Investing in Kindness: 25 Interview Review | Investing in Kindness Blog

Investing in Kindness kicked off at the end of March. I was inspired to start this project after hearing a talk where an investor implied that backing a kind and thoughtful founder was a bad bet. That perspective felt short-sighted. I believe that one way to build a better future is by investing in the good – companies that are doing good, founders driven by values, and kindness in everyday actions.

In less than two months, I completed the first 25 interviews with people from 11 countries. These conversations confirmed what I hoped to find: that kindness is a defining force in how people lead, build, and invest. From wealth advisors to startup founders, educators to global executives, people shared how kindness shows up in ways that are practical, strategic, and deeply human. It can mean creating loyalty that lasts decades, building trust across cultures, or making difficult decisions with clarity and care. Kindness involves presence, honesty, empathy, and the choices leaders make when power or pressure is at play. Again and again, I heard that kindness creates value: for teams, for communities, and for the long-term success of businesses.

The insights from these interviews also align with published academic research on leadership, culture, and retention. Here are some of the themes that emerged so far.

Interviewees from the USA, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Canada, Colombia, Congo, India, Taiwan, and Uganda shared insights on how kindness shapes both professional and personal lives. Their roles span wealth management, content creation, education, technology, healthcare, and executive leadership. These conversations underscore that kindness is a core leadership principle and a powerful strategic imperative.

Key Takeaways from the Interviews

Kindness as a Core Leadership Principle and Strategic Advantage

Deliberate and Intentional Act: Interviewees consistently described kindness as a deliberate and intentional act, not passive niceness. It involves presence, clarity, honesty, and empathy.
Even When It Is Difficult: Leaders emphasized that true kindness means doing what is in someone’s best interest, even when it is difficult or involves delivering critical feedback with care rather than masking it.
Environments Where Teams Thrive: The interviewees’ perspectives align with research on prosocial leadership. For instance, a systematic review published in BMC Public Health (2023) found that leaders exhibiting traits like empathy, inclusiveness, and active communication consistently created environments where teams thrived, improving collaboration, morale, and output.
Taking Care of Employees: Many noted that kindness in leadership means taking care of employees, fostering open communication, supporting their growth, and aligning their goals with meaningful work.
Strategic Business Advantage: Kindness is increasingly recognized as a strategic business advantage that correlates with stronger financial performance. A Forbes (2025) article and an EY & Oxford Saïd (2024) study highlight kindness as an action-based leadership trait that builds resilience, trust, and innovation. Organizations prioritizing human-centered leadership are shown to be significantly more likely to succeed.

Cultivating Trust, Loyalty, and Retention

Fostering Deep Loyalty: A powerful recurring theme was that kindness is fundamental to building long-term relationships and fostering loyalty. Interviewees shared how transparent and respectful leadership cultivated lasting commitment, even in challenging times.
Leading Cause of Attrition Is Toxicity: A toxic culture is the leading predictor of attrition, surpassing factors like pay or remote work policies. A 2022 study from MIT Sloan Management Review found that employees were more than ten times more likely to leave due to a toxic culture.
Psychological Safety: The shared belief that it is safe to speak up, take risks, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences, was identified as a key outcome of kind leadership. Google’s Project Aristotle notably identified psychological safety as the single most important factor for high-performing teams, leading to stronger commitment and lower turnover.
Inclusive Leadership: Interviewees also emphasized that inclusive leadership makes individuals feel seen, heard, and valued, which is crucial for retaining underrepresented groups and fostering belonging. Deloitte’s research (2015) highlighted that millennials are significantly more engaged in inclusive cultures.
Reducing Emotional Exhaustion: Compassionate leadership has been shown to reduce emotional exhaustion and employee disengagement, which are key predictors of turnover.

Kindness Across Cultures and Beyond the Workplace

Universal Language: With interviewees from 11 different countries, the conversations revealed that kindness is a universal language, though its expressions can vary with cultural nuances. Simple acts of kindness, such as welcoming strangers or offering support without explicit expectation, were described as having rippling effects.
Across Industries: The scope of kindness extended beyond traditional corporate settings. It was highlighted as essential in healthcare, particularly when dealing with vulnerable patients. In education, kindness means challenging low expectations and empowering students to see their full potential.
Profit With Purpose: Many shared how kindness fuels social impact initiatives and purpose-driven ventures, linking profit with purpose and building sustainable business models. One founder shared the vision of building a company that helps people through sustainable, eco-conscious shelter solutions.
Proactive Force: It was frequently noted that kindness is not merely a reactive response but a proactive force that nurtures relationships and helps others grow.

The Transformative Power of Kindness and Resilience

Resilience: Numerous interviewees shared personal stories of resilience, overcoming challenges ranging from bullying and discrimination to personal hardship. They often found strength and direction through acts of kindness, whether received or given.
Biological Necessity: One interviewee, a founder of an organization focused on the impact of bullying, highlighted that kindness is a biological necessity, releasing oxytocin and strengthening brain health, while unkindness has damaging effects. She noted that empathy is a superpower that protects community.
Courage to Act: Kindness provides the courage to act and serves as a "spark for living," offering strength to start again after setbacks.
Self-Awareness: It encourages self-awareness and authentic living, urging individuals to shed "masks" and embrace their true selves.
Conscious Decision: Ultimately, kindness is framed as a conscious decision and a commitment to live life in a certain way, leading to long-term dividends—eloquently described by one leader as "the exchange traded fund of the world," where investing a bit every day pays off over time.

The insights from these first 25 interviews reinforce that kindness, when translated into actionable leadership practices, is a fundamental strategy for building resilient organizations, fostering strong relationships, and driving positive impact. Research consistently shows that how people are treated in daily interactions is often the deciding factor in success, well-being, and long-term growth.