Melissa Mulholland

CEO, Crayon

What has been your business highlight of 2022?

There are so many that it's hard to pick just one. This past year we have accomplished an incredible amount in ESG, we were the fastest-rising company on the ESG100 where we went from an F to a B+ for our improved sustainability reporting efforts. We also were No. 2 on the SHE Index for our gender diversity, plus we also had so many innovations that helped our customers create more business value, we marked our 20- year anniversary and had record-breaking financial quarters.

If you were ruler of your own country, what law would you introduce first?

I would have a law that ensured that we are leaving the earth better than we found it. It would need to have metrics tied to it because what gets measured gets done, but a systemic initiative that focuses on sustainability would be my priority.

Which channel or tech leader (outside of your own company) has impressed you most in 2022?

Satya Nadella for his empathetic leadership and for the release of the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. It's essential that we support businesses to be more sustainable and we are able to drive the greater good through technology.

If you had a warning label, what would it say?

I'm a ball of energy, so probably something that warns people about that.

What was your first job?

I worked at a bank as a teller at the age of 16.

What was the last book you 2023 read, and was it any good?

I love a good cookbook, so I would have to say Modern Comfort Food Cookbook by Ina Garten.

What's the most important lesson you've learned from another business leader or mentor?

The importance of listening. You need to listen to your employees, customers and partners around what their needs are and it keeps you relevant on how to run the business and what you need to do to solve and help others.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

That's a hard one. Zooey Deschanel, Lilly Collins or Anna Kendrick.