FEW October Meeting (Foreign Executive Women) October 11, 2007

October Meeting - Starting and building a successful business in Japan

Time: 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Cost: FEW Members ¥2,000 / Guests ¥5,000 (supper and drinks included)
No advance reservation required.
Please note this is a women only event.

Venue: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ), Yurakucho Denki Building, 20th Floor (http://www.fccj.or.jp/~fccjyod2/aboutus/map)

Speaker: C. Jeffrey Char, entrepreneur and president of J-Seed Ventures, Inc., a Tokyo-based venture incubator.

Starting and building a successful business in Japan

Question: How do you start a company in Japan? Honest answer: somewhat recklessly. If you knew all the things that could go wrong and the myriad reasons why your idea is doomed to fail, you would think it is not a good idea to launch a new business in Japan. So stop worrying and just get on with it.

Why are there so few entrepreneurs in Japan? Why do foreigners have an advantage in starting and building successful businesses in Japan? If you've ever thought about starting up your own business, or were daring enough to actually do so, please come and join us as we explore ways to increase your odds for success.

Speaker's Profile:

C. Jeffrey Char is a serial entrepreneur and president of J-Seed Ventures, Inc., a Tokyo-based venture incubator. In addition, Jeff is also president and representative director for the Japan operations of PhillipCapital, a multinational financial services group.

Jeff's past successes include Sozon, an online marketing company sold to ValueCommerce, Solis, a domain registrar sold to GMO Internet, SSK Technology, an electronics component company sold to Suzuki Manufacturing, and Pario Software, a network security company sold to Lucent Technologies. Jeff's experience with start-up companies also includes earlier careers as a corporate attorney, venture capitalist and investment banker.

Jeff studied economics at Sophia University in Tokyo and law at the University of California, Berkeley and Harvard Law School.

Official Website: http://www.fewjapan.com/archives/000134.html