How to Raise Happy and Successful Children: Esther Wojcicki on Parenting, Grief, and Growth + The AI Founder Sprint 2025 powered by INSEAD
On success, love, loss, grit
Esther Wojcicki is a renowned educator and journalist, best known for her transformative parenting philosophy outlined in her books
In this episode, she shares the principles that guided her as a mother to Susan Wojcicki, former CEO of YouTube; Anne Wojcicki, founder of 23andMe; and Dr. Janet Wojcicki, a professor of pediatrics at UCSF.
She reflects on how childhood trauma, loss, and adversity can be met with trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness—the values at the heart of her TRICK framework.
We also explore how her philosophy contrasts with more authoritarian approaches to parenting, such as those advanced by Amy Chua in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Esther argues that success does not require pressure or fear, but rather autonomy, connection, and trust.
Esther also discusses grief - a constant in most of our lives. This conversation goes well beyond parenting. It is about finding strength through meaning, creating space for healing, and choosing stories that uplift rather than confine. Esther’s insights offer a profound reminder that while loss is part of life, it does not have to define it.
The AI Founder Sprint 2025 | INSEAD
The AI Founder Sprint 2025 powered by INSEAD is an 8-week sprint for startups using AI to drive innovation and growth from the ground up.
Led by INSEAD faculty and global mentors, the sprint offers:
- Evidence-based tools for AI-powered venture design
- Strategic guidance from experienced founders and experts
- Access to global insights on how AI is reshaping startup creation
- A cohort of builders pushing the frontier of AI + entrepreneurship
The AI Founder Sprint also contributes to INSEAD’s ongoing research on AI and venture building, so your experience helps shape future knowledge.
🧠 25 August – 14 October
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