What happens when you turn 30 and your life looks nothing like the version you imagined in your twenties?

In this raw and honest solo episode, I reflect on the expectations I had for turning 30 — the career ladder, the house, the partner, the stability — and why none of that actually happened… and why that might be the best thing that ever happened to me.

Instead of following the traditional path, I found myself building a life around freedom, travel, creativity, and connection. From walking away from toxic stability, to starting over during a pandemic, to building community on a tiny island in Portugal — this is the story of how I’ve redefined success in my 30s.

If you're approaching 30, already there, or just feeling like your life isn't matching the timeline you expected — this episode is for you.

We talk about:

• Letting go of the “perfect life” plan

• Moving abroad and starting from scratch

• Redefining what success means at 30

• Celebrating the things we did figure out

• Finding joy and alignment off the traditional path

💬 Let’s normalize not having it all figured out by 30 — and maybe even celebrate it.

🎧 Tune in and don’t forget to follow Poncha Talk for more honest conversations about remote life, personal growth, and choosing your own path.

🔗 Connect with me on social media:
📸 Instagram: @ponchatalk
🎥 TikTok: @ponchatalk
🌍 Website: madeirafriends.org

🎙️ Listen on your favorite platform:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube (search Poncha Talk)

To celebrate my 30th birthday, I took a sunset hike with eight of my closest friends — and brought my mic along. In this special episode, we talk about everything from what we thought we’d have figured out by now (spoiler: not much) to what truly matters less as we grow older.

We laugh, we reflect, and we share stories.Whether you're turning 30 soon, already there, or just love a good mix of wisdom and chaos, this one’s for you. Recorded on the trail, raw and real — just the way I like it.

Don't forget to follow Poncha Talk on Social Media @ponchatalk for regular updates about living abroad, remote work, and personal growth!

This week on Poncha Talk, I hiked and talked with my good friend Brandon Harpold (@brandonharpold), who brings a refreshing and philosophical lens to the remote lifestyle.

After getting laid off from his job as a human factors engineer, Brandon chose to take a very different path—he’s now building a life as a speaker, coach, and online philosopher. We explore what it means to live intentionally, build meaningful friendships as a nomad, and experiment boldly with life (including that one time he became a stripper—for one night only).

We also dig into how social media has shaped our attention spans and how Brandon uses short-form content to make big ideas more accessible in today’s fast-scroll world.

This episode is thoughtful, unexpected, and full of reminders not to take life too seriously.

Follow Brandon on Instagram: @brandonharpold
Follow the podcast: @ponchatalk

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
0:55 – Brandon’s story: from engineer to coach to philosopher
12:05 – Nomad friendships through a philosophical lens
22:10 – How social media reshapes our attention span (and Brandon’s bite-size approach to big ideas)
27:45 – The one-night stripping story: curiosity, friends, and bold life experiments
41:04 – Embracing silliness and the role of play in adult life