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

Hi Scott, how do you think about risk?
No risk. No reward. That’s a quote that’s stuck with me for several years. I’d like to consider myself a “calculated” risk taker which means I tend to compete in areas I have a good chance at succeeding in. For me risk usually includes relationships: work, personal and family. Investing in people initially is like jumping off a diving board not knowing if there’s water below. Sometimes it works out great and other times you get burned. But life always includes risk no matter what you do. One of my favorite sayings is: I can live with failure, but I cannot live with regret. That must be why I resonate with Nike’s motto “Just Do It.” I’d much rather try and fail, than look back on my life and regret not giving it a shot. The most successful people in any industry fail more than they succeed. The difference is: they don’t let failure stop them. They treat it as a learning experience. I will continue to take risks in both my personal and professional life because without taking risks you’re not truly living!

What should our readers know about your business?
Public speaking is something I feared until recently and now I do it as a career! It really started with a mindset shift from “speaking is not my thing” to “I want to be a great speaker.” Of course watching other speakers, critiquing my own video recordings and crystalizing my style is important, but practice is what makes you better. I’m fortunate to have many years of experience in leadership roles, but I always did it reluctantly. My goal in 2019 was to land a TEDx Talk and in February of 2020 I did my first one in Laie, Hi entitled, “Saving Soft Skills From Extinction.” My main motivation was to prove to myself I could do it. Even though it was a goal that scared and stretched me, it gave me the confidence to build off of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Santa Monica, but there’s nothing that really stands out to me. The first place that comes to mind is Laguna Beach. It’s sentimental because my wife and I got married there. In my opinion it’s the best beach in California. Outside of that it’s the weather and attractions that justify the high cost of living in Los Angeles. Lastly, you’d be hard pressed to name a city that has more cultural diversity than LA, so name a cuisine and I’ll take you there to eat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The love of my life: my wife, Lisa. Even if I wasn’t married to her, I respect the heck out of her. The way she carries herself, how she treats others and her devotion to her faith. She makes me a better person because she’s an example and inspiration to raise my own standards for myself.

Website: http://scottasai.com
Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/scottasai
Yelp: http://scottasai.yelp.com

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