There is no shortage of stories about leadership and change in business, but few tales are as inspiring and transformative as James Rhee's. Beyond being the former Chairman and CEO of Ashley Stewart, an investor, author, and acclaimed entrepreneur, he is that rare combination of visionary, creative, and operator who has carved a unique path that defies convention, embraces kindness (and a little math), and provides a proven framework to lead change at work and home. His experiences offer a glimpse into an increasingly blurry future, while his operating system provides the practical framework to address the uncertainty. His media- education platform, red helicopter, is on the cutting edge of a future way of living.

On stage, Rhee draws from his national bestseller, red helicopter: a parable for our times - lead change with kindness and a little math (2024), published in partnership with HarperOne. The book chronicles James's quest to reconcile his past with his present and the radical success story of how a long-time private equity investor and first-time CEO pulled Ashley Stewart from the brink of liquidation, while presenting all of us a comforting yet bold solution to the dissatisfaction and worry we all feel in a chaotic world. red helicopter is more than a memoir or a story about saving a business — it's a manifesto for change. It weaves a vital narrative that transcends borders and resonates with the collective consciousness of a generation yearning for meaning and purpose. Central to Rhee’s philosophy is that success and compassion are not mutually exclusive. From business leaders to students and parents, and anyone wishing to drive innovation, build closer teams, or seek a new way forward, James will unleash their ability to embrace their agency, lead change, and thrive - in the business of life and the life of business.

In kindergarten, James Rhee received a toy red helicopter in gratitude for sharing his lunch, a simple act of generosity. Decades later, the lesson from that small gift led him to develop a human-centered framework for business and personal achievement that helped him overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles and find unprecedented success.

Rhee was a high school teacher turned private equity investor when he unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, an iconic company predominantly employing and serving Black women. Inspired by the values his dying Korean immigrant parents instilled in him, he knew that a radically different — yet familiar — approach was required to lead this twice-bankrupt company from liquidation to true transcendence. Armed with the memory of the red helicopter, the kindness it represented, a gift for understanding the human condition through patterns and nunchi (a Korean concept signifying the subtle art and ability to listen and gauge others' moods), and a little math, Rhee orchestrated a miraculous turnaround that defied all odds. However, he did more than just save a company. He ignited a movement.

As a celebrated transformational leader, Rhee's impact extends far beyond the boardroom. He is a catalyst for change, and perhaps most importantly, James Rhee is a call to action. His story and his work serve as a call for leaders and individuals alike to embrace their inner change makers, challenge the norms, and dare to create a world where it is possible to be successful and kind, to leader with precision and compassion, and to honor who we are in all areas of our lives rather than code switching into who we think we need to be.

Rhee unites people and disciplines. In the classroom, Rhee serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship, a Professor of Entrepreneurship, and Senior Advisor to the Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership at Howard University, an unprecedented appointment. Additionally, he teaches his proven framework as a Senior Lecturer at Duke Law School and MIT Sloan School of Management.

In the private sector, Rhee is the consigliere to the world's leading executives and their organizations. He has trained McKinsey on multiple occasions and has been a keynote speaker at the global JPM Chase Leadership Conference, Novartis, Principle Financial Group, and more. He is also a charter member of the Advisory Council of JP Morgan Chase's Advancing Black Pathways.

Additionally, Rhee is a Founding Member of Entrepreneur-to-Entrepreneur of Ashoka, the global leader in social entrepreneurship. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the Frederick Douglass Honoree of the New York Urban League, the Council of Korean Americans' Trailblazer Award, One to World's Fulbright Award, and the National Retail Federation's Power Player designation for those CEOs most impacting the future of retail.

He received his A.B. from Harvard College and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of Harvard Law Review.