Whole Foods cofounder says his hardest ever business decision was firing his father from his company board: 'That was when my mentorship was over'

John Mackey, standing on stage, has his head turned downward with both hands touching his lips. (Credit: Dustin Finkelstein/Getty Images—SXSW)

Whole Foods cofounder John Mackey knew the exact moment he came of age in the business world.

In a recent podcast interview with David Senra, Mackey recalled one of his most challenging moments: firing his father from the Whole Foods board in 1994 after nearly 15 years of advising Mackey on the direction of the company.