Scott Safadi graduated from Dartmouth College in 2003 and soon after moved to Saratoga, Calif., where he began his property management career. Scott Safadi is the president of Cal Bay Property Management (CBPM) located in Palo Alto, Calif. Scott Safadi holds a CCRM (California Certified Resident Manager) designation.
Aicube: We are talking to Scott Safadi, owner and president of Cal Bay Property Management. Thank you, Scott, for taking the time to speak with us today.
Scott Safadi: My pleasure.
Aicube: You mentioned earlier that you have a message for today’s youth. What is that?
Scott Safadi: Just that life doesn’t get any easier. If you get a chance to do something you thoroughly enjoy—seize it. The best time to do it is before you take on the obligations of a family and career.
Aicube: That sounds like great advice, but isn’t it rather difficult to avoid responsibilities?
Scott Safadi: Yes, but when life’s mounting pressures and expectations overwhelm us with all the things we need to do, sometimes what we really need is to have some fun to stay sane. One day I suddenly realized that college might be my last opportunity to be unfettered of the responsibilities that awaited me in the “real” world.
Aicube: What brought about this epiphany?
Scott Safadi: During an internship at a San Jose hospital, it became obvious to me that hard work doesn’t end when you graduate from school. My stress at school paled in comparison to the constant pressures the doctors experienced.
Aicube: Is that what led to your Jackson Hole adventure?
Scott Safadi: Most definitely. The comparison lingered in my mind until one evening during my college days, a friend and I happened to watch a snowboarding video. A crazy thought popped into our heads. What if we took a couple of winter months off from college and followed the snow? One year later, we did just that.
Aicube: How did you arrange it?
Scott Safadi: Before the start of our junior year, we both went to summer school so we could take the winter quarter off. We moved to Jackson Hole and proceeded to have the time of our lives. It was great!
Aicube: Tell me a little about Jackson Hole.
Scott Safadi: Jackson Hole is a mountain resort located in a large valley surrounded by high-peaked mountains. A lot of the terrain in Jackson Hole has steep sections with long chutes and trees. It offers challenges that snowboarders like me especially enjoy.
Aicube: It sounds like a very nice winter resort.
Scott Safadi: It’s that and more. It has more backcountry terrain than in-bounds. We were in the backcountry at least 50% of the time.
Aicube: It sounds different than a typical resort.
Scott Safadi: It is. It has all the appeal of a classic American resort with saloons and cowboys, but Jackson Hole is not the usual rolling mountain, tree-lined resort found in many other western U.S. resorts.
Aicube: What other activities did you enjoy while there?
Scott Safadi: Snowboarding was our main focus, but it’s definitely not the only activity available. Snow skiing, sleigh rides and dog-sled tours are also attractions to explore if you happen to tire of snowboarding. Of course, that wasn’t a problem for us.
Aicube: It seems like a great winter vacation destination. Is it quiet in the summer?
Scott Safadi: Not at all. Jackson Hole is great for whitewater rafting, hiking, horseback riding and golfing. Other activities available are hang gliding, kayaking, mountain biking, hot air ballooning and stagecoach rides.
Aicube: Jackson Hole seems to have a variety of attractions for all ages.
Scott Safadi: And that’s just a sample of the activities you’ll find there. There’s so much to do you can’t possibly get bored.
Aicube: So, it seems you have no regrets?
Scott Safadi: No regrets. Today, as a husband, father, homeowner and businessman, I am so thankful that I didn’t let that opportunity pass me by. While most Dartmouth students were going to class or doing internships, I was having the time of my life.
Scott Safadi and his wife, Rachel, were married in 2007 and have a daughter named Sophia. Scott Safadi and his family live in Saratoga, Calif. For more information about Scott Safadi visit aboutscottsafadi.com.
