Worthy To Lead: Episode 36: Leading With Calm Through Chaos, Discrimination, and Financial Hardship with Craig Nishizaki
Interview Participants:
- Host: Kristiana Corona, Worthy To Lead
- Craig Nishizaki, Head of Business @ UpTop
- March 24, 2026
Length: 52m 49s
Description: How do you stay grounded as a leader when everything around you is falling apart?
Craig Nishizaki has answered that question more than once. Early in his career, a manager told him he’d only keep him on to avoid a discrimination lawsuit. Later, he went seven months without a paycheck while his wife was pregnant. He was passed over for promotions. And at every single turning point, he made the same choice: face it, don’t run from it.
Today, Craig is the co-owner of UpTop, a UX design agency that has partnered with Amazon, Microsoft, and SAP. 98% of their clients take him with them when they get promoted. And he leads with one of the rarest qualities in today’s workplace: calm, intentional, trust-first leadership.
In this episode, Craig shares the experiences that shaped how he leads, why he believes we are in a trust recession, and how he has built a culture that people genuinely want to be part of.
Transcript
For a full transcript, please visit Episode 36: Leading With Calm Through Chaos, Discrimination, and Financial Hardship with Craig Nishizaki on Worthy To Lead’s website.
