Favorite CEOs of CEOs and Why

Everyone has a role model. No matter if someone is five years old and spends hours in the driveway replicating the jump shot of their favorite basketball player or an elderly man reads a book written by a business mogul, everyone looks up to another person. This is just the normal human condition. People admire others, especially those who have achieved some level of noticeable success. They want to pattern their lives after these successful people in an effort to reach the same place.

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Role models are an inspiration. If someone has been successful in the things another person is passionate about, the latter will believe they can accomplish something because the person they look up to has already been there. The associate justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, put it best, “But a role model in the flesh provides more than inspiration; his or her very existence is confirmation of possibilities one may have every reason to doubt, saying, ‘Yes, someone like me can do this.”

That leaves the question of, in business, who should you be looking up to? We connected with ten different business experts to discover who their favorite CEOs are and why.

Satya Nadella

Alexandra Fennell is the Co-Founder of Attn:Grace, a brand offering modern solutions for age-old problems: skin-safe personal care, designed by women. She believes that the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, is a top-tier leader because of the attention he has paid to the company culture.

“Most people have a boss but not every boss is a true leader. It would have been easy for Nadella to step into one of the most powerful CEO positions in the western world and keep the company running as normal. No one would have faulted him for this approach. But instead, he opted to be a voice for change within the walls of Microsoft. Since he became CEO, Microsoft has been far more focused on the inclusivity of everyone and fostering relationships with other computer companies.”

Charles Butt

Personal Trainer Pioneer specializes in providing all the valuable information you need to know about personal training. Their Founder and Senior Editor, Tyler Read, suggests the CEO of the supermarket chain, H-E-B, Charles Butt, is one of the strongest leaders due to his thoughtfulness.

“I think that when everyday folk imagine the rich and famous, they picture a person who is above it all and does not consider those in need. Charles Butt is the exact opposite of this despite running a highly profitable company for over fifty years. Throughout his tenure, he has given hundreds of millions of dollars to disaster relief and public schools. There are numerous wealthy people who are content to stockpile their wealth without a second thought for people who may require assistance. His continuous giving really demonstrates who he is as a person.”

Daniel Zhang

When someone can create a change in an industry that is recognized globally, it is safe to say they know what they are doing. This is the case for Daniel Zhang, the CEO of Alibaba Group. Cleared is a business providing online allergy consultations. Their Co-Founder, Ryan Rockefeller, considers Zhang to be incredibly influential.

“Most Americans are familiar with Black Friday and Cyber Monday because of how much money is spent over this weekend. But, did you know that there is a holiday in China where the revenue is four times more than that of Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined? Singles’ Day was created by Zhang when he turned a community festival into a national, 24 hour period of shopping. If a person can be the driving force behind an idea that results in that kind of revenue they deserve the utmost respect.”

Rich Lesser

Omid Semino is the CEO and Founder of Diamond Mansion, a brand offering hand-crafted engagement rings. He advises others to take note of the CEO of Boston Consulting Group as he has proven how impactful his leadership and strategy is.

“Rich Lesser, at least in my mind, is a miracle worker. In 2008, the economic world was thrown into turmoil due to the recession. A seemingly endless number of businesses either went under or lost money hand over foot. However, Boston Consulting Group experienced a noticeable amount of growth in this time and many within the walls of the company attribute this in large part to the work of Lesser. It takes a really special person to navigate the tumultuous waters of a recession like that one.”

Shantanu Narayen

Relay specializes in team-based accountability and connection for people to overcome addiction. Their CEO, Chandler Rogers, believes the CEO of Adobe Inc., Shantanu Narayen, because of the long list of experience and accomplishments he has racked up.

“When you look at what Narayen has done over the course of the last 35 or so years, you have to stand back in amazement. One of his early jobs was working for Apple when they were just starting to take off. He then changed gears and founded a company which is widely recognized as one of the cornerstones for sharing pictures online. Now, he’s the CEO of one of the largest software companies in the world. Since he took over, Adobe has changed the industry with products such as Photoshop and Premiere.”

Jensen Huang

When someone is as well rounded, personally and professionally, as the CEO of Nvidia Corporation, it might be wise to pay attention to them. Haven Athletic is a business providing organized gym bags. Their CEO, Caleb Ulffers, suggests this approach with Jensen Huang.

“Founding and running a company as large as something like Nvidia is nothing short of spectacular. The company is one of the leaders in their industry and continues to push technology forward at a rapid rate. But Huang has not been complacent with just that. Because of the groundbreaking work he’s done with technology he’s the recipient of numerous awards all while regularly giving large donations to schools and projects he believes in.”

Lynsi Snyder

Alex Carroll is the Founder of Caliber Games, a brand offering classic and original yard games. He considers the CEO of In-N-Out Burger to be someone worth paying attention to because of the poise she has demonstrated.

“Being the CEO of a national brand is a basket case in and of itself. When you pair this with abnormal life experiences, it becomes that much more impressive that Snyder continues to be a fantastic leader. As a teenager, she lost her father to a drug overdose. She inherited her CEO position as it is a family business. There have been lawsuits with former employees and she’s dealt with multiple divorces. And yet, her company continues to operate at a high level. It’s all very notable.”

Tim Cook

Emjay specializes in premium cannabis products. Their CEO, Chris Vaughn, advises others to observe the CEO of one of the most recognizable technology companies in the world.

“It can’t be an easy thing to step into the role once held by one of the biggest innovators we’ve seen in the last hundred years and yet, Tim Cook has done just that and more. People looked to Steve Jobs as one of the premier faces of technology and while Cook hasn’t filled those shoes, Apple continues to debut new products and hold its spot in popularity. With so many moving pieces involved in directing a company of that size and prominence, the job Cook has done is truly amazing.

Gary C. Kelly

When an employee can rise through the ranks to the top of the food chain, it is a monumental achievement that demonstrates the person’s motivation for and knowledge of the industry. This is the case for Kelly, the CEO of Southwest Airlines. TakeUs is a business providing collateral-free NFT rental and mortgage platforms. Their CMO, Loic Claveau, believes others should take notice of this.

“There’s no one more fit to run a company than a person who has vast amounts of experience within that company. This is the case for the CEO of Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly. He originally started at Southwest in the finance department before rising through the ranks over the next two decades to where he was in charge of everything. I think that high quality leaders demonstrate loyalty and Kelly has done just that.”

Eric S. Yuan

Cody Candee is the Founder and CEO of Bounce, a brand offering luggage storage near you. He suggests the CEO of Zoom is a testament to sticking to personal beliefs and goals.

“Zoom is a product of their CEO and founder, Eric Yuan. His story is really incredible. After he arrived in Silicon Valley from China, he worked at a couple of companies that were working on video call technology before he pitched his own idea for the technology. After he was denied, he founded Zoom because of how much he believed in his idea. Obviously, he was right and it’s incredible he was that inspired.”

All of the examples above are of CEOs who are inspirational for one reason or another. Their companies have thrived as they have represented their companies well and ran them even more effectively. There is a great deal that comes with being a CEO. Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General Electric, spoke on the power and duty CEOs have, “I’m responsible for this company. I stand behind the results. I know the details, and I think the CEO has to be the moral leader of the company, … I think high standards are good, but let’s not anybody be confused, it’s about performance with integrity. That’s what you have to do.”