

The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders
Matt Bowles: Full-Time World Traveler Since 2013
The Maverick Show is a global travel podcast about what really happens when people cross borders and build lives across cultures. Hosted by full-time world traveler Matt Bowles, each episode features intimate, unfiltered conversations (often over a bottle of wine) exploring the human stories behind global travel and what the journey teaches us about the world and ourselves.
Guests include expats, digital nomads, women and diaspora storytellers, worldschooling families, and human rights advocates, all sharing travel stories that are funny, moving, and deeply human.
In addition to hearing about extraordinary places and the people who live there, you’ll learn what it’s really like to move abroad or travel long-term, as guests open up about their personal journeys navigating culture, race, power, identity, and belonging in an unequal world. If you’ve ever felt that travel changes you in ways no one talks about, you’re in the right place.
The Maverick Show hit the Top 100 on Apple Podcasts (including #1 in Places & Travel), was ranked in the Top 1% of podcasts globally by Listen Notes, and was named the #1 Digital Nomad Podcast and #1 Remote Work Podcast by Million Podcasts — with hundreds of five-star listener reviews.
Guests include expats, digital nomads, women and diaspora storytellers, worldschooling families, and human rights advocates, all sharing travel stories that are funny, moving, and deeply human.
In addition to hearing about extraordinary places and the people who live there, you’ll learn what it’s really like to move abroad or travel long-term, as guests open up about their personal journeys navigating culture, race, power, identity, and belonging in an unequal world. If you’ve ever felt that travel changes you in ways no one talks about, you’re in the right place.
The Maverick Show hit the Top 100 on Apple Podcasts (including #1 in Places & Travel), was ranked in the Top 1% of podcasts globally by Listen Notes, and was named the #1 Digital Nomad Podcast and #1 Remote Work Podcast by Million Podcasts — with hundreds of five-star listener reviews.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 26, 2022 • 60min
195: Influencer Marketing, the Feral Cats of Istanbul, and the Importance of Financial Freedom for Women with Sally Yeo
Sally Yeo takes us on her journey growing up in Singapore, starting off on a traditional path and then deviating to become a travel influencer, location-independent business owner, and digital nomad. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________She explains how she built her personal brand to over 400K followers on social media and shares some hacks from when she was first starting out with no money. Sally also gives tips for people who want to become travel influencers today in terms of what is working on social media now. She then talks about how she founded her PR Agency, Saltine Communications. Sally explains who the company serves, how she runs it remotely while traveling the world, and then gives some tips on how brands can effectively use influencer marketing. Next, she shares her most memorable travel stories about getting married in Dubai, planting Coral Reefs in the Maldives, and celebrating National Day in Norway. Sally also describes her profound love for the thousands of feral cats in Istanbul, Turkey. Matt and Sally then discuss Chinese food around the world and what they love most about Italy. Sally also shares some tips for women on developing multiple streams of income and the importance of financial freedom. Finally, she reflects on the impact her travels to 50 countries have had on her and what travel means to her today. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jul 20, 2022 • 57min
194: Nigerian Afrobeats, Sales Lessons from an Istanbul Bazaar, and Increasing Your Revenue Through Conversion Rate Optimization with Amara Abara
Amara Abara talks about growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, moving to London at age 16, and Studying Abroad in Beijing at age 19.____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________He reflects on the cultural diversity of London, including the African diaspora and the Afrobeats scene there today. Amara then talks about his career trajectory, his path to entrepreneurship, and how he ultimately found his passion in the ecommerce space. He then explains the 4 pillars of revenue growth and offers tips on how to double your ecom revenue without increasing your ad spend. Next, Amara breaks down the most effective techniques for “Conversion Rate Optimization” (CRO) and explains how businesses can audit and improve their CRO for substantial increases in revenue. He then talks about techniques for entrepreneurial mindset and productivity optimization, and how to remain productive while traveling the world. Amara also shares some of his travel experiences, including sales lessons from a bazaar in Istanbul. He also reflects on returning to Lagos as an adult, the Afrobeats scene there, and why people should visit Nigeria. Finally, Amara talks about the impact travel had on him and what travel means to him today. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jul 15, 2022 • 1h 41min
193: Sex Hotels in Japan, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and Building the #1 Nomad Tax Firm While Traveling the World with Krystal Pino
Krystal Pino shares her journey of overcoming imposter syndrome, becoming a digital nomad, and building “Nomad Tax” to be the #1 accounting firm serving American digital nomads. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________Pino takes us on her journey growing up in Buffalo, New York, and moving to Tuscaloosa, Alabama as a teenager. She opens up about struggling with substance abuse and shares her path to overcoming her addiction and becoming a CPA. Pino then drops some tax knowledge and explains the “Foreign Earned Income Exclusion”, breaking down the physical presence test, the tax home test, and the abode test. She also explains the “Foreign Housing Deduction”. Next, Pino talks about “State Residency” and other State Income Tax considerations for American nomads. She also discusses some tax considerations for entity structuring and breaks down the guidelines for shifting certain personal expenses to business expenses. Pino takes us through her decision to travel the world on the Remote Year program and then to continue traveling as a full-time digital nomad for 5 years and counting. She shares her experience of accidentally winding up in a sex hotel in Japan, as well as her experience tracing her Italian heritage back to the church where her grandparents got married in Trieste. And, finally, she reflects on the impact that 5 years of itinerant world travel to 50 countries as had on her, and then offers all Maverick Show listeners a free tax consultation. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jul 7, 2022 • 1h 8min
192: Digital Nomad Life During the War in Ukraine with Orest Zub
Orest Zub takes us on his journey growing up in Lviv, Ukraine, developing his passion for travel, making friends through tennis while traveling, becoming a digital nomad, and traveling to 129 countries. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________He shares the story of how he met his wife, proposed on an airplane, and has since been traveling the world with her for the past 10 years. Orest talks about the impact of not being in Ukraine during the 2014 revolution and how, in the leadup to the 2022 Russian invasion, he made the decision to go back home and report on the war from inside Ukraine. He reflects on his experiences as the war began, safety considerations for his family, and his first live stream from Ukraine after the bombing began. Orest explains how he converted his businesses assets, professional network, and marketing skills into a media and PR operation to get information out to the world and cultivate international solidarity to support Ukraine. He talks about the importance of supporting Africans in Ukraine, provides some additional political and historical context for the war, and shares specific ways that you can make humanitarian contributions to Ukraine at this time. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jun 30, 2022 • 1h 18min
191: Sailing, Scuba Diving, and Nomading Full Time as a C-Level Executive with Megan Mann
Megan Mann takes us on her journey growing up on a sailboat in Hawaii, moving to Idaho at age 21, and ascending the corporate ladder to become one of the youngest executive leaders at her company. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________She explains how she did it, how she navigated both age and gender dynamics, and how she was able to deliver unique value to the company. Megan then talks about how she transitioned to being a digital nomad and an entrepreneurship, and why she ultimately decided to return to a C-Level executive position while still traveling the world full time. She gives her tips on balancing professional ambition with travel and lifestyle design. Megan then gives her tips to early stage entrepreneurs as well as established businesses on effective techniques for both B-to-C and B-to-B marketing. She then talks about her top travel highlights, from sailing trips in Greece to scuba diving trips in Indonesia, and from spending time with elephants in Cambodia to cycling in Senegal. And, finally, Megan reflects on how all this travel has impacted her and what travel means to her today. FULL SHOW NOTES AND DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IS AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jun 23, 2022 • 1h 6min
190: Messy Roots, Queer Identity, The Beauty of Wuhan, and Writing a Graphic Memoir While Traveling the World with Laura Gao
Laura Gao takes us on her journey growing up in Wuhan, China, immigrating to the U.S. as a kid, and winding up in a small conservative town in Texas. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________She opens up about navigating racism and homophobia while coming of age and trying to fit in. Laura then talks about her college experience where she was able to explore both the nuances of her Chinese-American identity as well as her gender and sexual identity, and shares her experience coming out as queer. She also talks about the role of basketball in her life, including playing pick-up hoops in Wuhan. Laura then talks about the role of art in her life and explains the important role it played throughout. Next, she shares her experience as a Wuhanese American living in San Francisco during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising racism and violence against Asian Americans, and the rampant misinformation about her hometown, Wuhan, in the media. Laura explains how she was inspired to write a webcomic called “The Wuhan I Know” that went viral and led to the book deal for her best-selling graphic memoir “Messy Roots”. She talks about her creative process, how her art and writing were impacted by her world travels, and reflects on some of her highlights and personal growth from spending time in Taiwan and Portugal. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jun 15, 2022 • 1h 23min
189: Becoming Head of Remote a Doist, Traveling Europe by Camper Van, and Hosting the "About Abroad" Podcast with Chase Warrington
Chase Warrington takes us on his journey growing up in the U.S., studying abroad in Austria, and developing his passion for travel. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________He explains how he and his wife decided to sell their house and travel the world. Chase shares his highlights from their South America travels, how they eventually ended up with a base in Valencia, Spain and what he loves so much about the different regions of Spain. He also talks about nomading with his Siberian Husky, and his experiences traveling through Europe in a camper van. He offers tips on traveling with your spouse, staying in Spain long term, and nomading with a pet. Chase then talks about his career trajectory and how became Head of Remote at Doist. He offers tips on managing remote teams, building remote company culture, and landing your remote dream job. Chase also talks about hosting the “About Abroad” podcast, how he grew his audience, and what he has learned from his guests. Finally, he shares how travel has impacted him and what travel means to him today. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jun 7, 2022 • 1h 9min
188: Komodo Dragons in Indonesia, Free Diving with Sperm Whales in Sri Lanka, and Gender Bending at Carnival in Rio with Dani Dirks
Dani Dirks shares her experience at Carnival in Rio and talks about the legendary street parties, the main event at the Samba Drome, and the unique level of gender fluidity throughout the event. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________She also talks about her first skydiving experience in Floripa, Brazil. Dani then talks about her trip to the Komodo Islands in Indonesia and tells stories about interacting with the Komodo Dragons. She then shares her experience of free diving with sperm whales in Sri Lanka and attending a free diving retreat in Phuket, Thailand. Dani explains some of the skills, techniques, and lessons she has learned from free diving, and why she loves it so much. She then talks about her lifestyle choices and reflects on her willingness to seize opportunities and make spontaneous decisions. Dani also reflects on how her world travel experiences have impacted her personal growth and share her tips on maintaining a fulfilling nomad lifestyle over the long term. She then performs her original song “The Moon and More” and discusses her new musical project “This is Everyday Love”. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Jun 3, 2022 • 1h 4min
187: Block Parties in South Africa, Village Life in Uganda, and Relationship Lessons from White Water Kayaking in Namibia with Dani Dirks
Dani Dirks talks about growing up in Northern California, moving to a rural village in Uganda, and then becoming a full time nomad and traveling the world for 5 years with no base. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________Matt and Dani talk about their recent wine tasting experience in Portugal, and how they originally met in Vietnam when Dani was a program lead for Hacker Paradise. Dani then reflects on navigating the power dynamics of “voluntourism” and shares some of her personal experiences. She then talks about “the canoe theory” and shares her relationship lessons learned on a white water kayaking trip in Namibia. She opens up about some of her dating experiences and reflects on finding connection and love in the nomadic lifestyle. Dani also talks about the central role of songwriting in her life, especially in processing her experiences and expressing her emotions. She plays “The Traveling Song” on the guitar, an original number that she wrote, and then talks about her current musical project “This is Everyday Love”. Dani also talks about her experiences in South Africa, from block parties in the Townships to bungee jumping, and from cage-diving with sharks to attending AfrikaBurn. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

May 25, 2022 • 1h 23min
186: Building a CryptoCurrency DEX with Over $200 Million in Daily Trading Volume While Traveling the World with Ori Kwan
Grace “Ori” Kwan reflects on her experience growing up in a Chinese immigrant family in Westchester, NY, navigating her Chinese-American identity, and how her interest in world travel developed. ____________________________________Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.).Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________She then takes us on her culinary journey, explains how she likes to explore other cultures through food, and then shares her path to entrepreneurship. Ori also opens up about her Cryptocurrency journey, including why she was initially skeptical of crypto but how she came to understand it can be used for good. She provides an overview of decentralized finance (“DeFi”), decentralized exchanges (“DEXs”) and the Solana blockchain. She then offers some reflections on the collapse of Terra Luna, and lessons we can take from that. Ori also talks about founding Orca as an Automated Market Maker (“AMM”) on the Solana blockchain. She provides an overview of how Liquidity Pools work and explains the downside risk of Impermanent Loss when providing liquidity with a token pair. She then talks about Orca’s “Whirlpools” and explains how Concentrated Liquidity Pools work. Ori also talks about the Orca governance token and DAO, the Orcanauts NFT project, and the Orca Impact Fund. Ori then talks about how she structures her digital nomad life, shares some travel experiences from Italy, gives tips on managing a fully distributed team, and reflects on what travel means to her. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED AVAILABLE HERE.____________________________________See my Top 10 Apps For Digital NomadsSee my Top 10 Books For Digital NomadsSee my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and RecommendSee How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)____________________________________ENJOYING THE SHOW?Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally. You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)


