He Quit Apple After 13 Years
From Data Engineering Central Podcast by Data Engineering in Real Life
April 1, 2026 · 52 min
About this episode
Kevin shares his journey of leaving Apple after 13 years to explore financial independence and the realities of working in tech.
In this episode of Data Engineering Central, I sit down with Kevin , who spent 13 years working at Apple before walking away at the end of 2025. * Not to jump to another job. * Not to start a company. * But to take a step back from everything. Kevin shares his full journey—from growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta to building a career at Apple, and ultimately reaching the point where he could walk away financially and mentally. You can follow along with Kevin below. We dive deep into what it’s really like working in tech: the high salaries , the lifestyle creep , the pressure , and the surprising reality that even people making great money often have no clear financial plan. This conversation also explores the rise of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) , how Kevin discovered it through Mr. Money Mustache, and why his perspective on it has changed over time. Thanks for reading Data Engineering Central! This post is public so feel free to share it. What starts as a path to freedom can easily turn into a scarcity mindset—and that’s something most people don’t talk about. We also get into: * Why high income does not equal financial freedom * The hidden trap of lifestyle…
People in this episode
Host: Data Engineering in Real Life
Guest: Kevin
Topics covered
- career transitions
- financial independence
- lifestyle inflation
- psychology of money
- tech industry pressures
Keywords
- financial independence
- FIRE
- lifestyle creep
- tech salaries
- money psychology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Apple, Mr. Money Mustache
Places: Atlanta
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