Meet Mike SooHoo | High School Teacher of Business Entrepreneurship and Finance

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike SooHoo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
In my years of helping young teens learn about personal finance and entrepreneurship, I found a real joy in giving others the tools and building blocks for making their lives better. Whether that be turning a passion into a profit, or setting up a secure financial future, young teens making a meaningful difference in this world and in their own lives have made my purpose in education be so fulfilling. I hope my students remember me as working hard and caring for them as if they were my own kin and that somehow I made a positive difference in their lives.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey that began in business and later migrated towards education has made my experience so rewarding because I learned that as a high school business teacher, I get to be a part of so many young peoples’ lives everyday to help support them in discovering their future. Whether that means grooming a future CEO or kickstarting an idea into a business, I get the privilege of helping students grow in their knowledge and future business experience everyday. Along the way I learned that waking up everyday excited to go to work is worth millions in itself, but that true, priceless joy comes from helping others. I tell my students that to become the best business people, they must do this by becoming the best people. Helping my students develop good character in their integrity, humility, unselfishness, and hard work ethic along with being able to communicate well is what makes my class and my life so enjoyably special.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I was to make the perfect week long visit in the area, I would start out eating at local favorites like Poulet du Jour for their fresh house chicken salad, or ride e-bikes from Rat Beach in Palos Verdes to eat at Cava located at the Pointe in El Segundo. Maybe we would also stop at the Rockefeller in Hermosa Beach for a quick drink. For activities we would try surfing along the Hermosa Beach pier, mountain biking in the Palos Verdes cliffs, and try a lobster diving tour in Redondo Beach. In the end, we would enjoy the beautiful coast of the South Bay, everything from watching dolphins swim the waves to hanging out at Hermosa Pier for a good drink and catch up conversation.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shout out to the Redondo Beach Rotary Club. Their business professionals have supported myself and my students with their donated time and resources for bringing real world business experience from all walks of life into the classroom.