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Sunday Pick: Why kindness is the secret to a successful business | Fixable

Overview

Shownote

Highlights

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Sunday Pick: Why kindness is the secret to a successful business | Fixable

TED Talks Daily

2025/01/19
TED Talks Daily

TED Talks Daily

2025/01/19
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Is kindness (and a little math) all it takes to save a company? James Rhee, professor of entrepreneurship, author, and impact investor, believes the answer is yes. This week he joins Anne Morriss and Frances Frei on the Fixable podcast to share lessons from his remarkable turnaround of Ashley Stewart — a retail company primarily serving Black, moderate income, plus size women — as a Korean American private equity investor who had never been a CEO before. Fixable is TED's business advice podcast. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show. Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou [https://ted.com/futureyou] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Highlights

In this episode of Fixable, James Rhee, a professor of entrepreneurship and impact investor, shares his transformative journey of turning around Ashley Stewart, a retail company serving Black, plus-size women. Rhee’s approach, rooted in kindness and humanity, challenges traditional business norms and offers a fresh perspective on leadership and organizational success.
00:00
Kindness is a cornerstone of effective leadership and business success, as demonstrated by James Rhee's turnaround of Ashley Stewart.
03:40
Kindness and respect are central to James Rhee's business philosophy and leadership at Ashley Stewart.
07:17
Kindness and 'cheong' emerged as central themes during a chaotic business turnaround, emphasizing mutualism and accountability.
10:32
Kindness and valuing people over metrics were key to the company's turnaround.
13:37
Kindness as an investment in others' agency drives organizational success
16:54
Payroll should be viewed as an investment, not an expense, to create a sustainable business model.
19:55
Viewing customers as advocates and colleagues creates leverage without additional costs
25:51
Kindness and mathematical honesty are essential values in business, fostering a healthy organization and strategic inventory management.
28:52
Kindness combined with mathematical honesty forms a powerful mental model for sustainable business success
32:26
Kindness in business raises standards and empowers individuals, transforming workplace culture.

Chapters

How can kindness redefine leadership and business success?
00:00
The power of kindness and humanity in transforming a business
03:40
Kindness and mutualism: The foundation of business turnarounds
07:17
From bankruptcy to profitability: The Ashley Stewart turnaround story
10:32
Building a culture of safety and kindness in the workplace
13:37
Why payroll should be seen as an investment, not an expense
16:54
Redefining customer relationships for business leverage
19:55
Employee-focused strategies: Compensation and inventory management
22:51
Kindness and mathematical honesty: Keys to sustainable success
28:52
Raising standards through kindness and respect in business
32:26

Transcript

Speaker 1: Trust isn't just earned, it's demanded. Whether you're a startup founder navigating your first audit, or a seasoned security professional scaling your GRC program, proving your commitment to security has never been more critical or more complex....