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.

Michelle Onaka

The best boss that I have ever had is my current boss! So let me back up, so you can really understand why this is so impactful. When I was leaving high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I just chose a college major because I needed to get a degree when I had scholarships and my parents to help me cover the costs. Then I worked seasonal tourism jobs, where you really aren’t there for the job so much as the chance to live somewhere cool. Then I finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life, and I went to graduate school for it. Read more>>

Jennifer Mullis

I am a Senior Lead Planner at Swanson Signature Events, and I am so grateful for Anna Swanson and Renee Peterson. I knew since I was 10 years old I wanted to do something in event planning. At 18, I started volunteering for any openings I could find to help with events. After my son was born, I became the co-coordinator of Pooler Mothers of Preschoolers. From there, Carlie Martin and I had an idea for a large scale Touch a Truck. It was an event that I coordinated for several years, and even though we had thousands of people attend every year, I knew I needed to learn more about the technical side of event planning. Read more>>

Kyia Jones

The first time I assisted anyone, was with Natalie Harrison in Brooklyn, NY on Flatbush Avenue. I was an eager high school senior who loved doing hair and enjoyed every moment with her. Natalie was sweet, professional, patient, helpful, extremely giving, and taught me so much in such a short amount of time. She was the perfect example of a young, independent Caribbean hairstylist who set her own hours, consistently had a full book, managed her time and clients well, and paid things forward. She was always clear with her expectations but showed understanding and grace if I made a mistake. Read more>>

Jonathan Cosby

Bill Sholar – a retired Vice President of Operations at the legendary Johnson Publishing Company (Ebony and Jet magazines) based in downtown Chicago. That’s the best boss I ever dad. Bill was about 6’1″, in his mid-50’s, slim, quiet and mellow, white short cut hair with a classic mustache. He had this cool paced walk like my father once had. He was always patient and kind to me, and I could fully relate to his temperament. As an intern and an eventual hired pre-media specialist, he taught me things that I hadn’t been taught in college. Read more>>