Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Life outside of work for C-suite executives is just as messy as yours

Life outside of work for C-suite executives is just as messy as yours

C-suite executives may be at the top of the business food chain, but they don't get a pass on all the complexities of life that affect everyone.

Based on discussions with executives who have spoken about their personal lives with CNN Business, how they choose to handle their own situations often informs the kind of leader they are.

How one power couple makes their lives work

When you're married, have a child and both you and your spouse are CEOs of your own companies, coordinating the family and work calendars is a complex endeavor. For Meghan Cunningham and Daniel Chait it means a five-way conference call with their assistants and their nanny. It also means constantly ranking their priorities. Their son is always No. 1, they said, but their relationship and their businesses are constantly jockeying for the No. 2 slot.


'The push and pull between work and parenthood is unreal'

They make more money, which makes childcare easier to afford. But like any other working parent, top executives don't get more than 24 hours in a day. And they can never control the constant demands that come with having kids and having a high-powered job. We asked 35 executives how they balance family and work. Here's what they said.


For this CEO who chose single parenthood, it's family first

Eileen McDonnell runs a Fortune 1000 company. But well before she got the CEO job, she opted to adopt a child on her own. When she did, she stepped away from corporate life to have more say in how her time was structured. But when insurance company Penn Mutual came calling, McDonnell was frank with the board about the kind of flexibility she would need to succeed both as a mother and a corporate leader.


Not letting a learning disability get in the way of their success

A Silicon Valley executive, wife and mother. A chief of diversity officer at a brand-name commerce site who got his start on Wall Street. Both Jenny Dearborn and Damien Hooper-Campbell were diagnosed in their 20s with ADHD, after years of being discounted by others and wondering what was wrong with them. But both have shown why it doesn't have to be a career killer.


His drinking nearly destroyed his Big Law career

Steven Wall, the managing partner of a major international law firm, faced the prospect of losing his job and his family after going on an epic bender during an important business trip. It's been a long road back for him, but one that has made him a symbol of redemption in a field where maintaining success too often goes hand in hand with drinking, addiction and mental health problems.


A digital detox from the top

The 24/7 tech-driven on-demand culture that rules so many people's work life is taking a toll on deep thinking, attention span and the capacity to really rest. Some executives are waking up to those costs in themselves and those who work for them. One of the first steps they've taken to combat the problem is to go on a digital detox retreat.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×