The Leadership Playbook

From Small Village to Global Industry: The Honda Story

July 15, 2026·18 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Welcome to Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks: How Great Leaders Turned Setbacks into Success—the podcast where we uncover the true stories of visionary leaders who hit rock bottom … then rewrote the ending. Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks is an offshoot of The Leadership Playbook, the podcast of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics and the Center for Leadership Formation.  In this episode, we tell the story of Soichiro Honda and uncover his inspiring journey from humble beginnings to global automotive innovator, highlighting resilience, innovation, and leadership lessons. Writing and hosting by Viviane Lopuch and music/production by Alvarez Audio. Follow Epic Fails, Epic Comebacks wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe now and join Viviane Lopuch as we explore the fall, the fight, and the rise of the world’s greatest leaders. Follow us on leadershipplaybook.org to find out more about the show.

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