Several years ago, I interviewed Hao Lam, founder and CEO of Best in Class Education Center, in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Adam: What is something about you that would surprise people?

Hao: I was illiterate when I was young. I learned English when I was 20.

Adam: How did you get here? What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Hao: I failed so many times in business in my life. For example, I invested in a restaurant business before and failed miserably. I was one of the silent investors and I watched the company grow to four restaurants without a support system, and the whole thing collapsed; all of the restaurants had to close. The lesson that I learned from this failure is that you can never scale up a business without a solid system and a great team.

I also used to manage and own a mortgage company with a couple of partners. At peak, we had over 60 loan officers and staff members at the company. We had to close the entire business and let go of everyone after the financial crisis in 2009. Again, I had to learn the hard way that over scaling a business without a solid foundation, a dream team, and a backup plan for when things go wrong is a recipe for failure.

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Hao: 1) They are committed and passionate. 2) They are able to inspire others by setting a good example and handling difficult situations with a positive approach. 3) They are able to communicate their vision to the team and deliver to them the strategy to achieve the goal.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?

Hao: 1) Never be afraid of failure and always give 100% to what you do. Failure is your ladder to success. 2) Surround yourself with like-minded people, and learn and share experiences with each other. 3) Be laser-focused on your goals and keep yourself disciplined on the way to success. Find an accountability partner, if needed.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Hao: One of my mentors, Warren Rustand, told me that I need to have one hour of “think time” every day. I am not able to do this daily but I spend 2 to 4 hours each week alone thinking. I think about my past and future, my family, my health, my community, my business, etc. I read my affirmation, review my vision, and dream big.

Adam: How can anyone pay it forward?

Hao: Share one’s experience and mentor others.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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