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I've always wanted to own my own business since I knew my grandparents did and enjoyed themselves. But I didn't think I had the knowledge or confidence that it was possible. My parents wanted me to be a teacher, which I am. Society taught me to be an employee by following directions, rules and working hard at work that was given to me. That's what I thought the secret was to success and being able to be all that I could be.

After meeting Evan, who has always been entrepreneur-minded all his life, he also had aspirations of owning his own business. He was always involved in self-employment and was self-directed in earning money. Through our years together we have been able to build sales teams, recruit personnel for start-up companies and run two successful businesses. Most of the time I've been overshadowed by Evan's outgoing personality, not something I mind since I don't like being in the spotlight with a crowd looking at me. However, I've always known my abilities and skills helped to make our businesses and ventures successful.

When in a group environment, especially surrounded by businessmen, young and old, I can't help but feel insecure about measuring up to these men. Then I met Christine Camp Friedman. One thing that struck me was how young she looked and how experienced she sounded. Christine owns Avalon Development Group, which was ranked by Pacific Business News as one of Hawaii's top 5 real estate companies. She is on the board of directors of Central Pacific Bank and she is the youngest Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. The list goes on and on.

I was very excited to get a chance to meet her after reading what a powerhouse she is in the community. I wanted to learn how she thinks, how she presents herself and how she exudes so much confidence. Was she always like this?

Christine Camp Friedman started with very humble beginnings. She was shy and unsure of where she fit in with her peers during elementary school, but she had an inner fire that pushed her to learn and grow daily. This ambition and determination pushed her to take challenging classes and learning at a faster rate; she graduated from Kalani High School in three years. Christine didn't excel to prove any thing to anyone, she did it so she could work and help her mother financially, since her mother had three jobs.

Christine's first job was as a "Girl Friday," similar to today's administrative assistant with an attorney who was doing real estate development. While working with this mentor, she was inspired on a business and personal level. Christine shared common beginnings of an impoverished childhood, to having an incredible work ethic and fiery drive. One important lesson that this man taught her was that anything that she put her mind to, she could accomplish. He was able to teach Christine about real estate development, people skills, how to find her confidence and to desire to learn and grow. The one pivotal tool he taught her was how to build her confidence so that she knew that she could be just as good as everyone already in the industry, or better.

Although Christine is well established in her industry, she still seeks to learn daily. Beyond that, she is always shooting for more in life. She sets five-year goals to enhance her life, develop as a person, and build her company. She requires that her employees create a year goal and a five-year goal as well. Christine believes setting goals is a requirement because it allows her employees to fulfill their own destinies by knowing their final destination, personally and in their careers.

Spending a little over an hour with Christine left me reflecting. Not only did she have me realigning my priorities and goals for the New Year, but she also helped me to realize that people are people; man, woman, black, white or yellow. Christine knew what it can be like as a minority because she was an immigrant who spoke little English. She encountered being a minority again when she entered the real estate development field, surrounded by older people, usually men. But minority or majority, Christine reminded me that all people are able to contribute to a person's life by teaching something that they did not know before. We need to be confident in who we are and what we know and how we can share this knowledge with someone else. We are "worthy" to compete and make an impact.

If you have a chance to listen to our interview and after show with Christine Camp Friedman, you'll know that I left my meeting standing tall with my shoulders pulled back. I felt I was a part of her world, a part of the business world I dreamed of. Now I know I can change someone else's life by sharing what I know and I'm eager to learn from many others who have experienced much more than I have.

- Kari Leong

For the full audio interview and transcript please visit greatergoodradio.com. Greater Good Radio airs every Saturday morning and Wednesday night on 1420 AM and online at www.greatergoodradio.com.