GoKawiilLyft’s CEO says choosing a major in these areas “vaccinates you against irrelevance.” Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning.
Three CEOs on why their unlikely majors were the best choice for careers in business
Why This Matters
As debate intensifies over whether college degrees still pay off in an AI-driven job market, three CEOs argue that non-obvious, non-business majors prepared them best for leadership. Lyft's CEO frames humanities and liberal-arts style study as something that "vaccinates you against irrelevance" — a useful counterpoint for students and employers weighing narrowly vocational training.
Key Takeaways
- Three CEOs credit unconventional, non-business majors for their success in business leadership.
- Lyft's CEO argues such fields protect against career obsolescence as skills demands shift.
- The piece challenges the assumption that pre-professional degrees are the safest path to executive roles.
Worth a Look
Range" by David Epstein (book) — Epstein's Range makes the case that generalists and people with wide-ranging interests often outperform narrow specialists — exactly the argument these CEOs make about their unlikely majors. It's a great read if you're wondering whether a liberal arts background can lead to the corner office.
See Range" by David Epstein (book) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Get alerts for these topics