• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The $40 trillion national debt is growing while Social Security goes broke—because wealthy Boomers are collecting over $100k in benefits per year

2

'I'm in favor of taxes,' says Nvidia's Jensen Huang—but he doesn't agree with Bill Gates on his plan to slow an AI fallout

3

Welcome to the 'upper-middle-class trap': why $300,000 a year doesn't feel like winning anymore

1

The $40 trillion national debt is growing while Social Security goes broke—because wealthy Boomers are collecting over $100k in benefits per year

2

'I'm in favor of taxes,' says Nvidia's Jensen Huang—but he doesn't agree with Bill Gates on his plan to slow an AI fallout

3

Welcome to the 'upper-middle-class trap': why $300,000 a year doesn't feel like winning anymore
MPWMost Powerful Women

Sheryl Sandberg Taught Aerobics—And Other Little-Known Facts About Facebook’s COO

By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 2, 2017, 12:06 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most well-known female executives in America—and the fifth Most Powerful Woman on Fortune‘s ranking. The Facebook COO is a frequent public speaker and has written two quite personal books: Lean In, which became an instant classic among professional women; and Option B, in which she wrote about grief in the aftermath of the death of her husband, SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg.

And yet, even the most avid Sandberg fan might have missed the following fun facts about her, which she shares with Fortune in conjunction with our 2017 MPW ranking:

1. She’s a Harvard alumna—twice over

Not only did Sandberg attend the Ivy League school as an undergrad (she majored in Economics), she later returned to get her MBA.

2. She taught aerobics classes in college

While most know the Facebook COO for her business prowess, a lesser-known Sandberg skill is step aerobics. During her Harvard days, she taught classes wearing a “silver leotard, leg warmers, shiny headband, and all.”

3. Eric Schmidt personally convinced her to join his team

After getting a job offer at Google in 2001, she was hesitant to accept because she wasn’t sure what the job would entail. Then-Google CEO Eric Schmidt convinced her by telling her, “Don’t be an idiot.” According to Sandberg, he then said, “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask what seat. You just get on.”

Click here to subscribe to the Broadsheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the world’s most powerful women.

4. A small notebook goes everywhere she goes

Sandberg says she carries “an actual notebook that [she writes] in with an actual pen” everywhere she goes. The notebook contains her to do list: “Once I cross off every item on a page, I take great joy in turning to a new page and starting again,” she says.

5. A gift from Howard Schultz hangs in her conference room

If you ever visit the Facebook COO’s conference room, you might notice a poster that says, “The future belongs to the few of us still willing to get our hands dirty.” Sandberg says it’s one of her favorites; it was a gift from Starbucks founder Howard Schultz.

About the Author
By Valentina Zarya
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in MPW


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.