In 1963, Katharine Graham became a newspaper publisher by tragedy, inheriting The Washington Post after her husband's suicide. "To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?" she declared, while transforming a struggling local paper into a national powerhouse that would eventually bring down a president.
While other publishers played it safe, Graham bet everything on investigative journalism. She risked the family business by publishing the Pentagon Papers and backed her reporters through Watergate when advertisers fled and powerful figures threatened legal action. Under her leadership, The Post's value soared from $75 million to $2.1 billion, while its newsroom grew from 350 to 1,300 journalists.
Her most powerful leadership quality wasn't fearlessness - it was growth. Graham transformed from a self-doubting widow into a corporate titan who stood toe-to-toe with union busters, Wall Street skeptics, and the Nixon administration. She turned The Post into the first Fortune 500 company led by a woman, while championing groundbreaking journalism that won 17 Pulitzer Prizes.
Today, as media organizations navigate truth, profit, and purpose, Graham's courage offers a masterclass in principled leadership. Her story proves that the greatest business successes often come from choosing integrity over expedience.
