<![CDATA[The Majlis Podcast]]>Majlis is the Arabic word for “a place where people gather to sit, talk, and exchange ideas.”

The Majlis Podcast is built around that idea, featuring thoughtful, open conversations with creative people from different backgrounds, crafts, and professions. Hosted by Ahmed, the podcast gives space to people who create, build, and shape the world in their own way, with the goal of learning directly from their experiences, curiosity, and dedication to their craft.

Pull up a seat — you’re welcome in the Majlis.

]]>https://ahmedwarreth.com/themajlispodcastRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:12:15 GMTThu, 25 Dec 2025 15:21:12 GMT60Ahmed W<p><b>Majlis</b> is the Arabic word for <i>“a place where people gather to sit, talk, and exchange ideas.”</i><br /><br /><b>The Majlis Podcast</b> is built around that idea, featuring thoughtful, open conversations with creative people from different backgrounds, crafts, and professions. Hosted by Ahmed, the podcast gives space to people who create, build, and shape the world in their own way, with the goal of learning directly from their experiences, curiosity, and dedication to their craft.</p><p></p><p>Pull up a seat — you’re welcome in the Majlis.</p>episodicAhmed Wahmedwarreth@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Episode 7: The Pianist - Playing With Your Back to the Room]]>In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Nicolas Streichenberg — the Swiss pianist and psycho-automatic improvisationist behind Yes It's Ananias. He traces his path from a grandmother's Vivaldi CD in Baden, through ten years as organist in Swiss indie rock band Who's Panda, to recording fully improvised albums in a Mexican desert studio and a Finnish winter cabin. They also talk about playing with your back to the audience, John Coltrane and wrong notes, and a license plate reading YIA 5555 that led him to Finland for his fifth record.

Links

Website: https://www.yesitsananias.com
Bandcamp: https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com
New album (YIA V — out Sep 11): https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com/album/yes-its-ananias-v-opus-viisi-as-a-fifth-force-forming-forgotten-alliances-between-past-predictions-and-present-powers-of-zenith
Spotify: https://music.imusician.pro/a/lMN1jBVH/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/YesItsAnanias

Tour Dates

  • Fri 11 Sep 2026 — Dorfkapelle Anglikon, Wohlen 🇨🇭 — Record Release Show, 20:00
  • Sat 12 Sep 2026 — Galotti Musikwerkstatt, Zurich 🇨🇭 — 20:00
  • Sun 13 Sep 2026 — Les Noisarelles Festival, Guebwiller 🇫🇷 — 14:00
  • Thu 24 Sep 2026 — Odeon, Brugg 🇨🇭 — Film screening "The Quintessence"
  • Sat 31 Oct 2026 — Pianodrome, Edinburgh 🇬🇧 — 20:00
  • Wed 4 Nov 2026 — Kulturhaus Cheesmeyer, Sissach 🇨🇭 — 20:30
  • Thu 5 Nov 2026 — Hotel Jakob, Rapperswil 🇨🇭 — 20:00
  • Sat 7 Nov 2026 — Kultur Kindergarten, Ennetbaden 🇨🇭 — 21:00
  • Sun 15 Nov 2026 — Hakasalmen Huvila, Helsinki 🇫🇮 — 14:00
  • Sun 15 Nov 2026 — Uusi Sauna, Helsinki 🇫🇮 — 19:00
  • Sat 21 Nov 2026 — Larry's Corner, Stockholm 🇸🇪 — 20:00
  • Thu 10 Dec 2026 — Kultur Im Tipi, Baden 🇨🇭 — 20:00
    Full tour info: https://www.yesitsananias.com/shows

00:00 The Quintessence [Music Intro]

00:49 "No One Is Waiting for Me"

03:46 Vivaldi, a Grandmother, and a Grandfather Who Took Up Cello at 50

06:00 150 Shows With Who's Panda — and Why It Was Always the Kinks

09:39 Psycho-Automatic — Allen Ginsberg and the Beat Writers

12:07 The Last Show Before Corona

14:14 Playing With Your Back to the Audience

18:24 "If You Know What's Going On, You've Already Lost Your Way"

20:43 The Most Honest Music That Exists

24:35 November Breakup, a Phone Call to Mexico, Two Days in the Desert

29:06 Last Note, Ten Minutes, an Interview — Flabbergasted at the Piano

35:32 A License Plate Said YIA 5555

39:20 Five Hours of Daylight — Recording in February Finland

43:10 The Quintessence and a Melody That Scared Him as a Kid

46:28 Viisi Uritusta — Five Attempts, All Left In

49:57 "If You Could Only Read What's in a Tear"

52:19 Doom Scrolling and the Duty to Make Music Matter Again

55:57 "I Wanna Touch Music, Not Scroll It"

]]>9cf0dd71-d902-4975-8b08-057234be57acSun, 06 Sep 2026 18:37:24 GMT<p>In this episode of <i>Majlis</i>, Ahmed sits down with Nicolas Streichenberg — the Swiss pianist and psycho-automatic improvisationist behind Yes It's Ananias. He traces his path from a grandmother's Vivaldi CD in Baden, through ten years as organist in Swiss indie rock band Who's Panda, to recording fully improvised albums in a Mexican desert studio and a Finnish winter cabin. They also talk about playing with your back to the audience, John Coltrane and wrong notes, and a license plate reading YIA 5555 that led him to Finland for his fifth record.</p><hr /><h3>Links</h3><p><b>Website:</b> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.yesitsananias.com" target="_blank">https://www.yesitsananias.com</a><br /><b>Bandcamp:</b> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com</a><br /><b>New album (YIA V — out Sep 11):</b> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com/album/yes-its-ananias-v-opus-viisi-as-a-fifth-force-forming-forgotten-alliances-between-past-predictions-and-present-powers-of-zenith" target="_blank">https://yesitsananias.bandcamp.com/album/yes-its-ananias-v-opus-viisi-as-a-fifth-force-forming-forgotten-alliances-between-past-predictions-and-present-powers-of-zenith</a><br /><b>Spotify:</b> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://music.imusician.pro/a/lMN1jBVH/" target="_blank">https://music.imusician.pro/a/lMN1jBVH/</a><br /><b>YouTube:</b> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/YesItsAnanias" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/YesItsAnanias</a></p><hr /><h3>Tour Dates</h3><ul><li>Fri 11 Sep 2026 — Dorfkapelle Anglikon, Wohlen 🇨🇭 — Record Release Show, 20:00</li><li>Sat 12 Sep 2026 — Galotti Musikwerkstatt, Zurich 🇨🇭 — 20:00</li><li>Sun 13 Sep 2026 — Les Noisarelles Festival, Guebwiller 🇫🇷 — 14:00</li><li>Thu 24 Sep 2026 — Odeon, Brugg 🇨🇭 — Film screening "The Quintessence"</li><li>Sat 31 Oct 2026 — Pianodrome, Edinburgh 🇬🇧 — 20:00</li><li>Wed 4 Nov 2026 — Kulturhaus Cheesmeyer, Sissach 🇨🇭 — 20:30</li><li>Thu 5 Nov 2026 — Hotel Jakob, Rapperswil 🇨🇭 — 20:00</li><li>Sat 7 Nov 2026 — Kultur Kindergarten, Ennetbaden 🇨🇭 — 21:00</li><li>Sun 15 Nov 2026 — Hakasalmen Huvila, Helsinki 🇫🇮 — 14:00</li><li>Sun 15 Nov 2026 — Uusi Sauna, Helsinki 🇫🇮 — 19:00</li><li>Sat 21 Nov 2026 — Larry's Corner, Stockholm 🇸🇪 — 20:00</li><li>Thu 10 Dec 2026 — Kultur Im Tipi, Baden 🇨🇭 — 20:00<br />Full tour info: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.yesitsananias.com/shows" target="_blank">https://www.yesitsananias.com/shows</a></li></ul><p></p><p>00:00 The Quintessence [Music Intro]</p><p>00:49 "No One Is Waiting for Me"</p><p>03:46 Vivaldi, a Grandmother, and a Grandfather Who Took Up Cello at 50</p><p>06:00 150 Shows With Who's Panda — and Why It Was Always the Kinks</p><p>09:39 Psycho-Automatic — Allen Ginsberg and the Beat Writers</p><p>12:07 The Last Show Before Corona</p><p>14:14 Playing With Your Back to the Audience</p><p>18:24 "If You Know What's Going On, You've Already Lost Your Way"</p><p>20:43 The Most Honest Music That Exists</p><p>24:35 November Breakup, a Phone Call to Mexico, Two Days in the Desert</p><p>29:06 Last Note, Ten Minutes, an Interview — Flabbergasted at the Piano</p><p>35:32 A License Plate Said YIA 5555</p><p>39:20 Five Hours of Daylight — Recording in February Finland</p><p>43:10 The Quintessence and a Melody That Scared Him as a Kid</p><p>46:28 Viisi Uritusta — Five Attempts, All Left In</p><p>49:57 "If You Could Only Read What's in a Tear"</p><p>52:19 Doom Scrolling and the Duty to Make Music Matter Again</p><p>55:57 "I Wanna Touch Music, Not Scroll It"</p>no00:56:0317Episode 7: The Pianist - Playing With Your Back to the Roomfull<![CDATA[Episode 6 : The Surfing Trail Runner]]>n this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Gusthavo, a Brazilian surf instructor and lifeguard who left a small beach town called Balneário Camboriú in Santa Catarina, Brazil, for Lisbon, learned English in Dublin with €250 to his name, and found his way to the Azores and then Ericeira.

From becoming a lifeguard to teaching surf and winning his first long distance trail race, he traces a journey built on two things his parents weren't sure about.

They also talk about what it feels like to go back home and find nothing has changed, running 50 kilometres in the Dolomites having never run that distance before, and what it's like to want to quit at kilometre 20 and you still have over 30 kilometres to go.

Follow Gusthavo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gusthavosimas/
Surf with him in Ericeira: https://mellowmove.com/en/
Support a local small business in the Azores: https://www.azoresgarden.com/

00:00 Growing Up in Santa Catarina
03:26 Becoming a Lifeguard
12:35 Why He Left Brazil
14:23 The Two Things His Parents Weren't Sure About
15:23 Moving to Portugal in 2018
18:40 Seven Months in Dublin
21:28 Getting to the Azores
25:30 On Taking the Leap
31:32 Working to Live
32:41 Going Back to Brazil
35:34 Life on the Island
37:36 Friends Who Stayed, Friends Who Left
42:31 Moving to Ericeira
47:54 On Teaching Surfing
55:44 The Most Common Mistake Beginners Make
1:02:03 How Trail Running Started
1:05:29 Deciding to Run Lavaredo
1:07:14 His First 50K
1:11:41 Winning His First Race
1:13:42 On the Mental Side of Trail Running
1:18:42 A Story About Nearly Quitting
1:23:11 How He Trains
1:27:28 Where He'd Go — Surf and Trail
1:31:02 On Taking Opportunities

The Majlis Podcast is about craft, physical presence, and unconventional paths. Subscribe for new episodes.

]]>0b70d8c6-2204-464c-a1a6-b96fefb6b54dSat, 21 Mar 2026 23:10:10 GMT<p>n this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Gusthavo, a Brazilian surf instructor and lifeguard who left a small beach town called Balneário Camboriú in Santa Catarina, Brazil, for Lisbon, learned English in Dublin with €250 to his name, and found his way to the Azores and then Ericeira. </p><p></p><p>From becoming a lifeguard to teaching surf and winning his first long distance trail race, he traces a journey built on two things his parents weren't sure about. </p><p></p><p>They also talk about what it feels like to go back home and find nothing has changed, running 50 kilometres in the Dolomites having never run that distance before, and what it's like to want to quit at kilometre 20 and you still have over 30 kilometres to go.<br /><br />Follow Gusthavo on Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/gusthavosimas/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/gusthavosimas/</a><br />Surf with him in Ericeira: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mellowmove.com/en/" target="_blank">https://mellowmove.com/en/</a><br />Support a local small business in the Azores: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.azoresgarden.com/" target="_blank">https://www.azoresgarden.com/</a><br /><br />00:00 Growing Up in Santa Catarina<br />03:26 Becoming a Lifeguard<br />12:35 Why He Left Brazil<br />14:23 The Two Things His Parents Weren't Sure About<br />15:23 Moving to Portugal in 2018<br />18:40 Seven Months in Dublin<br />21:28 Getting to the Azores<br />25:30 On Taking the Leap<br />31:32 Working to Live<br />32:41 Going Back to Brazil<br />35:34 Life on the Island<br />37:36 Friends Who Stayed, Friends Who Left<br />42:31 Moving to Ericeira<br />47:54 On Teaching Surfing<br />55:44 The Most Common Mistake Beginners Make<br />1:02:03 How Trail Running Started<br />1:05:29 Deciding to Run Lavaredo<br />1:07:14 His First 50K<br />1:11:41 Winning His First Race<br />1:13:42 On the Mental Side of Trail Running<br />1:18:42 A Story About Nearly Quitting<br />1:23:11 How He Trains<br />1:27:28 Where He'd Go — Surf and Trail<br />1:31:02 On Taking Opportunities<br /><br />The Majlis Podcast is about craft, physical presence, and unconventional paths. Subscribe for new episodes.</p>no01:32:0116Episode 6 : The Surfing Trail Runnerfull<![CDATA[Episode 5: The BJJ Black Belt - From Fencing to opening a Jiu Jitsu Gym]]>In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Scout — a BJJ black belt, former competitive fencer, and co-founder of Alcateia Jiu Jitsu in Zurich. She traces her path from burning out of fencing at 19, to walking alone into her first BJJ class, to opening a gym with her husband Lucas.

They also talk about the reality check of running a small business, and what it means to slow down when someone else becomes the priority.

00:00 Before the Mat — Fencing, Five Years Old 

02:38 November 2017 — First BJJ Class 

04:22 Burnout at 19 

08:27 Let Them Have Fun First 

11:27 Nearly Quit, A Lot of Times 

14:36 Advice for Men Rolling with Women 

17:28 What to Look For in a Gym 

20:18 Two Weeks to Open 

26:52 The Reality Check Nobody Warns You About 

31:02 A Place to Be Vulnerable 

33:23 Airplane Mode — Competition Mindset 

38:05 It's Normal to Be Nervous 

42:12 Don't Stop 

45:00 Surprise, You're Gonna Be a Dad

]]>a5c78a3d-576b-4e7a-a269-c54bfd958290Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:05:35 GMT<p><b>In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Scout — a BJJ black belt, former competitive fencer, and co-founder of Alcateia Jiu Jitsu in Zurich. She traces her path from burning out of fencing at 19, to walking alone into her first BJJ class, to opening a gym with her husband Lucas.</b></p><p></p><p><b>They also talk about the reality check of running a small business, and what it means to slow down when someone else becomes the priority.</b></p><p></p><p></p><p><b>00:00</b> Before the Mat — Fencing, Five Years Old </p><p><b>02:38</b> November 2017 — First BJJ Class </p><p><b>04:22</b> Burnout at 19 </p><p><b>08:27</b> Let Them Have Fun First </p><p><b>11:27</b> Nearly Quit, A Lot of Times </p><p><b>14:36</b> Advice for Men Rolling with Women </p><p><b>17:28</b> What to Look For in a Gym </p><p><b>20:18</b> Two Weeks to Open </p><p><b>26:52</b> The Reality Check Nobody Warns You About </p><p><b>31:02</b> A Place to Be Vulnerable </p><p><b>33:23</b> Airplane Mode — Competition Mindset </p><p><b>38:05</b> It's Normal to Be Nervous </p><p><b>42:12</b> Don't Stop </p><p><b>45:00</b> Surprise, You're Gonna Be a Dad</p><p></p>no01:08:5415Episode 5: The BJJ Black Belt - From Fencing to opening a Jiu Jitsu Gymfull<![CDATA[Episode 4: The Ecotourism Builder - From Brazil’s Eco-Lodges to São Tomé’s Wild Frontiers]]>In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits with Bastien Loloum, an ecotourism builder whose path led him from Brazil’s early eco-lodges to a life rooted in São Tomé.

What began as a one-year volunteer mission turned into decades of living, working, and building alongside nature and community — from sea turtle conservation and national parks to farming, vanilla, and quiet tourism far from the beaten path.

A conversation about patience, responsibility, and what it really means to grow with a place rather than extract from it.


Pull up a seat — you’re welcome in the Majlis.

00:42 Introduction

01:00 Leaving Home With No Plan

03:33 Brazil Changed My Life

09:45 When Tourism Destroys Paradise

13:48 Why I Rejected a Normal Career

16:15 The Country I Didn’t Know Existed

21:00 Building Tourism Before Tourists

28:55 Inside a Hidden Ecosystem

38:00 One Year Became a Lifetime

40:45 A small Deal That Changed Everything

57:40 What Most Travelers Get Wrong About Ecotourism

Stay on Bastien’s Farm

VANHA Plantation Bungalow
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/684077743332900612

VANHA Cottage at the Farm
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/567012024464664974

The Jams

Delícias das Ilhas — Jams, spices & local products from São Tomé
https://deliciasdasilhas.weebly.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

Support São Tomé’s NGOs

Programa Tatô — Sea turtle conservation and community engagement across São Tomé
https://en.programatato.org/

Fundação Príncipe (Príncipe Trust) — Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development on Príncipe Island
https://www.programmeppi.org/en/beneficiaire/fpt-fundacao-principe-trust/

More Reading

Ahmed’s blog post: São Tomé, January 2026
https://ahmedwarreth.com/travel-log/the-island-you-probably-never-heard-aboutsonbsptom

]]>deab42eb-4987-40c9-b88a-935010b5559aTue, 20 Jan 2026 16:49:52 GMT<p>In this episode of <i>Majlis</i>, Ahmed sits with Bastien Loloum, an ecotourism builder whose path led him from Brazil’s early eco-lodges to a life rooted in São Tomé.<br /></p><p>What began as a one-year volunteer mission turned into decades of living, working, and building alongside nature and community — from sea turtle conservation and national parks to farming, vanilla, and quiet tourism far from the beaten path.<br /></p><p>A conversation about patience, responsibility, and what it really means to grow <i>with</i> a place rather than extract from it.</p><p><br />Pull up a seat — you’re welcome in the Majlis.</p><p></p><p>00:42 Introduction</p><p>01:00 Leaving Home With No Plan</p><p>03:33 Brazil Changed My Life</p><p>09:45 When Tourism Destroys Paradise</p><p>13:48 Why I Rejected a Normal Career</p><p>16:15 The Country I Didn’t Know Existed</p><p>21:00 Building Tourism Before Tourists</p><p>28:55 Inside a Hidden Ecosystem</p><p>38:00 One Year Became a Lifetime</p><p>40:45 A small Deal That Changed Everything</p><p>57:40 What Most Travelers Get Wrong About Ecotourism</p><p></p><p><b>Stay on Bastien’s Farm</b></p><p><b>VANHA Plantation Bungalow</b><br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/684077743332900612" target="_blank">https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/684077743332900612</a></p><p><b>VANHA Cottage at the Farm</b><br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/567012024464664974" target="_blank">https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/567012024464664974</a></p><p></p><p><b>The Jams</b></p><p><b>Delícias das Ilhas</b> — Jams, spices &amp; local products from São Tomé<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://deliciasdasilhas.weebly.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html" target="_blank">https://deliciasdasilhas.weebly.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html</a></p><p></p><p><b>Support São Tomé’s NGOs</b></p><p><b>Programa Tatô</b> — Sea turtle conservation and community engagement across São Tomé<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.programatato.org/" target="_blank">https://en.programatato.org/</a></p><p><b>Fundação Príncipe (Príncipe Trust)</b> — Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development on Príncipe Island<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.programmeppi.org/en/beneficiaire/fpt-fundacao-principe-trust/" target="_blank">https://www.programmeppi.org/en/beneficiaire/fpt-fundacao-principe-trust/</a></p><p></p><p><b>More Reading</b></p><p>Ahmed’s blog post: <i>São Tomé, January 2026</i><br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ahmedwarreth.com/travel-log/the-island-you-probably-never-heard-aboutsonbsptom" target="_blank">https://ahmedwarreth.com/travel-log/the-island-you-probably-never-heard-aboutsonbsptom</a><br /></p>no01:10:4714Episode 4: The Ecotourism Builder - From Brazil’s Eco-Lodges to São Tomé’s Wild Frontiersfull<![CDATA[Episode 3: The Electrician : From Screens to Sockets]]>In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits down with Vinny, who left a tech support job and started over as a first-year apprentice electrician. He shares what pushed him to make the change, how fast it all happened, and what life looks like now on a busy industrial site — from early starts and safety culture to learning on the job with zero ego. They also talk about transferable skills from tech, making mistakes without fear, and Vinny’s growing respect (and renewed fear) of electricity.

00:00 The Transition from Tech to Trade

03:35 Finding Purpose in Hands-On Work

08:20 Navigating the Job Application Process

13:31 Mental Health and Career Change

16:09 First Week as an Apprentice

19:15 Transferable Skills from IT to Electrical Work

21:14 Daily Structure on a Construction Site

24:14 Navigating the Apprenticeship Journey

26:45 Cultural Shifts in Construction

29:06 Women in Trades: Progress and Challenges

30:26 Home Renovation: Learning Through Experience

34:16 Safety First: Lessons from Mistakes

36:34 Respecting Electricity: A Newfound Awareness

39:33 Investing in Quality Tools

44:38 Reflections on Growth and Sharing Experiences

]]>6b816ea3-1d0f-40ec-9ec5-e90c0813b206Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:42:42 GMT<p>In this episode of <b>Majlis</b>, Ahmed sits down with <b>Vinny</b>, who left a tech support job and started over as a <b>first-year apprentice electrician</b>. He shares what pushed him to make the change, how fast it all happened, and what life looks like now on a busy industrial site — from early starts and safety culture to learning on the job with zero ego. They also talk about transferable skills from tech, making mistakes without fear, and Vinny’s growing respect (and renewed fear) of electricity.<br /><br />00:00 The Transition from Tech to Trade</p><p>03:35 Finding Purpose in Hands-On Work</p><p>08:20 Navigating the Job Application Process</p><p>13:31 Mental Health and Career Change</p><p>16:09 First Week as an Apprentice</p><p>19:15 Transferable Skills from IT to Electrical Work</p><p>21:14 Daily Structure on a Construction Site</p><p>24:14 Navigating the Apprenticeship Journey</p><p>26:45 Cultural Shifts in Construction</p><p>29:06 Women in Trades: Progress and Challenges</p><p>30:26 Home Renovation: Learning Through Experience</p><p>34:16 Safety First: Lessons from Mistakes</p><p>36:34 Respecting Electricity: A Newfound Awareness</p><p>39:33 Investing in Quality Tools</p><p>44:38 Reflections on Growth and Sharing Experiences</p>no00:47:0013Episode 3: The Electrician : From Screens to Socketsfull<![CDATA[Episode 2: The Craftsman - From Swiss Farms to Carpentry & Craft]]>Ahmed and Leo trace Leo’s path from a tool-filled barn in Herrliberg to a life built around making things in wood—starting with early projects like the Adirondack chair and the nerves of “selling your first real piece.”


They unpack Switzerland’s apprenticeship culture, including farm life (living with your boss) and how that responsibility shaped Leo’s mindset.


The conversation turns into a love letter to craft: why wood feels different than steel, why every board has a “personality,” and what makes work worth being proud of.

00:00 From barn curiosity to real projects

03:08 How it started : first build

07:21 The “be happy during the day” philosophy

08:46 Apprenticeships: freedom to pivot without panic

12:27 Farm life: long hours, different families, real growth

17:45 Canada: independence, culture shock, big-country energy

19:35 Becoming a carpenter: the exam + leveling up

24:28 Materials & meaning: wood, longevity, tools, and craft

35:49 Inspiration and Future Aspirations



]]>75b461fa-29d7-4e97-bcba-df0d9867c968Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:52:40 GMT<p>Ahmed and Leo trace Leo’s path from a tool-filled barn in Herrliberg to a life built around making things in wood—starting with early projects like the Adirondack chair and the nerves of “selling your first real piece.”</p><p><br />They unpack Switzerland’s apprenticeship culture, including farm life (living with your boss) and how that responsibility shaped Leo’s mindset.</p><p><br />The conversation turns into a love letter to craft: why wood feels different than steel, why every board has a “personality,” and what makes work worth being proud of.</p><p></p><p></p><p>00:00 From barn curiosity to real projects</p><p>03:08 How it started : first build</p><p>07:21 The “be happy during the day” philosophy</p><p>08:46 Apprenticeships: freedom to pivot without panic</p><p>12:27 Farm life: long hours, different families, real growth</p><p>17:45 Canada: independence, culture shock, big-country energy</p><p>19:35 Becoming a carpenter: the exam + leveling up</p><p>24:28 Materials &amp; meaning: wood, longevity, tools, and craft</p><p>35:49 Inspiration and Future Aspirations</p><p><br /><br /></p>no00:39:2212Episode 2: The Craftsman - From Swiss Farms to Carpentry & Craftfull<![CDATA[Episode 1 : The Forest Technician - From Finnish Cabins to Swiss Forests]]>In this conversation, Carl shares his deep-rooted connection to nature, stemming from his childhood experiences in Finland. He discusses his educational journey in biology and forestry, leading to his current role as a forest technician in Switzerland. Carl elaborates on the daily responsibilities of his job, the importance of sustainable forestry practices, and the challenges he faces in the field. He also offers valuable advice for those looking to enter the environmental sector, emphasizing the diverse opportunities available.

00:00 Growing Up in Nature

10:41 From Passion to Profession

16:38 Navigating Career Paths

21:21 Life as a Forest Technician

26:52 Long-Term Experiments in Forestry

29:20 Agility in Research Hypotheses

34:31 Forest Management and Ownership

40:52 Tools of the Trade

46:48 Challenges in Fieldwork

51:32 Getting Started in Forestry

54:19 The Beauty of Woodworking

]]>b62e0d0a-9534-43d2-bb0e-1281fb330a82Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:18:54 GMT<p>In this conversation, Carl shares his deep-rooted connection to nature, stemming from his childhood experiences in Finland. He discusses his educational journey in biology and forestry, leading to his current role as a forest technician in Switzerland. Carl elaborates on the daily responsibilities of his job, the importance of sustainable forestry practices, and the challenges he faces in the field. He also offers valuable advice for those looking to enter the environmental sector, emphasizing the diverse opportunities available. <br /></p><p>00:00 Growing Up in Nature</p><p>10:41 From Passion to Profession</p><p>16:38 Navigating Career Paths</p><p>21:21 Life as a Forest Technician</p><p>26:52 Long-Term Experiments in Forestry</p><p>29:20 Agility in Research Hypotheses</p><p>34:31 Forest Management and Ownership</p><p>40:52 Tools of the Trade</p><p>46:48 Challenges in Fieldwork</p><p>51:32 Getting Started in Forestry</p><p>54:19 The Beauty of Woodworking</p>no00:56:1911Episode 1 : The Forest Technician - From Finnish Cabins to Swiss Forestsfull