation that explores the balance between exciting new technology and staying authentic to ourselves, and our community. The Puttyverse is very much built on bringing actual people together for real, genuine interactions, even if they are via internet and computer, but with a healthy dose of in-person meetups as well.  Our new Circle platform has been purposefully built with AI features turned off (as much as possible), in an effort to resist some of the pressure to integrate AI into everything. Puttyland has been around for far longer than AI, and was doing just fine without it! As the community enters its 15th year, we are well-placed with a strong foundation to integrate AI slowly, if at all, and make conscious choices about experimentation. Discover what Thomas and Emilie are up to these days: Thomas' website: https://thomasbeutel.art [https://thomasbeutel.art/] Thomas and Annie's podcast, Wandering Weirdly: wanderingweirdly.transistor.fm [https://wanderingweirdly.transistor.fm/] Emilie's website for writing projects: https://bettersweaterproductions.com [https://bettersweaterproductions.com/] Join the Puttyverse! https://puttylike.com/the-puttyverse-community [https://puttylike.com/the-puttyverse-community/] --- Find The MultiPod around the internet! Visit our new website, www.themultipod.com [https://www.themultipod.com/], for more show info, and our entire archive of 111 full episodes, plus bonus episodes and the Everything Conference miniseries. We also have a new guest application form [https://themultipod.com/guest], where you can send in your ideas for topics and who you would like to meet, and we'll set a recording date! Meanwhile, I'll be posting clips and updated on Instagram, @tedcraggpodcasting [https://www.instagram.com/tedcraggpodcasting/] And, The MultiPod now has a sponsor! Quick Edit Podcasts [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] Yes, this is my own podcast production business. But I owe everything to The MultiPod for giving me that foundation in skills and experience in podcasting. Quick Edit Podcasts provides on-demand audio and video production, ideal for one-off episodes, when you don't have time (or feel like) doing the editing yourself. And we love to produce short-form podcasts, miniseries, seasonal podcasts and other projects that are ideally suited for busy, multitasking multipotentialites! Visit the website to learn more: www.quickeditpodcasts.com [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] or book a free 15-minute Quick Call [https://calendar.app.google/9Rc2ySHrUQN6qVX78]and let's chat about your podcasting idea! This podcast is a proud member of the Bold Departure Network, a collection of podcasts for those craving an authentic and unconventional life, on their own terms. Discover more of our shows at bolddeparturenetwork.com [https://bolddeparturenetwork.com/]

Revisiting Travel in Cuba in 2019, with Andy Cragg

The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here [https://youtu.be/61a7pwucf40]. --- Cuba is one of the many places in the world facing tremendous upheaval in 2026, and as we publish this episode, who knows how things may change even in just the next few weeks.  We thus present an interesting snapshot in time for this week's episode, a replay of a conversation in late March of 2019 between Ted and his brother Andy, who had just returned from a multi-week backpacking trip around Cuba with his family. Andy and his wife Laura brought their three kids, aged at the time 6, 3 and 4 months old, to see the real Cuba, be immersed in the culture, and experience life outside the insulated resorts. Ted couldn't help but be curious not just about what life and travel is like in Cuba, but how to explore the island and navigate transportation, accommodation, food, health and all kinds of other logistics (diapers, laundry, strollers, baby supplies and more) with young kids. Andy shares stories of this incredible experience for all of them, shedding a spotlight on the kind, welcoming and resilient people. And now there is an added layer of poignancy, 7 years exactly after that trip, as Cuba and its people are stretched to the limit by world events. There is nowhere else quite like it, and this snapshot from just a few years ago really makes you think about what it must be like on the ground there now. The MultiPod is blessed with an archive of years of episodes, dating back to 2018, so from time to time we'll revisit stories from old friends, and if we're lucky maybe have a current update from them too! --- Find The MultiPod around the internet! Visit our new website, www.themultipod.com [https://www.themultipod.com/], for more show info, and our entire archive of 111 full episodes, plus bonus episodes and the Everything Conference miniseries. We also have a new guest application form [https://themultipod.com/guest], where you can send in your ideas for topics and who you would like to meet, and we'll set a recording date! Meanwhile, I'll be posting clips and updated on Instagram, @tedcraggpodcasting [https://www.instagram.com/tedcraggpodcasting/] And, The MultiPod now has a sponsor! Quick Edit Podcasts [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] Yes, this is my own podcast production business. But I owe everything to The MultiPod for giving me that foundation in skills and experience in podcasting. Quick Edit Podcasts provides on-demand audio and video production, ideal for one-off episodes, when you don't have time (or feel like) doing the editing yourself. And we love to produce short-form podcasts, miniseries, seasonal podcasts and other projects that are ideally suited for busy, multitasking multipotentialites! Visit the website to learn more: www.quickeditpodcasts.com [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] or book a free 15-minute Quick Call [https://calendar.app.google/9Rc2ySHrUQN6qVX78]and let's chat about your podcasting idea!

We Have So Much Inside Us: Our Own Answers and Truths. With Kati Tempesta

The MultiPod is also on video! You can watch today's episode on YouTube here [https://youtu.be/xnCZOFkSKCo]. --- This week we reconnect with an old friend, Kati Tempesta, joining us live from near Melbourne, Australia, and making a return appearance to The MultiPod!  Our first conversation on the podcast took place in July of 2021, where we learned about Kati's back story, languages, community, food and family. It was a wonderful introduction, and you can revisit it here: A Celebration of Perseverance and the Puttyverse, with Kati - The MultiPod 081 [https://themultipod.com/episodes/a-celebration-of-perseverance-and-the-puttyverse-with-kati-the-multipod-081]. Now, Kati has written a book, which is being released this week! Whispers of the Soul is an "Invitation to self-discovery," a companion on your journey towards clarity, inner peace, learning more about who you are and embracing your own inner strengths. The book is a combination of exercises, prompts, personal reflections and anecdotes from Kati, all with a goal of helping people become more grounded, calm, thriving, and better able to tune out the external distractions and pressures that consume us more and more. To that end, it is a very well-timed book, and for multipotentialites, you have a soulful ally in Kati, who has thrived deeply thanks to communities and connections, particularly the Puttyverse, where we first met. Whispers of the Soul explores what is contentment, happiness, compassion and companionship, framed through a lens of something to which multipotentialites can relate: feeling safe, realizing you're not alone, drawing strength from the journey and from the experiences of others. We have so much inside of us, to continue exploring, and Kati and her book are wonderful companions, reminding you of the things you already possess! Learn More About Kati: Get the book! Whispers of the Soul [https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0GSYQDK6Q] Instagram:@lighthouse_alchemists_kati [https://www.instagram.com/lighthouse_alchemists_kati/] --- Find The MultiPod around the internet! Visit our new website, www.themultipod.com [https://www.themultipod.com/], for more show info, and our entire archive of 111 full episodes, plus bonus episodes and the Everything Conference miniseries. We also have a new guest application form [https://themultipod.com/guest], where you can send in your ideas for topics and who you would like to meet, and we'll set a recording date! Meanwhile, I'll be posting clips and updated on Instagram, @tedcraggpodcasting [https://www.instagram.com/tedcraggpodcasting/] And, The MultiPod now has a sponsor! Quick Edit Podcasts [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] Yes, this is my own podcast production business. But I owe everything to The MultiPod for giving me that foundation in skills and experience in podcasting. Quick Edit Podcasts provides on-demand audio and video production, ideal for one-off episodes, when you don't have time (or feel like) doing the editing yourself. And we love to produce short-form podcasts, miniseries, seasonal podcasts and other projects that are ideally suited for busy, multitasking multipotentialites! Visit the website to learn more: www.quickeditpodcasts.com [https://www.quickeditpodcasts.com/] or book a free 15-minute Quick Call [https://calendar.app.google/9Rc2ySHrUQN6qVX78]and let's chat about your podcasting idea! This podcast is a proud member of the Bold Departure Network, a collection of podcasts for those craving an authentic and unconventional life, on their own terms. Discover more of our shows at bolddeparturenetwork.com [https://bolddeparturenetwork.com/]