20 Years Ago: Cisco IPOs on NASDAQ

Cisco went public on February 16, 1990 at a split-adjusted price of about 6 cents.  Wow.  20 years as a public company.  20 years on the NASDAQ.  We would not be here today were it not for our great employees, investors, partners…and, most importantly, customers!  We have received a lot of corporate and technology accolades, honors and awards over the years and are proud to be listed among the best and most respected companies in the world.  Want to know the secret to our success?  The answer is…below…

The secret of Cisco’s success: Listening.

First and foremost, we listen to our customers.  We also listen to our investors…we listen to our partners…we listen to our employees.  Listening is an under-appreciated skill.  And, it is a skill.  When I was a teenager, my mom used to ask me if I heard her after she said something…which I, perhaps on occasion, gave her the impression that maybe I wasn’t fully listening.  I would say very cooly, I’m sure: “Yes, Mom, I heard you.”  “Great,” she would say, “but did you LISTEN to what I said?”  There IS a big difference.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” - Epictetus, Greek philosopher - 55 AD

Watch (and listen to) this video of Cisco CFO Frank Calderoni thanking customers, employees, partners and investors for 20 great years on the NASDAQ.