Sarah Lacy

Sarah Lacy – Life, Career, and Voice in Technology Journalism

Sarah Lacy (born December 29, 1975) is an American technology journalist, author, and entrepreneur. Explore her career, books, influence in tech media, and insights in this detailed biography.

Introduction

Sarah Ruth Lacy is a prominent American technology journalist, author, and media entrepreneur. Born on December 29, 1975, she has been a visible voice in Silicon Valley, known for incisive reporting, bold commentary, and efforts to build media platforms that speak to the tech world and beyond. Her work spans from reporting and editing to founding media ventures like PandoDaily and social platforms focused on working mothers. She has often been outspoken about the cultural and ethical challenges of technology, particularly regarding gender, power, and startup culture.

Early Life and Education

Sarah Lacy was born on December 29, 1975, in Memphis, Tennessee. She earned her B.A. in Literature from Rhodes College in Memphis.

Her background in literature laid a foundation for her strengths as a writer and storyteller—skills she would carry into journalism and media entrepreneurship.

Journalism Career & Media Ventures

Early Work & Technology Reporting

Lacy began her journalism career in the business / tech space. She worked as a columnist for BusinessWeek and later joined TechCrunch as a columnist. She also co-hosted Yahoo! TechTicker, a web-based video show focused on technology news.

Her writing and commentary often probe the intersection of startups, venture capital, cultural trends in Silicon Valley, and the impact of technology on society.

Founding PandoDaily

In 2012, Lacy launched PandoDaily (often called “Pando”) with initial investments from high-profile backers including Marc Andreessen, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and others. PandoDaily included both a daily technology news site and a monthly in-person event series called PandoMonthly.

PandoDaily quickly became known for its bold commentary, inside scoops, and willingness to challenge power structures in tech. However, the venture also came with challenges—facing harassment, controversies, and tensions with powerful tech companies. For example, in 2014, a high-level Uber executive allegedly suggested hiring opposition researchers to dig up dirt on journalists, including Lacy.

In October 2019, Lacy sold PandoDaily to BuySellAds. She cited the toll of harassment, threats, and betrayals she experienced in Silicon Valley as reasons for stepping back from full-time journalism.

Other Projects: Chairman Mom, Bookstore, Writing

Beyond Pando, Lacy co-founded Chairman Mom (later “ChairmanMe”) in 2018—a subscription-based forum and community designed to help working mothers navigate career, parenting, and systemic challenges.

She also co-owns The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs, and works as a writer and story consultant, focusing on collaborative writing projects.

While she has stepped back from regular journalism, she continues to engage in writing, commentary, and media-related projects.

Major Works & Books

Sarah Lacy is the author of several books that reflect her interest in entrepreneurship, technology culture, and gender issues. Her major published works include:

1. Once You’re Lucky, Twice You’re Good (2008)
   A chronicle of the Web 2.0 era, exploring how companies like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and others rose—and what cultural and economic forces propelled or hindered them.

2. Brilliant, Crazy, Cocky (2011)
   This book examines how elite entrepreneurs in a volatile global context succeed—or fail—by taking outsized risks or thriving on chaos.

3. A Uterus Is a Feature, Not a Bug (2017)
   A more personal and socially focused work, this book addresses the systemic challenges women face in tech, work, and society.

These works showcase her ability to blend narrative, analysis, and personal perspective in exploring how innovation, ambition, and identity intersect.

Themes, Perspective & Influence

Critical Eye on Tech Culture

One of Lacy’s enduring traits is her critical stance toward the culture of Silicon Valley. She is vocal about the harassment, gender bias, power asymmetries, and the “boys’ club” mindset in tech. Her critiques often come from insider observation, which gives them more weight—and also sometimes more pushback.

Venture, Journalism, and Risk

Lacy’s career path straddles journalism and entrepreneurship. Her decision to found PandoDaily, then leave journalism, reflects a model where journalists become media creators, not just observers. That adds complexity: she has to balance credibility, business survival, and editorial integrity.

Voice for Working Mothers

Through Chairman Mom / ChairmanMe, Lacy addresses the intersections of parenthood, career ambition, gender expectations, and system-level barriers. This adds to her profile as someone not only chronicling tech but trying to shape culture and support underrepresented voices.

Selected Quotes

Here are a few notable remarks attributed to Sarah Lacy (or captured in interviews/essays) that reflect her voice and convictions:

“If you're going to be a provocateur, you have to be comfortable with the idea that people will want to punch back.”

“Silicon Valley is not a meritocracy. It's a club. And you have to learn how to play the game or get excluded.”

“My hope is that women in tech are no longer just judged by what they created—they’re judged for what happens if they didn’t exist.”

These quotes capture her blend of realism, challenge to norms, and commitment to changing narratives.

Lessons from Sarah Lacy

1. Speak truth to power. Lacy shows how journalists can critique the very industry they cover, especially when inside knowledge gives legitimacy.

2. Pioneering comes with cost. Founding media ventures or walking non-traditional paths is risky—professionally, personally, emotionally.

3. Intersection matters. Tech is not just code and money; culture, identity, and gender profoundly shape who succeeds and who is silenced.

4. Platforms can be part of the change. By creating spaces like Chairman Mom, she moves beyond criticism into building community.

5. Adapt and move. Her shift from journalism to entrepreneurship and consulting reflects agility in changing media landscapes.

Legacy and Impact

Sarah Lacy has been an influential voice during a time when tech journalism evolved rapidly. Her critiques have challenged Silicon Valley’s self-congratulation, and her ventures have modeled alternative media and community-building.

Even as she steps away from full-time journalism, her writings, the conversations she has stoked, and the media she has built continue to resonate—especially for women, creators, and those navigating power in tech.