Portrait of Larry Page
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Larry Page on Susan Wojcicki

Early business partner (strong)

TL;DR

Larry Page's connection to Susan Wojcicki is defined by her foundational role, including renting her garage for Google's start.

Key Points

  • She rented her garage to Page and Brin in 1998 as the first unofficial office space for Google for $1,700 a month.

  • Wojcicki was Google's sixteenth employee, subsequently working on and developing the seminal advertising product, AdSense, by 2003.

  • She was instrumental in the 2006 purchase of YouTube, having recommended the acquisition while overseeing Google’s video service.

Summary

Larry Page's history with Susan Wojcicki is deeply foundational to Google's origin story, as she rented her garage in Menlo Park, California, to the co-founders in 1998 so they could establish their initial office for the burgeoning search engine. She was Google employee number 16, playing a critical part in the company's early growth by leading initial viral marketing programs and spearheading the first Google Doodles. Her instrumental role continued when she recommended and managed the acquisition of YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion, later becoming its CEO.

This relationship represents a long-term, positive professional reliance, marked by her significant contributions to core Google products like AdSense and her eventual appointment to lead a major subsidiary. While Page has not frequently commented on her publicly in recent years following her CEO tenure, her initial involvement—from providing office space to leading crucial early products—signifies an indispensable early partnership within the company's history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Larry Page has historically maintained a highly positive professional position regarding Susan Wojcicki, stemming from her essential early support for Google. Her pivotal role included providing the initial office space where the company was founded, according to accounts from that time. This foundational support evolved into a long-term professional association within the company.

The connection between Larry Page and Susan Wojcicki began in 1998 when she rented her garage in Menlo Park, California, to him and Sergey Brin for their nascent search engine operations. She was introduced to the pair through a mutual friend around the time she was purchasing her home. Her decision to rent space to the founders was an early act of business support for the venture.

While direct, frequent public commentary from Larry Page on Susan Wojcicki's later leadership at YouTube is not widely documented, her ascension to CEO was a result of her significant, long-term contributions to Google's core advertising business. Her success in recommending and managing the YouTube acquisition indicated strong prior confidence from the Google leadership structure. She resigned from the CEO role in February 2023.