I always wonder how many people could have replicated similar successes if put in similar positions and i always feel like it is a lot. Like i can't imagine you taking someone from the same time period as newton or einstein and replacing them and seeing similar success but in a rich environment surrounded with bright people like early google, i feel like just being early to google is enough to guarantee that you'll have some good ideas. Using advertising to make money has always existed that is what tv channels and magazines did for a long time before the internet, i'm sure google would have been just as successful without google doodles or put another way - google's success allowed it to be whacky and not vice versa.
You're very wrong. Most people put in her position would be a disaster and they would either leave quickly or would be kicked out. Lots of people at Google left or were fired because they were crap, and they were definitely not randomly picked up from the street. She stayed and wasn't fired and that's because she was of the highest caliber.
