Show Notes
In this episode, we've brought in a special guest, Kelsey Hightower. Kelsey is Principal Engineer at Google, and also co-author of Kubernetes: Up and Running: Dive into the Future of Infrastructure.
To start the show, Kelsey shares he considers himself a self-taught engineer. He started his life out as a small business owner and then moved to a system administrator. Now, he is at Google.
Kelsey’s fascination with cyber started post High School. Rather than go to college, he jumped into, tech support, consulting, dropping cat five cable, but about 2004ish he really digs into the world of open source and all the things that you can do with it as a user and as a contributor.
When it comes to community and customers, Kelsey felt they were one in the same. However, in the last five years or so, he has kind of changed that a little bit, thinking everyone is probably in your community. The willing the ones that are willing to pay you money, we call those customers.
And then the conversation turns to comedy, and his journey through comedy management and performances. Along with this comes discussion about acquiring skills.
Finally, Kelsey shares advice to listeners!
Key Takeaways:
1:00 Welcome back
2:18 Kelsey shares his background
3:31 Community and customers
4:40 Professional purpose
6:00 Retirement thoughts
10:31 Journey in comedy
14:35 Getting better
16:28 Propelling forward
20:12 Minimalism
22:18 Immersion journey
25:25 Don’t miss the moment
27:00 Exceeding expectations
37:56 It’s ok to start!
39:25 How to keep up to date with Kelsey
Kelsey on Twitter
Support Hacker Valley Studio on Patreon. Follow Hacker Valley Studio on Twitter.
Follow hosts Ron Eddings and Chris Cochran on Twitter.
Sponsored by Attack IQ
Attack IQ Academy
Recent Episodes
Building Cyber Resilience Through Culture with David Shipley
What if fixing cybersecurity wasn’t about more tools, but about unlocking human potential? In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes back David Shipley, CEO and Field CSO of Beauceron Security, for ...
Ditch the Spreadsheets: Smarter Crypto Security with Michael ...
Still tracking certificates in a spreadsheet? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way. In this special episode from RSA 2025, Ron sits down with Michael Klieman, Global Vice President of ...
Protecting People, Not Just Perimeters with Andrey Suzdaltsev
AI is reshaping the cybersecurity battlefield, and cyber adversaries are getting smarter. In this episode, Ron Eddings welcomes Andrey Suzdaltsev, Co-Founder and CEO of Brightside AI, for a look ...
Digital Clutter and the Death of Passwords with Collin Sweeney & ...
Passwords are the original digital clutter—messy, overstuffed, and way too easy to forget. Like a junk drawer full of old keys and cables, we keep tossing more into them, hoping they’ll somehow ...
What Most Cybersecurity Advice Misses—And How to Fix It with ...
What if the biggest threat to cybersecurity isn’t attackers—but the defenders themselves? Why are we still building tools for experts in a world where technical skills are fading fast? In this ...
Hackers Have HR Now? featuring Christopher Budd
The internet once came this close to crashing—and Microsoft was on the front line. In this episode, cybersecurity veteran Christopher Budd takes us inside the Microsoft Security Response Center ...
Staying Ahead in the Age of AI Agents with Marco Figueroa
Marco Figueroa is back, and his AI predictions aren’t just coming true—they’re unfolding faster than anyone expected. AI agents aren’t on the horizon—they’re already here, and security teams are ...
I Built an AI Version of Myself – Here’s Why with Marcus J. Carey
The best time to be alive is right now—if you know how to use AI. Marcus J. Carey, Principal Research Scientist at ReliaQuest, is harnessing AI to supercharge creativity, cybersecurity, and ...
Cyber Warfare, Digital Deception, and the Hidden Threats We Ignore ...
We’re already in World War III—just not the kind you’re thinking of. Cyber warfare is here, and the battlefield is your inbox, your bank account, and your digital identity. So why are we still ...
The AI Shift You Can’t Ignore with Marco Figueroa
AI isn’t just evolving—it’s sprinting, and cybersecurity needs to keep up. Ron Eddings is joined again by cybersecurity leader Marco Figueroa, Program Manager for Gen AI at the ODIN Bug Bounty ...
WORK WITH US
PODCASTS + SPEAKING + EVENTS
Are you the best kept secret in cybersecurity? Let's change that by partnering together for podcast ads, social campaigns, and your next event or keynote. Send us your details to get started.
Thank you!
We will be in touch soon and reach out to you at