Nezar Nokrachi’s Mentor Spotlight: Brian Gaffey of Winchester Country Club

Written By Kai Sato

By caddying at Winchester Country Club, Nezar Nokrachi was mentored by Brian Gaffey. He took a moment to share how this has positively impacted his life.

How did you first meet your mentor, and was there anything in particular that helped you two forge a relationship? How did the friendship develop over time?

I met Brian when I was 8 years old as he was a family friend. We bonded through watching sports, and he attended my basketball, baseball, and football games. Eventually, he introduced me to caddying. I am grateful that Brian took an interest in me and was eager to share his love of golf. Our relationship has truly been special, as he later became my step-father.

What are some of the most important things that you learned from you mentor?

Brian taught me professionalism and how to be a positive influence in the lives of others. As his caddy, he made sure that I understood how to work hard, connect with others, and have good etiquette. A lot of my interpersonal skill models Brian's kind, comedic, and respectful demeanor. Having him as a role model shaped my success in building relationships and helping others achieve their goals.

As a caddy, how were you able to help your mentor on the golf course?

As a caddy, I always made sure to be helpful. It was a priority for me to do a good job by following scores, keeping the clubs clean, and always having a good attitude, which was easy since every round on the course with Brian has been fun and productive.

As you've continued on your career beyond caddying, how has your mentor been helpful?

Brian has been very involved in helping me use the principles I learned from caddying to build professional relationships. He has helped me navigate my career interests and provided me with valuable wisdom for interviews and succeeding at work and in internships.

What's your favorite thing about your mentor, something that others should know?

My favorite thing is Brian's commitment to service. He is always looking to support others in their endeavors and make them smile.

Want to recognize a mentor from your caddying career? Submit your Mentor Spotlight using this form.

Kai Sato

Kai Sato is the founder of Kaizen Reserve, Inc, which exists to foster innovation and unlock growth. Its primary function is advising family offices and corporations on the design, implementation, and oversight of their venture capital portfolios. Another aspect is helping select portfolio companies, both startups and publicly-traded microcaps, reach $10M in revenue and become cash flow positive. Kai is also a General Partner of Mauloa, which makes growth equity investments into cash flow positive companies; an advisor to Forma Capital, a consumer-focused venture firm that specializes in product-celebrity fit; and a fund advisor to Hatch, a global startup accelerator focused on helping feed the world through sustainable aquaculture technologies.

Previously, Kai was the co-president & chief marketing officer of Crown Electrokinetics (Nasdaq: CRKN); the chief marketing & innovation officer of Rubicon Resources (acquired by High Liner Foods); a board member of SportTechie (acquired by Leaders Group); and a cofounder of FieldLevel. He’s the author of “Marketing Architecture: How to Attract Customers, Hires, and Investors for Any Company Under 50 Employees.” He has been a contributor to publications like Inc., Entrepreneur, IR Magazine, Family Capital and HuffPost; he has also spoken at an array of industry conferences, including SXSW and has been quoted by publications like the Associated Press and The Los Angeles Times. He is also the board chairman of the University of Southern California’s John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program. Follow Kai on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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