Prompt Cast
Sandy Lerner's Journey from Cisco Systems to Urban Decay
TLDR Sandy Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems, revolutionizing communication, before being pushed out and going on to build Urban Decay cosmetics and a sustainable farm, facing financial stress, cultural challenges, and ultimately being fired from Cisco.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Sandy Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems, a networking company that revolutionized communication, before being pushed out and going on to build Urban Decay cosmetics and a sustainable farm.
05:44
Sandy Lerner spent her early years living with her aunt in Beverly Hills before moving to Clipper Gap to live on a farm, eventually studying international relations and Marxist economics before transitioning to computer programming.
11:05
Sandy Lerner learned computer programming at Stanford, where she was one of the few women among a group of computer geeks who built their own internet and maintained their own technology interfaces.
16:19
Sandy Lerner and her team created a network at Stanford in the late 70s that allowed computers to communicate with each other, eventually leading to the establishment of the Stanford University network.
21:31
Sandy Lerner and her partner Len started Cisco Systems with a $5 bill to build terminal services and routers after facing obstacles at Stanford, eventually securing customers like Hewlett Packard Laboratories and Rutgers University.
26:26
Sandy Lerner and Len faced financial stress and challenges while building Cisco Systems, relying on credit cards, loans, and free labor from family members to keep the business afloat.
31:39
Sandy Lerner and Len faced changes in leadership and culture at Cisco Systems after receiving funding from Don Valentine and Sequoia Capital.
37:08
Sandy Lerner faced challenges at Cisco Systems due to cultural differences between engineers and salespeople, leading to tension and ultimately her being fired by the CEO.
42:14
Len walked out of Cisco Systems in solidarity with Sandy Lerner, leading to a tense situation and ultimately their departure from the company.
47:43
Sandy Lerner founded Urban Decay as a departure from traditional makeup industry norms, focusing on unique colors and cruelty-free products that resonated with the punk scene of the mid-90s.
52:44
Sandy Lerner transitioned from her role in the tech industry to running a sustainable farm in Virginia, focusing on raising livestock organically and humanely.
57:53
Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems and founder of Urban Decay Makeup, also started a library in the UK and wrote a Pride and Prejudice sequel called Second Impressions.
01:03:43
Justin and JD faced initial skepticism but found success with their ice plates, now used by companies like Chick-fil-A and law enforcement agencies.
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