From No Plumbing to Fortune 500 CEO: The Power of Education & Confidence | Jim Keyes

<p>Check out our matcha brand, Sisters Matcha at <a href="http://www.sistersmatcha.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.sistersmatcha.com</a> </p><p><br /></p><p>Sign up for our newsletter here: <a href="https://cherieluo.substack.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&amp;simple=true&amp;next=https%3A%2F%2Fcherieluo.substack.com%2Fabout" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://cherieluo.substack.com/subscribe</a></p><p><br /></p><p>How much of your future is determined by your circumstance, and how much is determined by what you're willing to learn? In this Director's Cut episode, we revisit our conversation with former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes, whose journey from growing up in a three-room house without plumbing to leading two Fortune 500 companies is one of the most remarkable stories we've ever featured.</p><p><br /></p><p>Tune in for lessons on:</p><p> ✅ How to stop fearing uncertainty </p><p>✅ The philosophy behind the phrase "Prepare to win" </p><p>✅ How neuroplasticity can help you break old patterns and create new ones</p><p>✅ Why education is one of the greatest tools for freedom and upward mobility </p><p>✅ The surprising truth behind Blockbuster's collapse </p><p>✅ The importance of curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning at any age</p><p>Whether you're building a business, navigating a career change, or trying to become more confident, this conversation is full of practical wisdom you can apply right away.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>03:10: How to watch this episode </p><p>05:10: Introducing Jim Keyes (Former CEO of 7-Eleven &amp; Blockbuster)</p><p>06:24: The 3 C’s of Success: Change, Confidence &amp; Clarity</p><p>09:53: "Prepare to Win"... the secret to confidence</p><p>11:52: Neuroplasticity &amp; Rewiring Your Brain</p><p>15:30: Relentless positivity over toxic positivity </p><p>17:07: Why education = freedom</p><p>19:53: Are Americans becoming dumber?</p><p>21:24: The real story behind Blockbuster's collapse</p><p>26:15: Leading 7-Eleven through Japanese ownership</p><p>34:17: Staying Curious at 70+</p><p>38:05: Director's Cut Takeaways</p><p>40:31: Cherie’s reflection on ‘embracing change’</p><p>41:17: Reflecting on the three C’s</p><p>45:45: Mythbusting the Blockbuster collapse</p><p>47:50: Closing thoughts</p><p><br /></p><p>🐯👯‍♀️ We’re the Tiger Sisters — your Wall Street &amp; Silicon Valley big sisters Decoding Money • Power • Love</p><p><br /></p><p>✨ New episodes every Monday | Shorts all week ✨</p><p><br /></p><p>💌 Want to partner with us? </p><p>Sponsorships: partnerships@tigersisters.co</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Why trust us?</strong></p><p>▫️ Cherie Brooke Luo — 100M+ views demystifying tech, finance &amp; MBAs</p><p>▫️ Jean Luo — ex-Goldman Sachs, ex-Snapchat exec, 50+ AI patents, startup investor</p><p>▫️ Together: 4 Ivy League degrees • built billion-dollar products • two startups — decoded for you</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>What you’ll get (and keep):</strong></p><p>▫️ 🚀 Ivy League cheat sheets — no $250K tuition</p><p>▫️ Personal finance playbooks (salary, investing, negotiation)</p><p>▫️ Networking scripts behind $100M+ deals &amp; job offers</p><p>▫️ Real conversations with CEOs, operators &amp; investors</p><p>▫️ Mindset resets — clarity without the pricey coach</p><p>▫️ Systems for career, money, and long-term growth</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>💛 LET’S CONNECT</strong></p><p>~ CHERIE ~</p><p>Instagram — /cherie.brooke</p><p>TikTok — /cherie.brooke</p><p>Substack — cherieluo.substack.com</p><p>LinkedIn — /cherie-luo</p><p>~ JEAN ~</p><p>Instagram — /jeanluo_</p><p>LinkedIn — /jeanluo</p><p><br /></p><p>👉 Hit Subscribe &amp; tap the 🔔, then leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Spotify &amp; Apple Podcasts. It takes 10 seconds and makes a massive difference in helping new people discover Tiger Sisters.</p><p>🛍️ Items:</p><p>🍵 Sisters Matcha — www.sistersmatcha.com</p><p>🌀 Everything else —<a href="https://www.youtube.com/