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Former 7-Eleven CEO's Fight to Fix Education with Tech - James Keyes | E06
Manage episode 515201221 series 3504999
What can the former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster teach us about AI, leadership, education, and resilience?
In this wide-ranging conversation, James Keyes shares untold stories from the front lines of corporate transformation. He reveals how perception, not technology, doomed Blockbuster... why 7-Eleven Japan's secret weapon wasn't AI, but human insight... and how his bold vision for an education operating system could unlock opportunity for millions.
From growing up in poverty to leading iconic global brands, Jim reflects on the power of mindset, curiosity, and lifelong learning. He challenges common assumptions about failure, innovation, and the future of work, and makes a passionate case for why education is freedom.
He also asks (and answers!) the provocative question: "What if education worked more like an operating system?"
Topics we cover include:
- AI and the future of decision-making
- Lessons from Blockbuster’s misunderstood collapse
- Empowering frontline workers with tech (not replacing them)
- The cultural pressures that keep people from standing out
- Why the U.S. needs a national education operating system
- How astronauts and CEOs experience the “overview effect”
If you're a tech leader, educator, innovator, or lifelong learner, this episode will change how you think about leadership and what it means to build a better future.
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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/
Connect with Jim Keyes on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-keyes-a0947215/
Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Why They Call Him the “Corporate Yoda” of Leadership and Innovation
04:15 How Curiosity Became the Secret Weapon Behind Every Great Leader
06:43 From Poverty to CEO: The Power of Education to Change a Life
10:36 Teachers, Mentorship & the Unsung Heroes Who Shape the Future
16:06 What he's learned About Leadership, Grit & Excellence
18:45 The Hard Truth: Why Standing Out at Work Makes People Uncomfortable
23:05 Change = Opportunity: The Mindset Every CEO Needs in Times of Disruption
25:51 How 7-Eleven Japan Used Data & Technology to Revolutionize Retail
34:49 Thank you to our sponsor, CG Infinity
32:33 The Real Reason Blockbuster Failed (And Netflix Had Nothing to Do with It)
40:18 How AI and Tech Can Fix America’s Broken Education System
48:34 Inside the Vision: America’s “Education Operating System” (EOS) Explained
55:00 A JFK Moment for Education: The Moonshot for 100% Literacy
1:05:19 Flying at 45,000 Feet: Lessons on Perspective, Purpose & Legacy
1:14:20 My Legacy: Why Knowledge, Curiosity & Faith Still Matter in the AI Age
1:19:14 Closing Thoughts & Tech CXO Launchpad
39 episodes
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