Four Inane Questions with Scott “The Connector” Havens
Scott “The Connector” Havens. // Courtesy Jenny Wheat
On a given day, Scott Havens will likely have shaken hands with roughly five to 500 people. Havens, who cut his teeth at a high-end insurance brokerage firm, now holds court as the vice president and shareholder at HUB International.
But when he’s not diligently working at his day job, he’s busy bringing Kansas City executives together and facilitating 11 different peer groups, including Top Gun Kansas City, one of the largest in the metro with nearly 150 members.
He’s affectionately known as “The Connector,” a moniker The Kansas City Business Journal once bestowed upon him. Need to meet with a CEO or hobnob with a hiring manager? Havens will put you in touch—provided you’ve done your homework first.
The savvy, civic-minded Havens also works with dozens of local philanthropic organizations in the metro. If you don’t see him raising money at a charity event—can you even call it an event? Oh—and mum’s the word—he and business partner Brian Switzer have opened four hidden speakeasies in the metro in Martin City, Lenexa, North Kansas City, and Lee’s Summit. (Your New Year’s resolution should be to try and get an invite. Seriously.)
We caught up with the oft-written about Havens in between dad duties to ask him our insipid questions. We’re pretty sure he had to dumb down his answers for us.
The Pitch: Dancing with the Stars calls. Which performance—out of the gate—will ensure you crush all your competitors?
Scott Havens: I already have a choreographed dance prepared to Salt & Pepper’s “Push It,” so I would not need to practice. Considering I would be paired with a professional that could easily learn the dance, we would be money.
Plus, it’s a song everyone knows, and the intro bell is better than any cowbell Will Ferrell can tap. The song “Push It” is also another metaphor for being pleasantly persistent in getting others together and deals done.
What’s the absolute worst sound in the world? The one that almost instantly drives you insane?
I would say a baby crying because it reminds me of not sleeping. But as my toddlers get older, I think I will miss it.
Also, I would say a rival team’s marching band, but KU Football is still working on building a program. Or maybe parents dinging a cowbell on the sidelines, but everyone needs more cowbell.
Scott “The Connector” Havens. // Courtesy Ted Miller
What’s a popular or beloved meal you absolutely refuse to eat?
Wow, that is hard. I literally eat anything. I am sure there are delicacies I have not tried that I would not like, but my curveball is lasagna.
I always jump on people for not liking things or trying new foods, but I kind of get it. Psychologically, something must have happened to me as a kid where I don’t jump at lasagna. I love all the ingredients, but together for some reason, it never hit for me in childhood. Or adulthood.
You’re at a networking meeting and stuck talking to an insufferable person. What line always works to escape said scenario?
Step one would be to ensure you get the basics of their background. That way, you can detect the insufferable person for future interactions. Kansas City is a big-small town so getting to know them and having them talk about themselves is a small price to pay. As you ask the insufferable person to talk about themselves, make sure to listen to what they are into.
The magic words to get you out of the conversation? Asking “Have you ever met…?” Because from there, you introduce them to someone else. The home run is if you introduce them to another person who is also insufferable.
Bonus 5th Question: What’s one gourmet dish nobody knows you can cook really, really well?
It’s Kansas City, so we are going with barbecue. The particular item? Sausage. I have been competing in Kansas City barbecue competitions for 15 years—often very unsuccessfully—with my friends.
This year my team won first place in sausage at The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle out of 122 teams. Since our team got first place, the recipe is a secret until next year.
