Janie Tsao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janie Tsao
|
|
|---|---|
| 吳健 | |
| Born |
Wu Chien (Wu Jian)
1953 (age 71–72) |
| Education | Tamkang University (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Co-founding Linksys |
| Spouse(s) | Victor Tsao |
| Children | 2 sons |
Janie Tsao (born 1953) is a smart American businesswoman and engineer. She was born in Taiwan. Janie is famous for starting a company called Linksys with her husband, Victor Tsao. Linksys made products that helped people connect computers at home. They sold their company to Cisco Systems for a lot of money in 2003.
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Her Early Life and Education
Janie Tsao was born Wu Chien in Taiwan in 1953. She went to Tamkang University in Taiwan. There, she studied English literature. This is where she met her future husband and business partner, Victor Tsao.
In 1977, Janie and Victor moved to Chicago, USA. They went to graduate school there. Later, they decided to live in California.
Her Amazing Career
Starting Her Career
In 1975, before moving to Chicago, Janie Tsao came to the United States. She started working at Sears Roebuck in their information technology department. She worked there for over eight years. After that, she worked as a systems manager at other companies like TRW Inc. and Carter Hawley Hale Stores.
Building Linksys
In 1988, Janie and Victor had a great idea. They wanted to create a product that would let many computers share one printer. Janie, who was 35 years old, decided to quit her job. She and Victor used their own savings to start their new company, Linksys. They even started the company in their garage!
Their first product was a big success. By 1991, Linksys was making enough money that Victor could also leave his job. He then worked full-time on the company with Janie.
Janie Tsao was in charge of sales for Linksys. She was very good at convincing big stores to sell Linksys products. In 1995, she got Fry's Electronics to sell their items. Then, in 1996, she convinced Best Buy. These deals were super important for Linksys. They helped the company's income grow four times bigger in 1996. Two years later, it tripled again!
Janie also helped Linksys work with cable and phone companies. This made it easier for people to get fast internet at home using Linksys products.
What She Did After Linksys
In 2003, Janie and Victor sold Linksys to Cisco Systems. The deal was worth $500 million! That's a lot of money. They both continued to work for Cisco as senior leaders until 2007.
After leaving Cisco, they started focusing on a new company. It was called Miven Venture Partners. This company helps invest in other businesses.
Awards and Recognition
Janie Tsao has received many awards for her work:
- In 2000, she was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Orange County Business Association.
- In 2002, she won a BridgeGate 20 award.
- In 2004, Janie and Victor were both named Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. magazine.
- In 2005, she won the ABIE Award for Technical Leadership. This award celebrates women who are leaders in technology.
Her Family and Giving Back
Janie Tsao and her husband, Victor, have two sons named Michael and Steven.
They also have a special foundation called the Tsao Family Foundation. Through this foundation, they work with the Center for Asian American Media. They help produce documentaries that share stories and promote understanding.
