Talking About "Going All In" on the Zero to Travel Podcast
For years, I’ve been a fan of the Zero to Travel Podcast. I’ve been an avid listener since near the beginning of my time in Istanbul, which, somehow, is nearly five years ago.
Initially, I was drawn to the show because of the attitude of the host, Jason Moore. He’s now someone I’m proud to call a friend of mine, but back in 2016, he was just a helpful voice coming out of my preferred headphones.
What I admired about Jason and the Zero to Travel Podcast was twofold.
Firstly, I always appreciated that his podcast was of a certain quality. I liked the intro music and outro music, the way in which Jason laced a thematic thread through each episode by talking to the audience briefly before and after each interview, and also just his emphasis on having good podcasting gear, editing, and sound quality. In many ways, I feel this is (and has been) the best travel podcast out there, and one that has led the way for so many others, including myself with Rick Steves Over Brunch.
Secondly, I noticed in all his interviews that it never came down to a set group of questions but rather the interview flowed in a way that showed that Jason was constantly adapting to what was being said. That, to me, is the sign of a good interviewer, and it keeps guests on their toes in the best possible way. It also ensures that each episode is going to be decidedly original.
Funny enough, we met in Ireland at a travel blogging conference in 2017. We connected online, kept in touch, and here we are.
What’s the Zero to Travel Podcast All About?
I think if you listen to one episode of the Zero to Travel Podcast, you’ll be able to figure out quite quickly what the goal is, but, in short, it’s a podcast that aims to aid and inspire travellers from “newbies to nomads.”
The one thing that I’ll say about Zero to Travel as opposed to some other travel podcasts is that it’s not all inspiration all the time. It’s packed with practical ideas and methods of making travel easier or more attainable, and it’s very real.
People talk about challenges around driving an RV across the US (for example) as well as the pros, and that matters to me. There needs to be a balanced view because travel, as you’ll know isn’t always daisies and roses.
The guests, as well, are top-notch. I remember first listening to the show, and being in awe of what some guests had accomplished in terms of travel, or travel content creation, and it’s pretty humbling that now many of the guests are people I know, and that I can now also say that I too have been a guest.
Largely, I just wanted to communicate that my appearance on the Zero to Travel Podcast isn’t the product of a random opportunist moment - it’s something that I’ve thought about for a longtime, and that meant something to me. I both cherished and relished the chance to come talk on the show.
The five million downloads thus far might also suggest I’m not alone in my reverence here either.
My Episode on Zero to Travel - “When Should You Go ‘All In’ On Something?”
The title captures the essence of this episode quite well (which went live on October 30th, 2019.) I came on the show because I felt I had a unique story to tell, which was what it was like to move back to Toronto from Istanbul in 2017 and try to turn my passion (travel content creation) into a profession.
We talk about a number of things during the episode, such as:
The power of focusing on the process as opposed to the product
How taking a leap of faith forces you to take things to another level
Understanding the difference between being busy and being productive
Strategies for ensuring you’re getting the most out of your time, and, subsequently, life
Books that have influenced me in my journey
How to diversify your income streams
How creating community enabled me to take personal strides
…and a whole lot more!
You can listen to the episode below. Please note, Jason is updating his podcast hosting platform, so if the play button doesn’t work below, you can also listen to this episode on the Zero to Travel website.
If you enjoyed my appearance on the Zero to Travel podcast, and want more, you can:
Check out Jason’s appearance on Rick Steves Over Brunch, where we talk about European travel skills. For those just looking on their podcast provider, it’s the October 8th, 2019 episode.
Listen to my episode on the Amateur Traveler Podcast, where we breakdown the perfect week in Istanbul.
Tune in to hear me talk about Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar on the History Fangirl Podcast.
Listen to my interview with Rick Steves on Rick Steves Over Brunch.
And that’s a wrap.
Thanks again to everyone for the support on this journey of mine, and I can only hope you enjoyed the episode. There’s something about being behind a microphone that feels inherently natural to me, and that’s something I’m going to continue to explore moving forward.
Finally, thanks to Jason again for having me on, and be sure to subscribe to the Zero to Travel podcast wherever you get your podcasts.