Burnaby Board of Trade's Know You Neighbours

1. Full name and position/title: Tatsuya Nakagawa, President and CEO

2. Company/Organization Name: Atomica Creative Group

3. Company website: www.atomicacreative.com

4. Education/Credentials:

University of San Francisco, University of British Columbia

5. Average meetings per month: 20

6. Name a skill or talent you possess that is not in your job description (i.e. marketing background; can speak 3 languages)

Tennis Coach and NCAA Division 1 Tennis Player

Brown Belt - Karate

7. What makes your job fun?

New and innovative products and technologies.

8. Personal Peeves?

Bad cell phone manners

9. Favourite quote?

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

- Thomas Edison

10. Name one person of influence who is in your professional network

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple.

11. Who inspires you? Any mentors or role models?

Thomas Edison. Tiger Woods.

12. Imagine you had a working lunch with three prominent (or fictional) people.

Richard Branson, Virgin Group

Russell Simmons, Rush Communications

A.G. Lafley, P&G

13. Your favourite website is:

LinkedIn.com

14. Name one thing you cannot live without:

Family

15. List committees, organizations, or boards you sit on or have been a part of.

Burnaby Board of Trade, Board of Director

Japan-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Former Director

BC Export Awards, Steering Committee

BC Supply Chain Career Network, Former Director

16. What are you currently reading? Any favourite books?

Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell

Innovators Dilemma, Clayton M Christensen

Unleashing the Idea Virus, Seth Godin

17. What would be the professional legacy you'd like to leave behind? (i.e. increase sales by 300%; make corporate social responsibility a natural business practice; introduce technology that changes our lives).

To help change the global corporate innovation success rate from 25% (currently) to over 50%.

Practical reasons for strengthening member to member network ties

Here is mini article we put together for the Burnaby Board of Trade. Practical reasons for strengthening member to member network ties:

1. Relationship: It's easier to call or email a fellow member and start building a relationship. Having membership in common creates a good starting point. Plan to meet at an event. It is almost always preferable to do business with someone you know and have developed a relationship with than it is to place your trust with a complete stranger.

2. Consistency: Developing a relationship with a group of people that you see on a regular basis has its advantages. You become familiar with their products, quality, needs and also the various shortcuts that can be taken to achieve your desired ends. For example, if you use a local printer for your stationary needs, they will likely keep your artwork on file so that re-orders are relatively easy.

3. Complementary: Member businesses are diverse and may complement your business, becoming good referral partners. This will allow you to be a better resource to all your contacts and clients.

4. Community: Because of the closer ties, people will be more compelled to go the extra mile. It is a natural to put in a little extra effort to help a friend or someone you know.

5. Accountability: Fellow members can usually be more easily held to account than firms that you have no ties with outside of the immediate transaction.

6. Activity: Business and people that are actively involved in an association tend to be more connected to the business community and interested in connecting with people than those who are not involved in such networks.

7. Productivity: Working more closely with fellow members can lead to productivity enhancements in your business. Sharing relevant information and developing informal mentorship relationships are a couple ways to do this.

8. Cost: It often costs less to do business with someone who you know through an association. Check out the current list of members who offer a discount to fellow Burnaby Board of Trade members as one way.