Many business owners we’ve spoken with didn’t start with a huge team on day one. They had to learn how to be a good boss, but the problem is the books on leadership are often highly theoretical and so we wanted to hear practical examples of what it means to be a good boss. So, we asked some brilliant, insightful folks to share stories about the best bosses they’ve had.

Mayu Saeki

My life/work experience being a bandstand with NEA jazz master Chico Hamilton, who left us in 2013, taught me two of the most important lessons I have learned in my life. 

 First, what it means to give of yourself unreservedly to something. In Chico’s case this was music, and every time he walked on to a stage he honestly opened himself up to the audience and gave them everything he had. He was of that rare breed that consistently crossed over the line from playing music to making music. That is a difference in the same way that there is a difference between being alive and living. Chico has taught me to not settle for being alive, but instead to live. 

Second, is that when you create a comfortable and supportive space for others you provide them with the opportunity to discover who they are and then share this with others. With Chico, the evidence of this is all the players who came onto his group as youngsters and who then left his group as mature players. Chico showed me the remarkable act of humility that is involved in creating a space for others to flourish. Read more>>

Miguel Cavanna

The Best Boss I Ever Had yes, I sure had one, his name was Kurt Steilhak it was about 1972 in Washington DC, he was the Executive chef at the Washington Hilton Hotel where I was employed, I consider him a visionary and he provided me with some really good advice even though the advice went against the eras popular belief that one should stay with the same company for 35 years and then get the gold watch upon your Retirment. Read more>>

Willie Bell

It wasn’t my boss, but I supervised a psychiatrist as a mental health supervisor who was the best person that I worked with. He had a wealth of knowledge and served as my father figure at the time. He imparted his knowledge on to me as well as asked for my input and knowledge from me dealing with the population that we served. He taught me, encouraged me and it ultimately led to me becoming licensed in counseling. He did so in a manner that truly helped me to realize that he was on my team not just as a supervisee but as a mentor and parent figure as well. I fell ill at work and he drove me to the hospital, met with the medical staff and put me at ease as I would have to have surgery the very next day after he drove me to the hospital. Read more>>

Amanda Chum

Celeste Guarneri isn’t just my boss; she’s a mentor and a cherished friend who has profoundly shaped my understanding of what it means to be a leader. From her time at the School of Visual Arts to her current role as Director of Campus Life, Celeste often jokes that she’s “spent more of her life in college than out of it.” This wealth of experience has equipped her with a unique perspective that she generously shares with her team. Read more>>