The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.

In one of the best and most random episodes we're ever recorded, Chris and Ari are joined by game dev consultant Joe Quadara! After reading a bit about Joe's history in the video game industry, Chris reached out to see if he wanted to talk to a few bird trainers about building high-functioning teams and successfully sharing critical feedback with others. We talk about how healthy competition can b...

Workshop NIGHT! Live from our first in-person workshop in two years, it's the TEC Talk Podcast! With Chris out of town, Ari is joined by the staff and attendees of NEI's Professional Contemporary Animal Training and Management workshop to chat about the week, all while NEI's spin on "The Training Game" goes on in the background.  Also, people try to guess the weight of Ari's microphone.  Yeah, it'...

Chris and Ari are joined by fellow NEI-er Ellen Matza to discuss the following training scenario: when you're working with an animal and you're not getting the behavior you're looking for, is it better to change one environmental variable at a time, or a bunch of stuff at once? Our answers will SHOCK you!* *Said absolutely no one who's heard us discuss anything training related, like, ever. Do you...

Ari is back and she's brought a guest, Bearizona Wildlife Park's own Dave O'Connell! Dave shares how he got into the field (thanks, Dave's mom!), the job he has now (which is actually all of the jobs), the first time he met with NEI in person (I got a sticker!), and his thoughts about what makes the staff, leadership, and guest experience at Bearizona so special (spoiler alert: it involves a certa...

They said it couldn't be done: a "Tales from the Trailer" episode that also has a cool guest who's not from NEI! Chris is joined by National Aviary Senior Aviculturist Sylvia Ronquillo to talk about Wagnerian opera, ping ponging across the country to pursue new career opportunities, navigating family members who initially aren't on board with "the animal thing," and ideas about things we could do...

Two hosts is fun, but what if we just invited...everyone?!? This week's episode is a pilot for a concept we've been kicking around for awhile of opening up the show to anyone who wants to attend the live recording and add their thoughts and questions and talk about the emails we got in real time. We get into fun discussions of whiskey brands, how best to describe NEI's "training style," additional...

Ari and Chris are joined once again by NEI Senior Trainer Adam Geltz to talk all things fishing, video games, instrumental hip hop, and laziness (which, it turns out, doesn't exist). After Adam shares a bit about the history that brought him to NEI, the three of us take turns contributing ideas to answer this question: if you could build a zoological institution that had anything you wanted, what...

Tales from the Trailer returns for the second week in a row! Ari and Chris speculate about the possible international names for koozies, take phone calls about refrigerator deliveries, do an amazing sales pitch for a book about zoo animal training (seriously, they should pay us), and respond to a listener question about how best to find out if a facility is a right fit for you before you start wor...

Tales from the Trailer time! Chris and Ari take a break from shows to read your emails, which leads to a discussion about how we navigate "the calling" of working in a field that demands a lot of time and energy with being good partners to our awesome spouses. Bethany and Drew, this one's for you! Have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show? Email us at podcast@naturalencount...

Ari and Chris are joined by Shari Stern, Education Director for The Raptor Trust, to discuss dealing with mistakes: what we do when we make them, how to walk the line between taking responsibility and beating yourself up about it, how to set up systems so that mistakes aren't repeated by others, and how to help others when they're struggling with the fallout of their own mistakes. Huge thank you t...

Ari and Chris are joined by NEI Senior Trainer Brad Moore to talk about fishing, his early love of "wed bwested wobbins," and his professional history and learnings as we do an unplanned deep dive into what we're calling "the romanticization of suffering," and the implications it has for sowing dissent, stunting growth, dividing teams, and contributing to a recent focus on workplace toxicity.  Do...

Ari and Chris are joined by Mary Ewers Joyner, Avian Program Curator for Lorain County Metro Parks! Mary shares her history in the field and her facility's relationship with NEI, talks about her path towards being comfortable with becoming more than "just a naturalist," and dispenses some advice on what she thinks makes someone a successful consultant.  Got a question for us? Is there something yo...

Ari and Chris are joined once more by NEI Supervisor Amy Fennell to reflect on last week's episode about trust accounts (and to tell HER SIDE of the great "Dan and Amy Saga"), to update us on the progress being made in prepping for our big big show at the 2021 State Fair of Texas, and to join us for a much-belated round of listener feedback during Mail Time! Do YOU have something you'd like to ask...

Chris and Ari are reunited by the power of the internet, and they're joined by NEI Senior Trainer Dan Blair! Dan shares his history with NEI and how improv made him a better stage presenter before all three get into an in-depth discussion about trust accounts and their implications for animal training, human relationships, and taking responsibility for being a better person. Do you have any storie...

Chris sits down with NEI Senior Trainer Lisa Haggadone to talk about her experience as an animal trainer AND mom during this wonderful second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that we all find ourselves in. As kids go back to school in Central Florida this week, we talk about the trials and tribulations of classroom outbreaks, the delicate nature of dealing with vaccine hesitancy, balancing personal r...

Hot on the heels of our show about "moving the needle" (see Episode 67 ), Chris sits down with NEI Supervisors Scott Trauger and Corey Derryberry to reflect on the creation, piloting, and evolution of the new "husbandry assistant" position at That Show at That Place that Can't Be Named. We discuss what it's like for them to be co-supervisors of the same work location, the importance of delegation...

Ari takes over hosting duties and is joined by the Board of IAATE! Cassie Malina, Helen Dishaw, Miguel Santos, and Steve Martin share their personal histories with IAATE, reflect on the way the organization has grown and evolved over the years, and share a little bit about "how the sausage is made" as they spill some of the deets on the upcoming 2022 conference.  Not a member of IAATE? You should...

Look everybody, I'm gonna need your help with this one.  Chris here, recording solo in Arizona and reflecting on some ideas about the importance of getting outside your comfort zone for personal growth and to help "move the needle" for the field of professional animal care. I'm hoping to take some of these thoughts and collect them for an article I'm going to write for IAATE's quarterly publicatio...

Ari goes solo once more to reflect on her early training history with reptiles and encourages listeners to share the cool stuff they're doing these days training herps, fish, and inverts. After all, why should birds and mammals get to have all the fun?  Got a cool training story to share, a question for the show, or want to audition to replace Chris as host every time he has to go out of town to p...

As they wait in their trailer to be pummeled by their daily afternoon thunderstorm, Ari and Chris sit down to discuss the topic of mediation. While we've spent a lot of time on this show talking about communication, relationships, and conflict management, this conversation focuses specifically on the role we sometimes take helping to facilitate solutions to issues between other parties. We explore...

Ari and Chris sit down to chat about the importance of being good partners with the other teams, departments, and organizations we collaborate with. They discuss the advantages of being a "yes culture," the role approachability plays in building strong professional relationships, and why working in customer service is the best training for being a good team member.  To learn more about FYI: For Yo...

With Ari on assignment in Nebraska, Chris sits down to chat with Jessica Ruiz, frequent podcast emailer and Aviary Education Specialist at Grey Snow Eagle House. We talk about Jessica's path that lead her to her current role working with birds of prey, her history with IAATE, and the changes and practices her work place has gone through to navigate through the pandemic. Stick around till the end w...

Ari sits down with NEI Supervisor Corey Derryberry on his 13th anniversary with the company! They chat about Corey's path to joining and becoming a leader with NEI. the importance of investing in a positive culture where people disagree well. and the joy of being on a team of brilliant people who aren't afraid to ask questions and speak their minds.  Have a question or something you'd like us to t...

As a wave of non-COVID illness washes over their staff, Ari and Chris sit down to discuss a consistent challenge that faces people who work in animal care: when you get sick, do you call in or not? Who will cover my section? Who will handle the animals who normally only work for me? Will my manager be mad at me??? Am I letting the team down??????????? These thoughts and more race through the mind...

Ari and Chris are joined by one of their favorite people in the zoological world, Helen Dishaw! Helen shares her journey from being an animal-crazy kid in the UK to her current role as Curator of Bird Training and Education Programs at Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, discusses her love for doing roaming animal experiences (especially those with a certain famous Andean condor), and reflects on her...