Cyan Banister

Let me go back to it's my first time experiencing it. So when I was younger, I actually felt that business people were evil and they were exploitative and all sorts of things. And I'm sure there are business people who are those things. But when I lifted myself up off the streets, it was by selling necklaces and making t-shirts. So I realized I could scrape up a little bit of money.

Let me go back to it's my first time experiencing it. So when I was younger, I actually felt that business people were evil and they were exploitative and all sorts of things. And I'm sure there are business people who are those things. But when I lifted myself up off the streets, it was by selling necklaces and making t-shirts. So I realized I could scrape up a little bit of money.

I could make a thing and a person out there could buy that thing from me at a markup. And then I could reinvest that into more supplies and make more money and literally get off the street. And to me, that was like, whoa, wow. Why can't everybody do this? Why can't they see this? And instead, what they see is various abuses of capitalism. Capitalism itself isn't just an idea. It's art.

I could make a thing and a person out there could buy that thing from me at a markup. And then I could reinvest that into more supplies and make more money and literally get off the street. And to me, that was like, whoa, wow. Why can't everybody do this? Why can't they see this? And instead, what they see is various abuses of capitalism. Capitalism itself isn't just an idea. It's art.

Art can be abused. All things can be abused. But at its core fundamental principles, it's extraordinarily liberating.

Art can be abused. All things can be abused. But at its core fundamental principles, it's extraordinarily liberating.

Oh yeah, the SpaceX story is a good one. So I worked at a company called Ironport and I was employee number 30. And it's the best company besides Founders Fund I've ever worked at in my life. The CEO there was incredible. His name is Scott Weiss. And he built a true meritocracy of a culture. It was the first place that I went to that I felt really valued for my mind above all else.

Oh yeah, the SpaceX story is a good one. So I worked at a company called Ironport and I was employee number 30. And it's the best company besides Founders Fund I've ever worked at in my life. The CEO there was incredible. His name is Scott Weiss. And he built a true meritocracy of a culture. It was the first place that I went to that I felt really valued for my mind above all else.

And every time that they gave me a raise, instead of asking for money, I asked for more equity. Because I believe so much in this company. And so I was just like, give me more, give me more equity. That's all I want. I'll figure out a way to make ends meet otherwise. And because before that, I worked at many startups and the equity didn't turn into anything.

And every time that they gave me a raise, instead of asking for money, I asked for more equity. Because I believe so much in this company. And so I was just like, give me more, give me more equity. That's all I want. I'll figure out a way to make ends meet otherwise. And because before that, I worked at many startups and the equity didn't turn into anything.

Every one of those companies ultimately failed. So when I had my first financial windfall was because Ironport sold to Cisco for $830 million. I think it was 2007. I looked around to my friends and I was very fortunate to have made friends that were angel investors already. And my husband was an angel investor, had already been doing angel investments for 10 years.

Every one of those companies ultimately failed. So when I had my first financial windfall was because Ironport sold to Cisco for $830 million. I think it was 2007. I looked around to my friends and I was very fortunate to have made friends that were angel investors already. And my husband was an angel investor, had already been doing angel investments for 10 years.

And he said, obviously building a company is one way to create wealth. And he said, but the real way that I make my money is by putting capital into high-risk startups. He's like, why don't you do that? And I was like, okay. And he's like, well, why don't you go out and look for opportunities, see what resonates with you and come back. So I did. And yeah,

And he said, obviously building a company is one way to create wealth. And he said, but the real way that I make my money is by putting capital into high-risk startups. He's like, why don't you do that? And I was like, okay. And he's like, well, why don't you go out and look for opportunities, see what resonates with you and come back. So I did. And yeah,

I was very, very uncertain and very, very scared to put the money that I'd slept under my desk for into startups. But then Luke Nosek came over to our house, who is a dear friend of my husband's. They went to college together. They dropped out of college together and drove west with walkie talkies because they didn't have cell phones and an apartment next to each other.

I was very, very uncertain and very, very scared to put the money that I'd slept under my desk for into startups. But then Luke Nosek came over to our house, who is a dear friend of my husband's. They went to college together. They dropped out of college together and drove west with walkie talkies because they didn't have cell phones and an apartment next to each other.

Eventually, Max Lutzen moved next door. But he came over and practically got on his knees and begged us for money for SpaceX. And it was his conviction and his belief in Elon Musk, this love that's indescribable. This man is going to achieve this vision. And then I went and talked to some NASA engineers and they said, what he's doing is solid.

Eventually, Max Lutzen moved next door. But he came over and practically got on his knees and begged us for money for SpaceX. And it was his conviction and his belief in Elon Musk, this love that's indescribable. This man is going to achieve this vision. And then I went and talked to some NASA engineers and they said, what he's doing is solid.

And the narrative violation there was a private entity can't enter the spacecraft. realm, period, the end. This is NASA. End of story. The government will never allow him to participate. I put money in. I was like, you know what? I'm just going to put everything in it. Everything I made from Ironport, I put into SpaceX. And I was like, you know, I'm young. I can do this.

And the narrative violation there was a private entity can't enter the spacecraft. realm, period, the end. This is NASA. End of story. The government will never allow him to participate. I put money in. I was like, you know what? I'm just going to put everything in it. Everything I made from Ironport, I put into SpaceX. And I was like, you know, I'm young. I can do this.