Joe Sexton Fired on a Phone Call, Hired to Win

Joe picks up the story right before leaving Mercury: HP buys the company, a hardware exec freezes on stage during a Dallas roadshow, and an “urgent” call in the lobby ends with Joe being terminated then asserting his rights under a double-trigger clause. What came next set up the McAfee chapter that boardrooms still talk about.00:00 – Who Joe is now: board seats and cyber leadership01:02 – Nantucket trip, golf cigar…and getting sick anyway 08:46 – Setting the stage: Mercury firing story begins09:10 – HP acquires Mercury; exec “packages”; Joe’s role 09:40 – What “double trigger” really means10:56 – Dallas roadshow: the HP leader freezes on stage12:07 – The interrupting call during Joe’s talk 12:26 – Lobby phone call: “you’re terminated” (without cause)12:45 – “No package”? Knowing your clause and pushing back 13:01 – Lawyers, leverage, and next steps25:52 – The slot-machine hacker moment onstage 26:09 – “Join our team—we’re here to change this thing”26:18 – George Kurtz gets name-checked; CrowdStrike tie-in