#254 - What if the most important stories in your family were the ones nobody could afford to tell at the time? I sit down with author Sara Fashandi to trace her family’s journey from Tehran, Iran to the United States, and the brother at the center of it all, Mohsen, whose memory is so sharp it becomes the family’s unofficial archive. Sara explains what it’s like to grow up with very little, to crave books so much you read scraps of newspaper, and to realize later that your sibling lived a completely different version of childhood than you did.

We talk about the heartbreak that shaped Mohsen early, including a devastating loss that left him carrying guilt for decades, and the surprising ways hardship can produce ingenuity. Sara shares story after story of Mohsen’s creativity and resilience, then takes us to his early immigrant experience: arriving with almost no money, making impossible choices, and even spending nights homeless in Washington, D.C. The details are raw, honest, and deeply human, and they show what perseverance looks like when nobody is watching.

Sara also pulls back the curtain on the memoir writing process, from the family reunion moment that sparked it all to the commitment it takes to self-publish well. We dig into her books Message in a Matchbox and From Tehran to Tomorrow, what she hopes readers understand about immigration, and why preserving family history is a gift to future generations. If you care about immigrant stories, Iranian-American life, resilience, and the power of memory, this conversation will stay with you.

Subscribe for more human stories, share this with someone who loves family history, and leave a rating or review so more listeners can find the show.

To learn more about Sara you can follow her on Instagram @talesfromiran. To get copies of her books Message in a Matchbox and From Tehran to Tomorrow check out just search for the titles on Amazon or click here.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#253 - 537 days. That is how long David Knoff is stuck in Antarctica after signing up for what should have been a 12-month station leader posting at Australia’s Davis Station. What starts as a high-endurance adventure becomes a real-time experiment in isolation, morale, and leadership under uncertainty, with no clean answers and no guaranteed end date.

We trace David’s path from Melbourne to the Army Reserve, peacekeeping, and diplomatic work in conflict zones, then into the Australian Antarctic Program. That background shows up in the moments that matter: how you tell a team bad news, how you stay authentic when rumors fly, and how you keep people working together when everyone is exhausted and counting the days past their planned return. David shares the “wagon wheel of motivation” that explains why some people ride out chaos better than others, plus the practical steps the team takes when coping strategies start to fail, including a peer-led wellness week that builds new tools for mental health and resilience.

Along the way, we get the vivid details that make Antarctica feel real: penguins that stop work in its tracks, handmade gifts because there is no store, hydroponic lettuce that feels like gold, and the climate science behind sea ice depth, glacier movement, and atmospheric research. And just when home is finally in sight, the story throws one last curveball: a catastrophic engine-room explosion and shipboard fire in the Southern Ocean.

If you care about leadership, teamwork, resilience, or extreme environment stories, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find The Human Adventure.

To learn more about David and to get a copy of his book, 537 Days of Winter, check out www.davidknoff.com and follow him on Instagram @537daysofwinter.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#252 - A world champion wakeboarder doesn’t just “send it” on command. Logan Vaughan joins me to unpack what winning actually costs, what nobody sees behind the highlights, and how it feels when the sport that built your identity suddenly starts to burn you out.

We talk through the full wake sports world in plain English: the real difference between wakeboarding, wake surfing, and wake skating, why wakeboarding hits harder when you crash, and what it’s like to grow up competing from the time you’re a kid. Logan shares her West Texas roots, the jump to Orlando, Florida at 18 to train with coaches, and the mindset shift that took her from talented to truly elite.

Faith is a major thread in her story. Logan explains how prayer, breathing, and even talking to herself mid-run helps her stay grounded under pressure, especially when things go sideways. We also get honest about athlete burnout, fear at the next progression level, and the practical reality of money in pro wakeboarding. That leads into the surprise second career: becoming a social media creator after a viral video changed everything.

If you’ve ever chased a dream hard enough to start losing yourself, this one will hit home. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a friend who loves water sports, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.

Be sure and give Logan a follow on Instagram @logan.grace16.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#251 - What if the biggest thing stopping you from traveling is not fear, money, or time, but the belief that you need permission first? I sit down with Jay Cameron, founder of Maximum Impact Travel, to unpack how a curious kid raised between D.C. and South Carolina became someone who has visited 56 countries, explored 25 African nations, and helped nearly 3,000 people take trips they once thought were out of reach.

Jay shares the real turning points: getting pushed into public speaking as an introverted teenager, realizing in his 40s that “someday” was getting expensive, and running what he calls the Uber experiment. Driving Uber did not hit the income goal he chased, but it did something better. It put him face to face with people from around the world, broke misconceptions, and built the confidence to book Ghana, then keep going.

We also talk about why Ghana reshaped his view of Africa, how curated group travel differs from simple booking, and how you can remove friction points like passports, visas, vaccine confusion, and safety anxiety. Jay explains why small groups matter, why elders traveling can light up an entire family, and what Mount Kilimanjaro taught him about finishing the last 2,000 feet when quitting feels logical.

If this conversation hits home, subscribe for more stories like it, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a rating or review so more people can find the show.

To learn more about Jay and the trips he offers check out www.maximumimpacttravel.com. Jay has also graciously offered his Departure Ready System free of charge to The Human Adventure listeners. To get this great resource simply send Jay a DM on Instagram @jaycameronofficial.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#250 - 250 episodes can look like a number on a screen, but it feels more like a trail you’ve walked one conversation at a time. Featuring my friend Colleen Avis as the host, we flip the script and Jake goes to the guest seat to talk about the real origin of The Human Adventure: burnout, the COVID shutdown, and that restless question of “who am I when work changes?” What starts as a practical creative outlet becomes something bigger, a storytelling podcast built on curiosity, empathy, and the belief that people are more than their headlines.

We dig into the moment the show shifted from “let’s talk about places” to “let’s talk about what a place, a loss, a win, or a risk does to a person.” Jake shares how guests opened up about grief, addiction, and resilience, and how hearing those stories changed the way he treats strangers, shows up with his family, and defines success. We also talk about the ethics of holding space, what happens when someone wants a clip pulled, and why staying genuine matters more than sounding polished.

Then we go behind the scenes: solo editing, weekly publishing, guest research, the sting of last-minute cancellations, and the weird unpredictability of podcast downloads when a “surprise” topic takes off. We close with Jake’s definition of adventure: being human, staying connected, stepping outside your comfort zone, and keeping moving through both the good and the hard.

If you’ve ever wanted to start a podcast, rebuild after a life shift, or simply feel less alone, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a review so more people can find The Human Adventure. 250 is just the beginning!!

Special thanks to Colleen Avis for hosting episode 250! To learn more about Colleen check out her website www.colleenaviscoaching.com and check her out Instagram @colleen_avis_coaching.

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#249 - What happens when the thing you’re most tempted to hide becomes the reason other people feel brave? Fashion designer and artist Wildy Martinez joins me for a conversation that moves from New York City childhood memories in Washington Heights and the Bronx to a hard-earned kind of confidence that only comes from being seen. Wildy shares what it was like growing up first-gen Dominican, learning independence early, and using imagination as a way to build a world bigger than her block.

We talk about her path into fashion, from sketching as a kid to studying at FIT and working in the industry, plus the pressure that can come with trying to be “cool” when you’re a young teen who actually loves school. Then the story pivots into the pandemic reset that sparked Wildflower Fields, her creative umbrella for fashion, art, and storytelling, and how the NFT wave introduced her to new ways of thinking about digital art, proof of ownership, and legacy.

At the center is vitiligo. Wildy breaks down what vitiligo is as an autoimmune condition, what it felt like to spend more than a decade covering her skin, and why representation matters for kids and adults who are living with visible differences. We also get into AI in creativity, the ethics of who gets represented in datasets, and how tools can be used to expand human imagination rather than erase it.

If you’ve ever felt different, underestimated, or stuck hiding a part of yourself, this one will land. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this episode with a friend, and leave a rating or review so more people can find these stories.

To learn more about Wildy check out her website www.wildflowerfields.art and check her out on Instagram @thewildflowerfields.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#248 - What do you do with a loss that never fully leaves you? I sat down with Nicole Jones Vogel, who lost her father to suicide at 25 and has spent the years since turning grief into advocacy, education, and real-world support for others. We go deep on what suicide loss actually feels like over time, why it can carry extra stigma and guilt, and how healing often happens in layers rather than milestones.

Nicole also teaches me something simple that changed the way I speak: many people in suicide prevention avoid “committed suicide” and say “died by suicide” instead, because words can either add shame or make space for compassion. From there we talk about family dynamics, substance use disorder, mental health, and the exhausting uncertainty of attempts or rehearsals. We also dig into a crucial skill for suicide prevention: asking directly. “Are you having suicidal thoughts?” and “Do you have a plan?” can be the difference between guessing and actually helping, and Nicole explains why talking about suicide doesn’t put the idea in someone’s head.

We also explore what support can look like years later, including AFSP community events, the Out of the Darkness walks, and how a single hug in a hallway can crack open a path toward healing. Nicole shares how she channels her “amplify” year into fundraising and polymer clay semicolon jewelry, a symbol that the story can continue instead of ending. If you care about mental health, men’s mental health, suicide prevention, grief support, and practical ways to show up for someone, this conversation will stay with you.

If this meant something to you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these stories.

To learn more about Nicole and her work please visit www.finchandfernstudio.com and check her out on Instagram @njonesvogel.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

#247 - Running away doesn’t heal you, but choosing a new direction might. Taylor Hutcheson (@taywanders) shares the real story behind her full-time travel life, from growing up in North Georgia to becoming a mom at 20 and leaving an abusive, controlling relationship with safety and fear both on the line. We talk candidly about what it takes to rebuild trust in yourself when you’ve been worn down, and why “freedom” is often something you learn by doing.

From there, adventure becomes more than scenery. Taylor explains how off-roading groups gave her an outlet for trauma, a way to gain confidence, and a community that actually protected and encouraged her. We dig into how she turned content creation into a career, including the moment she discovered UGC (user generated content) and realized you can work with brands without chasing a massive following. Then comes the plot twist: an Instagram giveaway that lands her on a trip to Alaska, a place she says “spoke to her soul” and changed what she believed was possible.

We also get practical about group travel and safety, including how she vets trip sign-ups today and why she prefers systems that let her keep awareness high. Taylor shares Iceland travel tips she’d give any first-timer (including why she says to avoid the Blue Lagoon), plus the hidden side of camper life: homeschooling on the road, building boundaries, and carrying the full mental load as a solo parent and business owner. If you’re into van life, solo travel, adventure therapy, Alaska, Iceland, or building a creator business, you’ll find plenty to take with you.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push toward their next brave choice, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway. What’s one adventure you’ve been saying “not yet” to?

To learn more about Taylor check out her website www.taywanders.com and give her a follow on Instagram @taywanders.

To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.

Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake

Discover the journeys that do more than take you somewhere new—they change the way you see yourself and the world. Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel explores unforgettable adventures, hidden places, and the transformative power of stepping beyond the familiar.

Check out Wayfinder Life-Changing Travel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.