What happens when leadership stops being about titles and starts being about how you show up for people?

In this Faces of Atlantic episode, I sat down with James Doucher, fractional CFO, community builder, father, and advocate for leading with kindness and authenticity. James shares a deeply human perspective on leadership shaped by family, career pivots, and a commitment to being genuinely helpful in every room he enters.

We talked about what it means to lead without ego, why connection matters more than networking tactics, and how empathy and presence can shape stronger teams, communities, and lives.

In this episode:

→ How James transitioned from corporate leadership to fractional CFO work and why flexibility changed everything

→ Why networking is not about selling yourself but about being genuinely curious and helpful

→ Lessons learned from moving across borders, rebuilding community, and starting over more than once

→ What parenting has taught him about empathy, courage, and unconditional support

→ Why authenticity is the most underrated leadership skill in business today

→ The importance of creating safe, inclusive environments at home, at work, and in community

→ How small daily resets like walking, unplugging, and being present protect long-term wellbeing

→ A guiding principle that shapes how James leads and lives: look back and be grateful, look ahead and be hopeful, look around and be helpful

Links and Resources:

Follow James Doucher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdoucher/

Follow James Doucher CFO Consulting, Inc.: https://www.jdoucher.com/

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TerriAnnRichards

Follow Faces of Atlantic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faces-of-atlantic

If this episode reminded you that leadership is less about authority and more about humanity, share it with someone who believes in building community through care and connection.

Subscribe, leave a review, and take a moment today to reach out to someone in your circle. Sometimes leadership looks like simply showing up and being helpful.

Let’s keep showing up as real humans, one honest conversation at a time.

• (00:00:00) - Faces of Atlantic
• (00:00:41) - What Do You Do For Fun?
• (00:02:16) - CFO Consulting
• (00:03:41) - Being a Full-Time CFO and a Fractional C
• (00:05:22) - Have You Work in an Occupation?
• (00:05:54) - Your Other Things Outside of Your Role
• (00:08:50) - How to Manage a Full-Time Team
• (00:10:33) - What Has Been The Lessons Learned As A Human Being?
• (00:12:34) - What Kind of Human Skills Did You Lean On During the Trans Transition
• (00:15:06) - In the Elevator With Steve Jobs
• (00:17:28) - How to Network effectively?
• (00:21:44) - Be Authentic
• (00:24:03) - Have You Made an Impact on Others?
• (00:26:17) - Atlantic Canada's Biggest Challenges
• (00:30:32) - How to Manage Your Stress
• (00:35:56) - Faces of Atlantic