My Story
I started my career as an engineer. I made a good salary and it allowed me to live a comfortable life. Most importantly, it taught me how to be a professional. I solved hard problems, managed complex projects, and supervised a team of ten engineers. Basically, I learned how to get things done and work with people.
But I didn't love it. In fact, I started dreading going into the office everyday. That's not how I wanted to live the next 20 years of my life. I wanted to love my work and have the freedom to work from anywhere. For a long time, I had this itch to try something new. One day, I came up with an idea - I'm going to start a podcast!
My first studio (also my kitchen table)
So that's what I did. I was living in San Francisco and I knew the city was full of fascinating people. I wanted to make a show about them. I called it San Francisco People and it launched in August 2014. Starting the podcast was the most fun I'd had in years. It gave me a creative spark. It woke me up. Most of all, it gave me the courage to leave my engineering career behind and pursue work that I loved. By April 2015, I had quit my job.
While I loved podcasting, I didn't see it as a career quite yet. I saw it as a first step and I was excited to explore other opportunities. So I spent the next five years experimenting with various freelance work and business ideas. I produced startup and tech events in San Francisco. I took on my first sales job. I started a recruiting business to help connect freelancers with companies. I started an ecommerce business selling outdoor gear.
One of the events I produced, a startup pitch competition (Image courtesy of VentureBeat)
I even moved to Argentina and lived there for three years. It all started with a vacation to Buenos Aires that I almost didn't come home from. When I took my next trip, eight months later, I decided to stay. I experienced Buenos Aires as a local. I learned Spanish. I made amazing friends. I became really good at working remotely since all my work was still in the US. It was an experience I'll never forget.
With my friend Diego at La Bombonera, the most famous soccer stadium in Argentina
Eventually, I came full-circle back to podcasting. In 2018, I took on a freelance role as the editor and producer of the Lean Startup podcast. In 2019, I moved to Austin, Texas where I eventually created a new podcast, Austinites. It was fun. It gave me another creative spark. I realized I have more fun podcasting than doing anything else. I thought: "Why don't I make a career out of this?" And so I did.
Fast forward to today and I'm still making podcasts. I've launched two original shows from scratch and managed every step of the production process for each one. I've done freelance editing and production work for companies like the World Bank and Lean Startup. I'm proficient in a variety of digital audio workstations including Hindenburg, Adobe Audition, and Pro Tools.
If you need help with your podcast, I'd love to chat! Just click the contact button below and I'll follow up with a customized cost estimate within 24 hours.