Tamara Murray learned she had a knack for management and leadership when people kept asking her to do it, despite her lack of formal management training. At 16, as the youngest employee, she was promoted to assistant manager at a retail store. At 20, she managed cadres of parent and student volunteers at two nonprofits. At 22, she had a steady stream of interns under her purview. And at 26, a PR firm put her on its senior team, responsible for managing multiple account teams and clients. In every role, she managed people the same age or older, often with more experience and credentials.

She found her footing through a combination of trial and error, reading a lot of Fast Company, and having the occasional breakdown in a colleague's office. Eventually, people started using phrases like "one-of-a-kind leader," "brings out the best in everyone," and "trusted to deliver results," to describe her management style. She's a firm believer that you don't need an MBA (and massive student loans) to be an awesome manager.

Originally from San Francisco, she set off to travel Latin America in October 2013 with her husband, Chris, and their dog, Holly, to gain perspective, research their next projects, and learn to make killer refried beans. Follow her travels and projects at HelloImTamara.com or on Twitter: @tamaramurray.