Navigating Career Pivots and Politics with Kelly Vaughn

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI and a “recovering entrepreneur.” They discuss career evolution, the challenges of hiring and job-seeking, career politics, and Kelly’s unique perspective on leadership.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:39) - Wine tasting + review
• (10:15) - Career politics in getting promoted
• (17:28) - Conference talk + All Things Open
• (18:58) - Gluten sensitivity in Europe
• (21:07) - Pizza, casseroles, and comfort food
• (26:54) - Movie preferences and watching habits
• (33:01) - Therapy and mental health
• (35:13) - Airports and flight experiences
• (38:00) - Plugs

• Spot AI: https://www.spot.ai/
• Drinks: Drinks.com
• Bill Paxton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Paxton
• Weird Science: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Science_(film)
• Anthony Michael Hall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Michael_Hall
• The Hardy Boys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hardy_Boys
• Ender’s Game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender’s_Game
• Sentry: https://sentry.io
• Fly Bye: https://www.foxrc.com/restaurants/fly-bye-to-go/
• Ooni: https://ooni.com/
• Super Mario Bros: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros.
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Super_Mario_Bros._Movie
• Chris Pratt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Pratt
• All Things Open: https://2024.allthingsopen.org/
• Render Conf: https://www.renderatl.com/
• Jim Gaffigan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Gaffigan
• Delta: https://www.delta.com/
• Coca-Cola: https://www.coca-cola.com/
• The Modern Leader: https://modernleader.is/

• Website: https://kvlly.com
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/kvlly
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyvaughn
• The Modern Leader Newsletter: https://modernleader.is

• Robbie Wagner: https://x.com/RobbieTheWagner
• Chuck Carpenter: https://x.com/CharlesWthe3rd

• Website: https://whiskey.fm
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whiskey-web-and-whatnot/id1552776603
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19jiuHAqzeKnkleQUpZxDf
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1552776603
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiskeyWebAndWhatnot

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Veteran web developers RobbieTheWagner, Charles William Carpenter III, and Adam Argyle host this informal, whiskey-fueled fireside chat with your favorite web devs. They discuss all things web development including JavaScript, TypeScript, EmberJS, React, Astro, SolidJS, CSS, HTML, Web3, and more. They take a unique approach and focus on getting to know the human side of developers and their hobbies outside of work, all while sampling a new whiskey that they rate on their unique tentacle scale.