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Cisco Systems & Urban Decay: Sandy Lerner In the pre-Internet 1970's, Sandy Lerner was part of a loosely-knit group of programmers that was trying to get computers to talk to each other. Eventually, she and Len Bosack launched Cisco Systems, making the routing technology that helped forge the plumbing of the Internet. But when things turned sour at the company, she was forced to leave, giving her the chance to start something entirely new: an edgy line of cosmetics called Urban Decay. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," how Justin Li created a solution for staying cool and hydrated in the heat with IcePlate.
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Cisco Systems & Urban Decay: Sandy Lerner

Cisco Systems & Urban Decay: Sandy Lerner

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Sandy Lerner is the founder of Cisco Systems and Urban Decay.
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Phuong Nguyen for NPR
Sandy Lerner is the founder of Cisco Systems and Urban Decay.
Phuong Nguyen for NPR
How I Built This with Guy Raz

How I Built This with Guy Raz

In the pre-Internet 1970's, Sandy Lerner was part of a loosely-knit group of programmers that was trying to get computers to talk to each other.

Eventually, she and Len Bosack launched Cisco Systems, making the routing technology that helped forge the plumbing of the Internet.

But when things turned sour at the company, she was forced to leave, giving her the chance to start something entirely new: an edgy line of cosmetics called Urban Decay.

How You Built That

How Justin Li created a solution for staying cool and hydrated in the heat with IcePlate.

How You Built That: IcePlate

Listen · 4:21
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  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/652663380/652745148" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">