Glue Guys Susan Li - Meta's CFO on Building a Fast Learning Culture - [Glue Guys, EP.53]
47 snips
Sep 4, 2025 
Susan Li, the CFO of Meta and one of the youngest Fortune 100 CFOs, shares her inspiring journey from an immigrant to a tech leader. She talks about joining Facebook when it was still smaller than MySpace and the cultural nuances she faced along the way. Susan emphasizes the importance of fast learning, mentorship, and the sacrifices made by her parents. She reflects on the power of books in shaping her identity and the crucial role of 'glue people' in her life, illustrating how relationships fuel both personal and professional growth.
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Joining Facebook When It Was Tiny
- Susan joined Facebook in 2008 when it had ~400 employees and was smaller than MySpace in the U.S..
- She contrasted that startup culture with her prior work on Morgan Stanley's trading floor in Hong Kong and New York.
The Silkworm Larvae Lunch
- Susan recalled a Guangzhou client lunch where the CEO served fried silkworm larvae as a local specialty.
- She used that memory to illustrate cultural differences between her Hong Kong finance work and Facebook's offsite food options.
Path Dependence From Where You Study
- School and local networks shape career path dependence by exposing you to different industries and peers.
- Choosing a West Coast school immersed Susan in tech culture and made joining Facebook feel natural.
