2nd Anniversary - What We Have Learned - Carol and Kristen

Your hosts, Kristen and Carol, enjoy bringing the world to your doorstep, one podcast episode at a time. In this episode, we explore different corners of the globe, learning from our diverse guests, and discussing contemporary travel topics. To celebrate the second anniversary of the show, we're interviewed by our beloved and most frequent guest, Kristin Zimmerman, to take you behind the scenes, sharing the evolution of the show over the last two years. 

We talk about our most popular episodes and memorable guests including Sylvia and Roger who both talked about Spain,  the adventurous Canadian couple from Banff, Alberta - Theresa and Kyle, and Mark from Portugal. Our conversation delves into what we've learned from the show, how we have developed and grown as interviewers and what we love most about producing the show. Plus, we drop some hints about potential future guests!

https://www.instagram.com/travel_munchers/
https://travelmunchers.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mountain_town_ramblers/
https://heylink.me/MountainTownRamblers/

https://www.instagram.com/beachtravelwine/
https://bio.site/beachtravelwine/

https://www.instagram.com/ruben_palate/

https://www.instagram.com/crosser.offer/
https://crossingitoffpodcast.com/

https://www.instagram.com/silviaragel/
https://linktr.ee/silviaragel

https://www.instagram.com/k.e.zimmerman/

https://www.instagram.com/teglogoes/
https://linktr.ee/TegloGoes

https://www.instagram.com/thetriptasticpodcast/

https://burningman.org/about/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curiosity-with-kristen/id1681691918

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

Hi, welcome to our podcast. We're Next Travel with Kristin and Carol. I am Kristin and I am Carol, and we're two long-term friends with a passion for travel and adventure. In each episode, we interview people around the globe to help us decide where to go next. Hello, today we're here with Kristin and Carol, the founders, creators and hosts of when Next podcast, and today we're going to talk to them, after two years since they created this fabulous podcast, to see where next. So hello, thank you, kristin. This is so fun it is. I'm thrilled to be here. I've been on your show three times and what a thrill to be on the other side to have you as my guests. So I guess one of my questions is what gave you the idea to create this podcast in the beginning?

Speaker 1: 1:12

Carol and I have been friends since our 20s. We lived together in the same apartment complex close by and we worked at the same company and every Wednesday, me and my roommate, two guys upstairs and Carol, would rotate dinners. So we got to know each other, so we were pretty close. But then you know, she moves, we have kids, families, got connected on a Christmas card and just started talking. I was already doing another podcast called the Future of Women at Work. And then I started another one and it was kind of Carol, I think. On that call was like I want to do one where you work and travel anywhere in the world and I want it with you. And I was like sounds good, that was the best of history. Yeah, and part of the one reason why I was really interested is because I do like, once I become an empty nester, I want to start spending time in other countries and I don't want the Instagram version of what the countries are like, you know. I want to know really what it's like and is it safe, is it warm, are there bugs 24-7? You know just like what are the stuff that people don't talk about? And then help me also figure out, like what time of year should we go and what's the most economical, and little facts like that. So I'm like let me talk to Americans generally, or people that have lived somewhere for a long time, that kind of understand the American mindset, to help put things in perspective for us.

Speaker 1: 2:38

And I think it was also 2020, where everyone was hunkered down at home. We couldn't go anywhere. It was the end. It was December. So it was January 2021, I think, is when we kind of started formulating it.

Speaker 1: 2:53

And so you know you're sitting at home and everyone's working from home, but then there was that whole people were starting to realize that they didn't need to work from home. They could work from Hawaii or someplace. And I know Carol was. I heard a lot about digital nomads. That was a big term that she would say, and I have parents that travel. My brother's a pilot and I love travel and I hadn't done it in years. I don't think Carol had really either.

Speaker 1: 3:22

So it was just our way to explore the world in a different way, to be able to see places from the safety of our home because of COVID, and I can't believe how much we've learned. I was like all we have to do is really study a map to understand half of what I learned. But who has time to stop and do that? So it's well, no, but I think that's what's fascinating that first of all, you were interested in other people's stories, but it's also a kind of field research. Yes, it's one field research For the next chapter in your life, right, exactly, and hopefully for our guests to help understand. You know their questions as well, so we always appreciate feedback and questions from people DMing on Instagram. It's great yeah, I really like that phrase that you wanted to learn about traveling not through Instagram, the real experience, not the beautiful experience.

Speaker 1: 4:19

And so how many interviews have you done so far? Let's see. I just didn't get out the notebook. I know I actually haven't written the last couple, so I think it's got to be 50, I think Well. It says well, we just launched episode 43. However, there is a few interviews we did for a variety of reasons that did not happen. So we've probably done 50 interviews and then 43 alive, and then some we've already had the interviews like within the last month or two, and they're just not live yet. So, definitely, I'll probably write around 50 and we'll have a big announcement when we hit our 50. That's a big good milestone. And 43 live at this moment, but when this goes live, there'll be more.

Speaker 1: 5:06

And I have a question. So do you have a rhythm, do you have a style? Because I can imagine this is not your only job, so it's easy to get overwhelmed by all your other responsibilities. How do you carve out time in your busy schedules to do this, which is put it on the calendar? Number one, it's on the calendar it's going to happen.

Speaker 1: 5:28

I think Carol does a lot more of the planning and I sort of I'll find a guest. She's been finding a lot more guests lately and I think initially I was. I had people that I knew that lived all over and were from other countries and so we had them on in the beginning. But then now I think, because people have heard the show, that now we're just getting people coming, so it's kind of fun that way. Now there's a waiting list.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Yeah, it's been a blast and I think, format wise, what I've really enjoyed is I personally love to dive into who they are as people, to learn like what makes you do this, and you find some just really interesting stories about how they either grew up or you know as an adult what they've done, and then, seeing it from their perspective, the stories again, you can Google and see like the Eiffel Tower, and everyone does that, but seeing like this park around the corner that these families all come to on Sundays, that's really fun. You know you don't know those things, so we get to just really dive into that and the cultures and food and just some of the other personal things. I just really I don't even plan. I just kind of bring up a map and real time share, just like the you know, the listeners on the experience together. And I think the thing that we do do every episode is Carol she wanted to kind of put a little more structure to it was her rapid fire questions that most of the time there's a few episodes we. It just didn't make sense, but most of the time we do the rapid fire questions at the end, which kind of give us something to compare each place to. That that's sort of fun.

Speaker 1: 7:10

An example of that was what we heard from you, kristen, from your France experience, when you talk about the walks that people do like yeah, I wouldn't think to do that as a vacationer, but you know, if I was going to spend 30 days, 60 days in France, I would want to look out for those. If it's a pretty common thing Because it sounds so lovely where you just go from town to town and then eat food and talk to the locals. Because that's what, like I really want to try to experience and I think that is so important. And travel to help people understand the rest of the world and different cultures is to meet the local people. So I thought that was a very fascinating little tip. Well, gosh, I'm glad you remembered that you should come between March and October. That's big walk season. That sounds perfect, very nice.

Speaker 1: 8:06

So, among the 43 podcasts and the 50 interviews, do each of you have a favorite? Was there a favorite podcast where you thought, wow, I had no idea? Or my gosh, I learned so much from this person. So many of them actually, I'm like I'm trying to pick one and then I'm also now trying to think like there's some, and I'm like which episode was the pink dolphin? And then which episode was the penguins on that little island? You know right, there's things that you're like, wow, and I guess I'd say Ecuador was probably the one that stands out just in my mind as I'm thinking right now, because I was just, I was so blown away with I mean, I guess that's a really big one for me right now. I didn't realize they had so many 14,000 peekers that people go and train for. And then the Galapagos Islands are right there, so you've got that real tropical thing, and then these high peaks, and then there was like a few other things in the country and forests and I was just, I was blown away. I had no idea that that that existed.

Speaker 1: 9:10

And, of course, the one that really in awe of Portugal. Yes, it was fun, yeah, well, yeah, I would say I really do love the Portugal one. Our guest Mark was just very gregarious and engaging and just such a great storyteller, so that was really interesting and I have a high desire to go to Portugal. So that's, I have a place in my heart for that one.

Speaker 1: 9:34

And then Japan. We actually did three on Japan. One hasn't live yet, kristen. So you're, you talked about Japan and we have a gentleman that went there to work for one or two years as a English teacher and then end up moving there forever and just how it's changed his whole life is just amazing. And then a most recent one that will be out pretty soon, is someone that just went to Japan and just it sounds like it's like the most perfect place she's ever been and that really opened my eyes Like, yeah, japan was kind of like, yeah, I kind of want to see it, just because it's like, you know, the New York of the world, right, but I didn't realize it just sounds like the people and the I don't know the way people are, the cleanliness, the safety, the beauty. It just sounds like Nirvana. So I'm just so excited to go to Japan, yeah, yeah, you also. You touch on something interesting there, that that all of these trips people take or stays that they do in another country, they can't help but being life changing events and I think that's when I listened to your podcast, that's part of what I hear that people are different after the trips that they tell you about. Yeah, the one guy that's still there in Japan is a DJ for one of their radio stations and you know, just, I just thought that was really fascinating. It's interesting.

Speaker 1: 10:59

I wake, surf and compete and I was. I got to compete in worlds this year and we had Japan there and talking with those Japanese athletes and I got to. Also I had a jet speed for two straight days, which was a lot, but it was really fun All of the athletes and got to know a lot of them and it was just really neat. Like one of them has this I just didn't realize Japan. I mean there's Okinawa and I used to date a Marine in college and I had seen some photos, not from him, but just later on that it is pretty tropical. I didn't realize how beautiful, and the Japanese athletes. You know they were showing me. They have some businesses and it's all resort like and it looks beautiful, like clear crystal blue waters, and I just had no idea. Japan and had that, and then the surf in Japan, how big it is, and there's just a lot there. I had no idea. So, yes, japan is definitely one.

Speaker 1: 11:59

I have to also point out, though big one, was my South Korea Bali episode that I was planning on going to South Korea and taking my daughter. She's a huge BTS fan and when COVID hit and we weren't able to go to the concert we bought tickets for in April 2020. And so I told her when she graduated high school that I would take her to South Korea, and so that was kind of our thing. And then we did that episode on South Korea, and then, when I was going there, I thought, you know and this is the best thing is, we know all these people and if they're living there, we get to go and see them. So I messaged her and said, hey, we're going to be in South Korea, I definitely want to meet you. And she was like, first off, come, stay with me and secondly, you have to go to Bali and stay with the Ripcurl family and go surf with the pros and take your kids. And we did.

Speaker 1: 12:47

And it was kind of crazy because, like you know, traveling during COVID and also traveling, you know, I didn't, I just I just was like, done, we're going, and then realized to get to South Korea at 12 hours, which is fine, I knew that and then to get from South Korea to Bali is seven hours, and then our flight got canceled and so our time in Bali got cut by only three days and I was like we don't, I don't care, we're going anyway. And I mean that. So we spent a full three days in Bali surfing with the pros. There was actually a surf contest going on that day and, you know, being able to meet the Ripcurl pros, we stayed at their house and it was right around the corner from the beach. And I remember the night before, the day before, I was the same as Garut and I was texting him and he's like, oh, I forgot to tell you we've got a Ripcurl surf contest on the beach. So when you arrive because we didn't get there until I am, you know, wake up. There's a breakfast bowl place to the right and then to the left head to the beach. We'll meet you there when you guys wake up. Wow, it was just. It was an incredible experience to like watch him and these families, because I do wake surf contest here in California. I created here, so being able to.

Speaker 1: 14:02

Okay, now here's my stupid question. But what is wake surf exactly? No, thanks for asking. See, those boards behind here on the wall I've got. Oh, yeah, I really thought they were pillows. You put them in little socks when you're not using them. Yeah, just keep some, because the fiberglass it keeps some threshold.

Speaker 1: 14:26

I was surfboard, I guess do too, not as much, but yes, so it's behind boats. So you have these very expensive Nancy boats that you know like there's a wakeboarding and jet water skiing. But there there's. Those boats are a little different, modified, so you put a lot of ballast weight, which is water weight, in the boat, usually about 6,000 pounds, depending on the age of the boat. Your boats don't need as much, but their holes are different, which is the shape of the boat, and so once it hits 10 miles an hour, so you pull up on a rope shorter rope than wakeboarding and you're probably like maybe 10 feet behind the boat not very far and it pulls you up and the wave starts to form and it's all white washy. And then, when the boat hits about 10, 9 to 11 miles an hour, the wave clears and then you are literally surfing the wave. So you just throw the rope back in the boat and you surf. Huh, so how did you get into that kind of surfing classic surf before that and I didn't do it. I knew how to.

Speaker 1: 15:34

I grew up in Redondo Beach, so Southern California, so I was able to surf, but I didn't really. I had boyfriends that surfed, or my brother or my friends surfed. And then was Friends, family reunion, and his brother had he was working for Mastercraft, had a boat and hyper light I think he worked for hyper light, actually and he had a mastercraft boat and he would take demos out to teach people. In 2002 way before this was really even a big thing at all or even thought of to learn how to wake surf and so I went with them on their family reunion, lake Shasta, and I learned how to wake surf, and they couldn't get me in the boat. I was so obsessed with it. I was literally. I was tearing up and crying as I was driving away. I did not want to go like this one's so fun. That was 2002 and then I had kids in 2004 and 2007 and not until 2014 or 16. I want to say it was 16.

Speaker 1: 16:35

I was in Bass Lake, I as a camp counselor in college and they do this alumni weekend that's called skylake or somebody camp, and I saw someone wake surf on the on the lake and I was like there's that thing, I Gotta do it. And my neighbor had a boat and so he just said buy a board, buy the stuff the way. I needed a wedge. I needed a like a 600 pound ballast, you know. So it's like this big pillow sack thing that you put in the back of the boat, you fill it with water and it just gives more weight to the back of the boat. Wait, with this wedge on the opposite side, it will clear this side and it was still whitewash barely could do it. But I was able to kind of serve and I was thrilled and hooked. So, um, yeah, it started with that and then I wanted to do more. Actually I'll cut the story short because it'll go on and on. But bottom line Really involved in it, I started doing competitions and then, what was really cool, I would say this would be a bucket list item, this South Korea and Bali trip.

Speaker 1: 17:41

The day before we left to South Korea I had a wake surf event on Lake Tahoe with an auteek and they're a sponsor of my event and so my friend Greg, who works there, I said, yeah, I'm gonna play tomorrow morning to South Korea. And he's like, oh, I need to hook you up with Han. He's the not take dealer, he is a wake surf club on the Han River in South Korea. Let's see, you know you guys can hook up. So literally Friday we fly in, saturday I get his number, I text him and Sunday we're surfing week, surfing honest and hauteek. He has my exact board, my so soul craft super ID board, all my stuff, like just ready for me. So me and my, my daughter my son didn't want to go, but yeah, my daughter, just you know, after the BTS Museum we pick us up and portion, take us to his wake surf club and we hang out and talk and it was just nothing. I was like this is like the best thing ever Disneyland Furn adult. Okay, so if I understand, so Carol is using this podcast to plan her digital nomad future and you use this podcast to find new surfing Wake surfing events Done.

Speaker 1: 19:01

I got to wait here for Han River in South Korea, then fly to Bali and Ocean surf with my kids. That was the one win. So fun, fun trip, fun experience and and I think what's been really cool is to see all the places like my. I have a dear friend and elf there, yada. She was one of our very early episodes to Greece. They have a house there. They live there in the summer. Actually they're going there in about a month or so, but I definitely want to go to Greece for sure and just you know all the different places and I don't think we both.

Speaker 1: 19:33

We did do Singapore. That was actually a really cool episode because the gal who does it, that episode was a pretty popular one. She has a pretty big following. I have a friend who lives in Singapore as well.

Speaker 1: 19:45

Okay, actually, and that was one of my questions, what the, what the most popular podcasts have been? Do you see a common theme? What makes one podcast more Popular with with listeners than another one? Well, I think the, the Portugal one, I share a lot. So Carol will be like did you share that? Again? I'm like yep, yeah, that one has the highest downloads, for sure, so that Portugal one and then Kristen Zimmerman podcasts and then extremely popular the Netherlands and the France one and then the Argentina one has been very popular and but the Argentina Christie Taglio, I believe she shares that quite a bit. It's like on her link tree or something. So if people, you know, if people are somewhat, if they have their own content to share and they want to share their story To their audience, those have been performing very, very well. But I would just say it's kind of the more classic digital nomad places that do our Our Europe is definitely, you know, more popular. We haven't done too much in Central America. We just did Ecuador and that is performing well, but it's a newer one, so it's not definitely a record breaker. Well, kristen has really or Kristen has really sold me on the Ecuador one now. Now I'm gonna listen to it, yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:09

And then the Barcelona, a lady, your neighbor, um Sylvia. She's in Barcelona, spain. I think she shared that quite a bit with her audience, so that one's been extremely popular as well. There was one gal it's kind of different. She's traveling with her hockey Fiancé. I think he's a fiance now. Oh, yes, yeah, that's not bad yet, but that was really interesting I guess, and it was kind of interesting because she does a lot of content things. I don't think that one's launched yet and I know she had some questions about all of that too. But I know we just we sort of have just done it for fun and for our own souls and I'm curious with that one if that one will take off, because it sounds like she has kind of a bigger following and it was very interesting also, sustainable travel and and what she had to say about that and what they do and what I've really found too. What I really like is, you know, really getting to know the guest and who they are as a person. It's been really so fun. She came to mind Brianna West and just who she is as a person. You just like really really like them, like her.

Speaker 1: 22:14

And then I don't think I have this is the one I haven't listed yet but that Canadian couple oh my gosh, are they cute. Yeah, the Banff. Oh, here it is Theresa and Kyle. I do have Mountain Town Ramblers. Oh my gosh, they could make a movie. It's like Fargo or whatever Fargo is. They have that nice accent, not to say at all, like the promise of the whole, which is right, right, nothing like that, but just like they're so Charismatic and sweet to each other and just that they really dive in, like they're so authentic and adorable and sweet, I just really loved them. So I mean, they're a recent one and you know the Portugal, like you know, just really getting to mark Portugal, you just really get to know and meet these really sweet people you as well. It's just you get to know these, get to know them from a, you know, you, travel perspective. It's, it's, it's fun and you know, but but that's only, I would say, less than half of really what's special is like really getting to know them and their story and how they view things.

Speaker 1: 23:19

How have you evolved as interviewers over the past two years, I guess, I'd say, and I sort of evolved a little bit from from my other podcast too it's called curiosity, with Kristen. So I I sort of have this curiosity mindset I always have from the beginning. I don't know if I necessarily. I guess I'd have to listen to some of the early episodes and then maybe some of the later episodes. I guess I'd say, from what I've done and do, I like to dig into past stories and I will spend a little more time on kind of more history of them, and Not so much as the country, and then go into the country. Maybe that would be a difference because I am interested in. I think initially it was like You're in 2022, right, covid, and you're stuck in the house and so like, how are you doing this? And we are still looking at that, but I think now it feels like it's evolving to more of their lives and who they are as people, to do the things they're doing. I don't know if that maybe is it. It's from what you're saying, it sounds like that's.

Speaker 1: 24:30

The premise was travel and ultimately the theme became people. Yeah, yeah, also because we're starting to see when people are approaching us to want to be on the show, like, well, we've already done that country, but it's okay because they're a different person, they come from a different mindset and so it's totally fine to like learn about new people and we're still talking about, you know, the specific countries. We have a weekly meeting, which I really value and, you know, sometimes it's all work and sometimes it's not all work and a lot of times it's half and half, and just getting to catch up and touch base each week. I was bringing up like what are all the countries? Let's look at them, and which ones haven't? We done, and you know so, just kind of looking to folks in that area, and we have a couple that we were getting at, like Israel, I know and I've got two potential guests and Croatia. One of my girlfriends just came back from two-week trip, so I was gonna see about about that, but I'd like someone who's been there, you know, who's really able to dive in, not just from a two-week trip kind of perspective, but you know, it's synchronized swimming. They were there for a competition, my daughter did it, and then we just learned about in our Germany episode, we just learned about all these like little countries. You know, there's Belarus, there's Liechtenstein, I can't remember what else. We saw like we didn't realize these were so many countries. There are lots of little tiny countries. Ah, okay, yeah, it's true, though.

Speaker 1: 26:03

Eastern Europe Do you have other Eastern European countries? We just have Poland right now. We haven't done the Czech Republic. I've been there, but you know I'd be nice. I feel like there is such a great opportunity to spend time in Eastern Europe, outside of the war zone, of course. That is, you know, really interesting, very affordable, you know, still like that European culture. So, yeah, there's definitely like the whole Eastern Europe that we don't have a lot of interviews with. Okay, yes, and what about the Middle East? You just mentioned Israel. What about other countries in the Middle East? Yeah, we've done Saudi Arabia and we've done Turkey, which is not quite Middle East yet, but, no, we don't know.

Speaker 1: 26:49

Actually, someone reached out to me from, I think, iraq, oh gosh. And then we just met, did a Brazil lady who lived in Lebanon for a while and she was very enthusiastic and she said she would definitely come back to talk about Lebanon. So she lived there like for five years. So, yeah, we'd love to explore more of that. And we just did Thailand, which had been wanted to do forever. So that should go live, you know, in the fall of 2023.

Speaker 1: 27:15

All right, we did Canada. I know we did one in Canada, but that was just one section of it. Oh, we talked even about Alaska. I actually met someone who lived in Alaska for many years and it's funny because Alaska it's just like US, but it's not. Oh my gosh. When I was talking to this person, I was just open my eyes Like it's a whole other country kind of thing with you.

Speaker 1: 27:37

Yeah, and that's what I was going to say about, like, because your, when Christian, was talking about Japan, that you were kind of surprised about. You know, I think when we think of these countries, we just have like one stereotype where we just did Brazil. Brazil is like two thirds the size of the US and for someone to say, oh, I'm going to interview someone from the United States, well, there's so many different cultures and vibes in the United States and that's also where realizing a lot of these countries it's not just like you're going to New York City or you're going to Dallas, texas or something. They're very diverse, just like the United States is, and so sometimes you know, kind of forget about that. Like Japan has mountains, ecuador mountains you think of beaches in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and there's so much more to it. It sounds like you've learned a lot over two years. Oh my gosh, so much. Yes, but I really love to hear and learn about what they do and I'm pretty active outdoor nature person, so I just really gravitate towards loving to hear that side. But then it's also a great appreciation to learn about those that, like the Australian couple who can't remember the title of their something about wine, beach travel, beach travel wine yes, beach travel wine. And they do podcasts.

Speaker 1: 28:56

It was fun to be able to talk to a couple of fellow podcasters about their experiences. That's been fun because we definitely recently have gotten more of those people who are doing podcasts to kind of sort of like the two for right. They get to share to their audience of another podcast, but then we also get to share about the country. You know it has to be tied to a country or to something. And having the crosser offer guy with his Spain walk about blinking on the name right, oh, roger from the Camino de Santiago, yes, and having him talk about that and it's so funny because my parents did it and then just recently a couple other people were talking about it and it's like, yep, I know exactly what you're talking about.

Speaker 1: 29:42

That's been really fun to and to learn more about the podcasting world and what people, other people are doing to, because, frankly, what I personally wasn't, I was just kind of in it for the satisfaction of being able to spend time with Carol doing something. Really honestly, that was the impetus of like let's do this, learning about different countries, having this amazing community because I feel like all of them have, you know, we only do an hour, it's, you know, sometimes a little over, but it's, you know, within an hour. I feel like I could go to any of these people and stay with them and get to them more and it was just really fun to have that expansion all over the world. Like Han, when I went to South Korea and stayed with her and it was just so fun to have my kids be, you know, with her and she works a lot, so at night time we would get home about nine to five. She would get home around nine or 10 o'clock and an hour or two. That's also fascinating to see the different lifestyle. And I was going to say so.

Speaker 1: 30:50

Who is your audience? You know, who listens to this podcast? Wow, well, besides your friends and family and me and my friends and family, right, so I definitely feel we have some digital no matters. I think it's probably more slightly more mature crowd for me people that are ambitious to travel and really want to try to focus on different countries. But you know, it's really kind of hard to know some of those stats. But people come to us and they said we love your show and I have a story to tell as well. So, you know, some of those are other podcasters or some of those are just people that are, you know, like to talk about travel or travel a fair amount.

Speaker 1: 31:33

So I would say the audience would be those folks who are interested in specific country and just want to hear, like, let's say, they're going to Greece. I mean, this is who I thought I was doing it for, right, you know, this is actually it but someone who you know they're going to go to Greece and they're interested in they can Google what they want to learn. They can just see certain things, or. But then if they want to hear from someone who's actually lived there, how special would that be in an hour episode that you can just get on and it's in there. They're all entertaining there's, they're all sweet stories, great people you know there's a lot of.

Speaker 1: 32:10

I would say I definitely feel like our, our, all of our episodes are not monotone and boring. There's a lot of stories. There's a lot of, you know, stuff that goes through in that hour. That's worth worth listening. You'll get some laughs, you'll get some ideas. You'll, you know, google some extra things that I know you would not have Google to look up if you happen to be in the area of where it is or make it make sense to go there. I am filled with those would be the people that would gravitate.

Speaker 1: 32:41

And I don't know. I personally I find podcast and then I'll start just listening to all the episodes because they're just easy on the ear, I guess, I'd say, to just kind of enjoy it and like I do a lot of triathlon stuff. So bikes, when run, you know my friends, I'm not listening to them, but on my bikes and my friends, I have certain podcasts I listen to. I listen to ours, I listen to mine. When I'm listening, you know editing and funny, because now I hear my voice. It was a little interesting to hear your own voice. Now I'm used to it. I used to it being able to edit it and listen to it. And then I listen to others too.

Speaker 1: 33:17

And which one of you is more? The tech person who does the editing? Carol, nice to meet you. Oh, yes, I'm the creative question person. If it's safe, very good there. Yes, yes, and we've hit a threshold now.

Speaker 1: 33:35

So I do think more people are maybe just finding us for this one-off episodes to pursue something. There's a website called Listen Notes. It has the global ranking of the different podcasts. I'd be curious, if you're in a different country, miss Zimmerman, that if it shows the same global rank, but since we're in the top 5% and I've heard if you just hit 25 podcasts you're in the top 50% of podcasts, you're in the most podcast domain that you've passed like 10 episodes and they're just like, yeah, too much work. So the fact that we've been around for two years now, it's so exciting and we've kind of hit some thresholds, and so now people, more and more people, are just going to start to find us when they do Google searches. Ok, I've also seen some podcasts that I follow loosely when suddenly they change the title of their podcast. Suddenly, one of the partners is no longer visible.

Speaker 1: 34:29

So the two of you can, either one of you imagine doing this without the other? Why do you need each of you? I was actually going to answer this and say this right after, before you asked this question is like there's no, I have always loved Carol, and it's so funny because when you, we've had a couple of times where we're kind of trying to figure things out, but we've always been collaborative and it's never been crunchy or anything, but sometimes it's been more heated, but not in a bad way, it's more like and we really want to work together and make it work. And so, and I'm very open to lots, I'm very open Like I have your ideas and, hey, what about this? And can you look at this? And I'm trying to think of this and I'm like let's go, why not? Let's try it.

Speaker 1: 35:19

And one time Kristen had an emergency where she couldn't make it. It was something that was scheduled and I did try to do this one by myself and it was an utter failure. So like no way I forgot to record it. So number one, utter failure. And like it was so dry and it just you know, kristen is just so curious and so authentic that it the personality is like it's just amazing Kristen. So like it would be, it just would not be the same whatsoever. So we're definitely a good team, 100% Good, good.

Speaker 1: 35:55

And it's interesting you say that about because I had another podcast, a featured woman at work that is live, and I had 25 episodes and we only I, just I neither my other dear friend, who actually I'm very I mean, we were very close still to this day that she got busy and the cease to meet in their companies. You know it was just too much work for her with the some of the things, although I think she'd think differently. But I just she wasn't techies, we didn't. She didn't have the time to do the techie part that Carol does and I agree, like the, I can get the guests, I can talk, I can do all of that side. You can talk to a brick wall, I'm pretty sure I have no problem with that. I'm always. I love that part. That's part of my favorite and that's what I do as a career is placement jobs and I'm constantly talking to people all day long and I love that aspect of it.

Speaker 1: 36:46

I didn't know how to launch it and do the techie piece, so it didn't even get launched until Carol helped me after ours was launched. So I started the other podcast in June. We didn't start this one until the following January, february or whatever, but the where next podcast became something truly because of Carol, because I did not know how to do the techie piece and I didn't want and I was also starting a company. So I've done it for now three years. But you know, I've got my two kids.

Speaker 1: 37:15

I was going through divorce, which Carol completely was supportive and helpful. So so much where she was like oh, I know you're dealing with this, I got you and she would just I mean, it was a lot, it was a lot and so that's and we're still here and the podcast continues and we're well-fed Podcast continues. But the other one actually I was it wasn't the person we had editing it, it wasn't part of our crew and Carol, but someone just that she said, hey, look at this person. And that person did do it. But my other podcast co-host and that person were like oil and water and it didn't work. So I kind of stopped for a year. I thought I was going to try and start. I was still trying to launch them, but there are some complications and then I missed it so much and I pivoted and started my own.

Speaker 1: 38:04

So now I have curiosity with Kristen and that one Carol has helped and our trusty editor, rick. Thank you, rick, you'll be here in just a minute and so we'll just do a little plug for you, kristen. So curiosity with Kristen. What is that about? Yes, thanks for asking. I mean pretty much. It's kind of something that stemmed from my dear friend from the other podcast, because she was saying you can use your podcast as a write-off and it's business and you're doing what you would do in business. And I was like, no, I'm not, but that's a great idea. So that's what I did.

Speaker 1: 38:44

So curiosity with Kristen it's kind of it does stem from the future of women at work. That was basically me getting the guts to be able to start my brand new business after 24 years in corporate America, to launch my own company. And it was terrifying. But I had gone to Cuba in 2018 with 20 very successful women and that were CEOs and business C-Suite and authors of books, and so I started interviewing them, asked my friend to join, just so I could get positive mojo to be able to do my business. So I did that weekly, every Friday at noon. It was like just I couldn't wait until just to talk to these women, to get like the guts to do what I was doing. Going through starting a business, going through divorce, I was just like so much on my plate, so did that, then basically pivoted, took off the year, which I didn't want to, and so then I created basically Curiosity with Kristen is kind of a continuation, but I also interview C-Level or CEOs and founders of their companies and listen to their stories. So it's very story oriented, very similar to this, but not travel, except for the first episode actually was travel, because it was supposed to be on hardware next podcast. And then Carol was like I think this fits very well and I said you know what? We're gonna launch it as my first one for with Kristen. But that's great. Yeah, so it worked. So all right. So okay, no, it's great, I'm gonna listen to it.

Speaker 1: 40:16

So you had mentioned something that one time in a podcast somebody talked about sustainable development and I am a little curious about how you justify how you reconcile ecology and long distance travel. I know in France I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who say that's it, we're. You know, they're retired now and they're kind of done. They said we've already visited lots of things. Anywhere we go now, we're gonna do it with a car, we're not gonna take an airplane. So my long distance travel friends, how do you reconcile that You're talking about like jet fuel to be used in terms of the climate and what that. And it's interesting because I do know my brother's a pilot for United and I think United's done a lot in forwarding that, that initiative, and I know there's a lot of talk about that.

Speaker 1: 41:10

I think car travel is phenomenal too, and I'm trying to remember that episode. It was recent and it was. I wish I looked at it. It was amazing. There's several of like they're just going in cars a couple of hours too, because when you're over there, once you get over there, there's so many drivable countries. And then there was that one that wasn't France but like the buildings looked like they were from Disneyland and it was gorgeous, and there was like canals and different colored buildings. And then, at first time, it was amazing. Remember that. Oh, that was in near Germany, I believe. I don't know if that one had the canals though, yeah, but you drove to France. So I think the driving piece, I think, once you get over there, so you have that Well, and trains here too. It's true, public transportation is a whole different category of travel too. Well, yeah, just to kind of answer your question very, very interesting.

Speaker 1: 42:01

I did not think this would come with a podcast. My desire to travel has waned just a little bit. I still want to go live, but I it's so silly I didn't realize you could just talk to people and research and kind of get what you want. You don't have to go there to get the whole experience. But now I've narrowed down where I do want to go. I still want to go. Like when I first started I wanted to go to Costa Rica so bad. I've never been there, want to know. But I lived in Hawaii and I've been to Mexico, I've been to Belize, and so I kind of now think what the vibe would be in Costa Rica. And now I know the pros and cons of Costa Rica and it's kind of expensive but the infrastructure is not really there. I'm not as hot on Costa Rica and I probably I don't plan to go there super soon where that was like one of my number one destinations.

Speaker 1: 42:50

I still really want to spend time in Portugal, but I have some friends and family that they want to go on trips. Oh, we should all go somewhere as a family. And for Christmas or whatever, I'm like I don't want to say want to go somewhere just for 10 days, like why would eight people want to go travel somewhere? Like I just I don't think it's a good idea for what you're talking about, and so I'm really I'm a big proponent of slow travel and this is why I'm just waiting and I haven't done tons of traveling recently, but when I do travel, like when I go to Japan, I want to go for four to six weeks and spend time there and not go back there two, three times over a couple of years. Just go there once, really soak it up, get the experience, and then maybe I don't want to go anywhere else or travel by train in different places.

Speaker 1: 43:41

Go to Europe, and I heard about the law in France Congratulations, that if it's under two hours and you can get there by train, you're not allowed to fly. And I'm just curious, I wonder if that's for private jets too, because I feel like private jets have their own little rules. They do. And, as a matter of fact, oh, my daughter used to live with it was whatever, it's for a different podcast but she lived with a woman who was in a royal family in Belgium and when her brother died, well, it was fine, everyone just took their private jet and went to the funeral in Belgium. And then I learned that her son regularly flies his daughter back and forth from where she's studying. And so, yeah, these laws that are put in place are for the normal French people, but there's still this stratosphere which is living in their own worlds. After that, of course, there are lots of French people who are outspoken, there are lots of famous actors or industry leaders, but there are a whole lot of people who just do whatever they want because they can.

Speaker 1: 44:50

Right, and I do think, yeah, air travel is the one of the biggest things there's. Let's not use straw, plastic bottles anymore, et cetera, but airfare. So, limiting your travel and trying to stay in one place and commute within those countries and I remember hearing some podcasts recently oh, it's so cheap to do a puddle, do that instead of a muddle, you know, a puddle jumper instead of taking the ferry, because the ferry was just horrendous and it's like, okay, yeah, but what's more, you know, ecological. So, considering all that and learning what the countries are doing, I think it's kind of interesting. I've heard like, like when I was in California, straws were totally like outlawed in some of the places and styrofoam is totally outlawed. Oh nice, yes, no straws. But Rick is in Thailand and he said straws, they're horrible. It's like such a problem in the ocean and you go out to eat. Every time they bring you a new drink, they bring you a new straw. So like one meal you might have like five straws and like, oh my God, I just need to like help, people know straws.

Speaker 1: 45:55

So but the garbage thing we're learning about too is some countries like you. It's very limited how much of garbage you can have. Like everything needs to be recycled or composted. That was in Germany and in South Korea. Yeah, huge in South Korea. It made me come back to California looking at garbage differently and the size of our trash cans. I mean, again, it's been a year and now it's all. Now I've forgotten about it.

Speaker 1: 46:20

But just listen, yeah, podcast again. Yeah, or go to Burning Man. I don't know if you any. Oh, yes, birdie man will give you that you have to take. You know, whatever you bring the Birdie man, you have to bring home with you and you can only bring you so much water. So it really helps you think about how much water you use. You have like two gallons a day as your allocation. Do I really want to use it all on a shower? No, I don't. I'd rather drink it. And that's where you were talking about how diverse just one country can be. You know, the people who go to Burning man are maybe not the people you see at Hollywood. So Right, exactly, yeah, so there's a lot out there.

Speaker 1: 47:02

Yeah, all right, the rise of digital nomadism is this something that's going to continue? Yeah, I think so. But I was looking on this Gartner report about remote workers did actually decrease in the last quarter slightly. I do think companies interested in this has the pulse on this. Probably better that they're starting to make people come to the office, and so does that mean the people that work for these corporations can't work remotely as much? I think that's probably what's happening, but I still think that a lot of people are going to go. No, I don't want that life. I'm going to be a freelancer and you know, or I'm going to find a company that is 100% remote. So, generally, do you think it is going to continue, but probably slower? I feel like it it's spiked and then it now it went down, but it's still like kind of trending. That's just my non scientific, that feeling.

Speaker 1: 47:54

Yeah, I would say from a job perspective, what I am seeing and talking with is I just a couple of positions have, you know, not worked out, because the individual is just straight Like I will only work remotely, and the company is like I need you in the office. And so then the most recent one, just you know, is they were going to figure out a hybrid role. She homeschools her high school teenagers, so with that, she wasn't willing to give up being at the house, you know. So there's lifestyles and choices and things, but what I hear mostly is that people well, in the past I've always heard hybrid remote, but the individual wants that, and then the company wants in the office because they need that. And then fast forward to today. Most of the people still want a hybrid. There's still some that want remote, but just recently I actually have been hearing, quite surprisingly, of people who want to be back in the office, or employees, and I hadn't heard that as much in the past.

Speaker 1: 49:01

I think also just with COVID. It was, you know, you didn't trust what was happening and, frankly, there are COVID flares up. I just did a women's backpacking trip I put together for women in Big Sur and the night before we were leaving, someone got COVID. That was just the first weekend, weekend of June, and then in 2023, and we're like, oh, wow, that's still a thing. I know it's interesting.

Speaker 1: 49:26

I don't think it's as bad that people are getting it, but I do. I hear I've heard a lot of people this year that got it. Yeah, I see my colleagues when they're sick, no matter what they have, if they have to come to school for a meeting, they just wear a mask. So, you know, masks are have found a new way to function. Yes, oh, but I also see at my school we have when we have meetings, we don't have to be there physically, we can do it video conference. But what I find is that if it's an important meeting and you really want to have your position represented, you need to be there physically. So that couldn't be the same in other businesses too.

Speaker 1: 50:08

And what I've also heard just from listening to other digital nomads and different podcasts, it's really about people want community. We are social creatures, and so that's why I think, kristen, like people do you know? Think about all the marriages. Where do people meet? Often at work. You hear about that so much, and if you're no one's going into work, you're not going to meet people at work, or they need to have, like these, you know, company retreats. And then I'm like, aha, that's what trade shows are, right, we're really just a reason for everyone and like there's a little mini sales, first trade show coming here, and so I'm flying in my employee to come into Colorado to say, hey, we all need to hang out together to go to the show, but then we're going to have a nice bonding experience as well. So and I hear about that from digital nomads too why they fail.

Speaker 1: 50:55

Sometimes I see YouTube's about that it's just people think at home, sick, they don't have their network. The friends change. It's exciting for a little bit. And so I think if you do want to be a digital nomad, like, having that foundation of friends is really important and maintaining those friendships while you're on the road. Of course you're going to meet new friends, but you can't like throw away the good foundation that you have. I think it's so important. I'm thinking that I'm going to ask you my little this or that, okay.

Speaker 1: 51:27

Okay, urban or rural, I like rural. Urban, it's pretty girl. I mean I'm more of a rural. I like the mountain. I mean I'm more of a rural. I like the mountains and beaches and it's funny I say beaches. I guess I have a place in Maui, but I like the mountain. I love to live on a lake, but I like community. I have to have a community there too, Okay, but I think you can have that in a rural setting, yeah, yeah. So then this is going to be obvious, but beach or mountains? I'd say mountains, even though I have beach, she lives close to the beach, I live in the mountains, basically, and, yeah, I guess, apparently, what you don't have is what you want. All right, here's another one Surf or ski, surf, surf, although I do really love to ski. So it'd be surf and then I'd ski. I've done both in one day for my birthday. Oh perfect, oh my gosh, oh nice. See, in Japan, you can do that too. Yeah, california is similar, okay. So, all right.

Speaker 1: 52:35

Night owl or early bird, early bird? Yeah, I love early bird, although it depends because I work at night, because the things are quieter, so then I sleep in a little bit more. But if I have my preference, definitely early bird, all right. Bike or motorbike, bike, bike, car or train I'd say car, but train would be fun. But I definitely want my car and to go, I think I would like train, yeah, if it was more common around here. But I just went to San Francisco area my son's in college out there and I didn't rent a car, I just trained everywhere, just because I'm like it just makes sense, it was practical, but the park, and then you can work in the train if you want. Yes, you can meet people in the train. Yes, you can recruit people for your next podcast.

Speaker 1: 53:31

So this is why I'm going to really like spending some time in Europe and Japan. I heard the train systems are very amazing in Japan. So, yes, all right, hike or bike, hike, hike. I don't like the chance of a flat tire. Yes, because then you would have to hike with a bike. Yes, there you go. Now we sound like we're doing Dr Seuss. And all right, airplane or boat. So I get seasick. So when I think boat, I think wake surfing. I don't think like you know, or you know I could do a cruise kind of yachty kind of thing, but I do get sick. So it would be airplane if you know I'm going, but if I'm, you know, on a daily basis. Week surfing and boat, yes, um, suitcase. Or backpack, backpack, backpack, good for you.

Speaker 1: 54:28

Museum or sports match oh gosh, I'm not a big fan of either. Wait a minute, don't you have a kid who? Hi, carol, yes, yeah, you would think. Well, if it's my child playing the sport. Yeah, the sports match. 100%, yeah. So I think I'm going to be a good kid, I'm going to be a good kid, I'm going to be a good kid, I'm going to be a good kid, I'm going to be a good kid, I'm going to be a good kid. Yeah, 100%, yeah. So I guess I would have to say, if it was totally, I would probably say museum, just because, just I'm going to learn something. Yeah, I guess it.

Speaker 1: 55:02

Yeah, okay, read a book or watch a film. No, I know I like to read books, but I don't like, I like books on tape. I usually go on my bike. Oh, okay, and I love audible, so I do. Do I do more of that in the podcast? I was in a lot of podcasts and a lot of yeah, I'd say, yeah, I definitely watch more films, but I do like to read a book, just gonna like sit outside and you're not in front of a screen, because I'm in front of a screen pretty much nine, ten hours a day. So, yeah, if it's an audible, I'd say book, because I like to get on my bike and listen to books. I think that's fine.

Speaker 1: 55:36

We can expand the definition Board game or video game, board game, I don't know how to play video games. Board games are so social. I love it, I know, yeah, actually, and in French they're called social games. They're called jeux de société. Jeux de société, yes, all right.

Speaker 1: 56:00

Okay, so until up until now, what was your favorite vacation, harold? Favorite vacation, I would say Hawaii with my family recently. Kristin, favorite vacation, you know, I would actually say I'm looking the one that's. At first I was like ooh, self cream, bali. But I actually have to say there was a vacation that we took all as a family to Florida. We went to Disney World, which is kind of funny because it's not like, it's not my nature, outdoor, because if I went to know something like that and be different. But we did Disney World, which was fun. And then we did a cruise, which is funny too, because I'm not the cruise person but I am at the same time and just being all together and all the things we did. So it's not the destination, it's the people. That's what I'm getting from from the, from this entire hour, that it's not about the place, it's about the people.

Speaker 1: 57:00

Yes, wow, that's interesting. Well, I think I'm just going to end with that. Okay, that was wonderful. It has been such a pleasure talking with the two of you. Thank you so much. So I wish you two more successful years and many more after that.

Speaker 1: 57:14

But let's get to done. First, yes and yes. So so where next? Yes, well, thank you so much, kristin. It's just, it's really nice to stop and reflect. Right, we don't do that enough, and this gives us an opportunity to really see, like and celebrate. Carol Congrats and thank you so much for your partnership.

Speaker 1: 57:35

Thank you, you've done this. Two and a half years. We've been talking and doing this and, and it just gets better and better, and that's not so nice to have that where you know. You know life gets so busy, but then you have your solid relationships and things that you can enjoy and count on, and this is definitely one of them. So, thank you very much. This is a lot of fun. All right, see you soon, talk to you soon and I'll listen to you soon. Okay, all right, bye. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the podcast, can you please take a second and do a quick follow of the show and rate us in your podcast app, and if you have a minute, we would really appreciate a review. Following and rating is the best way to support us. If you're on Instagram, let's connect. We're at where next podcast. Thanks again.