Episode 169: Jess Yescalis Has Traveled to 192 Countries ... and counting

What does it take to visit 192 countries, work alongside democracy activists on the front lines of history, and build a career around adventure and purpose?

In this episode of the Agents of Innovation Podcast, host Francisco Gonzalez sits down with longtime friend Jess Yescalis, President of Yescalis Campaign Strategies, political strategist, fundraiser, and one of the most well-traveled people in the world.

Jess has spent decades helping raise hundreds of millions of dollars for free-market causes while advising political leaders and pro-democracy movements across the globe. Along the way, he's worked with dissidents in Myanmar, trained parliamentary candidates in Egypt after the Arab Spring, navigated some of the world's most dangerous places, and pursued a personal goal of doing something fun or meaningful in every country on Earth.

This conversation goes far beyond travel. It's about freedom, gratitude, leadership, courage, and the remarkable people Jess has met from every corner of the world.

In this episode, you'll learn:

* How Jess intentionally built a career that enables a life of global travel

* What it's like working with democracy activists risking their lives for freedom

* Stories from Egypt, Myanmar, Somalia, Central African Republic, and beyond

* The biggest misconceptions about visiting nearly every country in the world

* Why travel can change the way we see America—and ourselves

* Lessons about human nature after meeting people from virtually every culture

* Why most people, regardless of where they live, want the same basic things: freedom, opportunity, and hope