Your brain is a supercomputer, but we don’t know how to program it. It comes out of the box pre-programmed for fear, and unless we rewire it, it keeps repeating that pattern. Jim Keyes

In this inspiring episode of 15 with Fosca, I welcome James W. Keyes, global business leader, former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster, philanthropist, educator, artist, and self-described modern Renaissance man, to explore the extraordinary journey behind his book Education is Freedom.

Jim shares the powerful story of his early life, growing up without running water and learning to rely on education as a pathway to possibility. His father’s message, “someone can take your money, but they can’t take away what you know”, became a lifelong compass, shaping Jim’s belief in agency, resilience, and the inner freedom that comes from knowledge.

Together, Jim and I unpack themes of adversity as opportunity, the mindset shifts that unlock personal transformation, and why Jim believes failure is never final but rather an invitation to learn, echoing a favorite Nelson Mandela quote: “I never lose. I win or I learn.”

We also dive into Jim’s contagious optimism, discussing neuroplasticity, fear, and the brain’s capacity to be rewired toward confidence and possibility. He recounts conversations with neuroscientists and spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama, to illustrate how genuine positivity is cultivated, not inherited.

Jim speaks about the Education Is Freedom Foundation, which has helped more than half a million students pursue higher education, and why expanding educational access remains core to his mission today.

Finally, we tackle the “elephant in the room”: AI. Jim offers a hopeful lens on the future of technology, arguing that if embraced wisely, AI can transform global literacy, accelerate human learning, and become one of humanity’s greatest tools for progress rather than something to fear.

This conversation is a masterclass in resilience, curiosity, and the transformative power of learning, an episode for anyone seeking inspiration, clarity, and renewed belief in what’s possible.

Biography

Jim is a global business leader, philanthropist, educator, artist, musician, commercial pilot, and modern renaissance man. He is the former CEO of two internally recognized Fortune 500 companies, 7-Eleven, Inc, and Blockbuster, Inc. His other business interests cover a broad range of industries including retail, consumer products, technology, new space, energy, and advanced nuclear. He sits on several public company boards and serves as a board adviser to a venture capital firm and a number of start-up companies. Keyes’ philanthropic initiatives, have an equally broad focus, including serving on the Board of Governors for the American Red Cross, the former Chairman of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and serving on the board of directors for institutions such as UT Southwestern Medical School, The Cooper Institute, Dallas Performing Arts Center, SMU Cox School of Business, Columbia Business School, and his alma mater, College of the Holy Cross.

He has had a lifelong commitment to education, serving as a founding director of the Dallas Education Foundation and is the founder of the Education is Freedom Foundation. A personification of the American Dream, Keyes came from his humble beginnings and was inducted in 2005 as a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. In 2024 he received the Robert S. Folsom Leadership Award, presented by Methodist Health System Foundation to recognize demonstrated community leadership.

Links

https://www.jameswkeyes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jkeyesauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/Jkeyesauthor

Get your copy of Education is Freedom: https://www.jameswkeyes.com/book-foreword

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Podcast Producer: Andrew Niklas Curtis 

Production Intern: Jasmine Kim

Recorded via Zoom, Post-production Lorenzo Maiani, Faminore Sound Agency