Featured Interview With James Han
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Seoul, Korea until I graduated from university. I brought my family (wife and two sons) to San Francisco in 2009. I now live in Pacifica, CA. I love playing golf, watching movies, and walking along the beach with my wife. I have no pet.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Frankly, I was not a book reader when I was in school. I used to read the books mandatory for students to read in class. I started reading books when I became a team leader in one of the largest companies in Korea.
As a typical Asian man, I was very very strict, authoritative, and patriarchal. I always forced my wife and sons to listen to me and pushed them to do the things I ordered them. I did the same at work to my team members.
One day, I read a coaching book and loved it, so kept reading any book related coaching theory and practices. I applied the knowledge and tools learned not only to my family but also to my team members, colleagues, and bosses. It WORKED GREAT! It changed me.
I wanted to record the practices, experiment, cases, results, lessons, and so on. It was the time that I started writing. That’s how I ended up publishing two books on business coaching in Korea.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are gurus in leadership and self-help, including Napoleon Hill, Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, John Maxwell, Anthony Robbins, Kenneth Blanchard, David Bach, and great Asian philosophers, such as Confucius, Mencius, Lao-tzu, and Han Fei Tzu.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The name of my latest book is Action Guide for US Immigrants.
After just a few months we arrived in the US, the company I worked for filed for bankruptcy. I went looking for another job. But for a foreigner who needs the H-1B (Work) visa sponsorship, that’s a hard thing to get. Times couldn’t get any harder. But in the darkest hours, the best lessons are learned and hope is always on the horizon. I found that out when I met an investor and pitched an idea that couldn’t be refused.
Living, working, and raising children in another country was a big challenge. I believe most immigrants probably feel the same way I did because everything is different from their culture—language, laws, customs, styles, systems, and so on.
Whenever I had problems, I asked to the people around me, but each person gave me different ideas, and I found later that much of the advice I received didn’t work for me.
So I googled, conducted research, and read lots of books, but almost all I found were about local sight-seeing for international travelers. It was not practical information that we immigrants could use immediately to settle in our new environment and ultimately, succeed in realizing the American Dream.
I have achieved almost all of my 10-year goals I brought with me to the US in 2009. I had to learn everything from scratch, by trial and error, paying a high cost for the lessons I learned. This book contains the knowledge and insights I’ve acquired from past experience, because I really want to help my fellow immigrants adjust to their communities, achieve goals, and live their best lives much faster by applying the lessons to work, family, and life. It took 12 years for me to write this book!
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James Han Facebook Page
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