A very common expression today, especially among experienced professionals, is “entrepreneurship” which, in a nutshell, means “willingness to take on new businesses or projects, identifying opportunities and transforming them into their own business activity”. It presupposes a creative, innovative, bold spirit.
Thinking about starting your own business is one of those dreams that almost everyone has but that rarely comes true for a simple but crucial reason: the fear of failure. In fact, fear is part of business, just as every type of business involves a risk associated with it. This insecurity comes from the fear of the unknown, which is inherent in human nature.
Entrepreneurs are not supermen, as if they were from another world. They are people like you. They can be born with this profile as they can be prepared. They are influenced in part by genetics, family environment, professional experiences and also by personal and economic needs. Entrepreneurship is associated with fearless people who mobilize resources, competence and knowledge to develop a new business, in search of professional independence. It has been said that “an entrepreneur is someone who has the ability to dream and turn those dreams into reality”.
Observing and analyzing the performance of successful entrepreneurs, it is clear that these people seek to dominate fear through knowledge, trying to learn everything they can about business risks, to the point of being able to transform fear into action. Belief in the idea or product makes them dive head first into the project and fully assume the risks, leaving fear aside.
The economic crisis that hit the country in recent years, with direct repercussions on the unemployment rate, caused cases of “entrepreneurship” to emerge in large numbers, even among young people who had recently graduated. Brazilians, in a way, carry an entrepreneurial spirit.
The same cannot be said about the Japanese and even their Brazilian descendants, the Nikkei. It is nothing new in sociology to highlight that this characteristic is not the strong point of the Japanese, unlike the Koreans and Chinese who, even in Brazil, stand out from a young age in their own activities, particularly in commerce.
Even so, we are pleasantly surprised by examples of people who only confirm that there is no total unanimity or absolute truth. There are always exceptions that contradict the thesis, as shown by the trajectory of three professionals, coincidentally all with ties of friendship with this scribe . The highlight is even greater because they are women and Nikkei who have been standing out as “entrepreneurs” in leading their own careers. Each one, after significant experience in companies, decided at a certain point in their lives to pursue a solo career, deciding to face the difficulties and challenges inherent to the endeavor and, today, after hard and difficult years of sowing, they have been reaping the fruits of a decision in minimal bold.
The report I give has the confidence of someone who knows them well. Sonia and Renata were my collaborators, they were part of a competent, committed and homogeneous team that I managed to put together, when they were part of a company that stood out for more than 20 years, as a consultancy and service provider in human resources, in the Capital of São Paulo. Paul.
Reny She is the third person I highlight in this list of entrepreneurs. She was not an employee but was linked to my company as a client, representing companies for which she worked, where she stood out for her versatility and commitment.
Here is a brief profile of each one, noting that they are all Nikkei:
Sonia Shirasaka Nakabara
Sonia has worked with me since she graduated in Psychology from PUC de SP. Starting as a Selection Trainee , in the almost 10 years she worked at the company, due to her competence, practice and leadership skills, she reached the position of Operations Manager. It also stood out for its ease of relationship, both with its internal peers and with clients, almost all of them renowned and multinational companies. He conveyed credibility in everything he did, a quality that is highly valued in any profession.
Having to leave the company to accompany her husband, an engineer, who was sent to work in Singapore, upon returning, she felt inclined to open her own business, in the area of her specialty, that is, Recruitment and Selection. She hasn't stopped being the owner of her business or manager since then! Strengthened by the valuable experiences she has had in recent years, always as a Director or Executive, and qualified as a coach , she continues to dedicate herself with great success to her company, SN Professional – Assessoria e Desenvolvimento de Pessoas, which focuses on the “recruitment and selection of executives and specialized professionals, the assessment of potential and career development”. Its client portfolio, made up of companies and qualified professionals, is very rich and loyal, only confirming the excellence of its work. His company's motto is suggestive: “human beings are capable of creating, helping and undertaking. Everyone has their own talent, each with their own DNA.” I am proud of Sonia's success, having followed and experienced her journey over the last 25 years.
Sonia is married to engineer and businessman Carlos Nakabara; has a daughter, Patrícia, a university student.
Renata Watanabe Kose
Renata is another professional who deserves to be highlighted for her story of tenacity, determination and search for professional fulfillment. She was also part of and collaborated with my company and from the beginning she stood out for her personal friendliness and ease of relationships, qualities that recommended her for the commercial support area, responsible for contacts with companies. Even though she was satisfied with her permanent job, Renata had a particular dream, to work in the Events segment and she was already taking her first steps in this direction, dedicating herself to this work on weekends and at night. At the head of her still embryonic company, organizing and advising wedding parties and other similar events, Renata was already beginning to stand out in the field. For many years, he tirelessly combined both activities, sacrificing his weekends, but never allowing the exhausting journey to interfere with his professional performance. A few years ago, she felt confident in definitively taking over her business, leading her to give up any other parallel activity, turning her body and soul to her company Renata Watanabe-Assessoria em Eventos, today one of the most prominent in the segment, specialized in “advising events, such as weddings, weddings, birthday parties and corporate events”, with significant participation within the Nikkei community, always demanding and selective.
Renata has a degree in Business Administration from FECAP-SP, with a Specialization in Planning and Organization of Events from HOTEC-Faculty of Technology in Hospitality, Gastronomy and Tourism, SP. She is married, her husband is a dental surgeon.
Reny Okuhara
Reny is another brave Nikkei who deserves to be highlighted, due to her fighting history and great courage. For almost 20 years she was an executive in national and multi-national companies, working in Sales, Logistics, Strategic Planning, HR. When leaving the last company, of Chinese origin, 5 years ago, she was seduced by the dream of entrepreneurship and decided to invest in herself, with the aim of becoming a business consultant. He took several management and HR courses, participated in Lectures, Seminars and realized a great aspiration, that of completing a Coaching and Mentoring course, qualifying as a Coach.
He created his company, THGO Plus – Human Talent Consultancy, Organizational Management and Coaching and, with face and courage, went out into the field offering his professional services. With determination, fighting spirit and competence, in just under 5 years she managed to stand out in the market, as a sought-after professional, developing several seminars, trainings and lectures, to the point of being invited by entities such as Sebrae, FIESP . She is co-author of the book High Performance Entrepreneurs.
Reny, single, has a degree in Electrical Engineering from UNESP, a Postgraduate degree in Business Administration from ESAN and in Marketing from ESPM, as well as an International Executive MBA from FGV-SP.
Despite being Nikkei and women, Sonia, Renata and Reny are true examples of the capacity of entrepreneurial women, despite the challenges imposed by a restrictive economy and the barriers that the market itself presents. With will, struggle, competence and qualifications, they demonstrate that dreams can be achieved, no matter how distant they may be. Licensed by RENY, they are all “ high-performance entrepreneurs!”
A reminder: I am committed to returning to the topic in the near future, to do justice to other entrepreneurial friends whose professional careers are equally worthy of admiration. People like Deise Aparecida Cappi, businesswoman in the field of Occupational Safety and Medicine; Rosa Kiyono Chibusa , businesswoman in the tourism sector; Talita de Abreu , Marketing professional and Trader.
© 2018 Katsuo Higuchi
