EPISODE · Jun 16, 2026 · 46 MIN
The Doctor turned Founder & CEO at Quantum Networks Group ft. Charlene Li
from She's So Suite Podcast · host Kristi Faltorusso
Charlene Li dreamed of being a doctor. She became a serial disruptor instead. The New York Times bestselling author and Quantum Networks Group founder joins Kristi Faltorusso on She So Suite. Charlene traces her path from Harvard neurobiology to the early internet to founding Altimeter. She shares how she built an analyst firm that beat Gartner by giving research away free. She talks managing people, knowing when to stop, and disrupting with a smile.Timestamps0:00 - Preview & Introduction0:50 - Meet Charlene Li2:45 - Childhood dream: becoming a doctor like dad3:25 - The pivot from medicine to social sciences at Harvard6:10 - "Everyone in business is tall, white and male"7:55 - Monitor Group, HBS, and betting on the internet9:10 - A career in disruption and finding superpowers11:30 - Why she stopped wanting to manage people17:00 - Working at Forrester20:13 - Researching and Experimenting22:51 - AI's ability to shift powers26:30 - Challenges in setting up the company28:30 - A painful layoff and the shame around failure30:56 - Lessons from selling the company33:55 - Building Altimeter & The free-research disruption strategy40:30 - Empowered women empower women43:15 - Be honest with yourselfJoin over 16,000 professionals who have signed up to hear real and relatable stories, expert advice from a c-level executive, and gain access to resources to help make them better CS professionals and leaders at https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/the-journey-cs-newsletterConnect with the guest: Charlene Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleneli/Connect with Kristi Faltorusso: Website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/Follow the Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmKTIOWzy8e3kbzHr4f9VMr1oGfK5Qc_Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pf1SZMvfwvSJTA6WnpNjPApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shes-so-suite-podcast/id1730535499To learn more about Wednesday Women check out theirWebsite: https://www.wednesdaywomen.org/LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wednesday-women/Connect with the Show Producer:Manali: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manalibhat/_____________________About She's So Suite Podcast: Embark on a journey with Kristi in each podcast episode as she engages in insightful conversations with accomplished women in the C-suite. Explore their unique stories, triumphs, challenges, dreams, and valuable advice that will inspire and empower you. Tune in for an enriching experience as Kristi delves into the depth of their professional journeys and brings you closer to the dynamic world of female leaders at the top.
What this episode covers
Charlene Li dreamed of being a doctor. She became a serial disruptor instead. The New York Times bestselling author and Quantum Networks Group founder joins Kristi Faltorusso on She So Suite. Charlene traces her path from Harvard neurobiology to the early internet to founding Altimeter. She shares how she built an analyst firm that beat Gartner by giving research away free. She talks managing people, knowing when to stop, and disrupting with a smile.Timestamps0:00 - Preview & Introduction0:50 - Meet Charlene Li2:45 - Childhood dream: becoming a doctor like dad3:25 - The pivot from medicine to social sciences at Harvard6:10 - "Everyone in business is tall, white and male"7:55 - Monitor Group, HBS, and betting on the internet9:10 - A career in disruption and finding superpowers11:30 - Why she stopped wanting to manage people17:00 - Working at Forrester20:13 - Researching and Experimenting22:51 - AI's ability to shift powers26:30 - Challenges in setting up the company28:30 - A painful layoff and the shame around failure30:56 - Lessons from selling the company33:55 - Building Altimeter & The free-research disruption strategy40:30 - Empowered women empower women43:15 - Be honest with yourselfJoin over 16,000 professionals who have signed up to hear real and relatable stories, expert advice from a c-level executive, and gain access to resources to help make them better CS professionals and leaders at https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/the-journey-cs-newsletterConnect with the guest: Charlene Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleneli/Connect with Kristi Faltorusso: Website: https://www.kristifaltorusso.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/Follow the Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmKTIOWzy8e3kbzHr4f9VMr1oGfK5Qc_Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pf1SZMvfwvSJTA6WnpNjPApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shes-so-suite-podcast/id1730535499To learn more about Wednesday Women check out theirWebsite: https://www.wednesdaywomen.org/LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wednesday-women/Connect with the Show Producer:Manali: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manalibhat/_____________________About She's So Suite Podcast: Embark on a journey with Kristi in each podcast episode as she engages in insightful conversations with accomplished women in the C-suite. Explore their unique stories, triumphs, challenges, dreams, and valuable advice that will inspire and empower you. Tune in for an enriching experience as Kristi delves into the depth of their professional journeys and brings you closer to the dynamic world of female leaders at the top.
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The Doctor turned Founder & CEO at Quantum Networks Group ft. Charlene Li
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