Celeste Gruenstein, CEO, Décor Direct

“Years ago, a retired successful entrepreneur shared some powerful advice: ‘Do things now that can't be done later.’ He always thought he'd build his business and then enjoy what he'd built, but age robbed him of capacity. In the ’90s, I embarked on a multiyear mini-retirement to globetrot, museum hop, write and study topics like the Internet and sustainability. That inspired the 1998 relaunch of my company, Décor Direct, with a focus on functional art and sustainability. More recently, I took time out to care for my mother. Now that she's passed, I feel that being her caregiver has imbued me with a sense of compassion and peace, powerful antidotes to stress.”

John Giglio, President and CEO, Freedom Boat Club

“As far back as I can recall, I’ve heard how important it is to hire the right people. I have made it a priority to invest the time to find the best person for a particular job. The second priority involves empowering people to do the jobs they were hired to perform. I set goals and then trust my team to get the job done. My job requires extensive travel, but because I have an experienced leadership team, I can be away from the business without concerns.”

Kristen Horler, CEO and founder of Inspiring Wellness, LLC

“My husband and business partner, Mark Horler, taught me to always keep learning. I discovered audible.com, where I could listen to a book while I drove to work, which helps me arrive at the office inspired. I completed a book every month. The first book was Good to Great. I learned so much about myself as a leader. Subsequent books have helped me see that my intuition is very strong.”