Being a young CEO is no easy task. However, these 12 amazing entrepreneurs make it look easy! They are making waves and changing industries ranging from digital marketing and advertising, to BioTech, to portable ice rinks. Check out our list of 12 young CEOs you will definitely want to keep an eye on in 2022!
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Young CEO #1: Roman Alexander Wellington
Roman Alexander Wellington is an American business magnate, best-selling author, award-winning business & branding consultant, speaker, producer, and Entrepreneur.
Wellington has founded nine companies comprising dozens of brands, is ranked as one of the “Top 10 Digital Marketing Consultants in the USA” (2022), and has authored over 20+ books (including the acclaimed “Wellington’s 5-Minute Guides For Success” series) on the topics of Entrepreneurship, Digital Marketing and Advertising, Brand Building, Leadership, and more.
| Name | Roman Alexander Wellington |
|---|---|
| Age | 27 |
| Company | ElysianMed |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://romanalexanderwellington.com |
| https://www.facebook.com/RomanAlexanderWellington/ | |
| @romanalexanderw | |
| @RomanAlexanderW | |
| TikTok | @romanalexanderw |
| Books | https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Alexander-Wellington/e/B08R16FQ4Y |
Young CEO #2: Helen Mayer
During the pandemic, Helen Mayer, 25, lost childcare for her twins. She started building Otter, a platform that matches families who need childcare with stay-at-home parents who can care for their kids. Otter raised $27.8 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Abstract Ventures, Sequoia and Thrive Capital.
| Name | Helen Mayer |
|---|---|
| Age | 25 |
| Company | Otter |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenmayer/ |
Young CEO #3: Ben Botvinick
In 2020, at 17, Ben Botvinick started Hyper, a payment platform for entrepreneurs. Most of Hyper’s customers’ projects begin as side hustles: Hyper has helped turn more than 100 of those into businesses generating tens of thousands in annual revenue. In June, the company raised a $17.2 million Series A from General Catalyst and others.
| Name | Ben Botvinick |
|---|---|
| Age | 19 |
| Company | Hyper |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/botv/ |
Young CEO #4: Ja'Leah Davis
Ja’Leah Davis is the CEO and creator of a Houston-area television station Eyeconic Television, currently streaming nationwide on Roku, Amazon, Apple TV+ and more, that spotlights entrepreneurship and hosts over 20 shows, including an educational sketch/variety show that teaches financial literacy to children, a home improvement show and a weekly financial news show. She is also the founder of The Eyeconic Academy, a nonprofit organization with a similar mission to her TV station: to educate children and adults to enrich their lives through media.
| Name | Ja'Leah Davis |
|---|---|
| Age | 29 |
| Company | Eyeconic Television |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ja-leah-davis-9179a962 |
Young CEO #5: Rajat Bhageria
Rajat Bhageria, born in India and raised in Cincinnati, started San Francisco-based Chef Robotics to automate food service. The nearly three-year-old firm has raised $7.7 million from Kleiner Perkins and others to bring robots to the kitchen with the goal of increasing production, enhancing consistency and minimizing food waste.
| Name | Rajat Bhageria |
|---|---|
| Age | 25 |
| Company | Chef Robotics |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://rajatbhageria.com |
Young CEO #6: Eno Oduok
First generation Nigerian-American Eno Oduok is combating the stigmas surrounding what she says her community considers “non-traditional” careers as CEO of Naija Comm, the first online space catered to Nigerian professionals in creative industries including media and entertainment. Naija Comm spotlights accomplished Nigerians, such as recent Grammy nominees Burna Boy, Tems, and others, holds virtual networking events, posts job opportunities, shares newsletters, and more.
| Name | Eno Oduok |
|---|---|
| Age | 22 |
| Company | Naija Comm |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/eno-oduok |
Young CEO #7: Dylan Gastel
Dylan Gastel is a lifelong backyard ice-skating fan and wanted to share his passion for it. In college he got the idea for a portable rink that could be assembled in an hour, without tools and on any surface. He founded EZ ICE in 2016 with his own bootstrapped funds plus $250,000 in angel funding and has sold about $30 million of rinks.
| Name | Dylan Gastel |
|---|---|
| Age | 25 |
| Company | EZ ICE Rinks |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-gastel-751853a2 |
Young CEO #8: Michelle Zhu
Michelle Zhu is cofounder and CEO of Huue, which makes biosynthetic dyes to replace the toxic chemical dyes in apparel. Indigo used in jeans is especially harmful, and Huue says its biosynthetic version has five times less toxicity. The nearly three year startup is currently setting up partnerships with fashion brands to commercialize its dyes in exclusive lines of jeans expected out next year. Huue has raised $5 million, including from Melinda Gates’s Female Founders Competition, and counts designer Adriano Goldschmied as an advisor.
| Name | Michelle Zhu |
|---|---|
| Age | 28 |
| Company | Huue Bio |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejzhu35 |
Young CEO #9: Trey Colley
Trey Colley founded QuickJump, a company offering premier Instagram growth services with exceptional customer services.
The name has major significance and meaning to Trey. This is because he has decided to make his life a testimony to the extraordinary power of Instagram. While anyone can gripe about lowering engagement rates and having difficulty getting heard amid the one billion users on the platform, this entrepreneur has immense gratitude for everything Instagram has done for him.
| Name | Trey Colley |
|---|---|
| Age | 27 |
| Company | QuickJump |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.instagram.com/treycolley/ |
Young CEO #10: Lynn Greenberg
Greenberg, inspired by her own struggles relocating to a new country for work, founded Pivt Enterprise in 2019. It was initially a consumer app to help people moving and traveling adjust to a new city but has since evolved into a platform for businesses to support their relocated, mobile and remote workers. Pivt, with board members including Randi Zuckerberg and Evan Segal, works with seven companies directly.
| Name | Lynn Greenberg |
|---|---|
| Age | 29 |
| Company | Pivt |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-greenberg-3515865a |
Young CEO #11: Florent Crivello
The pandemic has been a tailwind for Teamflow, which offers customizable virtual offices that simulate regular workplaces, complete with digital desks and the ability to chat with colleagues in virtual hallways. Since launching his startup in 2020, first-generation French immigrant Florent Crivello has brought on board more than 1,000 customers and has $50 million in funding from Menlo Ventures, Battery Ventures and Coatue Management, among others.
| Name | Florent Crivello |
|---|---|
| Age | 29 |
| Company | Teamflow |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://florentcrivello.com/ |
Young CEO #12: Elle Liu
Elle Liu is the founder and CEO of Eucalypso, a sustainable bedding company that makes its products from eucalyptus fiber. Liu, a Chinese immigrant, launched the business in 2018 and says that her bedding addresses prevalent sleep concerns like night sweats and skin breakouts, while also being better for the planet.
| Name | Elle Liu |
|---|---|
| Age | 28 |
| Company | Eucalypso |
| Position | Founder & CEO |
| Website | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenyuliu |
What Character Traits Makes a Good Chief Executive Officer?
There is no one answer to this question, as different Chief Executive Officers have different styles and methods that work for them. However, there are certain characteristics and habits that tend to make a CEO successful.
Some of the key traits of a good CEO include:
1. Being decisive: CEO’s have to make tough decisions on a daily basis, sometimes with limited information. It’s important that they are able to make decisions quickly and confidently.
2. Being a good communicator: A CEO needs to be able to communicate their vision for the company and inspire others to buy into it. They also need to be able to effectively communicate with all levels of employees, from the C-suite down.
3. Being strategic: A CEO needs to be able to think long-term and have a clear vision for where they want the company to go. They need to be able to make tough decisions that may not be popular in the short-term but will benefit the company in the long run.
4. Being a good leader: A CEO needs to lead by example and inspire others to follow them. They need to be able to make difficult decisions and stand by them. They also need to be able to delegate effectively and empower their team.
These are just some of the key traits and habits that make a good CEO. Different CEOs will have different styles and methods that work for them, but these are some of the qualities that tend to make them successful.
