We often hear about bad bosses, but we think it’s important to talk about the good ones because we hope that by giving folks examples of how to be a good boss we can inspire future bosses to be better, to do better for their employees and all stakeholders.

Michael Trombley

The best boss that I ever had was during my years as an electrical engineer at my previous job, prior to jumping into NativeAudio full-time. Carrie was amazing and truly taught me what great leadership meant. In previous positions, I always thought that I’m here and the boss is up there. We lived in two separate worlds, almost like two different teams. However, Carrie redefined leadership and showed me that we both served on the same team and fought for the same purpose. Read more>>

Memry Wilson

I worked for someone who showed me I can do this myself. Which in my opinion is the best lesson a boss can teach someone. I previously, had a boss that was untrained, she had no experience in the beauty industry aside from receiving services, and was a first time business owner all together. She had a huge pharma background, so she knew how to sale, which is great! Read more>>

Taylor Trbo

Our fairy godmother and wonderful leader, Justine Johnson (@oxalis_______ on insta) !! The woman who gave birth to the Green House Collective. The Green House is the only women owned and exclusively femme lgbtq+ tattoo studio in the state of Hawaiʻi. This studio is a safe haven for not only the artists who work out of it but also the clients that come in for ink. Justine is now living in Wellington, Aotearoa (New Zealand) smashing it at her second born tattoo shop, Orchid Studio. Read more>>

Jill Koch

I have been working since the age of 14 so I have definitely had my share of boss’s and really only a handful stand out. Right out of college I worked as a news editor for a television station. It was my first job in the big leagues so to speak and I was definitely intimidated and unsure of what to expect. The boss I had there provided the greatest example of how to lead and treat employees. She was kind and understanding and would go out of her way to give a compliment when a job was well done. Read more>>

Tonya Dee

Seriously, the Best Boss I ever had – I literally called her boss. I was 21 years old and was fired from a place right across the street. I had driven by her business, that week and it was if spirit was guiding me. I was fired on a Thursday and showed up at her door early morning on Friday. I worked the day and she hired me then and there. My parents had owned a business my entire life, so I knew the ups and downs of business ownership. Read more>>

Chelsea Foulk

I will never forget the day I walked into a small food co-op in Iowa (New Pioneer) and upon checking out turning to my mom and saying out loud “I could work here!”. The man checking us out handed me his card and introduced himself as the store manager, Brad Lynch. Within a couple weeks I was hired and dove deep into the world of cheese mongering and specialty foods. Brad took me under my wing and showed me not only the ins and outs of running a department but how to be a leader. Read more>>

serena merriman

In my twenties I worked in fashion, doing PR for a Parisian couture and ready to wear designer. My boss, Sydney Finch, lived in London and I worked out of the New York office. She flew in every few months for meetings and to work with me in person. I was completely in awe of her and the lessons she taught me remain with me to this day. In no particular order, here are the highlights of what I learned from her: Read more>>