Meet R.J. De Rossi | Author, Speaker, Executive Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with R.J. De Rossi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi R.J., what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my own business was truly a calling. I had been teaching for 18 years at a special education school serving students labeled with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). As gang violence escalated and after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, I grew increasingly alarmed by the rising fear in our community. It felt like our school culture was on the verge of eruption.

I had practiced meditation for many years and even led small group sessions with students. But I realized we needed a large-scale, systemic approach to address the root causes of violence. While our administration focused on police-led workshops on gang recruitment tactics and installing metal detectors, I wanted to offer an alternative: cultivating peace rather than fighting violence.

I became certified as a nonviolence trainer with the CT Center for Nonviolence. Soon after, a colleague and I implemented a schoolwide social-emotional learning program. It included lessons on nonviolent social revolutions, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, as well as monthly cultural celebrations. That experience confirmed my desire to bring a similar model of inner and outer transformation beyond the school and into the streets. As the classic song reminds us, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” I wanted to infuse our organizational systems with love.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a writer and speaker, I’ve come to realize that what sets me apart is knowing that we are never truly set apart from one another. I have a deep need to connect, to find common ground, and to admit vulnerability—even as an “expert” in personal, interpersonal, and organizational transformation. Getting to this place wasn’t easy; it took many hard lessons: a lot of head bumps from hitting walls. You have to screw up—sometimes a lot—to get good at anything. I can reach an audience because I’ve been the fool, the underdog, and even the bad guy—more times than I can count. None of us is perfect.

I teach three things: inner peace, empathy, and service. A power triad. In business, these are often labeled “soft” skills, but let’s be honest—what’s truly more challenging? Learning spreadsheets and prompting AI, or finding team flow and emotional equanimity? Come on. “Humaning” is hard. And working with other people? Even harder. As I always say, “People are gonna people.”

Systems will only change when we finally take the old Gandhian cliché seriously: Be the change you wish to see in the world.

I teach this power triad because I know it’s what the world needs most—but also because I’m striving to master it in my own life. Teaching deepens my understanding and strengthens my learning.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First on the list: The Magic Castle in West Hollywood. I’m not a member (and only members can access this exclusive magician’s Mecca), but I’ve taken classes there, and students can attend free shows. If my bestie were visiting Los Angeles, I’d sign my butt up for a class right away, just so I could bring them along. It’s like stepping into a time warp, evoking a more mysterious era. I’m terrible at magic, but I absolutely love the craft of it all.

Next, I’d take them to Doomie’s Home Cookin’ for some vegan fried chicken! It’s a foodie paradise, and every time I bring someone there, it makes them “wanna slap their mama.”

We’d also head to the Santa Monica Pier—a rite of passage for any tourist. I usually shy away for the high traffic beaches, but it’s got a lot of action, so perfect for visitors.

Finally, we’d visit the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County because I just love all things Jurassic! It’s definitely a must-see for anyone who geeks out over dinosaurs as much as I do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I had always been consumed by life’s big questions: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the antidote to suffering? How can love be harnessed to make life more beautiful? I explored world religions, meditation, and revolutionary peace leaders, but it all came together when I discovered two transformative communities: a local Nonviolent Communication practice group (inspired by the book Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D.) and the CT Center for Nonviolence (rooted in the philosophy and activism of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.). In these spaces, I found both a philosophical foundation and a handbook for social change.

Website: https://www.rjderossi.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rj_de_rossi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-j-de-rossi-715ba9279/

Image Credits
Photos by Brocoff Photography