Business Wars 23andMe's Fatal Flaw | Guess Who’s Back | 3
19 snips
Jun 19, 2025 
Lila MacLellan, a Senior Writer at Fortune known for profiling Anne Wojcicki, discusses Wojcicki’s ambitious bid to regain control of 23andMe amid bankruptcy. She reveals insights into Wojcicki's leadership style and the potential future of the company. Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi from NPR’s Planet Money dives into the grave implications of bankruptcy on consumer data protection and trust. They explore the sensitive topic of genetic data security, raising alarms over how bankruptcy impacts consumer privacy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Sergey Brin's Supportive Role
- Sergey Brin believed Anne Wojcicki was the right person to lead 23andMe, facilitating her rise as founder.
- Wojcicki abruptly inserted herself into a key meeting, showing her bold, controlling personality early on.
Founder Control Slowed Progress
- Anne Wojcicki's leadership style was controlling and micromanaging, limiting senior leaders' decision-making.
- This 'Is Anne happy?' focus slowed down progress and possibly flawed critical choices like entering pharmaceuticals.
Founder Mode and Double Standards
- "Founder mode" means a CEO relates emotionally to their company and micromanages decisions.
- Women founders like Wojcicki face harsher criticism for this behavior than their male counterparts.