

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

May 25, 2021 • 1h 10min
135: Teens of Color Abroad, Learning Languages from Refugees, and the Power of Hip Hop with Lamar Shambley
Lamar Shambley takes us on his journey growing up in the housing projects of Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and reflects on the impact hip hop music had on him growing up.____________________________________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 origins of his interest in languages and cultures, and how he was able to overcome financial barriers to take his first international trip to the Dominican Republic. Lamar reflects on the many layers of impact that trip had, and then talks about his experience studying abroad in Spain and being fully immersed in foreign culture for 6 months. He then takes us on some of his world travels through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, and how all of that inspired him to teach young people and empower them to learn languages through travel and immersion. Lamar explains how underrepresented Black students are in study abroad programs today and how his former students inspired him to found “Teens of Color Abroad” (TOCA). He then shares how his pivot during the pandemic to virtual language learning with native speakers enabled his students to learn languages directly from refugees and to develop cultural empathy for their lived experiences at the same time. Matt and Lamar reflect on the global impact of hip hop music and how Lamar arranges international DJ sets and cooking classes as part of the (virtual) global cultural immersion in the TOCA program. Lamar reflects on the impact TOCA has had on his students thus far, and shares how listeners can support TOCA. 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! :)

May 19, 2021 • 1h 17min
134: Riding the Hedonic Wave, Building Intentional Communities and Organizing the Work Travel Summit with Victoria Puzach
Victoria Puzach takes us on her journey growing up in Russia, moving to Malaysia and then becoming a full time itinerant nomad and traveling to over 55 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 ____________________________________She talks about her experiences kite surfing in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Brazil, and how that journey learning to kite surf turned out to be a metaphor for life. Victoria also tells the story of hiking an active volcano in Guatemala. She then reflects on her 3 year relationship and gives tips on nurturing a healthy, loving relationship in an itinerant nomadic lifestyle. Victoria then talks about her lifestyle design philosophy of “riding the hedonic wave” by creating more adventures, seeing new places, and creating new connections on the ongoing basis. She also gives tips on building meaningful communities in an itinerant nomadic lifestyle. Victoria talks about her “CoLife Home” project--a co-living experience that brings together an intentional community for one-month stays in epic locations around the world. And finally, she talks about founding the Work Travel Summit, gives an overview of the content people can expect from the event, and how to register for free. 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! :)

May 12, 2021 • 1h 6min
133: Solo-Traveling to 55 Countries Safely, Confidently and without Draining the Bank Account with Shakeemah Smith
Shakeemah Smith shares her experience growing up in East Orange, New Jersey during the Golden Era of hip hop in the 1990s.____________________________________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 overcame perceived financial obstacles and was able to travel to her first 20 countries for under $100 per flight. Shakeemah then explains how she was able to travel to a different country every month while working at an office job. She shares the reasons that she chose solo travel, explains how she develops her trip itineraries, and shares the safety precautions she takes before each trip. Shakeemah then takes us on some of her most epic travel adventures, ranging from skydiving in Australia to getting chased by a wild elephant in Zambia. She explains the biggest misconceptions about ‘safety’ and why the U.S. is the most dangerous country she has ever been to. Shakeemah then talks bout getting residency and second passports in Antigua for her family, including her 13-year-old nephew, and explains her primary motive is protecting him from racialized violence in the U.S. After taking her nephew to visit 7 countries by age 13, she reflects on the profound impact it has had on him. Shakeemah then shares her entrepreneurial journey—how she was able to monetize her travel expertise by coaching other women on how to solo-travel the world safely, confidently, and without draining their bank accounts. She explains how she was able to build her personal brand, develop key partnership, and eventually scale it into a successful business that allowed her to leave her job and become a fully location-independent entrepreneur. And finally, after traveling to 55 countries, Shakeemah reflects on what travel means to her. 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! :)

May 4, 2021 • 1h 35min
132: How to Travel Deeper and Transform from a Tourist to a Townie with Gareth Leonard
Gareth Leonard shares his experience growing up outside Rochester, NY, studying abroad in college, working in a start-up that he wasn’t passionate about, and then deciding to change course completely and buy a one-way ticket to Argentina.____________________________________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 takes us on his journey of slow-traveling the world for 12 years, making local friends, and understanding foreign places by the people and cultures that define them. Gareth shares stories from his first 5 years in South America—Learning Spanish in Buenos Aires, learning to cook Peruvian food in Lima, volunteering to build libraries in Bolivia, helping small businesses get micro-loans in Guatemala, and working at the World Cup in Brazil. He also tells the story of how he got to perform in the Level 1 Samba School Parade Competition at Carnival in Rio. Gareth then talks about the techniques he has developed for traveling deeper and transforming from a tourist to a townie. He shares specific tactics on how to make local friends, develop a local social network, and immerse into the local culture. Gareth talks about how he currently determines his travel destinations and gives tips on how to travel deeper on shorter trips or vacations. He also breaks down the sustainability pillars for maintaining a healthy, fulfilling, substantive life of full-time world travel for 12 years. And, finally, he talks about his “why” for continuing to travel and, at this point in his life, what travel means to him. 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! :)

Apr 26, 2021 • 1h 24min
131: Rafting the Zambezi, Walking the Camino, and Bootstrapping Companies for 8-Figure Exits with Dave Williams.
Dave Williams shares his entrepreneurial trajectory growing up in Delaware, becoming a digital marketing pioneer in the 1990s, and eventually bootstrapping and selling multiple 7 and 8-figure businesses.____________________________________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 then talks about his world travel journey with his wife, becoming a digital nomad, and gives his tips on long-term world travel with a partner. Dave shares stories from his most epic travel adventures, including white water rafting on the Zambezi River, hiking Mount Kilimanjaro and Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. He then reflects on his pilgrimage walking the Camino de Santiago and why it was so life-changing for him. He also shares highlights from hiking the Tour de Mont Blanc in Europe, and the Himalayas in South Asia, and reflects on how traveling to over 50 countries has impacted him. He then talks about building “Nomad X” (a platform offering medium-term accommodations for digital nomads in Portugal) and recently merging with Flatio. He also reflects on the importance of building community as a digital nomad and talks about the “Nomad Village” initiative on Madeira Island in Portugal. Dave then talks about the key leverage points for bootstrapping businesses to 7 and 8-figure exits. He explains his leadership style and what he feels makes a great CEO, as well as his techniques for attracting, hiring and retaining top talent. Dave also gives tips for how to build company culture in remote-first companies. And, finally, Dave reflects on the importance of giving back, making a positive impact around the world, and gives tips on how to be a more socially conscious traveler. 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! :)

Apr 19, 2021 • 1h 40min
130: Dating Advice for Digital Nomads: How to Find Connection, Love and Partnership While Traveling the World with Kimberly Koehler
Kimberly Koehler shares her journey growing up in Minnesota, becoming a real estate entrepreneur, and eventually a professional dating coach.____________________________________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 shares her world travel journey, her transition into the digital nomad lifestyle, and her decision to focus her business and dating expertise on the digital nomad niche by becoming a co-owner of “Nomad Soulmates”. Kimberly reflects on her 15 years experience as a dating coach and shares some common themes on which she repeatedly coaches her clients. She shares dating tips for successful women, as well as advice for men on how to avoid the “friend zone”. She then gives tips on dating locals around the world, reflects on the reality of having the entire planet as your dating universe, and emphasizes the value of virtual dating. Kimberly talks about the potential beauty of short and medium-term nomadic relationships as well as long-term partnerships, the crucial importance of communication, and the potential implications of having so many global dating options. She then gives specific advice on improving your dating profile, and talks about Matt’s dating profile and introduction to the Nomad Soulmates Facebook Group. Kimberly then talks about her upcoming event “Finding Love Online”, and shares some examples of Nomad dating success stories. 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! :)

Apr 13, 2021 • 1h 11min
129::Building a $100 Million Company in 5 Years and Reducing Global Wealth Inequality by Making Remote Work Available to Everyone with Tony Jamous
Tony Jamous takes us on his journey growing up in Beirut during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s, being inspired to his grandfather’s entrepreneurship, and eventually moving to France at age 17 and starting his world travel journey.____________________________________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 his top travel experiences, what travel means to him, and how he ended up founding and scaling his first company to over $100 Million in under 5 years and selling it for $230 Million. Tony breaks down some of the biggest leverage points that enabled him to scale that fast and build an operational infrastructure with internationally distributed staff in over 50 countries. He reflects on his personal leadership style, what he feels makes a great CEO, how to attract and hire top talent, and tips for managing an internationally distributed team. Tony also reflects on how and why remote teams can outperform in-office teams and gives tips on how to effectively build company culture in fully remote businesses. He then shares his personal productivity routines, stress management techniques, and how he approaches business problems. Tony also talks about his latest venture, Oyster, that he founded with the vision of changing the world by making remote work accessible to everyone. He explains how his talent-enablement platform works to empower employees from anywhere in the world to work for the best global companies without leaving their home countries. He explains the mission and values of Oyster and how his goal is to reduce global wealth inequality and positively impact the environment by disrupting and revolutionizing the way companies can hire the best staff around the world remotely. He explains the service offering, the customer experience, and how companies can start using the Oyster platform 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! :)

Apr 6, 2021 • 58min
128: BlackTrekking: Connecting with Black Cultural Heritage from Colombia to Ghana with Stephanie Claytor
Stephanie Claytor takes us on her journey growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, traveling around the U.S. as a kid, and eventually kicking off her world travel journey by studying abroad in the Dominican Republic.____________________________________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 ____________________________________Stephanie reflects on her experience living in the DR at age 19, the impact that had on her life, lessons learned, and how it inspired her future travel journey. She then talks about her experience living in Colombia as part of the Fulbright program, connecting with Afro-Colombian heritage, interviewing internally displaced Colombians, and having a blast salsa dancing and going to Carnival. Stephanie also reflects on the racial profiling and other problematic racial dynamics she observed while traveling in Latin American. She then shares the inspiration for writing her memoir “BlackTrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America” and explains what people can expect from the book. Stephanie then shares her reflections on her trip to Ghana, including her visit to the Slave Castles and her participation in a traditional “Naming Ceremony”. She then talks about her blog, Blacktrekking.com, which focuses on Black cultural heritage around the world. She also shares some examples of important Black heritage destinations in the U.S. that she has visited and written about. Stephanie explains why her goal is to inspire more Black Americans to travel the world and live abroad. She reflects on her minimalism, why she prioritizes experiences over material items, and how and why she intends to integrate world travel into her son’s life. She concludes by sharing why she continues to travel, what travel means to her at this point in her life, and her top tips for Black world travelers. 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! :)

Mar 29, 2021 • 1h 27min
127: Traveling The World for Coffee with Resi Schlage
Resi Schlage shares her journey growing up in Germany, getting her Master’s Degree in Global Studies, working in the International NGO sector, and then transitioning to become a full-time digital nomad and professional coffee writer in 2016.____________________________________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 Resi discuss the coffee equipment they both carry while traveling (for making filter coffee and espresso) and the importance of coffee grinders and scales in preparing a great cup of coffee. Resi shares her path to starting her coffee blog and choosing to travel the world for coffee full time. She talks about her experiences spending time with coffee producers in Sri Lanka and Thailand and making a connection between the coffee communities in both countries. Resi then goes on to define some of the most important coffee terminology, explains the seed-go-cup pipeline, and highlights the different aspects of making a great specialty coffee. She then gives tips on exploring the realm of specialty coffee and refining your coffee palate. Matt and Resi then discuss why they slow travel the world and what they love about experiencing different coffee shops across the globe. Matt shares his favorite coffee shops in South Africa and Colombia and Resi talks about her favorite coffee shops in Thailand and Japan. She then reflects on the relationship between producers, roasters and coffee shops. And, finally, Resi discusses why she continues to travel full time and what world travel means to her. 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! :)

Mar 24, 2021 • 15min
126: Stopping Hate and Violence Against Asian-Americans and How You Can Contribute
Matt Bowles gives a brief historical overview of hate and violence against Asian Americans over the last 150 years, leading up to the hostile anti-Asian climate of the present-day United States.____________________________________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 then shares specific ways that you can support Asian-American communities from anywhere in the world. 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! :)


