1771: The ROI of Being a Good Human: Why Kindness Pays Off

So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

Farnoosh Torabi

Entrepreneurship, Business

4.7 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 6 January 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As we enter a new year, many of us are thinking about fresh starts, big goals, and how we can make more meaningful contributions—whether in our personal lives or at work. But what if the key to achieving that isn’t about working harder or chasing success the traditional way? What if the secret lies in something as simple and powerful as kindness?

In today’s episode, we dive deep with James Rhee, an educator, impact investor, CEO, and author of Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times. James is best known for his transformative leadership at Ashley Stewart, where he not only revived a struggling retail brand but turned it into a community-driven powerhouse by weaving kindness, empathy, and purpose into every decision. A Harvard Law graduate and former high school teacher, James has a remarkable ability to bridge the worlds of high finance and human-centered leadership.

We discuss how a childhood experience with a red helicopter shaped his lifelong philosophy, his journey from teaching to private equity, and the surprising parallels between math and creativity. James also delves into the role of AI in shaping society and why now, more than ever, leaders must embrace humanity and creativity to drive lasting impact.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Jake here from High Performance. We're currently sponsored by Octopus Electric Vehicles.
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0:33.3	Hello everyone, my name is Jamie Lang and I'm the host of Great Company podcast and today we are very
0:38.4	kindly sponsored by Sage. So as a business owner, which you clearly are, there are tasks that need
0:43.5	doing right? Yeah, 100%. Well then, you're going to enjoy this advert. Sage's new AI productivity
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1:01.5	Mm-hmm. Which means all those repetitive tasks I hate can be done so much quicker, more time for scrolling on TikTok, obviously.
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1:12.5	Where do we visit, Jemima? Visit sage.com forward slash copilot to find out more.
1:19.4	So Money episode 1771, the ROI of being a good human, why kindness pays off.
1:30.6	You're listening to So Money with award-winning money guru Farnoosh Torabi. Each day, get a 30-minute dose of financial inspiration from the
1:36.3	world's top business minds, authors, influencers, and from Farnoose yourself. Looking for ways to
1:43.3	save on gas or double your double coupons?
1:45.8	Sorry.
1:46.6	You're in the wrong place.
1:48.1	Seeking profound ways to live a richer, happier life.
1:51.3	Welcome to So Money.
	...

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