19 December 2025

From $50 to the State Senate

2Frameworks

8Insights

Episode overview

Joseph Shalaby interviews California State Senator Steven Choi about arriving in Hawaii with $50, earning advanced degrees, teaching, and beginning his political career on the Irvine school board. Choi recounts defeating a well-funded incumbent despite raising less than $100,000 and attributes the victory and his wider career to faith and divine guidance. They also discuss immigrant assimilation and civic contribution, education, homeownership, and reducing regulatory barriers to housing construction.

Key ideas

Choi says he arrived in Hawaii with $50 after spending half of his $100 savings on a camera in Japan.
His education and teaching experience at USC and UCI helped open the door to an unexpected school-board campaign in 1998.
He describes progressing through the Irvine school board, city council, mayoralty, California Assembly, and California Senate.
Choi frames his underfunded Senate victory over an incumbent as a miracle grounded in prayer and faith.
He urges immigrants to assimilate, participate in civic life, and contribute to improving their communities and America.
He argues that housing affordability requires fewer regulations, lower permitting costs, and incentives for builders.
Both host and guest connect education, financial responsibility, service, and homeownership to the American Dream.

Transcript available · source text is retained privately and is not published

Frameworks in this episode

Productivity5 steps

The Protected Morning Sequence

Protect the morning, anchor it in faith, move your body, then enter the day.

Read →

Leadership5 steps

The Rooted Civic Integration Model

Keep your roots, cross community boundaries, contribute, and grow into leadership.

Read →

People & resources mentioned

Attributed to the moment in the episode. Timestamps are approximate.

People · 5

Steven ChoiMentionsA South Korean immigrant, former professor, and California legislator who describes serving on the Irvine school board and city council, as mayor, assemblymember, and state senator.
“Please welcome Senator Steven Choice.”
▶ Watch at ~0:00approx.
Joseph ShalabyMentionswhat's up everybody welcome to another episode of coffees for closers today we're thrilled to bring on a profound guest
“Thank you, Joseph, for your invitation and the nice introduction.”
▶ Watch at ~0:30approx.
Joseph ShalabyMentionswhat's up everybody welcome to another episode of coffees for closers today we're thrilled to bring on a profound guest
“being an immigrant myself, I totally relate.”
▶ Watch at ~30:00approx.
Warren BuffettMentionsmentioned
“Warren Buffett says the most important real estate you can invest in is the real estate in between your two ears”
▶ Watch at ~30:30approx.
Donald TrumpMentionsmentioned
“There's a lot of discussion about the portable mortgages from Trump. There's a discussion about the 50-year mortgages from Trump.”
▶ Watch at ~34:30approx.

Resources · 9

Coffeez for ClosersCoinedpodcast · Joseph Shalaby
“Welcome to another episode of Coffees.”
▶ Watch at ~0:00approx.
GenesisUsesbook
“Right now we're back to Genesis. It's quite interesting to read.”
▶ Watch at ~2:00approx.
Orange County Republican PartyMentionscompany
“the endorsement for Republican candidate which want to endor by Orange County Republican Party”
▶ Watch at ~7:30approx.
South KoreaMentionsplace
“I left my country of South Korea right after my military service”
▶ Watch at ~10:30approx.
University of PittsburghMentionscompany
“My degree was library and information science from the University of Pittsburgh.”
▶ Watch at ~12:00approx.
American Library AssociationMentionscompany
“was in the American Library Association convention in Chicago”
▶ Watch at ~12:30approx.
Peace CorpsMentionscompany
“a Korean language instructor and cultural instructor for peace core members who were assigned to go to Korea.”
▶ Watch at ~13:30approx.
Dr. Choi's AcademyCoinedcompany · Steven Choi
“I was studying my own business called the Dr. Choice Academy”
▶ Watch at ~15:00approx.
RootedUsescourse
“they have a program called rooted”
▶ Watch at ~27:30approx.

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Hot Take· 1

Hot Take35:00

Choi's Housing Prescription: Lower Costs and Reward Builders

Asked about housing affordability, Choi argues that affordable supply depends on making development economically workable for builders. He points to permit fees and regulation as added costs, then proposes reducing those burdens and using tax deductions or credits to incentivize projects that produce more homes.

He says builders need an economic reason to develop housing.
He identifies regulations and permit fees as costs added at each stage.
He recalls being told as mayor that one permit cost $54,000.
He favors less regulation for housing construction.
He proposes tax incentives or credits tied to building more homes.

“to build a low cost housing you got to encourage builders.”
Steven Choi · 36:00

“If you build more homes will give you some incentives, tax deduction, tax tax credits for certain things.”
Steven Choi · 38:30

#housing#regulation#tax incentives#california

Explainer· 1

Explainer17:30

Choi's Full Ladder From School Board to State Senate

Choi traces an unplanned progression through multiple levels of California government. He served six years on the school board, eight years on Irvine City Council, two mayoral terms from 2012 to 2016, then moved to the state assembly and senate while voters continued returning him to office.

His elected career began with the school board in 1998.
He served six years on the school board and eight years on city council.
He served as Irvine mayor from 2012 until his 2016 assembly election.
His path covered school board, city council, mayor, assembly, and senate.
He says the long progression was not his original intention.

“it was uh not intended but it turned out to be every step of local government the school uh school board, city council, mayor, assembly…”
Steven Choi · 19:30

“I never intended to serve this this long”
Steven Choi · 20:00

#public service#career#california politics#leadership

Story· 4

Story04:30

How Steven Choi Beat an $11 Million Incumbent Campaign

Choi says his party initially backed a younger candidate, leaving him without its early support in an 11-person primary. He advanced to the general election and defeated a sitting Democratic senator despite raising less than $100,000 against an opponent he says had $11 million; he attributes the result to prayer and faith.

His party initially recruited and funded a younger Republican candidate.
California's top-two system put Choi into the general election.
He says he raised less than $100,000 while the incumbent had $11 million.
He describes the victory as a miracle delivered after prayer.
He says the Republican defeat of a sitting Democratic senator was the first in 44 years.

“personally I raised less than $100,000”
Steven Choi · 06:30

“I prayed and he delivered that miracle. To me that was a miracle.”
Steven Choi · 09:30

#elections#faith#politics#underdog

Story10:00

Why Steven Choi Arrived in America With Only $50

After college and military service in South Korea, Choi emptied a bank account containing $100 before leaving for a job in Hawaii. During an overnight stop in Japan, friends persuaded him to spend half of it on a camera, leaving the $50 that became the opening detail of his American story.

He left South Korea after college and service as an artillery officer.
Closing his bank account produced $100 for the journey.
The route to Hawaii required an overnight stop in Japan.
He spent $50 on a camera after friends encouraged him to preserve memories.
He later earned master's and doctoral degrees and became a professor.

“That's the reason by the time I arrived in Hawaii, I had only $50 left.”
Steven Choi · 11:30

“From there, my journey began in America.”
Steven Choi · 12:00

#immigration#american dream#south korea#education

Story14:30

The Supposedly Empty School-Board Race That Drew 10 Candidates

Choi resisted requests to run for Irvine's school board for two years because he knew little about politics and was focused on his academy. He finally entered after being told that two positions had no candidates, only to find himself in a 10-person race; despite having no campaign experience and standing out as the only Asian candidate, he won in 1998.

People around him encouraged the school-board run for roughly two years.
He was focused on Dr. Choi's Academy and initially had no political interest.
He entered believing the seats might be uncontested.
The final field contained 10 candidates for two positions.
His victory opened the door to a political career beginning in 1998.

“I resisted for two years and eventually ended up becoming a candidate because I was misled.”
Steven Choi · 15:00

“surprisingly enough, I didn't know how to campaign or anything, you know, but I got elected.”
Steven Choi · 16:00

#school board#politics#irvine#career start

Story41:30

The Assembly Defeat Choi Now Sees as a Door to the Senate

Choi says losing his attempt at a fourth assembly term initially felt like a sad end to his political record. Looking back, he interprets the defeat as the event that opened a state-senate opportunity, giving him a four-year term and an experience he would not have had if the assembly race had gone his way.

He was not originally aiming to become a senator.
The fourth-term assembly defeat left him despondent at the time.
He later saw the loss as preparation for another opportunity.
The Senate offered a four-year term rather than assembly elections every two years.
He interprets the transition through his faith in God's purpose.

“He has prepared another door. He gave me chance to run for state senate and uh experience as a senator.”
Steven Choi · 42:00

“I wouldn't have had tasted the as a senator experience if I was not defeated the fourth term.”
Steven Choi · 42:30

#setbacks#faith#state senate#purpose

Takeaway· 2

Takeaway30:30

Why Choi's Mother Chose Education Over Inherited Land

Choi recalls his mother telling him that she preferred to sell family land and put knowledge into his mind rather than leave him property. Her reasoning was that knowledge could not be stolen, while someone more knowledgeable could take land from a person lacking wisdom; Choi connects that investment to the education and teaching experience that preceded his political career.

Choi grew up in a wealthy landowning family in a small farming village.
His mother prioritized funding knowledge over transferring land.
She viewed education as an asset nobody could steal.
Choi links his doctorate to his USC teaching opportunity.
His educational background later encouraged others to recruit him for school-board service.

“I would rather sell them and put the knowledge to your brain which nobody can steal.”
Steven Choi · 31:00

“if you don't have a knowledge wisdom in your head, then somebody smarter than you are could steal your land.”
Steven Choi · 31:00

#education#family#knowledge#legacy

Takeaway39:30

Choi Would Start Economic Independence Education Young

After discussing homelessness and housing costs, Choi says that as governor he would begin a long-range plan with young people. His proposal emphasizes financial education, money management, school attendance, and preparation for independence rather than presenting the idea as an immediate fix for a complicated problem.

He calls homelessness and housing a complicated issue.
He would start a long-range plan at young ages.
Financial education and money management are central to his proposal.
He also emphasizes staying in school.
The intended outcome is greater independence.

“this is a very complicated issue. That's a very simplified comment I'm making.”
Steven Choi · 40:00

“if I were the governor, I would start the long range plan. Start from the young ages and the financial education, you know, how to…”
Steven Choi · 40:00

#financial education#youth#independence#public policy