S3 Episode 11: Building People, Stories, and Impact: James Rhee on Leadership and Life
Mon Nov 03 2025
“If you want a family, you should have a family. I hope your kids work at the company one day.” – James C. Rhee
We couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring guest to The Forward Podcast than James C. Rhee - CEO, Founder, Author, Educator, and Private Equity Investor. He’s helped transform iconic brands, stood on global TED stages to speak about leadership, and guided young minds at Howard, MIT, and Yale.
James shares the lessons that shaped him - from childhood to the C-suite.James’ journey spans some of the most fascinating intersections of human experience and professional growth:
Childhood lessons that taught him about agency, problem-solving, and kindnessFounding and growing businesses while investing in people and mentorshipNavigating the role of fear, ego, and empathy in leadershipUsing storytelling to align people and purpose across organizations
From early life experiences to building businesses, James’ story is anchored in one thing: helping people see what’s possible and act with care.
Episode Chapters:
01:28 – Welcome & Introduction
06:30 – Red Helicopter Story: Childhood lessons on agency
26:00 – Kindness in Business
45:10 – Managing Fear & Ego: Overcoming internal barriers
55:30 – Storytelling in Business: Aligning teams and culture
58:05 – Technology & Agency: Using AI without losing core values
1:01:00 – Final Reflections: Practical advice for life and work
Whether your goal is personal growth, leadership impact, or building stronger relationships, this episode is packed with actionable stories, insights, and tools you can start using today.
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“If you want a family, you should have a family. I hope your kids work at the company one day.” – James C. Rhee We couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring guest to The Forward Podcast than James C. Rhee - CEO, Founder, Author, Educator, and Private Equity Investor. He’s helped transform iconic brands, stood on global TED stages to speak about leadership, and guided young minds at Howard, MIT, and Yale. James shares the lessons that shaped him - from childhood to the C-suite.James’ journey spans some of the most fascinating intersections of human experience and professional growth: Childhood lessons that taught him about agency, problem-solving, and kindnessFounding and growing businesses while investing in people and mentorshipNavigating the role of fear, ego, and empathy in leadershipUsing storytelling to align people and purpose across organizations From early life experiences to building businesses, James’ story is anchored in one thing: helping people see what’s possible and act with care. Episode Chapters: 01:28 – Welcome & Introduction 06:30 – Red Helicopter Story: Childhood lessons on agency 26:00 – Kindness in Business 45:10 – Managing Fear & Ego: Overcoming internal barriers 55:30 – Storytelling in Business: Aligning teams and culture 58:05 – Technology & Agency: Using AI without losing core values 1:01:00 – Final Reflections: Practical advice for life and work Whether your goal is personal growth, leadership impact, or building stronger relationships, this episode is packed with actionable stories, insights, and tools you can start using today.