"Hey everyone, and welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains Podcast!

Today, I’m joined by a true music omnivore and proud Deadhead—Jay Sweet.

Instagram profile : @IMAJS @FLOKISTUDIOS

Website : https:flokistudios.com/

Jay lives and breathes music. From sneaking into his first festival as a student to now serving as the Executive Director of the legendary Newport Folk Festival, his life has been shaped by sound, rhythm, and a deep love for the stories music can tell.

Growing up, Jay absorbed jazz from his father’s record collection—many of them marked with the phrase 'Live at Newport.' He later fell in love with the raw soul of Motown, the storytelling of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, the endless jams of the Grateful Dead, and the pulse of the blues.

But Jay's impact goes far beyond stages and crowds. He was part of the visionary team behind Flóki Studios—an extraordinary recording studio carved into the remote, rugged beauty of northern Iceland. Located on the Troll Peninsula, surrounded by towering mountains and the open sea, Flóki is more than a studio—it's a creative sanctuary.

In today’s episode, we explore how solitude, silence, and the natural world can unlock creativity in surprising ways. What is it about the atmosphere of the mountains that stirs something in artists? Can the rawness of nature lead to new musical frontiers?

We also dive into Jay’s passions beyond music—from skiing to surfing—and his guiding mantra: Be present. Be kind. Be open. Be together.

So whether you're a music lover, a creative spirit, or someone just looking to be inspired by the harmony between art and nature—this episode will speak to you.

Turn the volume up. Jay Sweet is in the house—and this conversation is going to eleven."

As a bonus episode, JAY agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal HIS true mountain character.

You can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation.

Hello friends, I am your host, Ashley Pettit welcome to the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.

Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

How can you help the show and grow the community?

Connect / leave a comment and follow

• Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Follow us on social media
• Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast
• Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast
• Join the conversation: Comment on Instagram or send us a message I'd love to hear from you.
• Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway from the show

Steph Davis takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and share her beliefs and aspirations.

"Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains Podcast!

Today, I’m joined by a fearless guest—the high-flying Steph Davis.

Instagram profile : @highsteph

Website : https://stephdavis.co/

Have you ever wished you could fly? I know I have. The closest I’ve come is a tandem paragliding flight. Steph knows exactly what real human flight feels like.

Steph Davis isn't just one of the world’s best rock climbers—she’s a force of nature.

From free soloing some of the most iconic rock faces to soaring through the skies in a wingsuit; she has redefined what’s possible in vertical and aerial adventure.

What makes Steph’s journey so fascinating is that she wasn’t an athletic child. Unlike many kids who dream of professional sports careers, her focus was on music—specifically, playing the piano.

She aspired to conquer the most challenging piano pieces, like Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3, rather than the toughest rock faces, like the Dawn Wall on El Capitan. In Yosemite national park

She went on to earn a master’s degree in Literature, but a chance meeting with another student changed everything. A simple question—‘Are you interested in trying rock climbing?’—set her on a path that would redefine her life.

Steph chose to follow her own path, not the one set by society or expected by loved ones.

The mountains called, and she answered. . . . But she didn’t stop at just climbing—she wanted to confront fear head-on. And for her, that meant learning to fall, something that goes against every instinct of a climber.

Her hunger to understand fear led her to become a qualified parachute jumper—not to skydive, but as a stepping stone to BASE jumping and eventually flying with a wingsuit.

This conversation goes deep—we talk about the power of a positive mindset, the importance of incremental growth, and why you can’t tackle something major without first conquering something small.

So, whether you’re a music lover, a thrill-seeker, or someone looking to master your fears to achieve your goals, this episode has something for you.

So, buckle up, because this is going to be an stimulating flight.

As a bonus episode, Steph agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal her true mountain character.

You can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation.

Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.

Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

How can you help the show and grow the community?

Connect / leave a comment and follow

• Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Follow us on social media
• Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast
• Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast
• Join the conversation: Comment on Instagram or send us a message I'd love to hear from you.
• Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway from the show

Giulia Monego takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and share her beliefs and aspirations.

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Beyond the Mountains podcast!

Today, I’m joined by an incredible guest—Giulia Monego.

Instagram profile : @giuliamonego

She’s a big mountain athlete with a passion for skiing steep terrain, but that’s just the beginning of her story.

Giulia grew up in Venice, Italy—a city surrounded by water and canals, far from the mountains—but thanks to her ski-loving parents, she spent winters in Cortina, where she fell in love with speed, competition, and the thrill of the slopes.

She started as an alpine ski racer, became a ski instructor, and then pushed herself even further into the world of big mountain free-ride competitions.

But for Giulia, growth has always come from stepping outside the box.

Her hunger for new challenges led her to become one of the few fully qualified female mountain guides based in Chamonix France — breaking barriers and deepening her connection to the mountains in the process.

And in yet another out-of-the-box move, she’s now training as an osteopath, combining her love of movement with a desire to help others stay strong, mobile, and pain-free in the mountains she calls home.

This conversation goes deep—we talk about the psychology of pushing limits, decision-making in high-risk environments, the impact of mentors, climate change and even the role of mountains as therapy in an increasingly chaotic world.

We also dive into the power of stepping outside our comfort zones—because, as Giulia sees it, true growth happens when we challenge ourselves.

So, whether you’re a skier, an adventurer, or just someone looking for inspiration, this episode has something for you.

As a bonus episode, Giulia agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal her true mountain character.

So you can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation. This is where we play around and have a bit of fun.

Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to season 4, episode 1 of the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.

Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

No, hang on a minute, Giulia is Italian, so instead of saying Allons-y which is French for let's go, I need to say Andiamo.

So let's start the intro music, and get on with the show. Andiamo !

How can you help the show and grow the community?

Connect / leave a comment and follow

• Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Follow us on social media
• Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast
• Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast
• Join the conversation: Comment on instagram or send us a message I'd love to hear from you.
• Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

Gareth Hoddinott takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

Sebastien Jarrot takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

My guest today is Gareth Hoddinott.

And he is a coffee roaster from the French Alps

On today's show, we sit down and have a cup of coffee together. In fact, we sit down in his little coffee roasting shed in the French Alps and as Gareth says, we have a good old chat.

I miss coffee culture and catching up with friends over a cup of coffee. It is one of the things I am looking forward to doing when I go back to Australia in November to see old friends and hang out with my family.

On this episode as we get to know Gareth through the chapters of where he lives, what he does for work and how he plays.

We talk about the coffee scene in Dunedin NZ where he is from, the differences between French and English cultures, the struggles of being an immigrant, and the simple pleasure of sharing a coffee with a friend.

Gareth dives into the roast coffee process and explains the special relationship between coffee and music.

This was a good old chat and if you enjoy this conversation, you will enjoy his coffee.

As a special off for the listeners of this podcast, Gareth is offering you a 20% discount when you order online.

You can use the promo code "BEYONDTHEMOUNTAINS" all in one word and in UPPER CASE when you buy some tasty coffee.

He can ship to most of Europe so go to the website. You'll find some Ethiopian coffee and some coffee from Peru and Guatemala.

Website is : WWW.MRBLANCHOTCOFFEE.COM

As a bonus episode, Gareth also agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal his true mountain character. So you can listen to that as a bonus episode later on over a coffee.

Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to another episode of beyond the mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.

So, Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

Buy direct from your website

Instagram @MR.BLANCHOTBRULERIEALPINE

Website : WWW.MRBLANCHOTCOFFEE.COM