Pay It Forward: How Three Words Created Podcasting's Longest-Running Innovation Show

Have you ever wondered what it takes to create something that truly lasts? What's the secret to building something that doesn't just survive but grows stronger for decades in our always-changing digital world?

The answer might surprise you.

It's not about fancy equipment or perfect production. It's not even about having all the answers when you start.

It begins with a simple promise to pay it forward.

The Bathroom Session That Started It All

March 2005. A hotel bathroom at the Marriott in Phoenix.

That's where I sat with a basic microphone, nervously recording the first episode of what would become Killer Innovations. The bathroom's natural echo was the only "sound engineering" I had—nothing like the studio we have today.

Why a podcast? Why innovation? And honestly: why a bathroom?

These questions have followed me for years, and as we launch Season 20—officially making the show the longest continuously produced podcast in history—it feels right to finally share the whole story with you.

But first, let me ask you something: Has someone ever believed in you so deeply that it completely changed your path?

The Debt That Can Never Be Repaid

For me, that person was Bob Davis. As my mentor, Bob spent countless hours guiding me, challenging me, and opening doors I didn't know existed.

During one of our regular talks, feeling incredibly grateful, I asked him how I could possibly repay him for everything he'd done.

Bob's answer wasn't what I expected.

He laughed—that hearty, knowing laugh of his—and said something that would change the direction of my life: "There's no way you can pay me back. You have to pay it forward."

This wasn't gentle advice. It was a responsibility placed squarely on my shoulders.

But how could I possibly live up to such a big obligation? What did "paying it forward" actually look like in real life?

The answer would come in ways I couldn't have imagined, shaped by voices that had influenced my own thinking.

Finding My Voice in Others

Long before podcasts existed, I followed Earl Nightingale's monthly "Insight" audio cassette subscription. Earl showed me how spoken words could do more than just inform—they could change lives.

Could I create something similar in this new thing called "podcasting"? The term itself was barely a few months old. The first true podcast “show” was created in August 2004 by Adam Curry when he launched his daily show, "Source Code."

Most people still listened to radio or CDs. Podcast directories didn't exist. Subscription models were foreign concepts. Tools to create and publish podcasts did not exist. The landscape was new, untested, and mostly unknown.

It was perfect.

But a big question remained: Would anyone actually listen?

What I didn't realize then was that this uncertainty—this feeling of not knowing—would become one of the show's greatest strengths.

An Unexpected Ally

The early days were quiet. Recording weekly episodes felt like talking to no one. Until one day, something unexpected happened.

Adam Curry—the very person who had created the first podcast show—mentioned Killer Innovations on his own show.

That single mention changed everything. Suddenly, this small experiment in paying it forward found an audience. People began listening, responding, talking back.

But as our listeners grew, so did a nagging question: What insights could I possibly share that would be worth people's time? What principles could truly help others navigate the complex world of innovation?