5: 'Be Curious and Be Humble' with Casey Liss
Summary
Casey Liss joins the Accidental Tech Podcast to recount its accidental origins from the failed car show Neutral and his transition from PC to Mac. He discusses leaving his corporate job in 2018 to pursue podcasting full-time, emphasizing the importance of calculated risk-taking. Liss also reflects on his role as the show’s "quarterback," balancing his co-hosts' energies, and contrasts the tech-focused ATP with his lifestyle-oriented podcast, Analog.
Topics discussed
Origin story of The Accidental Tech Podcast
Host dynamics and avoiding creative stagnation
Casey's history with IBM, ThinkPads, and switching to Mac
Leaving traditional jobs for independent podcasting
Casey's role as the 'everyman' and lightning rod
The future of ATP and the value of listener time
Analog & All of Liss: Casey's personal podcast
Developing Call Sheet: Philosophy and feature debates
Privacy apps: Peekaboo and Masquerade
Home automation tinkering with ESP32 and Home Assistant
Fast food preferences and regional differences
Rapid fire questions: Career, tech regrets, and rituals
Hiring developers and networking in higher ed
Car shopping struggles and the search for the next vehicle
Listen ad-free on Castria