I spent a year in Japan through the AFS Exchange program when I was only 15 years old. At the time everything was very new and I was placed in Yanagawa, surrounded by rice fields on the island of Kyushu with the Fujiyoshi family. I found myself totally immersed in Japanese culture and to this day it is still one of my most-cherished experiences.

It’s all about the little things. Whether it’s for our guests, our team members, or even our families, if we remember to take the time to personally recognize and engage people, life and our relationships can be an amazing journey.

I love to connect with people and to build great teams. In every role I have had, I am very proud to look back and see what those teams have achieved over the years, and there is no greater satisfaction in life than reconnecting with those special people and hearing each of their stories.

I want to make an impact on people’s lives. In 10 years nobody will remember the financial success of your business; what they will remember is how you were able to engage and develop them into the leaders of the future.

Manage your expectations around what value you can add to your team during your time here, and most of all enjoy the wonderful and intricate experiences Japan has to offer. And perhaps the most obvious, try and learn some of the language so as to engage the people and their culture.