Fortune has recognized Ross Levinsohn Sports Illustrated CEO as one of the “50 Greatest Leaders of All Time” and by Business Insider as one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Business Today.” He has led as a Sports Illustrated CEO to a new era, transforming and revitalizing the publication and making it an international powerhouse. His career is strong on experience but more potent on his commitment to change. His success demonstrates how preconceived notions about where publishing may go must be replaced with a willingness to adapt, explore and experiment for progress for all parties involved. This article will discuss aspects of Levinsohn’s career path that illustrate these strengths, which he consistently demonstrates. They are his role in the magazine industry, his experience at Yahoo!, his loyalty and how he uses it to bring creativity.
Ross Levinsohn’s Role in the Magazine Industry
Levinsohn began his career by joining the magazine industry in its early stages, just as it became a powerful media force. When he joined US News and World Report, they were producing print and electronic publications that were being read by millions of people each month. As the internet began to take shape with GOOGLE’S launch in 1998, Levinsohn saw new growth opportunities emerging. He understood this new world would drastically change how consumers accessed media daily and created a digital brand for US News called Next Avenue. This was one of the first of its kind, but it didn’t succeed as Levinsohn hoped.
Experience at Yahoo
When Levinsohn joined Yahoo to launch its web offerings, he quickly realized that the major challenge was to provide an efficient, easy and fun way for consumers to access and use the site. He knew that no one had done this before, so he researched what people were using on the internet then and committed to incorporating ideas from other successful companies into the creation of Yahoo. This led them to create one of the first ways for users to personalize their home page with their favorite media channels. In addition, Yahoo!’s homepage was one of the first places people searched for information about anything.
Loyalty and the Future
Levinsohn’s ability to be loyal to others was apparent when he left Yahoo! to join Facebook as its President in Mountain View, CA. After four years, he moved on again to become a key partner and co-founder of Twitter in San Francisco, CA. As Twitter CEO, Levinsohn had a significant impact on the way that people experience products at this time. His ability to explore new ideas for innovation and bring businesses together makes him an individual who can also create change for other companies.
Creativity and Inventing
Levinsohn has a unique ability to see what is possible before anyone else. He has frequently told stories of how he will brainstorm with others, play games with them and explain that he wants them to come up with ideas creatively. He then uses this as an opportunity to ensure everyone is on the same page while working together. This skill of asking questions and genuinely listening to people who come up with answers sets him apart from others.
When people think of a new way for publishers to utilize the internet best, Levinsohn seems like the next evolution for change: He is willing to fail for other companies to succeed.