Breaking Precedent
Dive into the stories of innovators pushing the boundaries of social norms, challenging precedents, and setting new ones in their fields. In each episode, Leah uncovers the motivations, struggles, and triumphs of these pioneers, along with the groundbreaking ideas shaping our world. From technology to art to social justice, you'll hear untold stories of how precedents are broken and new paths are forged.
Recent Episodes
Breaking the Script - Season 3
Breaking the Bank: Aaron Holiday on 645 ventures' data-driven approach to sourcing deals and bringing the invisible to life [Replay]
Summer Break: How They Broke Precedent - The Origin Stories
Broken System: Halle Tecco on What it Takes to Build Massively Better Healthcare [Replay]
Summer Break: Breaking New Ground - Fighting the Monopolies
About the Host
Engineer, Entrepreneur, Venture Capital Investor, Public Board Member
Leah is the Founder of The Precedent Collective, Managing Director of Precedent.vc, and a General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she manages high performing funds boasting top quartile performance. With a portfolio of over 150 companies that span a variety of sectors including consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail, she is an investor in Figma, Flexport, Lattice, Upwards, Bark, Pacaso and more. Sheโs passionate about finding founders and teams who are taking on world-changing ideas, and providing the support they need to maximize their potential.
Leah relates so well to founders because she is one herself. She created one of the most widely recognized new consumer technology brands of the past decade with TaskRabbit, the pioneering on-demand marketplace company she founded in 2008. TaskRabbit became a revolutionary concept that transformed the future of work and laid the foundation for the gig economy. As TaskRabbitโs CEO for eight years, Leah scaled the company into an international business with operations in 44 cities and more than $50 million in venture capital funding, from many of the top firms in Silicon Valley. In 2016, Leah transitioned into the role of executive chairwoman, and in 2017 oversaw TaskRabbitโs successful sale to IKEA, the multinational home decor corporation.
Prior to founding TaskRabbit, Leah began her career as a software engineer at IBM, where she worked for seven years on products including Lotus Notes and Domino. She earned a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Sweet Briar College, where she has served on the Board of Directors.
Leah serves on the Board Directors for PetMeds (NASDAQ: PETS), the San Francisco Ballet, and is Chair of the Board for the YPO Pacific US Region.
Proud of her Latina heritage, Leah is devoted to increasing diversity in technology and business. She has been a frequent speaker on topics such as entrepreneurship, the future of work, and women in technology at events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and Tina Brownโs Women in the World Summit. Leahโs achievements have been featured in publications including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Time, and Fast Company named her one of the โ100 Most Creative People in Business.โ She's a frequent guest on nationally ranked podcasts, top media outlets, and an in demand keynote speaker globally, represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau.