Takeaways:
- Take a deep breath when the pressure gets too intense.
- Never compromise your values.
- Keep working to be a better leader.
The Streit File
Name: Steve Streit
Title: Founder, chairman, president and CEO
Company: Green Dot Corp.
Born: North Miami, Florida
Education: I went to the University of Florida, but never graduated. I was a broadcast major and I loved radio.
What kind of radio work did you do? In the early days, I was a disc jockey. Then I became a music director, meaning I picked the records and programmed the music flow on the radio station. Then I became a program director and as my career grew, I became less on the air and more involved in management. But at one time, I was a fill-in host for the legendary Casey Kasem on American Top 40. I still look back at that and get a kick out of it.
What’s the best advice you ever received? I was in the radio business working for a large public company as a senior executive. We had a wonderful consultant, Dan Valley, who I think is still a consultant to this day.
The company had changed executives and I was very nervous and insecure. When you’re working at a large company, management changes are very scary to the people below them.
I said to my friend, the consultant, ‘Hey, I’m really worried. I’m afraid now that this guy is gone, they may see as the old guy’s boy and not really like me and want to get rid of me.’
He said, ‘Steve, I’ve got a piece of advice for you that I’ve learned over many years. Never be anyone’s boy. Always be your own man. If you behave that way, you’ll always be the right guy for the right job.’ It’s something I still reflect on to this day. Do what’s right and be confident in your decision.
