Meet Amber Paresa

We recently connected with Amber Paresa and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I was always a martial arts/action movie fan. The quick moves of Jackie Chan disarming the bad guy always thrilled me. One day I saw an ad for Krav Maga. More martial than art, I thought oh yeah, that’s for me. I started training and fell in love with it. The physical and mental challenges were exactly what I needed. I made it all the way to achieve my black belt and reluctantly began teaching a few classes. As a lifelong introvert I found that being in front of a class with all eyes on me was nerve racking and uncomfortable but I was always so proud of myself for pushing through another class. I did feel like I was making a small difference and enjoyed teaching and seeing the thrill of accomplishment on the students faces when they conquered the move. My instructor assured me that if I ever wanted to do this for a living that I would be great. Ha! No, I could never see myself taking on such an uncomfortable roll for my livelihood.

Shortly after receiving my black belt, COVID hit. I along with 2 other women split from the studio and formed 805 Defense, a self-defense training company. At the same time my friend who taught Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at UCSB said they were looking for a self-defense instructor. I met with the department head and got the job. I recruited some friends from the studio to do some mock training to get more comfortable teaching. I was a basket case the first few classes at the university but at the same time felt that was where I belonged. Up to that point I had worked in entertainment which could be fun but not necessarily fulfilling. After several classes I finally felt that I had found my purpose and I have looked forward to teaching every class since.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Amber Paresa and I am the owner and lead trainer of 805 Defense, a mobile self-defense training company in Santa Barbara, CA. 805 Defense specializes in short term self-defense classes designed to give students the basics of detect, defuse and defend in a fun and informative session. I’m a huge fan of martial arts but not everyone has the time or desire to commit to a long term program. While many traditional studios offer the occasional women’s self-defense class, they are really hoping to show a few cool moves in order to get sign ups. 805 was born out of the need to give everyone solid knowledge of the basics of self-protection and defense without a membership. We are the perfect choice for individuals and groups who just want to feel a bit safer and confident in their ability to handle a dangerous encounter. We’ve also found great success in offering training to corporations for their team building and wellness events.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Nothing takes the place of doing. The mock training classes were key for me to feel comfortable in front of a group and to find my voice. They are a great way to experiment and see what does and doesn’t work in terms of explaining technique, order of talking points and time management. Getting feedback from the people who understand what I was trying to achieve was a huge help. The audience trusts you to present the information so if you forget a point, stay in control and circle back, they don’t know the difference.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

In the world of self-protection and defense, my go to book is The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker. From cover to cover, this book has been key in developing my talking points to my students. I use it as a guide to insert my own stories and stories from my clients about examples of what to watch out for and steps to take to avoid dangerous situations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.805defense.com
• Instagram: 805_defense
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/805defense
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r_Yx-z8Lao

Image Credits

805 Defense