Beth Ford never imagined that her career would make headlines.
Land O’Lakes’ CEO grew up in Sioux City, Iowa, as one of eight children. Her first job was to clean corn for $ 2 an hour. During college, she cleaned toilets and painted houses.
Decades later, after working in a number of leadership positions at companies such as Mobil (now owned by Exxon), PepsiCo and Scholastic, Ford joined Land O’Lakes in 2012, where it will climb the corporate ladder to C- suite.
Her appointment as CEO in 2018 was not just a personal achievement, it was a historic milestone: Ford was the first woman to head Land O’Lakes in its 101-year history and the first openly gay woman to become Fortune’s CEO. 500.
For Ford, the “best career advice she’s ever received” comes from her mother, she told CNBC Make It.
Ford was 11 at the time, and she was “exploding” for something she needed and thought her mother “should find out” without explanation.
“But I have seven siblings and I’m the middle child,” explains Ford. “So my mother turned to me and said, ‘If you want something, you have to ask for it; I’m not a mind reader “… and I remember that moment so clearly.”
This moment taught Ford how important it is to talk about yourself, whether at home or at work. It’s a skill you need to learn to develop your career, she says.
“We often think, ‘No one will see the good work I’ve done,’ or we’re afraid to ask for help,” says Ford. “Still, if you ask someone for help or ask for what you want, people will reach out and give it to you.
Challenging traditional beliefs about CEOs
Ford’s promotion brightened her life, both as a new CEO and as an advocate for the LGBTQ community. She wasn’t worried at the time. Ford has left her entire professional life and is married to Jill Schurz, CEO of the St. Paul Teachers’ Pension Fund Association. They share three children.
Speaking to CNN in 2018, Ford said she had decided to live an “authentic life” long ago and “if my name as CEO helps others do the same, it’s a wonderful time.”
However, after becoming CEO, Ford realized that there were still harmful misconceptions about women leaders. One is that the very existence of women executives means that they no longer face obstacles such as discrimination and bias on their way to the C-suite.
“Some people think that if you got to that role, your life was easy,” she told CNBC Make It. “But most people, especially women, had to be resilient and able to cope [to become CEO]”
There are currently 44 women executives who run Fortune 500 companies, which is a record high.
Women often have to make “difficult decisions” to maintain a work-life balance and “take risks with their careers” to better position themselves as CEOs, Ford said, whether it’s reducing workloads to take on more childcare responsibilities or joining male-dominated industries where they may be the only woman on their team.
Ford hopes to use its platform to raise awareness of issues affecting both women and members of the LGBTQ community.
“Visibility is what matters,” she told Fast Company in a recent interview. “I think it’s about showing up, doing your best job, being your best self, and being visible – that promotes authenticity, whether you’re gay or not.
Explore:
Tori Birch wants to see more business leaders talk about social issues: “I’m inclined not to be silent about humanity”
How the CEO of Planned Parenthood is preparing for a future without Rowe v. Wade: “We’ve been planning this moment for years.”
The 10 companies with the highest rating for LGBTQ + workers, according to Glassdoor
Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter
Add Comment