And on his seventh Burn, Tyler Williams truly came Home
For his first six Burns, musician and professional Las Vegas community builder Tyler Williams attended Burning Man the millionaire way — flying in late, partying big, and heading out before the Temple burn. After the tragic death of his friend and boss, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh, Tyler returned to the playa — this time sober and with a deeper sense of intention.
In this interview memoir, Tyler shares his story of growing up in the church, landing in Las Vegas with his band, and eventually working alongside Tony during the Downtown Project’s legendary revitalization of Fremont Street. Along the way, Arash and Tyler explore the lows of Ketamine and the real highs found in purpose, community, and creative contribution.
Burner Podcast | Episode 158
Recorded on Bicycle Day of 2025 in Las Vegas, NV
🔗 Tyler’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tyler-williams-53089b20
🔗 Tyler’s music: reverbnation.com/theoryofflightmusic
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Featuring in-depth conversations with artists, leaders, and visionaries shaping Burner culture year-round, Burner Podcast is the longest-running traditional audio podcast in the global Burning Man community. Ranked among the top 5% of podcasts worldwide by Listen Notes, it has been exploring international Burner culture for over a decade.
🎧 Dive into the archive at burnerpodcast.com/previous-episodes
📲 Follow @BurnerPodcast on Instagram and facebook.com/burnerpodcast for wildly irregular updates
Burner Podcast host Arash Afshar is an Iranian-American, SoCal-born, and Las Vegas-based cultural strategist, creative director and professional photographer.
🔗 Explore his projects at arashafshar.com
📸 Follow him on Instagram: @mrarash
💌 Send love (or hate) mail: mrarash.com/hello
