Don’t Stop Trying Things | Reed CEO James Reed

James Reed says the defining decision of his career came early: joining the family business founded by his father. In this episode of Executive Decisions, the Reed CEO reflects on the pressure of following a parent, the anxiety of stepping away from a different path and why he believed failure could mean leaving the business altogether. What came out of that decision, and the many bets, reinventions and mistakes that followed, was a simple rule: the worst decision is to stop trying things. He also reflects on a near-death experience on the Matterhorn and how it sharpened his sense of purpose — reinforcing his belief that business can have a meaningful impact. Subscribe to "Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick" wherever you get your podcasts. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Sir Alec Reed's Enduring Influence and Family Legacy 4:37 Navigating Nepotism and Defining Career Decisions 8:16 Embracing Mistakes and Adapting to Business Change 10:20 Contrasting Educational Paths and Career Entry Points 18:13 The Pivotal Decision to Privatize the Company 20:21 Near-Death Experience on Matterhorn Changes Life's Purpose 26:54 Building Purpose-Driven Businesses with Charitable Ownership 31:49 Revolutionizing Hiring with Reed AI Technology 33:20 Finding Joy and Purpose in Work and Personal Life 35:30 Key Takeaways and Future Executive Decisions #CNBC #CNBCPodcast #ExecutiveDecisions ----- Subscribe: @cnbci CNBC International Live: @cnbcinternationalive LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/cnbc-international/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cnbci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cnbcinternational Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnbcinternational/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@cnbcinternational X: https://twitter.com/CNBCi Telegram: https://t.me/cnbci WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/CNBCiWhatsApp