This CEO's parents did 3 things that shaped her path as a successful leader: 'They treated us like equals'

Dr. Toyin Ajayi credits her parents with her belief that she could become a “change agent,” she says.

Ajayi, who grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, is the founder and CEO of Cityblock Health, a health-care provider that serves communities with complex needs in the U.S.

Her parents’ “remarkable approach” to raising Ajayi and her two younger sisters shaped her path as a leader, she told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on the latest episode of the “CNBC Changemakers and Power Players” podcast.

First, Ajayi’s parents didn’t shy away from talking about difficult topics. “They treated us like equals,” Ajayi says. “We had very mature adult conversations at the dinner table.”

One major issue they discussed together was Africa’s high maternal mortality rate at the time. “My parents were very transparent with me and my sisters,” Ajayi says. “They would say things like, you know, for most women in Africa, the biggest risk to your life is getting pregnant and having a child.”