red helicopter

In kindergarten, James Rhee received a toy red helicopter after a simple act of kindness—the innocent generosity of sharing his lunch. Nearly four decades later, the lessons from this small gift helped him develop a human-centered framework for business and personal success.

Rhee, a Korean American man with no prior background as CEO, unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, an iconic company predominantly employing and serving Black women. The world bet against him, but Rhee trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and unleash the intangible goodwill at the company’s core, a decision which ultimately multiplied its fortunes several times over. Inspired by the values his dying immigrant parents instilled in him, he knew that a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from the jaws of liquidation to transcendent success. 

Anyone can apply this refreshingly intuitive approach to change—at work
and at home. All it takes is combining the power of kindness with a little math. James Rhee is a high school teacher and Harvard Law graduate who became a private equity investor and unexpected CEO. He bridges math with emotions by marrying capital with purpose. His transformational leadership has been recognized by leading civic and business organizations. James teaches at Howard University, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Duke University School of Law.