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.

Sophie Graefenhain

Katrina was the absolute best mentor I have ever had. She took a chance on me by recognizing my potential in the design world, and by hiring me onto her team she gave me an opportunity I will always be grateful for. Katrina had the ability to critique, collaborate, encourage, and be creative in a way that was inspiring. If you have ever had someone see the spark in you, when you could not see it in yourself, I am sure you can relate to how powerful it is to be given the chance to shine. Read more>>

Jo Ann Herold

One of my favorite bosses was Hala Moddelmog. I worked with her when she was President of Arby’s Restaurant Group. She was an early mentor and someone I knew for a long-time, even before our time at Arby’s. Hala has great vision and she wanted to have a deeper commitment within our foundation. She tapped me to take the lead on the brand side. We partnered with No Kid Hungry and raised over $15 million dollars to help end childhood hunger. It was a beautiful way to leverage brand and purpose and do good in the world. Read more>>

NOELLA VINCENT

A long time ago, I was a young marketing manager in France, and a new Marketing Director was nominated. He was coming from a totally different sector than the one our company was operating. He used to create a special individual relationship with each of the team member, coming in our workspace, sitting with us, being verry accessible, and joyful must of the time. Read more>>