Sweathead, A Strategy Podcast Travel Adventures Plus 5 Strategies From Australia and Asia - Sit and Talk
Aug 14, 2025
Dive into travel tales that uncover the nuances of cultural interactions in vibrant cities like Sao Paulo and Medellín. Experience humorous yet eye-opening encounters while navigating social dynamics and language barriers. Reflect on creativity and identity, embodied in the playful 'four lesbian theory.' Learn about the harrowing side of travel with theft stories, emphasizing resilience and preparedness. Finally, explore the entertainment industry's challenges, mental health concerns, and the innovative strategies shaping the future in Asia.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Giving Away Work While On Tour
- Mark Pollard describes arriving in Ho Chi Minh City after a long travel run and explains he hadn't done a podcast in two months.
- He shares he uploaded a public Google Drive with 400 files and freebies as a spontaneous gesture to give things away.
Teaching At Microsoft And Cultural Nerves
- Mark recounts running a workshop for ~100 people at Microsoft in Redmond and his nervousness about audience energy.
- He contrasts different cultural audience responses and worries about entering rooms where people can't receive him.
Feeling Like A Ghost In Local Scenes
- He tells stories from Turkey and Brazil where being the obvious foreigner made social interaction awkward or limited.
- He reflects on high-context cultures and in-group dynamics that make approaching locals socially risky.
