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.

Nicole Spracale

I’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible leaders, but one stands out above the rest. He had a way of pushing me beyond what I thought I was capable of—never harshly, never without support, but with a steady belief that “good” shouldn’t be the finish line. He refused to let me get too comfortable, and at the time, I didn’t always appreciate that. Read more>>

Supreme King

His name was Gabe Torres. I was dealing with a personal situation that made me feel less confident in myself. I spoke to him about it and he encouraged and supported me by acknowledging my strengths as an individual and employee. Read more>>

Michael Stock

The best boss I ever had was a woman named Catherine. What made her stand out was her ability to create a calm, grounded environment even when things were fast-paced or stressful. She had this mantra she repeated often: “We’re not doing brain surgery.” It sounds simple, but it completely shifted the energy of our team. Read more>>