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 a managing partner of Mauloa, a unique private equity firm where he is its west coast lead. In addition to Mauloa, he is an advisor to Forma Capital, a consumer-focused venture firm and a fund advisor to Hatch, a global startup accelerator focused on helping feed the world through sustainable aquaculture technologies. Kai is the author of “Marketing Architecture: How to Attract Customers, Hires, and Investors for Any Company Under 50 Employees.” Through his holding company, Kaizen Reserve, Inc., he also advises family offices and corporations on the design, implementation, and oversight of their venture capital portfolios, sometimes taking an active role in turning around underperforming investments. Previously, Kai was the co-president & chief marketing officer of Crown Electrokinetics (Nasdaq: CRKN), the chief marketing & innovation officer of Rubicon Resources (acquired), the co-founder of FieldLevel, and a board member of SportTechie (acquired). He has also been a contributor to publications like Inc., Entrepreneur, IR Magazine, and HuffPost, in addition to a speaker at various industry conferences. An avid golfer who put himself through college by working as a caddy, Kai is the creator of Caddyshack to Corner Office, a golf media platform that profiles successful people whose lives were transformed by caddying and also serves on the board of a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, called Friends of Golf (FOG). He graduated from the University of Southern California as a Presidential Scholar and now chairs the alumni board of its John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program. Follow Kai on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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