A Case of Sheer Determination

As the owner of a small business, Kay Hirai has dedicated her life to running an ethical business that helps her employees, customers, and the community. In her third book, “Sheer Determination,” she details her 40-year journey of self-discovery and perseverance to create a salon that is widely admired for its cutting-edge business philosophies. Recently, Kay took some time from her always busy schedule to discuss the book with staff of the North American Post.
North American Post (NAP): You have written two other books, Keiko’s Journey and Yumi’s Life Lessons. What motivated you to write Sheer Determination?
Keiko Kay Hirai (KKH): I had been thinking about writing a book about my business for a long time. My memoir, Keiko’s Journey, was written first because I felt that writing about my childhood would provide a strong foundation for Sheer Determination. Yumi’s Life Lessons was something I wrote on the spur of the moment after my beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Yumi passed on at the young age of four. I didn’t want to forget her sweetness and how she pushed me to live a happier life.
In Sheer Determination, I wanted to document my experiences because I knew that it would help me to feel more secure and complete as a person. I didn’t want to forget the ups and downs of going through the lifelong journey of building my business and the lessons I learned along the way. Additionally, I wanted the “real” news about small businesses to be heard. Most people believe in the “fake” news, i.e., starting one’s own entrepreneurial enterprise instantly leads to enormous wealth. Instead of focusing on “get rich” schemes, I want to help women and men who aspire to be in business, who are already operating their own businesses, or who are looking for a sense of purpose in their lives. I want to help them uncover the core values that lay deep within each one of us, waiting to be stirred and awakened. The bottom line is Read more