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.

Sybil Godwin

I have had three bosses, and they have all had amazing impacts on me, in different ways. My first boss was George Xillas in Atlanta. He ran The Madison Gallery, which was located in the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. George had an incredible eye for design – as he had worked in the arts in Atlanta for years and years. I worked for George for three years. Read more>>

Ali Davis

My mentors, Bill Vandiver and Charles Scarbro, have truly changed my life and career. They embody service and leadership with their team and clients by taking time to personally connect with each and every person that crosses their path. In my time with them, we have experienced joy, heartbreak, excitement, and grief with our clients. Their lives intertwine with our salon guests’, and we are all lifted by the care and compassion they embody. Read more>>

Yurilka Hernandez

The best boss/mentor and leader I ever had has been Yaberci Perez Cubillan a fellow social worker. I will never forget the first time I met her; I had just graduated from NYU and was looking to start in a clinical field. I showed up to the interview with a folder full of trainings and certificates I had previously obtained in preparation for this job. She was then a program director, but I was blown away by her, she represented everything I wanted for me, like me she is Dominican, she was young, ambition and a first-generation graduate. She also held a different position that was different from the traditional field work. Read more>>

Samantha Berger

One of the best bosses (and also Co-Colonoscopy Buddies! True Story!) I’ve ever had is Niels Schuurmans at Nickelodeon. Here are the top ten reasons why: Read more>>