A new one-on-one interview with her mother, Esther, provides some fascinating insights into the upbringing and current leadership philosophies of YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
Wojcicki interviewed her mother as part of a new Huffington Post web series called Talk To Me, in which bold-faced business minds like Richard Branson, Melinda Gates, and Travis Kalanick participate in intimate conversations with their parents (and children) that also touch on important social issues. While the Huffington Post previously announced that episodes would premiere on Facebook, Wojcicki’s episode launched — naturally — on YouTube.
During the seven-minute conversation with her mother, Wojcicki notes that both she and her younger sister, Anne (of biotech startup 23andMe), serve as CEOs of major tech companies, which leads her to wonder: “What did you feed us for breakfast, mom?”
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Esther Wojcicki’s answer is telling: “I gave you a ton of freedom. I let you pick your own breakfast cereal — as long as it didn’t have any sugar in it.” Esther, who has worked as a teacher for more than 50 years has a bit of a silly side, according to her daughter, says that giving all three of her daughters the opportunity to make their own choices from a young age turned out to be an empowering concession.
For more wisdom from the Wojcickis, check out the conversation in full below:
