December 23, 2025 • 22 mins
Exploring the Future of Technology with Evan Kirstel
In this episode of The Wireless Way, host Chris Whitaker interviews Evan Kirstel, a B2B social media maven and tech industry storyteller with over 30 years of experience. They discuss Evan's journey in the tech industry, the evolution from 1G to 5G, and the exciting future of AI and 6G. Evan emphasizes the importance of being a content creator rather than just a consumer and shares insights on the impact of AI, wireless technology advancements, and the potential of new tech innovations. The conversation also covers the significance of continuous learning and staying adaptable in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:09 Evan Kirstel's Journey in Tech
03:03 The Exciting World of Content Creation
03:53 Advice for Tech Enthusiasts
09:19 The Impact of AI in Content and Business
12:33 Future of Wireless Technology
15:33 Closing Thoughts and CES Preview
Check out my website https://thewirelessway.net/ use the contact button to send request and feedback.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
chris_1_12-22-2025_1547 (00:52):
Welcome to another episode of The
Wireless Way.
I'm your host, Chris Whitaker,and as always, I'm grateful
you're here to check this out.
I'm even, as grateful for EvanKirstel.
he's a B2B social media maven, atech industry storyteller and
trusted partner to the global,technology brands.
With over 30 years in tech, hehelps enterprises turn content
(01:15):
to measurable engagement andlong-term growth.
he hosts a Tech Impact airing onFox Business and Bloomberg, and
is the leading voice across AIenterprise IOT ucas.
Cybersecurity, 5G and the futureof work, reaching millions of
decision makers worldwidethrough tv, social media,
podcast, and live streams.
(01:37):
Evan man, thanks for making timefor us today.
How you doing?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (01:40):
I am great.
How are you?
Thanks for, having me.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (01:43):
Oh man.
No, I know you're a busy guy andI'm so grateful.
I literally am grateful.
I mean this, I talked to a lotof folks, as I know you do for
sure.
And, it's hard to schedule thesethings sometimes.
Everybody's running and gunning,and here we are at end of the
year, 2025.
So, again, very grateful foryour time and it's always my
first question.
You know, we all have ourprofessional bios out there,
(02:04):
what else can you tell us aboutwho Evan is and how did you get
here?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (02:09):
Wow, how'd I get here?
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (02:10):
How much time do we have?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (02:11):
but maybe we'll go back.
35 years ago I was a double E,but I started working as a sales
engineer.
worked for the company thatbuilt the first voicemail,
dialogic.
And then I went into paging,pagers, paging your, you're a
wireless old timer
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (02:26):
Yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (02:27):
so that's how I got into.
of wireless.
Back in the day you had a phoneand then you had a pager and you
kind of juggled the two them andyou had voicemail and, then I
kind of got into the mobileinfrastructure and mobile
technology industry.
And it was there from one G totwo G to 3G to 4G.
And now we're 5G.
And you know, 35 years laterwe're still talking about some
(02:50):
of the same and enterprise techand iot and wireless and you
know, different technologies,different frequencies,
different.
Methodologies.
but, but you know, it's kind ofwhat comes around, goes around,
feels, feels like, deja vu inmany ways.
Back to the beginning of mycareer.
Now we're kind of all in on AIand, and 60 is coming and all
(03:13):
kinds of cool stuff.
So I'm a geek.
I'm a, I'm heart in, you know,particularly around wireless
topics.
So it's really great to have,you know, chat with like-minded.
Industry insiders like yourself.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (03:27):
I agree with that.
I love to say that whenlike-minded people with all
aligned goals and, similarinterests get together.
magic really happens and amazingthings can happen.
30 years, in technology.
what are you most excited aboutto talk about?
I mean, there's a lot to talkabout by the way, folks, check
the show notes.
I'll have links to his website.
A lot of great content.
Definitely learn more about.
(03:47):
Evan, if you wanna learn moreabout technology, he's a great
guy to follow, what are youexcited about?
What's really kind of making itwork for you today?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (03:55):
I think for me it's, it's, being a
content creator, it's like thebest of times it's,
extraordinary.
I mean, you know, putting, wesee politics every day, but
putting that aside, people likeyou and I just of average shows
have their own TV station, theirown channel, their broadcasting,
they're creating content.
I'm now using AI to create, youknow, impossible content, fun
(04:17):
content.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (04:18):
A lot of fun stuff.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (04:18):
just an amazing time be within the
industry, using the technology,using the tools the platforms,
and getting your voice out theremaking a living in the process.
I mean, what a, golden era, oftech at the moment.
And there, you know, we talkabout the downsides and the
risks and the dangers, if youread the media headlines every
(04:39):
day, you really get absorbed bythose.
But man, the upside is just soexciting.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (04:45):
You know, with all the interviews
that you conduct, a lot of thesuppliers you work with, do you
see a common trend, I mean, forthe tech enthusiasts listening,
what do people need to be payingattention to?
What advice you have for folksthat maybe are novices or still
trying to just get their armsaround this topic of technology
and ai.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (05:04):
Well, I think the advice I have is be
a practitioner.
don't read the headlines.
Don't just scroll.
a big content consumer.
You know, I'm always on YouTube.
I'm always consuming content.
Your content, everyone'scontent.
that, that, that shouldn't be99% of your time online.
You, you need to be a creator.
You need to add your voice, yourvalue, your point of view.
(05:27):
Whether it's in the written wordon a blog or posting, whether
it's a format like this, shouldhave a podcast in their own
show.
Um, or whether it's a biggerplatform like radio or even tv,
have a voice, be a creator.
Don't just consume, create.
I think that's the message.
I spent, 20 years, in corporatelife at a good run, made money.
(05:50):
It was very, satisfying.
But the last 10 years as anindependent have been the most
satisfying.
So arc you're on in your career,you gotta think more
entrepreneurial out of the box.
And even if you have a sidehustle.
time is now to start, so makethat your New Year's resolution,
depending on when this will air.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:13):
So you're saying stop being a
observer and be a participant.
be on the field playing.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (06:18):
a consumer.
I mean,
chris_1_12-22-2025_15472 (06:19):
That's right.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2 (06:19):
whatever your background or bio
education, you have a point ofview, you have certain insights,
know-how knowledge, particularlyin, you know, within the
industry, let's say in and getthose out there.
A lot of people shy away fromthat.
They're not comfortable puttingthat them out there.
And that's fine.
I hated video, like prepandemic.
I did everything I could toavoid video looking at myself,
(06:41):
seeing myself, but I thinkthat's the new reality.
The new normal.
If you look at this generation,they're born digital, they're
born on TikTok, they're born onYouTube.
And
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:51):
Oh yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (06:52):
us old guys, you not get sidelined.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:57):
So do you find yourself interviewing
folks more or being interviewedyourself What's the ratio?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (07:04):
a daily podcast,
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (07:06):
Yeah,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (07:06):
God, I'm not that interesting.
I tell people like, you are,whatever you put out there,
you're not the most interestingperson in the room.
I'm sorry, Chris.
Sorry.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (07:13):
I agree.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (07:14):
the way I manage to have a daily
show is just by finding.
The most interesting andinformative, people I can find
and, and ask them deep questionsand them a platform.
And I learn a lot.
That's how I learn through thatstyle.
it's a tremendous, opportunityto learn from others, to
connect, even if you're in salesand marketing to sell our market
(07:36):
through channel.
that's how I learned.
So after, probably 2000interviews over different
channels, I feel like I have awhole new education just from
talking with and askingquestions of others.
chris_1_12-22-2025_ (07:51):
Interesting is, is there.
Any one takeaway you have orfrom thousands of interviews?
I mean, what I'm thinking, youknow, you were talking about,
being a podcaster and being acontent creator, you know, for
me.
This exchange, you know, havingyou for 20, 30 minutes just to
talk to and pick your brain isinvaluable to me.
That's how I learn too.
That's how I, I try to, collectinformation.
(08:13):
is there anything else for youpersonally?
is there any trends orobservations you have with all
the different people you'vetalked to over time that you can
share with us?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (08:22):
Yeah, I think the ability to learn
and, you know, I've been outtaschool for 35 years.
learning is as important now asit ever has been or will be.
using the a AI tools that areout there to learn, to satisfy
your curiosity always belearning.
through whatever channel,whether it's, books, whether
(08:43):
it's audio books or podcasts orYouTube shows.
having a curiosity and avoracious appetite learning and
asking questions.
I think that's what.
Is enabling folks to succeed inthis new economy.
It's not enough to have yourqualifications from 20 years ago
(09:04):
and your certificates even ifyou're an engineer, it's not
enough these days.
So find that mode of learningthat works for you.
and embrace it.
you gotta do it.
Otherwise, in this AI age,you're really gonna fall behind
because knowledge is no longerenough.
It used to be knowing a lot ofstuff
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (09:25):
Yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (09:26):
if you knew a lot of stuff, you
were different from the nextperson.
Anyone has access at theirfingertips to everything now, so
that knowledge is no longer
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (09:35):
Yeah, the information you have to know
is more than your brain, almostcan, hold it seems like.
Right?
I mean, there is a lot to know.
in my day job we do these thingscalled ai masterclasses, where
we take these technologyarchitects on this journey of
how to.
position the sell, do these AIassessments, understanding where
the end user, where are they ontheir AI journey.
(09:58):
Do you have any thoughts on,sharing advice or, observations
around, where are we with ai?
Is this something to be scaredof?
Is this something to embrace?
So, any other thoughts on AI andbusiness and, and where you're
seeing it, make a difference?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (10:11):
no, it's a huge multiplier effect.
I mean, just take a littleexample of this podcast.
AI can format that into, a videofor five different channels.
It can find the interesting.
Clips and talking points andpost that on social channels.
It can edit and record the audiofrom the video and publish it
(10:32):
on, you know, 20 differentpodcast channels.
can create a really interestingblog, based on the discussion
and talking points, and on andon.
So all of a sudden onediscussion turns into 20 pieces
of content, and that's just onelittle example.
So every.
app that you try now every,iPhone is gonna have AI infused
(10:56):
empowering it in ways that arereally new and novel.
So it's giving us all thesesuperpowers, and whether you're
a field technician out.
a site or whether you're, makingcontent, you're gonna have these
superpowers, they're not alwaysobvious.
You have to, try and discoverthem and leverage them in new
(11:17):
and different ways, and thenshare that with your colleagues
or collaborators.
Collaboration is more importantthan ever.
Learning, like I said, is moreimportant than ever just being
open to doing thingsdifferently.
more important than ever.
in a couple years my avatar isgonna have a podcast with your
avatar, your digital twin, andit will have a great podcast
(11:38):
without ever even having to showup.
so that's just, an example howeverything is changing.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (11:44):
Of your last dozen or so interviews
and contents you created, do youhave a favorite, I mean, do you
have like a favorite go-to topicthat you just really prefer over
anything else?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (11:54):
Yeah, I love big thinkers.
I love people making, bigimpacts.
I had the head of it CIO for whohad the world's largest
hackathon.
Internally, something like600,000 employees, if you can
imagine that.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (12:07):
Mm.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (12:08):
Not just techies and developers, but
all employees like building andno low-code and no-code building
apps and trying them out andlearning so that was really
interesting.
But I love, I love people reallymaking impact in a meaningful
way, doing things that no one'sdone before, In the UK and
Ireland, you can actually get,unlike here in the US most
places, you can get a coffeedelivered to your porch,
(12:30):
anywhere in Ireland right nowvia drone.
And so, you know, there arepeople, changing the way we work
and live and experience realityand medicine and healthcare.
Just so many breakthroughshappening.
quietly behind the scenes.
You know, they don't make theheadlines of the Wall Street
Journal, but new cancer drugsbeing developed, new, novel
(12:50):
therapeutics, digitaltherapeutics, digital health
apps.
there's like a quiet revolutionhappening beyond all the hype
about LLMs and data centers andthe cool stuff, there's a quiet
happening in the backgroundthat's gonna make our lives,
much better.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (13:08):
Yeah, I think it's never been a better
time to be alive in terms oftechnology, you know, all the
things you mentioned, working intechnology.
I mean, it makes me cringesometimes when I go to an event.
I'm introduced as a wirelessexpert.
'cause what's the saying?
The more you learn aboutsomething, the more you realize
what you don't know.
I've been diving into your,your, your knowledge around
wireless technology and six GIwas talking with a engineer from
(13:31):
Nvidia recently, a, a month orso ago, and he was telling me
they're, actively working on allthe different protocols for six
G, sub 10 milliseconds, latency,more throughput, AI at the edge.
I mean all kind of cool thingsgoing on.
he said something I thought waspretty interesting and I happen
to agree, It's not gonna be thatmuch longer, maybe five to 10
years where that last mile willbe wireless.
(13:53):
I mean, what are your thoughtson that?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (13:56):
Yeah, it's an amazing revolution.
A family has a cabin up in NewHampshire and they have a 5G
fixed wireless, cheaper, waymore performance than cable.
Way better customer experience.
I mean, I look at my, you know,little device here.
It's got three eims.
I can use it as a hotspot.
I get a gig up and a gig down.
(14:17):
It binds, you know, multiplecarriers together.
I can travel around the worldand I have a studio.
so for as much you, you know,abuse as 5G gets for not
delivering on this promise of,you know, telesurgery and
remote.
applications that maybe itoverpromised on it, it's amazing
to, to see once you haveperspective of where we were,
(14:41):
you know, five years ago, sixyears ago, 10 years ago, where
we are now with devices, with,with speeds and up links and
down links with satellite.
The fact that I can take this ormy Apple watch.
in the wilderness or God forbid,in an accident and get, a
service emergency services, inthe middle of nowhere up in New
Hampshire.
(15:01):
these are just amazingbreakthroughs.
The rise of, of starlink and.
Not just, you know, broadbandsatellite, but, but mobile
satellite for messaging, voice,video, in the world.
I mean, these are incrediblebreakthroughs.
They've kind of just snuck up onus, right?
if you would've told me fiveyears ago we'd have satellite
broadband, satellite mobilemessaging over satellite, I
(15:22):
would've said, no, it'll neverwork.
The physics, you know, won'thappen.
So, you know, we alwaysoverestimate.
what technology can deliver on acertain time horizon, we
underestimate it.
What it can do over the years,over the decades and
particularly when it comes towireless, the best is really yet
to come.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (15:41):
Yeah, it reminds me of a friend of
mine, Greg Plum.
He did a TED Talk on what wouldGeorge Jetson think.
Of where we are today.
His thesis was that in thecartoon, the Jetsons, George
Jetson was born around thistime.
We meet George Jetson, like inhis early thirties, you know, so
we're talking, you know, 30years from now or so, and, we're
(16:01):
not too far off.
He said.
I don't think George Jets wouldbe too disappointed.
we're on track.
I mean, mine is living in anapartment nine miles above the
earth.
but everything else, you know,3D printers, you know, robotics,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-202 (16:12):
That's been the big disappointment.
Although I, you know, go toChina, I think they're already
having flying cars.
They certainly have droneseverywhere.
Every city you can get your fastfood delivered by a drone.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (16:24):
Gosh.
Well, Evan, I know we kind ofjust scratched the surface on so
many topics, and again, youknow, if you're listening, check
the show notes.
There's so much more to learnfrom Evan.
But is there anything else wehaven't discussed, Evan, you
wanna share with us?
any kind of last words ornuggets you can, leave us with?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (16:40):
Yeah, I always go to CES every year
and I'll be there from January3rd in Las Vegas, of course.
And it's just a great showcaseof the new, the wacky, the
crazy, the cool, a lot of B2Bapplications.
It's not just a gadget showanymore.
There's a real lot of cooltechnologies are kind of
bubbling up, under the surfacethat I'm really keen.
(17:00):
check out, including a lot of,iot and devices and silicon,
that that's being developed as,these things take years to
develop and excited to check outthe smart home and the Internet
of things as it really begins tomature.
I'll see you there.
Hopefully anyone listening,watching can, meet me at cs.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (17:20):
Are you gonna have a, a presence, a
booth, or a recording studio setup?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (17:24):
No, it's just this thing with a
gigabyte up and down.
You get, fantastic coverage andwith a mic a ring light and a,
tripod.
a studio,
chris_1_12-22-2025_15472 (17:33):
That's right.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (17:34):
needs a booth or who needs, a, you
know, a, a podcasting, office orsomething.
You just, it'll be an amazingtime to cover and explore the
event.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (17:44):
So for those of you, if you're
watching this on YouTube, Imean, you'll, you'll see, the
background behind you, Evan, isthat, is there virtual?
Are those real plants?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (17:52):
Those are real plants.
inside, of course I'm in Boston,so everything, you know, will
die outside, but we keep ittoasty
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:00):
are you got a green thumb or is that
someone else's work?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (18:02):
My wife does the heavy lifting this
far.
I managed to keep them alive by
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:06):
You,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (18:06):
that,
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:06):
there you go.
you play your part.
you help.
that's the awesome one.
They look very, it's very coolto see that.
That's a very creative, way tohave a backdrop there that's not
virtual.
I know you do your fair share ofvirtual background, so I love
your videos.
using AI to go back in time withdifferent.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (18:22):
Sora.
Sora is, one of the top fiveapps now in the app store.
And then people are like, well,I don't wanna give my voice and
my likeness, but if you ever hadambitions to be a TV star or a
movie star, you can get inthere.
You can create pretty muchanything, you know, so, good and
bad, you know, we call it deepfakes, but there's a positive,
fun, uplifting educational side.
(18:42):
And I think, people who embraceit in a positive way gonna, have
fun and do some good work.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:48):
You know, as you're, you were
describing that situation,you're right.
Some people say that.
They're like, well, you know, Idon't like the idea Big Brother
watching man.
I'm like, man, we're so far pastthat.
I mean, there's cameraseverywhere to facial recognition
that that ship has settled along time ago.
But I came across a companycalled Verify.
Now, I dunno if you've heard of'em, outta California.
And, his whole shtick is live,personality, you know,
(19:09):
verification and he was tellingme how, you know, even.
Major universities, people areapplying for scholarships, bots
are applying for scholarshipsand getting them, and before the
university figured out, it's noteven a real person.
You know, tens of thousands ofdollars have been sent to some,
some account somewhere.
But he is talking about how nowyou know, a lot of these
(19:30):
universities and credit cardcompanies and high dollar.
You know, if you're like buyinga hundred thousand dollars Rolex
online, you have to submit yourgovernment issued id, you have
to take a live picture and, youknow, turn your head and there's
all these software, you know,just making sure you're, yeah,
you're not a bot, you're notsome AI generated image.
And even with your voice, youknow, it is able to detect if
(19:50):
it's AI generated or if it'slive.
how long before AI learns tobeat that system?
Who knows?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (19:56):
Yeah, the bad guys will have ai.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (19:57):
I wouldn't bet against ai.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22- (19:59):
happening there.
But, we try to keep positive anduse it for good.
And I think over time, thetools, the technologies, the
platforms will mature.
I mean, when the internet firstcame on, as you know.
were reluctant to put a creditcard online.
Look at us now, so, you know,things will evolve and change,
for the better.
I hope.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (20:17):
No, you're right.
Every technology man's ever madecould be used for good or could
be used for evil, you know, andit's really up to us as a
society to, embrace thatpositive.
All these tools we're discussingreally are making our lives
better.
It's, making us more efficient,more effective.
But yeah, back to your commentearlier, if you're resisting, if
you're not trying to learn,you're gonna get left behind.
and what's the saying?
It's not ai.
(20:37):
I won't take your job.
Someone that knows how to useai, I will take your job.
Well, Evan, it's been great.
Thanks for this time together,man.
enjoy your holidays.
maybe we can get together nextyear and get your download or I
could share your, I'm sure youhave a lot of interviews while
you're out there in Vegas, so,thanks.
Thanks again.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (20:54):
Much for having me.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (20:55):
You bet.
And there you go folks, anotherepisode of The Wireless Way.
And as always, if you heardanything that kind of hit a
nerve with you or something youthought a colleague might be
interested in, please share thisepisode with'em.
And as always, you can alsocheck the wireless way.net.
Hit the contact us button forany input or feedback.
Love to hear from you.
And with that being said, we'llsee you next time on the
(21:16):
Wireless Way.
Welcome to another episode of The
Wireless Way.
I'm your host, Chris Whitaker,and as always, I'm grateful
you're here to check this out.
I'm even, as grateful for EvanKirstel.
he's a B2B social media maven, atech industry storyteller and
trusted partner to the global,technology brands.
With over 30 years in tech, hehelps enterprises turn content
(01:15):
to measurable engagement andlong-term growth.
he hosts a Tech Impact airing onFox Business and Bloomberg, and
is the leading voice across AIenterprise IOT ucas.
Cybersecurity, 5G and the futureof work, reaching millions of
decision makers worldwidethrough tv, social media,
podcast, and live streams.
(01:37):
Evan man, thanks for making timefor us today.
How you doing?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (01:40):
I am great.
How are you?
Thanks for, having me.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (01:43):
Oh man.
No, I know you're a busy guy andI'm so grateful.
I literally am grateful.
I mean this, I talked to a lotof folks, as I know you do for
sure.
And, it's hard to schedule thesethings sometimes.
Everybody's running and gunning,and here we are at end of the
year, 2025.
So, again, very grateful foryour time and it's always my
first question.
You know, we all have ourprofessional bios out there,
(02:04):
what else can you tell us aboutwho Evan is and how did you get
here?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (02:09):
Wow, how'd I get here?
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (02:10):
How much time do we have?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (02:11):
but maybe we'll go back.
35 years ago I was a double E,but I started working as a sales
engineer.
worked for the company thatbuilt the first voicemail,
dialogic.
And then I went into paging,pagers, paging your, you're a
wireless old timer
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (02:26):
Yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (02:27):
so that's how I got into.
of wireless.
Back in the day you had a phoneand then you had a pager and you
kind of juggled the two them andyou had voicemail and, then I
kind of got into the mobileinfrastructure and mobile
technology industry.
And it was there from one G totwo G to 3G to 4G.
And now we're 5G.
And you know, 35 years laterwe're still talking about some
(02:50):
of the same and enterprise techand iot and wireless and you
know, different technologies,different frequencies,
different.
Methodologies.
but, but you know, it's kind ofwhat comes around, goes around,
feels, feels like, deja vu inmany ways.
Back to the beginning of mycareer.
Now we're kind of all in on AIand, and 60 is coming and all
(03:13):
kinds of cool stuff.
So I'm a geek.
I'm a, I'm heart in, you know,particularly around wireless
topics.
So it's really great to have,you know, chat with like-minded.
Industry insiders like yourself.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (03:27):
I agree with that.
I love to say that whenlike-minded people with all
aligned goals and, similarinterests get together.
magic really happens and amazingthings can happen.
30 years, in technology.
what are you most excited aboutto talk about?
I mean, there's a lot to talkabout by the way, folks, check
the show notes.
I'll have links to his website.
A lot of great content.
Definitely learn more about.
(03:47):
Evan, if you wanna learn moreabout technology, he's a great
guy to follow, what are youexcited about?
What's really kind of making itwork for you today?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (03:55):
I think for me it's, it's, being a
content creator, it's like thebest of times it's,
extraordinary.
I mean, you know, putting, wesee politics every day, but
putting that aside, people likeyou and I just of average shows
have their own TV station, theirown channel, their broadcasting,
they're creating content.
I'm now using AI to create, youknow, impossible content, fun
(04:17):
content.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (04:18):
A lot of fun stuff.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (04:18):
just an amazing time be within the
industry, using the technology,using the tools the platforms,
and getting your voice out theremaking a living in the process.
I mean, what a, golden era, oftech at the moment.
And there, you know, we talkabout the downsides and the
risks and the dangers, if youread the media headlines every
(04:39):
day, you really get absorbed bythose.
But man, the upside is just soexciting.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (04:45):
You know, with all the interviews
that you conduct, a lot of thesuppliers you work with, do you
see a common trend, I mean, forthe tech enthusiasts listening,
what do people need to be payingattention to?
What advice you have for folksthat maybe are novices or still
trying to just get their armsaround this topic of technology
and ai.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (05:04):
Well, I think the advice I have is be
a practitioner.
don't read the headlines.
Don't just scroll.
a big content consumer.
You know, I'm always on YouTube.
I'm always consuming content.
Your content, everyone'scontent.
that, that, that shouldn't be99% of your time online.
You, you need to be a creator.
You need to add your voice, yourvalue, your point of view.
(05:27):
Whether it's in the written wordon a blog or posting, whether
it's a format like this, shouldhave a podcast in their own
show.
Um, or whether it's a biggerplatform like radio or even tv,
have a voice, be a creator.
Don't just consume, create.
I think that's the message.
I spent, 20 years, in corporatelife at a good run, made money.
(05:50):
It was very, satisfying.
But the last 10 years as anindependent have been the most
satisfying.
So arc you're on in your career,you gotta think more
entrepreneurial out of the box.
And even if you have a sidehustle.
time is now to start, so makethat your New Year's resolution,
depending on when this will air.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:13):
So you're saying stop being a
observer and be a participant.
be on the field playing.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (06:18):
a consumer.
I mean,
chris_1_12-22-2025_15472 (06:19):
That's right.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2 (06:19):
whatever your background or bio
education, you have a point ofview, you have certain insights,
know-how knowledge, particularlyin, you know, within the
industry, let's say in and getthose out there.
A lot of people shy away fromthat.
They're not comfortable puttingthat them out there.
And that's fine.
I hated video, like prepandemic.
I did everything I could toavoid video looking at myself,
(06:41):
seeing myself, but I thinkthat's the new reality.
The new normal.
If you look at this generation,they're born digital, they're
born on TikTok, they're born onYouTube.
And
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:51):
Oh yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (06:52):
us old guys, you not get sidelined.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (06:57):
So do you find yourself interviewing
folks more or being interviewedyourself What's the ratio?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_154 (07:04):
a daily podcast,
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (07:06):
Yeah,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (07:06):
God, I'm not that interesting.
I tell people like, you are,whatever you put out there,
you're not the most interestingperson in the room.
I'm sorry, Chris.
Sorry.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (07:13):
I agree.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (07:14):
the way I manage to have a daily
show is just by finding.
The most interesting andinformative, people I can find
and, and ask them deep questionsand them a platform.
And I learn a lot.
That's how I learn through thatstyle.
it's a tremendous, opportunityto learn from others, to
connect, even if you're in salesand marketing to sell our market
(07:36):
through channel.
that's how I learned.
So after, probably 2000interviews over different
channels, I feel like I have awhole new education just from
talking with and askingquestions of others.
chris_1_12-22-2025_ (07:51):
Interesting is, is there.
Any one takeaway you have orfrom thousands of interviews?
I mean, what I'm thinking, youknow, you were talking about,
being a podcaster and being acontent creator, you know, for
me.
This exchange, you know, havingyou for 20, 30 minutes just to
talk to and pick your brain isinvaluable to me.
That's how I learn too.
That's how I, I try to, collectinformation.
(08:13):
is there anything else for youpersonally?
is there any trends orobservations you have with all
the different people you'vetalked to over time that you can
share with us?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (08:22):
Yeah, I think the ability to learn
and, you know, I've been outtaschool for 35 years.
learning is as important now asit ever has been or will be.
using the a AI tools that areout there to learn, to satisfy
your curiosity always belearning.
through whatever channel,whether it's, books, whether
(08:43):
it's audio books or podcasts orYouTube shows.
having a curiosity and avoracious appetite learning and
asking questions.
I think that's what.
Is enabling folks to succeed inthis new economy.
It's not enough to have yourqualifications from 20 years ago
(09:04):
and your certificates even ifyou're an engineer, it's not
enough these days.
So find that mode of learningthat works for you.
and embrace it.
you gotta do it.
Otherwise, in this AI age,you're really gonna fall behind
because knowledge is no longerenough.
It used to be knowing a lot ofstuff
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (09:25):
Yeah.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (09:26):
if you knew a lot of stuff, you
were different from the nextperson.
Anyone has access at theirfingertips to everything now, so
that knowledge is no longer
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (09:35):
Yeah, the information you have to know
is more than your brain, almostcan, hold it seems like.
Right?
I mean, there is a lot to know.
in my day job we do these thingscalled ai masterclasses, where
we take these technologyarchitects on this journey of
how to.
position the sell, do these AIassessments, understanding where
the end user, where are they ontheir AI journey.
(09:58):
Do you have any thoughts on,sharing advice or, observations
around, where are we with ai?
Is this something to be scaredof?
Is this something to embrace?
So, any other thoughts on AI andbusiness and, and where you're
seeing it, make a difference?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (10:11):
no, it's a huge multiplier effect.
I mean, just take a littleexample of this podcast.
AI can format that into, a videofor five different channels.
It can find the interesting.
Clips and talking points andpost that on social channels.
It can edit and record the audiofrom the video and publish it
(10:32):
on, you know, 20 differentpodcast channels.
can create a really interestingblog, based on the discussion
and talking points, and on andon.
So all of a sudden onediscussion turns into 20 pieces
of content, and that's just onelittle example.
So every.
app that you try now every,iPhone is gonna have AI infused
(10:56):
empowering it in ways that arereally new and novel.
So it's giving us all thesesuperpowers, and whether you're
a field technician out.
a site or whether you're, makingcontent, you're gonna have these
superpowers, they're not alwaysobvious.
You have to, try and discoverthem and leverage them in new
(11:17):
and different ways, and thenshare that with your colleagues
or collaborators.
Collaboration is more importantthan ever.
Learning, like I said, is moreimportant than ever just being
open to doing thingsdifferently.
more important than ever.
in a couple years my avatar isgonna have a podcast with your
avatar, your digital twin, andit will have a great podcast
(11:38):
without ever even having to showup.
so that's just, an example howeverything is changing.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (11:44):
Of your last dozen or so interviews
and contents you created, do youhave a favorite, I mean, do you
have like a favorite go-to topicthat you just really prefer over
anything else?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (11:54):
Yeah, I love big thinkers.
I love people making, bigimpacts.
I had the head of it CIO for whohad the world's largest
hackathon.
Internally, something like600,000 employees, if you can
imagine that.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (12:07):
Mm.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (12:08):
Not just techies and developers, but
all employees like building andno low-code and no-code building
apps and trying them out andlearning so that was really
interesting.
But I love, I love people reallymaking impact in a meaningful
way, doing things that no one'sdone before, In the UK and
Ireland, you can actually get,unlike here in the US most
places, you can get a coffeedelivered to your porch,
(12:30):
anywhere in Ireland right nowvia drone.
And so, you know, there arepeople, changing the way we work
and live and experience realityand medicine and healthcare.
Just so many breakthroughshappening.
quietly behind the scenes.
You know, they don't make theheadlines of the Wall Street
Journal, but new cancer drugsbeing developed, new, novel
(12:50):
therapeutics, digitaltherapeutics, digital health
apps.
there's like a quiet revolutionhappening beyond all the hype
about LLMs and data centers andthe cool stuff, there's a quiet
happening in the backgroundthat's gonna make our lives,
much better.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (13:08):
Yeah, I think it's never been a better
time to be alive in terms oftechnology, you know, all the
things you mentioned, working intechnology.
I mean, it makes me cringesometimes when I go to an event.
I'm introduced as a wirelessexpert.
'cause what's the saying?
The more you learn aboutsomething, the more you realize
what you don't know.
I've been diving into your,your, your knowledge around
wireless technology and six GIwas talking with a engineer from
(13:31):
Nvidia recently, a, a month orso ago, and he was telling me
they're, actively working on allthe different protocols for six
G, sub 10 milliseconds, latency,more throughput, AI at the edge.
I mean all kind of cool thingsgoing on.
he said something I thought waspretty interesting and I happen
to agree, It's not gonna be thatmuch longer, maybe five to 10
years where that last mile willbe wireless.
(13:53):
I mean, what are your thoughtson that?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (13:56):
Yeah, it's an amazing revolution.
A family has a cabin up in NewHampshire and they have a 5G
fixed wireless, cheaper, waymore performance than cable.
Way better customer experience.
I mean, I look at my, you know,little device here.
It's got three eims.
I can use it as a hotspot.
I get a gig up and a gig down.
(14:17):
It binds, you know, multiplecarriers together.
I can travel around the worldand I have a studio.
so for as much you, you know,abuse as 5G gets for not
delivering on this promise of,you know, telesurgery and
remote.
applications that maybe itoverpromised on it, it's amazing
to, to see once you haveperspective of where we were,
(14:41):
you know, five years ago, sixyears ago, 10 years ago, where
we are now with devices, with,with speeds and up links and
down links with satellite.
The fact that I can take this ormy Apple watch.
in the wilderness or God forbid,in an accident and get, a
service emergency services, inthe middle of nowhere up in New
Hampshire.
(15:01):
these are just amazingbreakthroughs.
The rise of, of starlink and.
Not just, you know, broadbandsatellite, but, but mobile
satellite for messaging, voice,video, in the world.
I mean, these are incrediblebreakthroughs.
They've kind of just snuck up onus, right?
if you would've told me fiveyears ago we'd have satellite
broadband, satellite mobilemessaging over satellite, I
(15:22):
would've said, no, it'll neverwork.
The physics, you know, won'thappen.
So, you know, we alwaysoverestimate.
what technology can deliver on acertain time horizon, we
underestimate it.
What it can do over the years,over the decades and
particularly when it comes towireless, the best is really yet
to come.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (15:41):
Yeah, it reminds me of a friend of
mine, Greg Plum.
He did a TED Talk on what wouldGeorge Jetson think.
Of where we are today.
His thesis was that in thecartoon, the Jetsons, George
Jetson was born around thistime.
We meet George Jetson, like inhis early thirties, you know, so
we're talking, you know, 30years from now or so, and, we're
(16:01):
not too far off.
He said.
I don't think George Jets wouldbe too disappointed.
we're on track.
I mean, mine is living in anapartment nine miles above the
earth.
but everything else, you know,3D printers, you know, robotics,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-202 (16:12):
That's been the big disappointment.
Although I, you know, go toChina, I think they're already
having flying cars.
They certainly have droneseverywhere.
Every city you can get your fastfood delivered by a drone.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (16:24):
Gosh.
Well, Evan, I know we kind ofjust scratched the surface on so
many topics, and again, youknow, if you're listening, check
the show notes.
There's so much more to learnfrom Evan.
But is there anything else wehaven't discussed, Evan, you
wanna share with us?
any kind of last words ornuggets you can, leave us with?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (16:40):
Yeah, I always go to CES every year
and I'll be there from January3rd in Las Vegas, of course.
And it's just a great showcaseof the new, the wacky, the
crazy, the cool, a lot of B2Bapplications.
It's not just a gadget showanymore.
There's a real lot of cooltechnologies are kind of
bubbling up, under the surfacethat I'm really keen.
(17:00):
check out, including a lot of,iot and devices and silicon,
that that's being developed as,these things take years to
develop and excited to check outthe smart home and the Internet
of things as it really begins tomature.
I'll see you there.
Hopefully anyone listening,watching can, meet me at cs.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (17:20):
Are you gonna have a, a presence, a
booth, or a recording studio setup?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_1 (17:24):
No, it's just this thing with a
gigabyte up and down.
You get, fantastic coverage andwith a mic a ring light and a,
tripod.
a studio,
chris_1_12-22-2025_15472 (17:33):
That's right.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (17:34):
needs a booth or who needs, a, you
know, a, a podcasting, office orsomething.
You just, it'll be an amazingtime to cover and explore the
event.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (17:44):
So for those of you, if you're
watching this on YouTube, Imean, you'll, you'll see, the
background behind you, Evan, isthat, is there virtual?
Are those real plants?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (17:52):
Those are real plants.
inside, of course I'm in Boston,so everything, you know, will
die outside, but we keep ittoasty
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:00):
are you got a green thumb or is that
someone else's work?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_15 (18:02):
My wife does the heavy lifting this
far.
I managed to keep them alive by
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:06):
You,
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (18:06):
that,
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:06):
there you go.
you play your part.
you help.
that's the awesome one.
They look very, it's very coolto see that.
That's a very creative, way tohave a backdrop there that's not
virtual.
I know you do your fair share ofvirtual background, so I love
your videos.
using AI to go back in time withdifferent.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (18:22):
Sora.
Sora is, one of the top fiveapps now in the app store.
And then people are like, well,I don't wanna give my voice and
my likeness, but if you ever hadambitions to be a TV star or a
movie star, you can get inthere.
You can create pretty muchanything, you know, so, good and
bad, you know, we call it deepfakes, but there's a positive,
fun, uplifting educational side.
(18:42):
And I think, people who embraceit in a positive way gonna, have
fun and do some good work.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (18:48):
You know, as you're, you were
describing that situation,you're right.
Some people say that.
They're like, well, you know, Idon't like the idea Big Brother
watching man.
I'm like, man, we're so far pastthat.
I mean, there's cameraseverywhere to facial recognition
that that ship has settled along time ago.
But I came across a companycalled Verify.
Now, I dunno if you've heard of'em, outta California.
And, his whole shtick is live,personality, you know,
(19:09):
verification and he was tellingme how, you know, even.
Major universities, people areapplying for scholarships, bots
are applying for scholarshipsand getting them, and before the
university figured out, it's noteven a real person.
You know, tens of thousands ofdollars have been sent to some,
some account somewhere.
But he is talking about how nowyou know, a lot of these
(19:30):
universities and credit cardcompanies and high dollar.
You know, if you're like buyinga hundred thousand dollars Rolex
online, you have to submit yourgovernment issued id, you have
to take a live picture and, youknow, turn your head and there's
all these software, you know,just making sure you're, yeah,
you're not a bot, you're notsome AI generated image.
And even with your voice, youknow, it is able to detect if
(19:50):
it's AI generated or if it'slive.
how long before AI learns tobeat that system?
Who knows?
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025 (19:56):
Yeah, the bad guys will have ai.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (19:57):
I wouldn't bet against ai.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22- (19:59):
happening there.
But, we try to keep positive anduse it for good.
And I think over time, thetools, the technologies, the
platforms will mature.
I mean, when the internet firstcame on, as you know.
were reluctant to put a creditcard online.
Look at us now, so, you know,things will evolve and change,
for the better.
I hope.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (20:17):
No, you're right.
Every technology man's ever madecould be used for good or could
be used for evil, you know, andit's really up to us as a
society to, embrace thatpositive.
All these tools we're discussingreally are making our lives
better.
It's, making us more efficient,more effective.
But yeah, back to your commentearlier, if you're resisting, if
you're not trying to learn,you're gonna get left behind.
and what's the saying?
It's not ai.
(20:37):
I won't take your job.
Someone that knows how to useai, I will take your job.
Well, Evan, it's been great.
Thanks for this time together,man.
enjoy your holidays.
maybe we can get together nextyear and get your download or I
could share your, I'm sure youhave a lot of interviews while
you're out there in Vegas, so,thanks.
Thanks again.
evan-kirstel_1_12-22-2025_ (20:54):
Much for having me.
chris_1_12-22-2025_154723 (20:55):
You bet.
And there you go folks, anotherepisode of The Wireless Way.
And as always, if you heardanything that kind of hit a
nerve with you or something youthought a colleague might be
interested in, please share thisepisode with'em.
And as always, you can alsocheck the wireless way.net.
Hit the contact us button forany input or feedback.
Love to hear from you.
And with that being said, we'llsee you next time on the
(21:16):
Wireless Way.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.