New Episodes Alert - 2nd Installment of the Microsoft@50 Series

Listen to some of the early successes of Microsoft starting with the launch of Windows 95, the birth of Microsoft and the battle for the Internet

In this episode of From Startup to Exit, we take you back to where it all began — Microsoft’s earliest days in Albuquerque — through the lens of Steve Wood, the sixth employee ever hired at the company.

Who is Steve Wood?
Recruited straight out of Stanford by Bill Gates himself, Steve joined Microsoft in 1976, working closely with Bill Gates and Paul Allen on foundational projects like the FORTRAN compiler. He later became a General Manager before embarking on his own entrepreneurial journey — co-founding Starwave with Paul Allen and building multiple tech ventures.

In the 5th installment of the Microsoft@50 series, we interview Brad Chase, who was the marketing genius in charge of the launch of Windows 95. He was responsible for licesing the rights to the famous Rolling Stones song "Start me Up" that was used so effectively in the advertising for Windows 95.

Later on, he took over the reins for MSN. Brad joined Microsoft in 1987 and was the first product manager responsible for the launch of the Microsoft Office on the Mac. Later he became the Group Product Manager for MS D0S 5.0.

In this final podcast, we dive into one of the boldest pivots in Microsoft’s history — the transformation of MSN — with Laura Jennings, former Vice President in charge of MSN and one of Microsoft’s most senior female executives.

Laura shifted MSN’s strategy from a closed online service to one of the top internet portals in the world. From acquiring Hotmail to partnering with Inktomi on search, she helped position Microsoft as a true internet powerhouse.

In 1999, Laura launched a new MSN with personalization, integrated web email, and search — propelling it into the top 3 portals globally.