Adam Outland

Today's guest is James Keyes, a longtime business leader currently serving as the chairman of Key Development LLC. His career has included serving as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies, Blockbuster Incorporated and 7-Eleven, His new book, Education is Freedom, The Future is in Your Hands, highlights his passion for lifelong learning and is out now. James, thanks for joining us. Sure, yeah.

Today's guest is James Keyes, a longtime business leader currently serving as the chairman of Key Development LLC. His career has included serving as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies, Blockbuster Incorporated and 7-Eleven, His new book, Education is Freedom, The Future is in Your Hands, highlights his passion for lifelong learning and is out now. James, thanks for joining us. Sure, yeah.

Oh no. Okay. It's a nice part about Adam. At least nobody calls you like ad. Yeah. You can't reduce it any further. Yeah. You know, I'm always curious what someone thought was going to be their life path in their early days. And then what some of the twists and turns were that caused it to be quite different than maybe what they expected.

Oh no. Okay. It's a nice part about Adam. At least nobody calls you like ad. Yeah. You can't reduce it any further. Yeah. You know, I'm always curious what someone thought was going to be their life path in their early days. And then what some of the twists and turns were that caused it to be quite different than maybe what they expected.

So what path were you thinking you were on and then what changed? Yeah.

So what path were you thinking you were on and then what changed? Yeah.

But, you know, it's a good early lesson that failure is going to be a part of the journey. But it's a part of the journey. I have a quote from Nelson Mandela that I use all the time. I never lose. I win or I learn. Yeah, the town survived. No one died in that explosion. Exactly. And I learned I was not cut out to be a rocket scientist.

But, you know, it's a good early lesson that failure is going to be a part of the journey. But it's a part of the journey. I have a quote from Nelson Mandela that I use all the time. I never lose. I win or I learn. Yeah, the town survived. No one died in that explosion. Exactly. And I learned I was not cut out to be a rocket scientist.

Maybe not, but you found a way to reconnect with some of that passion, right? 40 years as a pilot.

Maybe not, but you found a way to reconnect with some of that passion, right? 40 years as a pilot.

That's pretty cool. Yeah, it's beyond cool. You know, you've had such a story career between your time as a CEO, you know, at 7-Eleven, Blockbuster, and we'll get into a lot of that. But I thought something that really drew me was actually all of your, I think it almost goes beyond to say hobbies, but I mean, you composed and co-wrote a song that was...

That's pretty cool. Yeah, it's beyond cool. You know, you've had such a story career between your time as a CEO, you know, at 7-Eleven, Blockbuster, and we'll get into a lot of that. But I thought something that really drew me was actually all of your, I think it almost goes beyond to say hobbies, but I mean, you composed and co-wrote a song that was...

So composing, flying, sculpting, painting, to me that's reflective of someone who is innately curious.

So composing, flying, sculpting, painting, to me that's reflective of someone who is innately curious.

On the business side of things, taking on the role of president and CEO of a tremendously large organization, I can only imagine comes with a certain amount of stress and pressure. What were some of the things that you felt were most preparational in taking on this role? What were some of the key things or events that you felt equipped you to lead so many people?

On the business side of things, taking on the role of president and CEO of a tremendously large organization, I can only imagine comes with a certain amount of stress and pressure. What were some of the things that you felt were most preparational in taking on this role? What were some of the key things or events that you felt equipped you to lead so many people?

No, that's fabulous. Yeah, I love that. You came into Blockbuster during a tough time. I wanted to know, and maybe Blockbuster is the right place to ask this question, but you hit a wall.

No, that's fabulous. Yeah, I love that. You came into Blockbuster during a tough time. I wanted to know, and maybe Blockbuster is the right place to ask this question, but you hit a wall.

Yeah. Wow. So this is something I've thought about over the last just few days thinking about this interview was a reluctance of leaders to be honest with their CEO. But I'm kind of curious how you dealt with maybe some of those challenges or how you generated a culture in the leadership teams that you formed where you got reality.

Yeah. Wow. So this is something I've thought about over the last just few days thinking about this interview was a reluctance of leaders to be honest with their CEO. But I'm kind of curious how you dealt with maybe some of those challenges or how you generated a culture in the leadership teams that you formed where you got reality.