The Leap Academy Podcast with Ilana Golan is all about honest and inspiring conversations about what it really takes to leap to bigger things, amazing careers, and craft the life you want.
Stories and tips you won't find anywhere else.
Ilana speaks with some of the world's most influential people, experts, and thinkers who created incredible careers, massive impact, built a reputation, and an extraordinary life.
Together we discover the untold truths, the emotions, and important lessons that enabled them to reinvent themselves & leap.
We take our audience on a journey that will not only inspire but also teach concrete lessons on how to leap careers: fast-track to leadership, jump to entrepreneurship, build a personal brand, portfolio career, and much more.
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The Leap Academy Podcast with Ilana Golan is all about honest and inspiring conversations about what it really takes to leap to bigger things, amazing careers, and craft the life you want.
Stories and tips you won't find anywhere else.
Ilana speaks with some of the world's most influential people, experts, and thinkers who created incredible careers, massive impact, built a reputation, and an extraordinary life.
Together we discover the untold truths, the emotions, and important lessons that enabled them to reinvent themselves & leap.
We take our audience on a journey that will not only inspire but also teach concrete lessons on how to leap careers: fast-track to leadership, jump to entrepreneurship, build a personal brand, portfolio career, and much more.
Building Wired Magazine: Kevin Kelly’s Unconventional Path from College Dropout E139
Leap Academy with Ilana Golan
55 minutes
1 week ago
Building Wired Magazine: Kevin Kelly’s Unconventional Path from College Dropout E139
When Kevin Kelly dropped out of college in the 1970s, it was almost unheard of. Instead of following a traditional path, he chose a life driven by curiosity, freedom, and hands-on learning. That decision led him to hitchhike across Asia, document disappearing cultures, and eventually immerse himself in the early internet. Years later, he co-founded Wired, a magazine that soon became the voice of emerging technology and culture. In this episode, Kevin joins Ilana to share how Wired went from fighting for shelf space to redefining what a tech publication could be. He also explains his unique relationship with time, why he tracks the days he has left, and how creators today can thrive with just 1,000 true fans.
Kevin Kelly is a writer, photographer, and Senior Maverick at Wired, an award-winning magazine he co-founded in 1993. He is also a former editor and publisher of the Whole Earth Review and the author of multiple bestselling books about the future of technology.
In this episode, Ilana and Kevin will discuss:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:14) Choosing an Unconventional Path to Success
(06:34) The Start of His Adventures in Asia
(10:54) Getting into Writing and Publishing
(14:17) Creating One of the First Hacker Conferences
(20:18) The Grit Behind Wired Magazine’s Success
(30:37) The Dot-Com Bust and Why Wired was Split
(34:17) The Origin and Power of “1,000 True Fans”
(41:18) How a Near-Death Experience Transformed Kevin
(47:10) About His Latest Book, Colors of Asia
Kevin Kelly is a writer, photographer, and co-founder of the award-winning Wired magazine, and a former editor and publisher of the Whole Earth Review. He is the co-chair of The Long Now Foundation, which champions long-term thinking, and the creator of the Cool Tools website, which has reviewed tools daily for over 20 years. Kevin is also the author of multiple bestselling books on the future of technology, and his latest book, Colors of Asia, captures the culture of all 35 Asian countries through vivid photography.
Connect with Kevin:
Kevin’s Website: https://kk.org
Kevin’s Twitter: https://x.com/kevin2kelly
Resources Mentioned:
Kevin’s Book, Colors of Asia: A Visual Journey: https://www.amazon.com/Colors-Asia-Journey-Kevin-Kelly/dp/B0FGJ18PG5
Leaves of Grass: The Original 1855 Edition by Walt Whitman: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1449505716
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Leap Academy with Ilana Golan
The Leap Academy Podcast with Ilana Golan is all about honest and inspiring conversations about what it really takes to leap to bigger things, amazing careers, and craft the life you want.
Stories and tips you won't find anywhere else.
Ilana speaks with some of the world's most influential people, experts, and thinkers who created incredible careers, massive impact, built a reputation, and an extraordinary life.
Together we discover the untold truths, the emotions, and important lessons that enabled them to reinvent themselves & leap.
We take our audience on a journey that will not only inspire but also teach concrete lessons on how to leap careers: fast-track to leadership, jump to entrepreneurship, build a personal brand, portfolio career, and much more.
