One of the biggest challenges CEOs and other C-Level executives have after selling or otherwise exiting a successful career is “what should I do next?”
Sometimes, a CEO cannot resist getting back in the game. It’s widely held that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Elon Musk (Paypal, Tesla, Space X….Twitter remains to be seen) and Steve Jobs (not counting “Next”), pulled it off, but others have not (see the fate of GE division presidents who didn’t get Jeff Immelt’s job).
One CEO trying his hand on a different business than the one he became famous for is the founder/CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey, who at 70 is moving from healthy food to healthy lives in a new startup “Love.Life.” A recent article in American Business History recaps Mr. Mackey’s career and provides an overview of his second startup.
Reading it may help you decide if you should go for a second act…when the time comes. Check out Whole Foods Founder Begins a New Adventure.