How do you give back to your community?
Rotary, March of Dimes, Make-A-Wish, Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii, Navy League, YMCA, Armed Services YMCA, Mercury Business Association, Sales & Marketing Executives (SME), Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI), USS Missouri, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and the Arizona Memorial are just a few of the places I lend my time, talent, and treasure to support.
What does giving back mean to you?
Being ready, willing, and able to fill in the gaps between what is getting done and what needs to get done in the community.
What do you love most about your job?
Helping people achieve their goals.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing your industry?
The ups and downs of the market have been challenging these past three years. Putting together a plan and adjusting where needed seems to help overcome those challenges.
What has been the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your career?
Time away from family.
What has been the biggest reward?
Watching your friends and family overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
What failure taught you the biggest lesson?
Not any failures but lots of opportunities to learn and grow in this business.
What makes you stand out as a leader?
Willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. Dedicated to great customer service. Always have a positive attitude. Genuine caring for others.
What have been the most exciting things about this job/business/industry?
Always learning and helping others to understand.
What inspires you?
Every day finding new challenges and ways to overcome them. Waking up each day and asking, “Who can I help today!”
Do you believe in luck and fate? Why?
I think we make our own luck and fate is a result of that.
How have you grown and pivoted in the past five years?
Learned new tools to communicate with people—ways to keep people informed—how to work in this post-Covid environment.
What makes you feel like a boss?
Buck stops here. If it is to be, it is up to me! I own my own business, set my own schedule, hire the people I need to achieve the goals my clients and I have set. I am the compass.
What scares you about the future?
Leaders who don’t get it. There’s a difference between doing things right and doing the right things!
Now, as a more experienced leader, how do you define success?
Getting things done that need to get done and finding happiness in the teamwork necessary to bring about that end.
What career mistake taught you the greatest lesson?
Always work with the team that wants to get the job done. Don’t hang out with people who aren’t higher achievers than you are. Listen. (Remember the word WAIT.)
What have been the biggest turning points in your career?
In the YMCA profession, it was taking on jobs no one else wanted and turning situations around (Honolulu YMCA was an exception in my career. It was running great when I got here!) In my financial advisor role, it was transitioning from an employee at Edward Jones to franchise owner at Ameriprise.
What are you doing to maintain your mindset during this chaotic time?
Stay positive. History tells us, ”This too will pass.”
Do you have some habits/routines that work for your lifestyle that you can share?
At a young age I learned to get by with four hours of sleep. Having systems in place to store knowledge has always benefited me. Staying active and always learning and teaching keeps you fresh!
How has Hawai‘i’s unique culture shaped who you are in business?
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Always being there for others in a time of need. We live on an island, and we need to help each other to flourish!
What new technologies have you implemented into your business practices?
High speed internet, the latest in computers, Zoom, Teams, apps—so many small things that help with the overall picture!
What made you better from the Covid-19 pandemic?
Appreciate health more. Always saying ,”I love you!” It may be the last time we see them.
How do you maintain your own health/well-being?
Positive attitude, great family, and friends. I stay away from negative people! I try to stay physically active (I’m a scuba instructor—come join me on Sunday!)
What are some challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for your industry?
Political risk. World needs to get along.
How has the Covid-19 pandemic positively affected your career/business?
People understand how important it is to set aside funds for bad times. They now know what those times can look like.
What have been the biggest turning points in your career?
Going from an employee to a franchise owner.
