From dot-com chaos to Google’s rocket ship. Kevin Willer helped establish Google’s Midwest presence in Chicago when “search” wasn’t yet obvious and ad tech was still being pieced together. He scored [email protected], watched the 2004 IPO rewrite his life, sat with the team in NYC on 9/11, and later helped Chicago “plant a flag” with 1871, its startup hub.In this episode, you’ll hear:• How Google turned every product into a search machine (and why that printed cash)• Why downturns (dot-com bust, Great Recession) created Google and Uber• The folklore behind [email protected] and opening Google Chicago• The IPO moment: from “J-O-B” to choosing meaningful work• A surreal 9/11 story from inside Google’s business team in Manhattan• Building 1871 and what it takes to ignite a city’s startup ecosystem• Real talk on careers: relationships, respect, and timing over pedigreeIf you love unfiltered origin stories, hard lessons, and the decisions that change a life — this one’s for you.👉 If this hit, like, subscribe, and drop a comment with your favorite moment.#Google #Startups #TechHistory #EarlyEmployees #ChicagoTech #CareerAdvice #1871 #TheEarlyPodcast #EarlyPod—🎙️ ABOUT THE SHOW:The Early Podcast is where host Max Crowley, Uber’s #25 employee, sits down with the earliest builders behind today’s most iconic companies. No fluff, just raw stories from the trench years when your startup could still fail tomorrow.✅ Subscribe for more untold startup stories every week✅ Like, comment & share if you know someone who’d love this✅ Listen on Spotify, Apple, or anywhere you get your podcasts⸻Let’s go. 💥🎧 Listen to the full episode:🔹 Spotify: https://earlypod.com/spotify🔹 Apple Podcasts: https://earlypod.com/apple🚀 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Let’s build this together.👉 Like, subscribe, and drop a comment — I want to hear from you!!📩 Thoughts or guest ideas? Email me: [email protected]📱 Follow for daily updates:• 🐦 X (Twitter): https://earlypod.com/x• ✨ TikTok: https://www.earlypod/tt• 📸 Instagram: https://www.earlypod/ig• 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.earlypod/li• 📩 Newsletter: https://earlypod.com/subscribe