Started my CNET Japan blog:
For those of you who can read Japanese - or those of you who enjoy taking a peek on something strange, please visit my CNET Japan blog.
Words do generate meanings and emotions. Even in a foreign tongue.
That I can guarantee!
A classic book for an entrepreneur by Sir Richard Branson:
Most of you are well aware of the living legend of the Virgin group.
The secret behind his success is indeed something we entrepreneurs should realize: you must be dynamic, hard-working and living the once and only life of yours to the fullest. It is the way of life which led him to where he is, not the other factors which we all worry - like money or luck. It is his approach to his life that brings him those other factors.
Reading through this book, I have no doubt that even gods could not have resisted his charm. Along with Steve Jobs, he is my hero.
If you by any chance have not read this, get one: Losing My Virginity
Finally I have made myself available to update this 'English' blog.
My 'Japanese' blog is updated daily but it is always difficult to motivate myself to write in English. Simply because it doesn't give an immediate impact on my daily routine of life and business. Too bad I am not as global as I'd like to be.
Things are looking up, like it has been for the past couple of years.
I am determined to make 2008 the year to bring Howdys, Inc. and myself to a larger stage.
Well - let me elaborate that some other time.
I wish you all a great 2008 - and I will keep you updated about what I'm up to and where I'm going to.
I have a vision to realize this year, and I am ready to tell myself:
"Let's do it!"
Now it's official - I am insanely busy lately...and HAPPY!
Finally I am launching a new brand of service in our pursuit of 'Local Target Internet Service.' This 'Career Engine.jp' will be the ultimate local job search site in our community and beyond.
For the benefit of local companies with limited resources in utilizing Internet ads, we designed this site for them to be able to put lots of information so that they not only can recruit workers but also can advertise their companies and services.
Of course, the service is so reasonably priced and I am going to do everything analog to make it successful.
Launching is always hard. But I get lots of kicks out of it.
So the sleepless nights continue....
Here is the alpha version of Career Engine.jp:
Having found similarities between Guy Kawasaki and myself, I started reading his books. The book I enjoyed most so far is "Selling the Dream."
I don't buy a personal computer - I buy a Mac.
I don't buy a mp-3 player - I buy an iPod.
Indeed, evangelism is a great means of marketing.
Well my next reading will be "The Art of the Start." Having been accustomed to reading English again, I now feel my English has gotten better!
I ordered Guy Kawasaki's The Art of the Start
My adviser in the U.S. recommended the book, and I remember his days as an evangelist for Mac when I was in the States. For the obvious reason his books don't sell in Japan - his thoughts are a bit too foreign for the majority of the Japanese. The Art of the Start
It will take a few more days for the book to arrive here, but in the mean time I found a couple of things I have in common with the Silicon Valley icon:
1: Japanese product. Kawasaki is a very Japanese name. Eguro is very rare, but we seem to have Japanese bloodline.
2: Guy Kawasaki and Shun Eguro have both worked for jewelry industry, both dealing diamonds.
As a first real job out of college I worked for a large jewelry manufacture in Japan called Kuwayama Co. I worked as a broker of loose diamonds. It was a very challenging job and I learned quite a bit.
I was very pleased to know that Guy thought "it was the hardest job" he'd ever had!
Maybe I'm set to succeed?
When I was young, I was a dreamer in that I believed I could change the world some day.
I guess it was a bit odd in Japan - but when I left Japan for the U.S. to be an exchange student, I was greeted with the sympathy and respect I wanted. At least from some.
Now that I'm older, I think I haven't changed the whole a lot in essence. But it seems that I have learned to adjust to the mainstreams of the world, mediocre notions and two PCs and cars at home.
I am not sure, however, whether my adjustment is good or bad.
I think it is necessary for any one of us to seek for what is best. I have always been a student of Art, Literature and Philosophy. That very pursuit led me to the world of business and Internet. Some of you may disagree but the most creative, innovative minds are now doing business or somehow involved in Internet industry.
Most importantly, there is much more to come in this genere - the next ten years we will observe more growth in this industry than the past decade, for the next to come is globalism - you know Internet penetration is like 600% annually in Africa?
Only the smart and privileged are online making use of this wonderful technology. Only those in metropolitan areas are fully rewarded through this innovation. Only developed countries are privileged in this technology. There has to be a way to help the boundaries disappear as well as to educate those ignored.
That is why Howdys, Inc. is going 'Local.'
I used to use the word 'coincidence' to describe something that happened without my having anything to do with it. I understand the meaning of the word signifies the circumstance agreeing with another implying accident. I have always liked this word in English, for it happens quite often in the universe that is random to say the least.
Now I prefer using the word 'serendipity' to 'coincidence.' I don't know if all of you will agree with me but I feel blessed to encounter coincidence of any kind. To me the word is charged with emotional significance, and thus I feel 'serendipity' is appropriate when there is coincidence around me.
According to Wikipedia, "Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. "
So for one to experience 'Serendipity' one has to looking for something. This description best suits me because I am always looking for something. As those of you who have known me for a long time know, I used to describes myself 'a naked pronoun searching for metaphors in Time.'
I have been an entrepreneur for a few years now. In some areas I feel I achieved success, in others I have made mistakes. But one thing is for sure - there is always something beyond my preconceived routes. All thinking is wishful and I am a very wishful person. Often my thinking goes wrong but I have always been blessed with 'serendipity.' My best achievements are mostly found in the area outside of my original idea.
My faith, not logic, is based on this very nature of Time being filled with randomness and charged with impermanence. Some may call it God's plan, intention or responsibility. Perhaps. But I am more of a mystic who believes it is up to us to discover where the next moment will lead us to.
By founding 'Howdys, Inc.' I have been experiencing even more serendipity than before. In the beginning 'Howdys!' was just a website in a local community trying to bring more people to local business. But as time passed by, job classifies became the hottest contents in Howdys!, and then people started asking us to design the websites of their own. Interestingly enough, now I perceive myself an evangelist of Internet promotion and marketing in a local community. More of a consultant than a man selling ads.
As an evangelist, my goal is steadily shifting from 'Local Business' to 'Local People.' Because the key for success in any local business is to attract the people in the local community. Internet is, I believe, the best way for giving people the way to make their voice heard. Though not perfect, it's more than just 'good.'
Through my career in a local evangelist, needless to say, I met so many people - both clients and customers. From there started constant process of serendipity after serendipity - my world widened. Howdys, Inc. is beginning to find its path toward something much bigger - that is to target every local area in the gaps of information and utilize the 'system' that is about to be completed, to work in any particular area and make life much better for those who live there.
This is, as many of you know, my second Weblog. I have my own Weblog in Japanese, through which I made connections with many people. The purpose for starting one in English is 'Serendipity,' as well as my intention to polish up my rusty English.
Through this Weblog too - I am looking forward to experience the 'Serendipity' in the fabric of Time! Hope to encounter those who will apply metaphors to a naked pronoun I am!
"A puzzle from Google I got while in Silicon valley"
I never touched this.....
My wife sometimes seems to create chaos in my world of order - to perhaps test my IQ and patience.
Now it's up to me to solve this - as is often the case with an early-stage entrepreneur, I dedicate myself to constant puzzle solving.
My will against obstacles! Taking a role given like a Shakespearean character. Trying to find my rest in the bliss of passion!
The thing is - I've never been good at solving this.
Someone help!
Our company, Howdys, Inc., stands for "going local" and "voice and power to the people."
I have been doing massive research on how we can achieve the goal. There are a few things that caught my attention in the U.S., that I couldn't find in Japan. Notably, the success of craigslist and the emergence of citizen journalism gave me huge impact. Web 2.0 has been a hot topic here in Japan too - but I've always thought that it is the application that changes the world, not the technology.
I couldn't wait but go visit U.S., so I enrolled myself to AlwaysOn Stanford Summit to hear more about the issues, including other hot topics such as Second Life and virtual worlds, etc.
I was very fortunate to be given an opportunity to speak with Mr. Craig Newmark during the stay, which was a great honor for an early stage venture entrepreneur. I was very impressed with his wisdom and his genuine kindness.
Through my research and what I learned from Craig and the seminar made me realize there is more to the possibility of internet than mere business. There are lots of smart people accelerating the good by utilizing Web applications.
The Sunlight Foundation was one of them.
"The Sunlight Foundation was founded in 2006 with the goal of using technology to enable citizens to learn more about what their elected representatives are doing, to help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency...."
It is what is really needed for a country like Japan, the country famous for its very closed society. Our culture traditionally value silence as gold, bluffing and being outspoken as sin. In some ways we are conditioned that way. That very tendency was very convenient for imperial Japan that started WWII, and still convenient for those corrupted in our government.
So are we all silent and content? Am I the only one speaking loudly?
Definitely not.
The thing is -- people do not have the application they can use to have their voice heard. Or they haven't realized that such thing is possible.
The next key in the development of web-based application is the grass-root educational effort. Even in Japan.
In Japan, we do have the world's largest internet discussion forum called 2 channel, where we can hear every rumor about anything. The problem is the Japanese love of anonymity - there is no one stating who they are - there is no way of knowing to what extent the information there is true. So the website is constantly sued and no one really believes what is written there.
A system, or a machine to drive the voice of the people is necessary. Without it, there is no way for the people to gain power for their voice.
I am going to closely watch the development of them, as I search for the best application or service that fits in the mindframe of the Japanese.
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