EPoP 026: Mid-Career Travel Breaks and Marriage Proposals with Jessica Lawrence

Jessica-Lawrence-Road-to-Rhode

Like most of us, 15-year-old Jessica Lawrence had a dream.  She knew what she wanted to do, and she was going to do it.

Except, like most of us, she put it off…and put it off…and put it off.

Until, 22 years later, she finally stopped putting it off…and just DID IT.

She cycled across the entire country, 4200+ miles, alone.  Not as a college student.  Not as a retiree.  And not as a foreigner.

But as a 37-year-old single woman who has a job, has a career, and has a life.

And now, she’s on a mission to motivate others to take a hold of their dreams and find a way to do them, no matter how long they’ve put them off and no matter how many excuses they’ve made.

But the great part of this interview is that not only is Jessica incredibly motivating, but also hilarious.

From being asked if she’s carrying a gun with her (4 times!) to being proposed to by a 79-year-old man, Jessica recounts some of the best stories from her amazing journey and also gives insanely useful tips for anyone wishing to do the same.

Inspirational + Humurous + Actionable = a podcast you won’t want to miss!

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In This Episode:

  • The true cost of biking across the country.
  • Why it’s never too late to make a dream a reality.
  • Small things you can do to balance work and play.
  • Why you don’t need real training to bike across the country.
  • The 3 types of people who bike across the US (and why Jessica was none of them).
  • The toughest obstacles in achieving any goal (they’re not what you think).
  • Why the fears of travelers are much different than the fears of those who stay at home.
  • Taking big life lessons learned from travel and incorporating them into normal life.
  • The best website for making friends and getting meals while biking.

And much more!

Links Discussed in This Episode:

I Need Your Help

Jessica is an incredible inspiration to people of all ages (and hilarious to boot)!  Show her some love by click “Tweet This” below:

@Roadtorhode Congrats on the journey & thanks for inspiring me to go after my #travel dreams on the EPoP Podcast with @PackofPeanuts.

Tweet This!

EPoP 025: Hacking Productivity, Sleeping in Narita Airport, and Achieving Freedom with Thomas Frank

epop-thomas

When was the last time you heard of someone:

  • starting their own successful website
  • crushing their courses
  • and paying off their student debt

…all while they were still in college?

Mark Zuckerberg, you say?

Pssshhh…He never even graduated!

How about someone who did all that AND got his degree?

Like a unicorn, Thomas Frank of CollegeInfoGeek is a rare specimen.

He’s built an incredible website that, despite the name, helps people of ALL ages figure out how to become more productive, get a job they actually want, and pay off debt.

And in his spare time, he’s also taken multiple trips to Japan, which has to lead to a few funny stories.

One of the main reasons I wanted to have Thomas on the podcast was because, unlike many past guests, he hasn’t galivanted all over the globe…yet!

But, at the young age of 22, he has found a way to give himself freedom. 

Freedom from a job and freedom from debt, so that now he’ll be able to do something he’s always wanted to do, and that’s to travel more.

And FREEDOM is what many people, especially those who yearn to travel, are after.

So if you’re one of those people looking to achieve some more freedom in your life, soak in these wise-beyond-his-years words from Thomas Frank.

Right-click to download this episode directly

Win $100!

I’m giving away $100 once we hit 100 ratings on iTunes.  Come on people, let’s do this…the money is burning a hole in my pocket!

Leave a Rating for the Podcast, Win $100! (now fixed so it works).

In This Episode:

  • How to make yourself indispensable for a company.
  • The most important quality you need to set yourself up for the long term success.
  • Why prepared people get lucky.
  • How failure to land a “dream position” lead to an even better opportunity.
  • How Thomas paid off $14,000 in debt while still in school without a full-time job.
  • Sleeping in a Japanese airport for 13 hours.
  • Why freedom is the most important goal to work towards.

And much more!

Links Discussed in This Episode:

I Need Your Help

Thomas is doing something many of us wish we had done; taking control of his life at a young age, and helping others do the same.  Show him some love by click “Tweet This” below:

@TomFrankly is wise beyond his years! Thanks for awesome tips on productivity, freedom, and Japan on the EPoP Podcast with @PackofPeanuts

Tweet This!

I’m giving away $100 once we hit a 100 ratings on iTunes, so why not take 1 minutes, leave a rating, and enter to win!

Leave a Rating for the Podcast, Win $100! (now fixed so it works).

EPoP 024: Why 7 Million People Open Their Homes to Travelers for Free With Martina Steinmann

Martina-Couchsurfing

Would you open your home to someone you’ve only met on the internet who was traveling through your area and looking for a place to stay?

Martina Steinmann would, and so would 7 million other people (including myself) who are part of the global phenomenon that is Couchsurfing.

Wait…couch WHAT?

CouchSurfing, which is the term used for opening up your couch for travelers who are passing through and giving them a place to stay…for free.

After reading that sentence, you’ve already whether CouchSurfing is either the craziest idea you’ve ever heard or the most awesome.

Think it’s the most ludicrous?

Good.  Apprehension and nervousness are natural.  Let us convince you otherwise by discussing why CouchSurfing is much safer than you think (I’ve surfed and hosted, and I’m still alive) and why over 7 million people have joined.

Think it’s the most awesome?

Martina will tell you how to get started, what to include in your profile, and how to make the most of the amazing opportunities Couchsurfing provides travelers and hosts.

Martina will also tell you the 3 most interesting Couchsurfing stories she’s ever heard (and there are a lot) and why being lost in 3 languages is the best travel experience she’s ever had.

No matter what side you fall on, you’ve got to have a listen to this incredible interview.

Right click to download this episode directly

In This Episode:

  • The benefits of Couchsurfing vs. a hotel or hostel.
  • How Couchsurfing has grown, completely through word of mouth, to 7 million people in every country in the world.
  • The multiple ways Couchsurfing ensures the safety of its guests and hosts.
  • How new members can build appealing profiles and get accepted by hosts.
  • Why taking 45 minutes for lunch can change your world, even if you can’t travel.
  • The best and cheapest way to explore a city.
  • Being lost in 3 languages…and loving it!

And much more!

Links Discussed in This Episode:

I Need Your Help

Martina and the whole team at Couchsurfing is doing an amazing job making the world better for travelers.  Show them some love by clicking “tweet this” below:

@martlsteinmann Thanks for sharing the awesome story of @couchsurfing on the EPoP Podcast with @PackofPeanuts. #Timetosurf

Tweet This!

I’m giving away $100 once we hit 100 ratings on iTunes, so why not take 1 minute, leave a rating, and enter to win!

Leave a Rating for the Podcast, Win $100! (now fixed so it works).

EPoP 022: The Secrets to Packing in Just a Carry-on with Fred Perrotta

Fred-Perrotta-Tortuga-Backpacks

How many times have you thought

“Man, I could make something better than this?”

Or

“I can’t believe that this doesn’t exist?”

Probably a lot, huh?

Well, back in 2009, while on a backpacking trip through Eastern Europe, Fred Perrotta had the same thoughts.

But instead of shoving them out of his mind, thankfully for us, he did something about them.

Because now the age-old travel problem that plagues many of us when we travel, the daunted “what should I pack in?” question has an obvious answer.

Introducing the Tortuga Backpack, one of the world’s best carry-on luggage options.

As someone who only ever travels with a carry-on, I am a huge fan of Fred’s and the things he is doing at Tortuga.

Today, we sat down to reveal all our best tips for traveling in just a carry-on, even for trips that stretch weeks or months.

And ladies, if you think this doesn’t apply to you, think again!

My wife, a fashion blogger, and expert has been traveling in just a carry-on for the last year!

Fred also pulls back the curtain on his entrepreneurial journey, discussing the mistakes he made, the successes he’s had, and giving invaluable advice for anyone wishing to create a physical product.

After listening to this podcast, you’ll never travel the same way again.

And you may just be inspired to finally turn that idea of yours into a reality.

Right-click to download this episode directly

In This Episode:

  • The 3 major advantages of not checking a bag.
  • The one thing everyone overpacks…and how to deal with it.
  • The 3 things to look for when buying a backpack.
  • How to start a company on a limited budget.
  • Where to find “free money” for businesses and startups.
  • The biggest key to getting media and press mentions even if your business is super small.
  • The 5 sentences or less rule.
  • Why you should be embarrassed by your first product.

And much more!

Links Discussed in This Episode:

EPoP 020: The World’s Most Incredible Roadtrip with the Democratic Travelers

The-Democratic-Travelers

Ever wondered what it would feel like to just pick up and go?

To be able to drive your home wherever you please?

To find all the nooks, crannies, and hidden gems this great country has to offer?

The Democratic Travelers wondered the same things…and then they went out and did it!

In February 2013 John Ellis and Laura Preston embarked on a road trip around the US in a 1996 Ford F350 and a 1986 Airstream that may or may not be safe enough to drive the 4,000+ miles.

Think that’s a little crazy?

That’s just the beginning!

Instead of choosing where they are going next, they are letting you, total strangers, decide!

On their site, anyone can submit a place that John and Laura should stop.

From the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson, Wyoming to the Kool-Aid Festival in Hastings, Nebraska to the Ringing Rocks Boulder Field in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, nothing is off-limits.

Does your town have the world’s best bbq?

Or a crazy old museum that no one knows about?

Pin it on the map and write why they should visit.

Then others vote on where they want the Democratic Travelers to head.

Once a place gets enough votes, The Democratic Travelers go there…and write about their experiences, allowing people from all over the world to live vicariously through their travels.

For their ingenuity and adventurous spirit, John and Laura were named one of 2013’s National Geographic Travelers of the Year (Benny Lewis from episode #9 was also honored).

In this week’s awesome interview, they explain how this crazy idea came about, tell their most memorable stories from 9 months on the road, and discuss why anyone can, and should, travel.

I had an amazing time interviewing them, and I know you’ll have just as much fun listening!

Right-click to download this episode directly

In This Episode:

  • How lots of talk turns in to lots of action.
  • The most honest answer to why people don’t travel.
  • What to do when you’re down to your last $7.50
  • Why a junk store and a taxidermy shop are what makes America America.
  • Why the goodness of strangers is one of the best parts of traveling.
  • Why flexibility is more important than stability.
  • The difference between travel friends and regular friends.

And much more!

Links Discussed in This Episode:

I Need Your Help

The Democratic Travelers are motivating people to travel all over the world so show them some love by clicking “tweet this” below:

“@DemocraticTRVLR You rock! Thanks for sharing your story on the EPoP Podcast with @PackofPeanuts. Can’t wait to see where you go next!”

Tweet This!

I’m giving away $100 once we hit 100 ratings on iTunes, so why not take 1 minute, leave a rating, and enter to win!

Leave a Rating for the Podcast, Win $100! (now fixed so it works).

Cheers!

Trav

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