By Daniel Fusch

Copyright laweekly

As a combat veteran of special operations with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa, Cal Riley faced life-or-death decisions. Later, he transitioned from the military to entrepreneurship. He grew a successful business and became a sought-after business strategy coach for billion-dollar companies. However, nothing prepared him for his brother’s suicide in 2023.

The tragic loss opened his eyes to how environments that prize performance often forget humanity. In response, he wrote Entrepreneurial Compassion. The book reframes compassion as one of the most critical soft skills for leadership. His mission is to prevent 100,000 suicides by developing one million compassionate leaders.

A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

Performance metrics and productivity hacks define success in fast-moving, high-pressure business settings. Yet behind the spreadsheets and quarterly reports are people who struggle, feel unseen, and burn out. This is where compassion in the workplace becomes a survival tactic.

Suicide is a quiet epidemic in high-performance cultures. Many leaders feel they can’t show up vulnerable, and their teams suffer from that same unspoken pressure. Riley wants to change that. His approach is grounded in modern leadership styles that combine strength and emotional intelligence. Common leadership mistakes, such as failing to show empathy, can negatively impact team dynamics and overall business performance.

Tactical Lessons from the Battlefield

Riley’s message isn’t sentimental. It’s tactical. He developed a battle drill in the military to prevent insider attacks in Afghanistan. He trained his team to face in opposite directions when entering a room, watching each other’s backs, no matter the distraction. This safety protocol demonstrated care from the top down.

In business, he argues, the same principle applies. You must show your team that their well-being matters as much as quarterly goals. Entrepreneurial Compassion acts like a Tactical Standard Operating Procedure (TSOP) for compassion at work. It’s a tactical manual for the emotionally complex environments entrepreneurs face daily.

Military Principles in Business Growth

After his military service, Cal Riley took over his family’s business and burned through 90-hour work weeks. He built the company by applying combat qualities, such as disciplined planning, strong communication, and shared purpose. That success led to business coaching and mentoring, where he helped business clients from small family teams to billion-dollar enterprises.

Then his brother’s suicide shifted his focus. Despite all his accomplishments and role as a good business coach, Riley realized that being a leader with integrity mattered even more. In other words, putting people first without sacrificing results was necessary.

The Power of Practical Compassion

Riley is not offering vague advice with temporary motivation. He provides coaching services for businesses in the Cary, NC area. His clients sought a business coach who would bring more than just metrics to the table.

He helps leaders build a compassionate business. In other words, a company that endures because it values its people as much as its profits. Riley doesn’t expect perfection. However, he does teach that compassion is a practice.

You start by showing compassion for yourself, then for others. His book includes practical exercises and personal stories that turn theory into muscle memory. He aims to develop leadership that doesn’t crack under pressure.

One Million Leaders Who Care

By 2035, Cal Riley hopes one million people will have signed the Entrepreneurial Compassion pledge. That’s one million leaders committed to creating better workplaces, safer lives, and stronger teams. In doing so, he believes it’s possible to build a business community that values people.

You don’t have to be perfect at this. You have to start. Whether you lead a startup, a corporate team, or your own family, Riley’s work asks a simple question: Who are you watching out for, and who’s watching out for you? To learn more, visit calriley.com.