The 25 best CEOs of small companies, according to employees of color

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The 25 best CEOs of small companies, according to employees of color
  • Comparably put together a list of the highest-rated CEOs of small and mid-size businesses, according to employees of color.
  • Three CEOs have appeared on the list for three years running: David Cancel of Drift, Giuseppe Incitti of Sitetracker, and Alex Austin of Branch.
  • Gal Rimon, the CEO of Centrical, was ranked as the best CEO, according to employees of color.

Many companies are committing themselves to diversity and inclusion for their employees, and some small and mid-size business CEOs are taking charge when it comes to promoting a great work environment for employees of color.

Comparably put together a list of CEOs of small and mid-size companies who were highly ranked by employees of color. Employees anonymously ranked their CEOs on Comparably.com over 12 months, from June 2019 to June 2020.

Every company on this list has 550 employees or fewer, and every CEO on the list has a top 5% approval rating by employees of color.

Three of the CEOs ranked have appeared on the list for three years running: David Cancel of Drift, Giuseppe Incitti of Sitetracker, and Alex Austin of Branch.

Here are the 25 best CEOs of small and mid-size companies, according to employees of color.

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25. Aaron King, Snapdocs (fintech)

25. Aaron King, Snapdocs (fintech)
Aaron King. Snapdocs

Location: San Francisco, California

Employee quote: "Great communication, empathy, and overall authenticity. This is a leadership team that cares about the people and the business equally and they strive to have an inclusive environment."

24. Brandon Rodman, Weave (computer software)

24. Brandon Rodman, Weave (computer software)
Brandon Rodman. Weave

Location: Lehi, Utah

Employee quote: "Leadership truly practices what they preach when it comes to Weave's Core Values. I feel like I am cared about not only as an employee but as an individual as well."

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23. David Woodhouse, NGM Biopharmaceuticals (biotechnology)

23. David Woodhouse, NGM Biopharmaceuticals (biotechnology)
David Woodhouse. NGMBio

Location: San Francisco, California

Employee quote: "The best part is the investment in making sure NGM employees are taken care of on many levels, including leadership's robust pandemic response and dedication to improvement around #BLM"

22. Cesar Carvalho, Gympass (health & wellness)

22. Cesar Carvalho, Gympass (health & wellness)
Cesar Carvalho. Gympass

Location: New York, New York

Employee quote: "I like leadership's open-mindedness and flexibility. They are understanding and don't treat us like employees below them but rather as equals. They're by our side ready to help, teach, and coach us on bettering our work quality."

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21. Christian Gormsen, Eargo (medical devices)

21. Christian Gormsen, Eargo (medical devices)
Christian Gormsen. Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile/Getty Images

Location: San Jose, California

Employee quote: "Our leadership team is diverse, innovative, and always has the company's best interest at heart."

20. Shiv Gaglani, Osmosis (education management)

20. Shiv Gaglani, Osmosis (education management)
Shiv Gaglani. Osmosis

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Employee quote: "Everyone is genuinely kind and interested in learning about each other. A lot of thought and effort has gone into cultivating a culture that is inclusive, even though the company is completely distributed."

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19. Tim Chen, NerdWallet (consumer services)

19. Tim Chen, NerdWallet (consumer services)
Tim Chen. NerdWallet

Location: San Francisco, California

Employee quote: "There is a concerted effort to create a diverse, inclusive environment. It's not just talk — there is a real organizational understanding and push for the importance of a diverse, inclusive environment across recruiting/HR + the broader company culture."

18. Karl Mehta, EdCast (education management)

18. Karl Mehta, EdCast (education management)
Karl Mehta. J. Countess/Getty Images

Location: Mountain View, California

Employee quote: "Karl is an exceptional leader. He is a clear-eyed and practical visionary, with an amazing track record for execution and success. Above all, he is an amazing human being. Very humble despite his achievements and moves everyone up along with him."

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17. Rahul Kashyap, Awake Security (computer & network security)

17. Rahul Kashyap, Awake Security (computer & network security)
Rahul Kashyap. Awake Security

Location: Santa Clara, California

Employee quote: "We are open, honest, respectful, and diverse. The teams work side by side and always greet each other with 'How can I help?'"

16. Amit Jnagal, Infrrd (computer software)

16. Amit Jnagal, Infrrd (computer software)
Amit Jnagal. Infrrd

Location: San Jose, California

Employee quote: "Everyone is knowledgeable and brings unique perspectives on to the table. Look forward to learning and contributing every day."

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15. Alex Goode, GoSite (internet)

15. Alex Goode, GoSite (internet)
Alex Goode. GoSite

Location: San Diego, California

Employee quote: "Our team is very inclusive, values diversity and everyone's opinions, and there is a lot of effort to ensure that everyone is heard."

14. Peter McKay, Snyk (computer & network security)

14. Peter McKay, Snyk (computer & network security)
Peter McKay. Snyk

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Employee quote: "The best part of the culture is that it is inclusive, supportive and enabling."

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13. Payam Zamani, One Planet Group (investment fund)

13. Payam Zamani, One Planet Group (investment fund)
Payam Zamani. One Planet Group

Location: Walnut Creek, California

Employee quote: "We have a diverse team that is 60% women, so we have plenty of viewpoints and great collaborative sessions. Most employees have been with the company for 3 years or more."

12. Alex Austin, Branch (computer software)

12. Alex Austin, Branch (computer software)
Alex Austin. Branch

Location: Redwood City, California

Employee quote: "Very, very humble, inclusive, and proactive!"

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11. Neha Sampat, Contentstack (computer software)

11. Neha Sampat, Contentstack (computer software)
Neha Sampat. ContentStack

Location: San Francisco, California

Employee quote: "I've been working with our CEO for over a decade and could not recommend a better leader. Neha has built Contentstack into the amazing company it is today and has successfully fostered a leadership team that puts customers first and values the needs of our employees."

10. Chris Bennett, Wonderschool (education management)

10. Chris Bennett, Wonderschool (education management)
Chris Bennett. Wonderschool

Location: San Jose, California

Employee quote: "Everyone is knowledgeable and brings unique perspectives on to the table. Look forward to learning and contributing every day."

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9. Pedro Chiamulera, ClearSale (internet technology and services)

9. Pedro Chiamulera, ClearSale (internet technology and services)
Pedro Chiamulera. ClearSale

Location: Miami, Florida

Employee quote: "Enthusiasm, care, willingness to treat everyone like family!"

8. Mark Faggiano, TaxJar (accounting)

8. Mark Faggiano, TaxJar (accounting)
Mark Faggiano. TaxJar

Location: Woburn, Massachusetts

Employee quote: "The push for diversity and inclusion has emerged and been felt throughout all decisions. Making sure that everyone feels a sense of belonging is appreciated."

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7. Elizabeth Cholawsky, HG Insights (internet technology and services)

7. Elizabeth Cholawsky, HG Insights (internet technology and services)
Elizabeth Cholawsky. HG Insights

Location: Santa Barbara, California

Employee quote: "Our CEO is so transparent and open with our company, there are no big secrets. She will honestly tell us what is going on. Our founders and leadership are so passionate about HG and making it great."

6. Paddy Spence, Zevia (food & beverage)

6. Paddy Spence, Zevia (food & beverage)
Paddy Spence. Jason Decrow/Invision for Zevia/AP Images

Location: Los Angeles, California

Employee quote: "I love Zevia's brand and the team morale really waterfalls from the CEO down all the way to the interns. Paddy's contagious energy is a crucial component of our company's success."

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5. Ganesh Shankar, RFPIO (computer software)

5. Ganesh Shankar, RFPIO (computer software)
Ganesh Shankar. RFPIO

Location: Beaverton, Colorado

Employee quote: "I like the focus on open communication and collaboration. It fosters an environment that promotes real results and helps the entire organization feel invested in the company's success."

4. Giuseppe Incitti, Sitetracker (computer software)

4. Giuseppe Incitti, Sitetracker (computer software)
Giuseppe Incitti. Sitetracker

Location: Palo Alto, California

Employee quote: "Our CEO is a wonderful person - he listens to employees and tries to make everyone feel included."

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3. David Cancel, Drift (enterprise software)

3. David Cancel, Drift (enterprise software)
David Cancel. Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe/Getty Images

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Employee quote: "The core principles are exemplified by our CEO which trickles down to the organization."

2. Robert Sadow, Scoop Technologies (software app)

2. Robert Sadow, Scoop Technologies (software app)
Robert Sadow. Rich Polk/Getty Images

Location: San Francisco, California

Employee quote: "The value of diversity is the most positive item regarding the company culture."

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