Red Helicopter--A Parable for Our Times

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Embrace your agency, lead change, and fly free—in the business of life and the life of business—with kindness (plus a little math)

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

“red helicopter is a transformative experience. James Rhee's story is a must read for anyone, of any age, who wishes to think, act, and lead with balance, agility, and wisdom." —Jay Shetty

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 a radically different—yet familiar—approach was required for this incredible turnaround story, leading this twice-bankrupt company from certain liquidation to true transcendence.

Is it possible to be successful and kind? To lead with precision and compassion? To honor who we are in all areas of our lives?

The entire world bet against him and Ashley, but Rhee trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and leverage the intangible goodwill at the company’s core, a decision which ultimately multiplied its fortunes several times over.

Anyone can combine the clarity and imagination we had as children with fundamental business metrics. Anyone can apply this refreshingly intuitive approach to lead change at work and at home.

While eloquently sharing a story of personal and professional success, red helicopter presents a comforting yet bold solution to the dissatisfaction and worry we all feel in a chaotic and sometimes terrifying world.

The insights and business and life lessons that Rhee imparts have been accumulated over decades of investing and leading at the highest levels of business. Drawing on this experience, he encourages us to trust the wisdom deep inside each of us so we can learn how to:

• Create and measure “goodwill,” the ultimate collective good
• Discover agency and the truth about kindness it entails
• Identify the invisible obstacles standing in your way
• Lead transformational change through small, scalable acts
• Construct an accurate “balance sheet” of our assets and liabilities
• Reorient our lives, organizations, and the world to reflect the best in us

Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, this inspirational business parable, red helicopter—a parable for our times, is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives.

red helicopter—a parable for our times features approximately 20 original illustrations by Korean artist Heyon Cho.

James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, thought leader, and educator, who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He bridges the emotional with the mathematical, and gives permission for us to be human. A long-time private equity investor, James also serves as a founding member of JP Morgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a charter member of Ashoka’s Entrepreneur-to-Entrepreneur Network, and former Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation. In addition to his private sector endeavors, Rhee teaches at Howard University (where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship), MIT Sloan School of Management, and Duke School of Law. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.