MARILLYN HEWSON Executive Chairman and Former Chairman, President, and CEO, Lockheed Martin

“When I look back at those days and the formative elements of who we were in our communities, I see parents who gave generously of their time, energy, effort, and intellectual capacity. That led me to always think about striving for excellence.”

We bought businesses that we thought were decent businesses at sensible prices, and we had good people to run them. But we also bought marketable securities in Berkshire. Over time, the emphasis shifted from marketable securities to buying businesses. At first we bought some stocks. Then in 1967 I bought a local insurance company for $8.7 million.

ERIC SCHMIDT Former Chairman, Google/Alphabet

Every company was inspired by his vision: be daring; offer something new and exciting; appeal to people’s willingness to take a chance; and sell an enjoyable experience as well as a product or service.

TIM COOK CEO, Apple

I don’t think there’s an automatic rule that it’s seven years. When you look at the economy, you always look for the potholes. We did see potholes in 2007, in 2008, in leverage and mortgage. There are no real potholes there now. Fifteen million more people are working. Wages are going up. Stock prices are much higher than where they were. We need t

Self-analysis is always fraught with risk, and there is the danger of patting oneself on the back unduly, but the attributes I would cite are the same ones that I repeatedly hear from those I interview on my show: Luck. There is no doubt that successful leaders seem to have luck along the way. It was a chance encounter that led to my interview with

I’ve seen small things get big. I like treating things as if they’re small. Even though Amazon is a large company, I want it to have the heart and spirit of a small one.