How I Built This with Guy Raz Cisco Systems & Urban Decay: Sandy Lerner (2018)
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May 10, 2021 Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems and creator of Urban Decay cosmetics, shares her incredible journey from tech entrepreneur to beauty innovator. She discusses the early struggles to secure funding for Cisco and the challenges of being a woman in tech. Lerner candidly reflects on her transformative childhood and the emotional toll of leadership changes. Her adventurous shift to Urban Decay illustrates a rebellion against beauty norms, coupled with a commitment to sustainability, revealing the multifaceted passions of a true visionary.
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Childhood
- Sandy Lerner's childhood involved living with her aunt in Beverly Hills after her parents' divorce.
- She later moved to Clipper Gap to live with another aunt in exchange for a pony.
Early Work Experience
- At 15, Lerner worked at a bank where she experienced sexism for the first time.
- This motivated her to pursue higher education and escape the oppressive environment.
Fast-Tracked Education
- Lerner completed her undergraduate degree in two years, driven by her determination to avoid returning to the bank job.
- She pursued international relations with a focus on communist theory and Marxist economics during the Vietnam War era.