June 19, 2025

Summer Break: The Precedent Spectrum, From Law to Art and Everything in Between

The Precedent Spectrum: From Law to Art


In this first of four special Best of Season One episodes of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Sullivan explores how precedent shapes everything from law to art. Sullivan starts with Justice Steven Breyer discussing the landmark Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education, which broke the 'separate but equal' precedent. The episode also features Bismarck Lepe, founder of MiSalud Health, who revolutionizes healthcare access for the Hispanic community, and Kara Golden, who disrupted the beverage industry with Hint Water. Other notable guests include Eric Ryan, who transformed the consumer products market; Ann Miura-Ko, a venture capitalist with a keen eye for 'super thinkers'; and Shiza Shahid, co-founder of the Malala Fund. The episode concludes with artist Trevor Paglen, who redefines art by pushing its boundaries. Each guest's journey illustrates how breaking precedent, though risky, can lead to significant societal advancements.


Listen to the full original episodes here:

  • Breaking Precedent: Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer on what is precedent? β€” Justice Stephen Breyer
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • Breaking Tradition: Co-Founding Partner of Floodgate, Ann Miura-Ko, on innovations in Venture Capital β€” Ann Miura-Ko
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • Piercing the Veil: Shiza Shahid on co-founding the $1B Malala Fund to transforming kitchenware with Our Place β€” Shiza Shahid
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • Breaking Dawn: How Eric Ryan of Method, Olly, Welly, transforms boring products into billion dollar brands β€” Eric Ryan
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • Breaking Cover: Trevor Paglen with a bold artistic approach to challenging societal thinking and setting new precedents β€” Trevor Paglen
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • Rompiendo Precedente: Bismarck Lepe on Breaking Barriers from the Fields to Google to Founding Mi Salud Health β€” Bismarck Lepe
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 
  • A Water Break: The Undaunted Journey of Kara Goldin and Hint β€” Kara Goldin
    Β  Listen here: Apple | SpotifyΒ 

Show Notes:

(00:00) Introduction: The Power of Precedent

(01:00) The Legal Bedrock: Precedent in Law

(04:30) Healthcare Innovation: Breaking Barriers with MiSalud

(08:30) Entrepreneurial Grit: The Story of Hint Water

(13:00) Revolutionizing Industries: Method, Ollie, and Welle

(15:30) Empowering Change: Shiza Shahid and the Malala Fund

(18:30) Art and Innovation: Challenging the Status Quo

(21:00) Conclusion: The Impact of Breaking Precedent


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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.


Connect with Leah:


Website: https://www.breakingprecedent.com/ Β 

Instagram: @labunleashed - https://www.instagram.com/labunleashed/Β 

X: @labunleashed - https://twitter.com/labunleashed?lang=enΒ