About this episode
What do Anthropic, Facebook, Pinterest and Stripe all have in common?Everett Katigbak has played a foundational creative role at some of the most iconic brands in technology. His film work documents the stories of seminal figures who have shaped culture, such as his documentary projects on Stewart Brand and Luis Valdez.In this in-depth conversation at his beautiful San Francisco home, Everett describes the “golden thread” that weaves through his non-linear career path, the importance of humanizing infrastructure, and why he believes your side hustle is actually your “true form.” As of this recording, Everett has set out on his own to develop an independent creative practice. After years behind the camera, tech’s “brand guru” steps out in front of it.00:00 Intro: “Your side hustle is your true form”03:01 Making Facebook Feel Human05:04 Getting Hired Because You Don’t Fit08:10 Why San Francisco? Place Before Job11:33 Analog Research Lab origins & mantras13:35 Propaganda, Self-Talk, and Shaping Company Culture16:32 Designing for Engagement vs. Meaning17:18 Living in Contradictions: Anachronist Meets Futurist19:27 How to Pick the Right Company (A Nose for What’s Next)21:03 Expansion vs. Mastery: A Different Kind of Career Path24:00 Going Independent26:24 Inside Cursor as a “Cultural Sleuth”28:49 Stories of Unseen Figures: Luis Valdez, Stewart Brand32:00 Closing: Advice for Future PioneersS2:E6 Everett Katigbak: Indie StreakHosted by Soleio and produced by Room 3: room3nyc.com @room3nycFirst of Kind is powered by our sponsors:Framer — framer.comCursor — cursor.comVercel — vercel.comProfound — tryprofound.comWebsite: firstofkind.comYouTube: youtube.com/@firstofkind𝕏: x.com/firstofkindThreads: threads.com/firstofkind_Instagram: instagram.com/firstofkind_Hashtag: #FirstofKind
