In this episode of the Ardan Labs Podcast, Bill Kennedy talks with Mike Elgan, technology editorialist, about his journey to becoming a professional writer. Mike reflects on the evolution of journalism, the digital publishing revolution of the 90s, and the role of communication in shaping society. He also shares insights from his nomadic lifestyle, the realities of freelance writing, the impact of AI on creativity, and the importance of adaptability and passion in navigating a rapidly changing technological landscape.

00:00 Introduction 

05:54 Growing Up in the 70s and 80s

11:32 Education, Passion & Early Work

31:32 Politics, Journalism & First Writing Roles

45:16 Transition to Technology Journalism

54:30 Digital Media Revolution

01:03:01 Becoming a Freelance Writer

01:05:52 Nomadic Lifestyle & Financial Realities

01:24:36 AI’s Impact on Work, Writing & Education

01:42:56 The Future of Writing & Communication

01:50:52 Cyberpunk Reality & Technology’s Next Era

01:55:11 Finding Passion & Success in Life

Connect with Mike: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeelgan

X: https://x.com/MikeElgan

Mentioned in this Episode:

Mike Elgan’s Newsletter: https://machinesociety.ai/

Gastronomad: https://gastronomad.net

Want more from Ardan Labs? You can learn Go, Kubernetes, Docker & more through our video training, live events, or through our blog!

Online Courses : https://ardanlabs.com/education/ 

Live Events : https://www.ardanlabs.com/live-training-events/ 

Blog : https://www.ardanlabs.com/blog 

Github : https://github.com/ardanlabs