People of Influence: Part 1
3 leaders who transformed the world beyond their field
Success is never reached alone.
Whether you’re in design and development or running the best damn taco stand in all of Arizona, you were inspired. You were inspired by the support of your clients, the trends of your time and the passion that drives you. And you were likely influenced by someone who turned your wildest dreams into can-do stories.
We’re honoring the leaders who have influenced our careers, our work and who we are as people. These are our first three:
Angel Anderson
A UX designer turned CEO
For anyone who dreams of professional growth in the field they’re passionate about (who doesn’t?), Angel Anderson is a tremendous inspiration.
Before she became the founder and CEO of NailSnaps, an innovative company that blends fashion and technology, she was a creative director who steadily moved beyond static design and became a champion of the UX process. Namely, she is the former Sr. Interaction Designer at HUGE Inc, and the former VP and Experience Director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky LA.
Her work in interactive design has positively impacted international companies, including Domino’s, Pepsi and many household brands that don’t add delicious calories to our plate. Even former President Barack Obama was inspired to name Small Business Saturday a national holiday while she led its UX design. Thanks, Obama? More like thanks, Anderson.
Today, Anderson continues to spread her influence through her public speaking, pitching and more. We’re excited to see what else she has in store for the world.
Lebron James
An athlete with a philanthropic heart
No one follows through quite like Lebron James. He dedicated $42 million in scholarships for his hometown; the University of Akron got it. He made it his mission to create positive change with the Lebron James Family Foundation; they designed a whole school. He promised Cleveland a championship; the Cavs got it and a flipping parade.
He may not be a mad scientist or a genius coder, but James certainly can’t be called just an athlete. In addition to being the highest paid player on the court, an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time NBA champ… Okay, even if he was just an athlete, he’d be impressive enough.
But to get the full story of Lebron James, you need to take into account that he’s also a smart businessman all around. He has invested in the fastest-growing restaurant chain ever, co-founded a production company, and rakes in $30 million annually through his lifetime deal with Nike alone.
James is the perfect rags-to-riches story and example of why it is important to A) be multifaceted, B) remember where you came from, and C) never stop learning.
Elon Musk
An inventive mind of our generation
From majoring in physics to perhaps tweeting the most valuable 61 characters in the world, Elon Musk is a visionary fit for our modern world.
Since the early 2000s, Musk led numerous businesses in the creation of products that have major implications for our world. From SpaceX to Tesla and Hyperloop, his ventures have a clear focus on creating sustainable technology solutions — effectively bringing all his crazy ideas to life through thorough research, intelligent processes and constant ideation.
No matter how wild Elon Musk stories are getting these days, there’s no doubt about his influence on technology. After all, he has 22.3 million followers taking in his words and looking forward to his important contributions to modern society:
Who are your greatest influences?
Shout them out in the comments to give thanks, and stay tuned for more in our People of Influence series to see if they’ve inspired us, too!
Want to see how our people of influence have inspired our work? Check out how we help businesses and nonprofits build their digital presence and systems for maximum impact on our site, then get in touch with us at akosweb.com/contact
Originally published at akosweb.com on August 17, 2018.
