World Wide Technology founder on why resilience beats talent in AI era
World Wide Technology co-founder Jim Kavanaugh, whose tech firm hit $20 billion in annual revenue this year, argues that a team-oriented leadership style rooted in resilience is critical for navigating rapid AI-driven change.
Jim Kavanaugh, the co-founder of Missouri-based World Wide Technology, has built the technology giant into a $20 billion-a-year enterprise. He credits a relentless work ethic over innate talent for the firm's ascent.
The 63-year-old former U.S. Olympic soccer player, now worth $7.7 billion, traded the pitch for the boardroom in 1990. Under his leadership, WWT has not only scaled its revenues massively but also secured a recurring spot on Fortune’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Kavanaugh argues that enduring setbacks and elevating those around you separates elite business leaders from the pack. He points to Argentine soccer captain Lionel Messi as the ultimate corporate model of this approach. “From a values perspective and a team orientation, I feel like Messi brings the best out of Argentina,” Kavanaugh said, contrasting him with more vocal, command-oriented leaders.
This team-first mentality is increasingly critical in the current corporate landscape. As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the technology sector, Kavanaugh warned that effective, culture-driven leadership is “more important than ever” to successfully guide organizations through complex transitions.
Growing up the son of a Missouri bricklayer, Kavanaugh relied on an athletic scholarship to fund his education, eventually representing the U.S. at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He was repeatedly cut from teams as a youth, but learned that responding to failure proved more valuable than avoiding it. He insists that outworking the competition remains the primary driver of corporate success.
“If you want to be great—you can’t put in an average or sub-average level of input and work ethic,” he said. Kavanaugh applies these athletic lessons directly to talent evaluation, looking for candidates who actively seek out challenges rather than run away from them.
Executing that vision required significant personal sacrifice during WWT's critical growth phases. Building the company frequently demanded 12- to 18-hour workdays, a trade-off Kavanaugh deems necessary when fleeting market opportunities emerge. “You need to strike when the opportunity is there,” he said. “At times they will go away and not come back.”
