Exactly 35 years ago, I left my university in Japan and came to America to attend Portland State University. As an English major! What was I thinking? I could barely speak and write English when I arrived. I really struggled to keep up with all of the reading and writing, especially while working to cover my expenses. But, somehow, I finished and got my degree.

When I look back, I see that good things happened when someone helped me. One pivotal change came when the Dean of Graduate Studies at Portland State University offered me a research assistant position while I studied for my MBA. Her strong support—personal and institutional—gave me the confidence to pursue my real love, mathematics, with a focus on computers and databases.  Yes, I am a GEEK.

I graduated and moved to Bellevue, where I landed a “high-flier” minimum-wage job as a desk clerk at the Hyatt Hotel. Maybe not so funny at the time, but my English degree started looking more valuable than an MBA.

I finally landed a job with a very young company riding the first updraft of the Internet Revolution and shrink-wrapped software (remember that?) and games. For the next 30 years, I did whatever it took to help that company survive and thrive. I learned operations, managed software developers, did countless business deals, and opened and managed a couple of data centers for 40,000 customers. For 10 years I was the CEO/President of what became a very successful software company.

There have been big challenges for me over the past 35 years. I came from a faraway place, with very different customs and language. I’ve weathered some major health issues. It was especially difficult to be a Japanese woman in the very male-dominated world of software. But America gave me an opportunity and I am now a proud American citizen.

Three years ago, I really struggled with what to do next in my life. I took a momentous trip to India to visit my dear friend from our earliest Portland days. She and her family opened their arms and embraced me. That welcome gave me the confidence to take a step in a very daring new direction. I launched Ascent Partners…just in time for a pandemic to make me question my decision.

But one step leads to another. I met the man who became my business and marital partner. Together, we tackled a series of very demanding and rewarding projects to help the State of Hawaii reimagine travel with destination management tools for some of the world’s most recognized locations.

Mike and I are now preparing to leave for Japan on October 18.  We came to America from opposite directions; Mike’s family crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and I crossed the Pacific. But we’re both Americans now, with a shared love of Japan, a place of deep significance for each of us. Wherever our journey takes us next, we look forward to sharing our Samurai Pivot with you.

Yours in celebration,
Mayumi