Strong company cultures are no accident—they are carefully nurtured and intentional.

Entrepreneurs share their toughest lessons and advice on choosing the right business coach to avoid costly mistakes and maximize growth.

We reached out to CEOs featured in the Inc. 5000 list to uncover their most innovative and unexpected tactics for driving company growth. Their insights may challenge traditional approaches to scaling a business.

Three successful founders discuss how they strategically use artificial intelligence while avoiding excessive reliance on it.

I started at Vanta as the very first product marketer when the website featured just a simple llama and a 'request a demo' button. Over six years, I've grown alongside the company, which is now valued at $4.15 billion. Today, as the Chief Marketing Officer, I reflect on how continual reinvention has been key to my journey and the company’s success.

Traditionally, leaders are seen as experts rooted within a single sector, mastering its unique language and benchmarks. Yet, today's challenges require leaders who can traverse industries—learning from seemingly unrelated fields to rethink and innovate. For example, Tankoa Yachts, a custom superyacht builder, exemplifies leadership that integrates design, engineering, sustainability, and client relationships across disciplines. This approach holds valuable lessons for universities and public institutions struggling with complex, interconnected demands. Leadership now means embracing diverse expertise, adapting insights responsibly, and fostering long-term value beyond sector borders. As organizations operate in ecosystems, leadership education must evolve to cultivate this cross-industry fluency, encouraging leaders to thoughtfully translate practices from one domain to another while honoring context, ethics, and mission.

Target has announced the appointment of Chandhu Nair, formerly of Lowe’s, as its inaugural chief AI officer, effective August 24. This move reflects a broader trend, with IBM research noting that 76% of organizations now have a chief AI officer, a sharp increase from 26% in 2025. Nair’s arrival marks a significant step for Target as retailers increase their focus and spending on artificial intelligence technologies.

Brad Lightcap, who recently led special projects at OpenAI and formerly served as COO, has decided to leave the company after dedicating eight years to the AI lab. In a message to his colleagues shared on X, he mentioned that he is preparing to embark on a new journey. Lightcap reflected on recent months spent contemplating future challenges and opportunities critical to advancing OpenAI's mission. Though he’s departing, he assured coworkers that he will still be involved for the next few weeks, supporting the transition.

Alison Green offers a practical approach to deflecting uncomfortable public compliments, highlighting the contributions of your team, and positively shifting the dynamics within your office environment.

When leaders leave a gap in communication, employees often fill it with assumptions, which can erode trust within the team.