When Gary Arndt realized he didn’t want a career in academia, he sold his house with the goal of traveling around the world for a year or two. That one or two years turned into 13. He came home from his last international trip before the Covid pandemic hit. That’s when life was turned upside down.
He was an accomplished world-renowned travel blogger and photographer who lost all of his contracts overnight. All of the traffic to his website dried up. He stopped making affiliate sales.
He decided he needed to pivot. That’s when Gary launched “Everything Everywhere Daily,” a daily educational podcast that covers history, science, mathematics, biographies, and more.
Every day, Gary shares something completely different that he finds fascinating. Since July 1st, 2020, he’s reached over 1,100 episodes and the podcast gets over 1 million downloads a month.
Listen in to learn how to live a life of joy geared around the things you love to do most (and how to share it with the world).
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…
- Learn more about Gary Arndt and “Everything Everywhere Daily [2:49]
- What inspired Gary to stay on the road and travel the world [5:55]
- Gary’s advice for someone dreaming about traveling the world [7:50]
- Gary’s thought process with the Everything Everywhere Daily podcast [11:02]
- How Gary finds the inspiration to create a daily episode [12:49]
- Some lesser-known destinations more people should visit [15:27]
- How Gary’s travel experience has shaped his perspective on the world [20:00]
- Why Gary wouldn’t invest in pursuing a social media strategy [23:40]
- Gary’s advice to capture the beauty of the world as you travel [28:31]
- What Gary did today that put him in the right mindset for success [31:50]
What inspired Gary to travel the world
Most people only hit major cities and high points when they travel. Gary decided to go everywhere, including obscure and remote places, during a time when very few people did. It took Gary six months just to cross the Pacific Ocean, hopping from island to island.
Gary thinks everyone should travel for three months at least once in their life. The best time to do it is between major life events, such as a gap year before college, in between jobs, after retirement, etc. You can throw your things in storage. Travel can be affordable when you aren’t having to pay a mortgage and other bills.
If you insist on only staying in five-star hotels in Europe, you’ll be spending a lot of money. But if you’re willing to stay in small guest houses or hostels, you’ll be shocked at how little it costs to travel. You can make it work if you want to. You just need to make a concrete step and get a plan in place.
Gary’s thought process with the Everything Everywhere Daily podcast
Gary’s created his podcast to be a business from day one. His very first episode had an ad in it because he wanted people to expect ads. He created his own ads for affiliate programs and products. It took 18 months to build an audience large enough to gain attention from networks. 12 months later, he was able to really monetize the podcast.
Gary emphasizes that podcasts are easily scalable. You can increase your audience tenfold without increasing your input tenfold. Gary has very little overhead because he does the research, the writing, and all of the production.
When Gary started his show, he wrote down a list of 100 show ideas. Many of them he has yet to do episodes on and his list continues to grow. One show begets new ideas for other shows.
Why Gary wouldn’t invest in pursuing a social media strategy
Gary has millions of social media followers, yet he rarely touches social media anymore. Why? Because he believes—and I’m inclined to agree—that podcasting is the superior vehicle for developing a following.
When someone listens to your voice for an extended period, it establishes authority, expertise, and experience, in a way you can’t do via a written message or image on social media.
Do you remember the last 10 things you liked on social media? Most people can’t remember. If it doesn’t stick, what is the point? When you listen to someone’s podcast and build a deeper understanding of someone, it’s far more profound, even if the “numbers” are smaller than the numbers on social media.
Companies have constricted your ability to get your message out so much that it’s not worth making the center of your marketing. Very successful podcasters have a targeted niche and a small audience.
Gary shares some often overlooked places he recommends everyone travel as well as tips on documenting your adventures. Don’t miss this episode.
Resources & People Mentioned
- The Everything Everywhere Podcast
- Nahanni National Park Reserve
- The island of Dominica
- The island of Samoa
- The island of Fiji
Connect with Gary Arndt
Bio
Gary Arndt is the host of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Before launching Everything Everywhere Daily in July 2020, he spent the previous 13 years traveling around the world. His travels have taken him to over 200 countries/territories, and all 50 US states….twice!
His blog Everything Everywhere was named one of the Top 25 Blogs in the world by Time Magazine. He has also appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, the BBC, and National Geographic.
He is also one of the world’s most accomplished travel photographers. He was named Travel Photographer of the Year in 2014 by the Society of American Travel Writers and in 2013 & 2015 by the North American Travel Journalists Association. He is also a 3-time Lowell Thomas Award winner, which is considered to be the Pulitzer Prize for Travel Journalism.
Gary currently hosts and produces the “Everything Everywhere Daily” podcast. It features stories of people, places, and things covering a wide variety of topics, including history, science, and geography.
The podcast gets over one million downloads a month and has a loyal worldwide following.
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