The Greaterverse

Anne-Marie Kruk
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

The Greaterverse is a podcast about extraordinary people doing unexpected things to make the world a better place. Hosted by Anne-Marie Kruk, each episode explores the incredible stories, ideas and experiences of fascinating guests from around the world, from from athletes and filmmakers to entrepreneurs, scientists, wildlife rescuers, conservationists, authors, artists and everything in between. Each week you'll discover remarkable people, learn something new, and leave feeling more hopeful about what's possible. New episodes every Tuesday.

  1. 4d ago

    Alek Lev: From How I Met Your Mother to a Movie Without a Script

    For Alek Lev, creativity is not simply about what gets made. It is about the life lived while making it. In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Alek Lev, director, writer, producer, editor, podcaster and nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter. Alek’s creative path has taken him from making films with two VCRs as a child to theatre, filmmaking and working behind the scenes on How I Met Your Mother, where he created digital content, DVD extras and the show’s original podcast. Along the way, an almost accidental decision to study American Sign Language led to nearly 25 years of interpreting and deep, long-standing creative collaborations within the Deaf community. Today, Alek produces How We Made Your Mother with Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas, directs one-person theatre and continues experimenting with new ways of telling stories, including an entirely improvised feature film created from nothing over four days. In this conversation, you’ll hear: How Alek helped create the original How I Met Your Mother podcast before podcasting became mainstreamWhat learning American Sign Language taught him about Deaf culture, community and representationWhy Deaf creatives need opportunities and influence behind the camera, not only roles in front of itHow Alek and a team of improvisers created an entire feature film without a script, characters or plotWhy he, Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas chose creative independence when making How We Made Your Mother New Episodes Every Tuesday Episode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverse TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse Amazon Music → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse Episode Resources: Alek Lev/How We Made Your Mother Instagram → @howwemadeyourmother Alek Lev Website → aleklev.com HWMYM Website: https://www.howwemadeyourmother.com/

  2. Sep 1

    Joshua Coombes: Finding Purpose Through Human Connection

    For Joshua Coombes, connection begins with one thing: truly seeing the person in front of you. In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Joshua Coombes, speaker, author, educator and founder of #DoSomethingForNothing, a movement encouraging people to use their skills and time to connect with others. Joshua’s journey began when he took his scissors onto the streets of London and started offering free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness. What began as a simple act grew into a decade of encounters around the world that challenged his understanding of helping others and taught him the power of meeting people with dignity, openness and vulnerability. Today, Joshua is bringing those lessons into schools, encouraging young people to look beyond conventional ideas of success and explore what genuinely sparks their interest. In this conversation, you’ll hear: Why Joshua believes we should ask young people why they want to pursue something, not simply what they want to be What people experiencing homelessness taught him about dignity, vulnerability and human connection Why the advice that resonates may be confirming something we already know How learning to face discomfort helped Joshua develop greater self-compassion Why sitting beneath a tree without your phone might reveal more than you expect New Episodes Every Tuesday Episode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverse TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse Amazon Music → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse Episode Resources: Joshua Coombes Instagram → @joshuacoombes Website → joshuacoombes.com

  3. Aug 25

    Sam Trull: Saving Sloths from Rescue to Rainforest

    For Sam Trull, saving sloths has always been about one thing: getting them back where they belong, in the wild. In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Sam Trull, co-founder and Executive Director of The Sloth Institute, a Costa Rica-based organisation dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, release and conservation of sloths. Sam’s journey to sloths began with a lifelong love of animals and a career working with primates. But after moving to Costa Rica and meeting her first baby sloth, everything changed. What followed was a life dedicated not simply to rescuing sloths, but to understanding what these extraordinary animals need to survive and thrive in the wild. Today, Sam’s work spans rehabilitation, research, habitat conservation and advocacy. She talks about the painstaking process of preparing orphaned and injured sloths for release, why protecting and reconnecting forests is so critical to their survival, and the campaign to stop wild sloths being taken from their natural habitats for the pet and wildlife encounter trade. In this conversation, you’ll hear: How one baby sloth changed the direction of Sam’s lifeWhat sloths are really like beyond the stereotypesWhat it really takes to rehabilitate a sloth and prepare it for life back in the wildHow Sam and fellow conservationists helped expose the devastating reality behind the wild sloth tradeWhy Sam believes we need to learn to love animals a little less selfishlyNew Episodes Every Tuesday Episode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverse TikTok → ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse⁠⁠ YouTube → ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse⁠⁠ Amazon Music → ⁠⁠https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse⁠⁠ Episode Resources: The Sloth Institute Instagram → @theslothinstitute Website → https://www.theslothinstitute.org/

  4. Aug 18

    Mat Bowtell: Giving Away 3D-Printed Hands for Free

    One hand for one child changed the direction of Mat Bowtell’s life. In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Mat Bowtell, engineer and founder of Free 3D Hands, which creates 3D-printed hands and arms for people around the world completely free of charge. Mat’s journey began while he was working as a senior engineer at Toyota Australia. After making an Iron Man-style hand for four-year-old Eli, the reaction he received made him realise he had found something he wanted to dedicate his life to. Today, Free 3D Hands is about much more than the devices Mat and his team make themselves. Their designs are open source, with more than 10,000 people and organisations around the world now making them too. Mat talks about the personal choices behind that journey, why access matters more to him than ownership, and his mission to do something wonderfully simple: manufacture joy. In this conversation, you’ll hear: How one little boy’s smile changed Mat’s life foreverWhy Mat and his wife put buying their first home on hold to pursue Free 3D HandsHow Mat is radically reducing that cost of assisted devices so that more people can access what they needHow open-source designs have helped Free 3D Hands reach far beyond what Mat could achieve aloneWhy Mat believes life shouldn’t be about winning and losing, but finding ways for everyone to winNew Episodes Every Tuesday pisode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverseTikTok → ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse⁠YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse⁠Amazon Music → ⁠https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse⁠ Episode Resources: Free 3D Hands Instagram → @free3dhands Website → www.free3dhands.org

  5. Aug 11

    Lucca Bevan: Living Out Loud With Epilepsy

    What happens when your greatest struggle becomes your greatest purpose? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Lucca Bevan, epilepsy advocate, neuroscience graduate and corporate leader. Together, Anne-Marie and Lucca explore what it was really like being diagnosed with epilepsy at just 14, how it changed her life overnight, and why she spent years hiding her condition. Lucca also shares how finding her voice has led her to become an advocate for people with epilepsy, challenging misconceptions, helping others feel seen, and creating more inclusive workplaces. In this conversation, you'll discover: What it was like being diagnosed with epilepsy at just 14 and how it changed Lucca's life overnightWhy Lucca kept her epilepsy secret for years — and what made her finally speak outThe realities of living with an invisible disability and the misconceptions that still surround epilepsyWhy self-advocacy is so important and how to find your voice when navigating a health conditionHow Lucca is working to make workplaces more inclusive and improve opportunities for people with epilepsy New episodes every Tuesday. Episode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverseTikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverseYouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverseAmazon Music → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse Episode Resources: Lucca Bevan Instagram → @lucca.epilepsy TikTok → @lucca.epilepsy

  6. Aug 4

    Kevin Wekesa: From Rugby to the Olympics to Climate Action

    What happens when reaching the Olympic stage becomes the beginning of something bigger? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Kevin Wekesa, Kenyan rugby sevens player, Paris 2024 Olympian, mechanical engineer and founder of Play Green. Together, Anne-Marie and Kevin explore his journey from discovering rugby as a teenager to representing Kenya on the world stage, the setback that made him think his sporting career was over, and the extraordinary comeback that took him to the Olympics. Kevin also shares how seeing children unable to play rugby because of increasingly dry conditions inspired him to create Play Green, using sport to engage young people in climate action. In this conversation, you'll discover: How Kevin went from starting rugby as a teenager to becoming an OlympianWhy relegation made him believe his sporting career was over — and how Kenya fought backWhat competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics meant to himHow seeing children unable to play rugby helped inspire Play GreenWhy Kevin believes sport can be a powerful force for climate action and opportunityNew episodes every Tuesday. Episode Resources: The GreaterverseInstagram → @thegreaterverse TikTok → ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse⁠ YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse⁠ Amazon Music → ⁠https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse Episode Resources: Kevin Wekesa / Play GreenInstagram → @_yokoohWebsite → @playgreenwithkevinwekesa

  7. Jul 28

    Rob Kenney: The Dad, How Do I? Story

    How did a simple YouTube channel become a source of comfort for millions? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by Rob Kenney, creator of Dad, How Do I?, the YouTube channel that has helped millions of people learn the life skills many of us take for granted. Together, Anne-Marie and Rob explore the childhood that shaped him, the unexpected journey behind Dad, How Do I?, what it means to choose forgiveness over bitterness, and how one small act of kindness grew into a global community. In this conversation, you'll discover: How Dad, How Do I? began with one simple videoWhy millions connected with everyday life skillsHow his childhood experience shaped the parent Rob chose to becomeWhy forgiveness is about freeing yourself, not forgettingThe power of showing up for others, even in the smallest waysNew episodes every Tuesday. Episode Resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverse TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse Amazon Music → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse Episode Resources: Dad, How Do I? Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dadhowdoi/?hl=en Tiktok → https://www.tiktok.com/@therealdadhowdoi YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@DadhowdoI

  8. Jul 21

    Marie, Kae, Kathryn and Malini: AI Meets Climate

    What happens when four women decide to solve some of the world's biggest problems? In this episode of The Greaterverse, Anne-Marie Kruk is joined by four extraordinary entrepreneurs who are tackling climate change from completely different angles, from fashion and AI to construction, manufacturing and venture building. Together Kae, Kathryn, Malini and Marie share what inspired them to leave conventional careers, the challenges of building purpose-driven businesses, and why they believe entrepreneurship can be a powerful force for good. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why entrepreneurship is about taking a bet on yourselfHow AI is helping solve real-world climate challengesWhy solving the right problem matters more than having the perfect ideaWhy integrity can be a competitive advantage in businessThe advice these founders wish they'd known before starting their businessesNew episodes every Tuesday. Episode resources: The Greaterverse Instagram → @thegreaterverseTikTok → ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreaterverse⁠YouTube → ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thegreaterverse⁠Amazon Music → ⁠https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/d352edc3-c3c1-4680-af9d-787a5c9b7b16/the-greaterverse⁠ Episode Resources: Guests Marie Cheong100x100 → https://www.100x100.com/ Kae RelaoValtor Solutions→ ⁠https://valtorsolutions.com/⁠ Kathryn Knight Muun AI → https://muun-ai.com/ Malini KannanNūll → ⁠https://nul.global/⁠

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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Greaterverse is a podcast about extraordinary people doing unexpected things to make the world a better place. Hosted by Anne-Marie Kruk, each episode explores the incredible stories, ideas and experiences of fascinating guests from around the world, from from athletes and filmmakers to entrepreneurs, scientists, wildlife rescuers, conservationists, authors, artists and everything in between. Each week you'll discover remarkable people, learn something new, and leave feeling more hopeful about what's possible. New episodes every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Anne-Marie Kruk
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Anne-Marie Kruk
  • Show Website
    The Greaterverse