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.

Rhiana Medina

Managing people can be difficult at times, but extremely rewarding for those willing to take on the responsibility. I’ve been managing people for 17 years. While not every day has been rewarding, I can say that overall I have taken much joy in building teams, helping others grow professionally, and learning from previous bosses who mentored me. Read more>>

Tiffany Hill

Dr. James Cowan with Kid’s Care Medical Center was one of the best bosses on my employment journey. When I came to work for his medical practice, I was a young single mother of three children. I had previously completed Medical office training at Concorde Career College and started the adult learner program at Crichton College. The program was weekly on Thursdays for 18 months. At the end of the program I would complete my Bachelor’s of Science in Organizational management. Read more>>

Marsenia Mathis

I had joined back into the workforce almost a year after giving birth and I was eager to get back into the swing of things. About 5 months of being back in full swing of work, there were some company shifts taken place basically to harmonize the organization and I was approached about taking on more of a senior leadership role. I was new mom and so adjusting to the different roles both personally and professioanlly was a change for me. Having said that, my boss was the best corporate mentor I’ve had to date. Read more>>

Sydney Lawson

I have thought a lot recently about what it means to be a leader. As I move into more of a leadership role in my career, I reflect back on the bosses I’ve had and what skills I can take with me that I appreciate in their management style. The person who stands out to me the most is my boss Alex Ditty from Legends, the supervisor for the creative and marketing team. I don’t think there has ever been a time when I’ve seen him frustrated or upset with anyone on our team. He maintains a positive attitude throughout all situations and never blames or interrogates his employees. Read more>>

DOUGLAS JONES

The best boss I ever had truly cared about me as a person first. When I worked with him, at that time in my life I was experiencing some intense personal stressors and I became suicidal. Nobody knew but me. I was doing my best not to let it affect anything at work and thought I was hiding it well. One day, he asked me to go into his office and he straight up asked me if I had thoughts of hurting myself. I lied and told him no as I was embarrassed and scared. But, he did not take no for an answer. Read more>>