Profile: Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream)

I have chosen to profile two people instead of one. But they way they operate they might as well be one. They are Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, better known as the owners of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. I have always idolized them as the ideal CEO, their generosity in employee compensation even almost led to their failure at one point!

From the beginning the managed every aspect of their product, experimenting and testing new ideas to get what they want. That was the interesting thing about all of it, they made what they liked, and sold it. They never went around asking what people wanted but instead chose for them. This could be hit or miss, but clearly it worked out for the better for them. They began their business after Jerry finished college, Ben never did. In fact, they are known for their additions to their ice creams, whether they be nuts or fudge chunks, because Ben suffers from anosmia (no sense of smell) so he relied on texture over smell.

This sort of career path does not really require any sort of formal education, even though even a basic business degree would always be beneficial for any start up. This relied more on the creation of something unique that could captivate a new market. Not only did they promise high quality products, they also relied on quality ingredients and being eco-friendly by using recycled packaging, promoting recycling said containers, and using sustainable practices to reduce their pollution output. They also believed that just because they were CEO's they shouldn't be making significantly larger amounts than their workers, they believe in fairness.

While I do not see myself creating a new and exciting food product their way of running what was a small buisness and how open and caring they are for their employees inspires me to be a positive leader at any position and hopefully the same kind of owner of my own business one day.