This interview with Lisa Gersh, chief executive of Goop, a wellness company, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant.
A. I grew up in the Bronx, and my parents both worked. My mom had the greatest impact on me, in terms of always telling me that I could do whatever I wanted to do. You need your parents to tell you that because sometimes when you’re just hanging around in seventh grade, it doesn’t quite feel that way.
We grew up pretty poor. My parents both lost their jobs when I was 11, and I understood at a very early age that I was going to have to make things happen for myself. I realized that babysitting for a dollar an hour was never going to get me anywhere, so I read an ad in the newspaper for umpires for girls’ softball. They didn’t have an age requirement. So I went to five classes, and I got my degree in umpiring girls’ softball. These girls were older than I was, and I made $5 a game.
When you think about your leadership style today, do you see your parents’ influence?
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