Sandberg is arguably the most high-profile female executive in Silicon Valley, and among the top tier of women in business around the world. It’s common for friends and business associates to speak well of someone who’s passed away – especially in the prime of life – but Goldberg appears to have inspired both women and men across the board.
While many husbands would have difficulty taking a back seat to their wives’ careers, Goldberg was willing to do whatever he could to encourage his wife’s success and prominence. With Sandberg firmly ensconced in the San Francisco Bay area, Goldberg grew weary of commuting to his company in Los Angeles, and conceded that he had “lost the coin flip” of where the couple would live after they married.
But Goldberg was hardly a Mr. Mom (not that he would have objected). Having had more than one entrepreneurial success during his career, he grew his last firm, SurveyMonkey, into a $2 billion enterprise – one where six out of 16 members of the management team are female, which is virtually unheard of in Silicon Valley.
Sandberg spoke often of the couple’s unusual partnership and wrote of its importance to her success in 'Lean In'. Now, sadly, she’s perhaps the most high-profile single parent in the country, but will no doubt do her best to ensure her late husband’s pioneering legacy.