Podcast Chris Coyier — Making CodePen & CSS Tricks, Lessons from 700 Podcasts, Business as a set of bets

DanielJanuary 13, 2026

In this episode, I talk with Chris Coyier, founder of CSS-Tricks and CodePen, about playing the long game in tech. We discuss podcasting without burnout, building businesses as a series of bets, how to tell real trends from noise, and what skills still matter in an AI-driven industry.

🔗 Links mentioned

• https://chriscoyer.net
• https://codepen.io
• https://shoptalkshow.com
• https://css-tricks.com
• https://riverside.fm

🎙️ Chapters & Topics

0:00 – 2:11 – Introduction Chris Coyier
2:12 – 6:57 – Podcast longevity after 700+ episodes
6:58 – 10:37 – Fun vs money: Balancing enjoyment, success & burnout
10:38 – 13:31 – Signal vs noise: Spotting trends that actually last
13:32 – 15:20 – Real value & human needs
15:21 – 19:08 – Business as a series of bets
19:09 – 22:07 – When to push vs quit
22:08 – 27:34 – Starting from zero: Building an audience without reputation
27:35 – 30:55 – Choosing what to work on
30:56 – 34:44 – Talking to users: Customer feedback & CodePen
34:45 – 40:40 – The AI dilemma: Training data, ethics & the creator economy
40:41 – 43:51 – Skills that still matter in the age of AI
43:52 – 47:46 – AI and CSS
47:47 – 52:02 – Parenting & preparing kids for an uncertain future
52:03 – 53:04 – Closing thoughts