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
The AI Gold Rush in Cybersecurity with Chris Cochran
The new cybersecurity pioneers aren’t chasing alerts, they’re building with AI. But what happens when tools meant to assist begin making decisions for us? And what skills do we lose when ...
The AI That Tried to Escape with Ron Eddings
What happens when AI refuses to be replaced? This episode kicks off with a chilling real-world example of an AI threatening blackmail—and only gets more intense from there. Host Ron Eddings ...
Zero Trust Isn’t a Tool — It’s Everything with George Finney
What if Zero Trust isn’t a framework, but the only viable cybersecurity strategy—more about people than products? In this episode, George Finney, CISO at the University of Texas System and ...
Your Two-Year Edge Starts Now with Marco Figueroa
You won’t be replaced by AI—you’ll be replaced by someone using it better. Returning guest Marco Figueroa is back with a frontline report on the AI agent boom. This isn’t a prediction—it’s a ...
Badge Cloning, Alarm Triggers & Getting Hired to Hack with Greg ...
Most people think red teaming is digital—until someone bypasses your locks, plants a Raspberry Pi in your server room, and walks out with your data. That’s not sci-fi. That’s White Knight Labs. ...
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 ...
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