Remaining Authentic in Retirement with Kelsey Hightower

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Jan 3, 2025

Kelsey Hightower, a former Google engineer and Kubernetes advocate, shares his journey through 25 years in tech. He discusses the importance of authenticity and trust in the industry, alongside the surprising reasons behind Google’s product cancellations. Kelsey emphasizes the need for curiosity and problem-solving skills in tech, critiques the churn-and-burn culture, and reveals his post-Twitter perspective. With insights into community dynamics and the evolving nature of tech roles, Kelsey inspires listeners to embrace genuine communication and continuous learning.

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ANECDOTE

Kelsey's Career Journey

Kelsey Hightower reflects on his 25-year tech journey, from IT certifications to distinguished engineer.
He emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and building relationships, citing his long-term connection with Justin.

INSIGHT

Google's Deprecation Philosophy

Google's project deprecations reflect a pragmatic business approach, prioritizing profitable ventures.
Kelsey advises businesses to anticipate and plan for potential service disruptions, emphasizing nothing lasts forever.

ADVICE

Building Trust and a Lasting Legacy

Build trust by aligning actions with beliefs, focusing on principles and fundamentals over fleeting trends.
Invest in open-source work to create a lasting legacy beyond any single employer's lifespan.

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Retirement is about the journey, not the destination. For Kelsey Hightower, it’s been an epic journey. On our debut episode of the Fork Around and Find Out Podcast (and much to Autumn’s elation), Kelsey joins us to run down his illustrious career that spans a quarter of a century.

Known for authenticity, Kelsey was on the frontlines of Kubernetes advocacy in the tool’s humble beginnings. Because of his time at Google, we get the inside scoop on why the company seems to enjoy killing off some of its most popular products. You’ll also hear his thoughts on why curiosity is essential to tech and why the industry needs to embrace problem solvers. We also get into the absurd state of the world, the moments that caused Kelsey to finally quit Twitter, and why he’s happy to embrace Bluesky.

Kelsey is not just someone who cares. He’s a genuine human being who’s invested in the future of the industry. We can’t wait for you to check out this conversation, because we know you’ll love it!

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:37) Tremolo sponsor read

(1:56) Introducing Kelsey Hightower

(3:04) Reflecting on how Kelsey's 25-year tech journey shaped what he's been up to recently

(9:15) Why you shouldn't be surprised when someone like Google kills off a product

(14:46) How Kelsey built up his trust in the tech community through his honesty

(16:31) Having the financial privilege to be able to say "no"

(22:57) Is the churn and burn nature of the tech industry going to hurt innovation

(29:19) Advising NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald and Kelvin Beachum on their tech investments

(38:28) Figuring out how to make tech more sustainable by treating it like a relay race

(42:36) Autumn’s appreciation for the Kubernetes community

(44:16) How you can help sponsor the FAFO Podcast

(45:17) Kelsey’s theory around the strong Kubernetes community

(47:26) The future of the relationship between corporations and open-source

(51:33) Kelsey's adventures in circuitry, doing electrical work on his home, and why that kind of curiosity is vital to learning new skills in tech

(59:11) Is tech starting to abandon problem solvers?

(1:03:41) Creating solutions for problems that don't exist

(1:08:49) The absurd state of the world, social media, and how Kelsey helped lead the tech migration to Bluesky

(1:19:40) The power and the positive impact you can have with a large online presence

(1:30:29) Where you can find more from Kelsey

About Kelsey Hightower

Kelsey Hightower has worn every hat possible throughout his career in tech, and enjoys leadership roles focused on making things happen and shipping software. Kelsey is a strong open source advocate focused on building simple tools that make people smile. When he is not slinging Go code, you can catch him giving technical workshops covering everything from programming to system administration.

Links Referenced

Kelsey’s Github: https://github.com/kelseyhightower
Kelsey’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kelseyhightower.com

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