Avoiding Buses and Buffet Lines: Reinventing Travel with Zach Smith of Anywhere.com
Description
Welcome to the Experiences Podcast!
Mark Sandeno sits down with longtime friend and fellow adventurer Zach Smith, founder of Anywhere.com — a global travel platform that’s redefining how we explore the world.
In this episode, we go deep on:
🌍 The origin story: How Zach went from body surfing and hammocks to building one of the most thoughtful travel companies in the world
🔁 From chance meeting to startup launch: The unlikely business plan that began with a dusty office in Costa Rica
🤝 Why co-created travel matters: Personalized trips, informed travelers, and meaningful connections with local cultures
💡 The Anywhere model: Tech-enabled, human-powered itineraries that deliver immersive, regret-free experiences
⚖️ Mass travel vs. mindful travel: How convenience and cost miss what great travel is really about
🌱 What’s next: New geographies in development (Greece, Morocco, Italy, Mexico) and how Anywhere continues to scale with integrity
Whether you’re a traveler looking for deeper experiences or an entrepreneur building something that matters, this conversation will challenge your thinking on what modern travel should be.
🌐 Learn More
- Visit: https://anywhere.com
- Follow Anywhere on Instagram and Trustpilot
- Try planning your own trip: anywhere.com
Sponsored by ExperiencesApp.com
Are you a retailer looking to offer bookable in-person experiences?
Forget clunky third-party booking tools. ExperiencesApp.com lets you sell appointments, classes, and events natively through your Shopify store.
→ Free 14-day trial, no credit card required.
🎧 Listen & Subscribe
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music
Leave us a review if this episode inspired you!




