So today’s guest is James Watanabe. An entrepreneur at heart. James has spent most of his career working with early to late stage start up ventures. He is a resourceful, hard working, leader and a collaborator interested in constructing successful partnerships and win win deals regardless of business space.
James has successfully developed products and taken them to market in multiple verticals and is co-founder and VP of Sales & Marketing with Watanabe Enterprises and is responsible for developing and selling products and services into the Federal Government space.
James became an entrepreneur himself by observing his father and following other entrepreneurs run their startup companies. He found out it’s not all roses but it’s quite a ride.
What he enjoys most about what he does is having the variety of work. He’s been successful in leveraging the relationships that he already has to gain more success. Success to James means being able to take care of his family and being able to do the things within the community.
Four words of wisdom from James:
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
- Surround yourself with people who complement your skill set.
- Find a mentor and be willing to learn from them.
- When doing business with others, remember to create a good contract between each other. A handshake a smile is not enough.
Find something you are passionate about and pursue it.