Few People Know About My Experience

I founded Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. back in 1987.

But my career didn’t start there.

In 1983, I graduated from Azusa Pacific University in the U.S. with a degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Computer Science. In college, I became the first Japanese player on the varsity gridiron football team and earned an athletic scholarship.

After graduation, I returned to Japan and joined a computer company. Working as an IBM SNA Engineer in the international sales division, I had the privilege of working with major clients like Mitsubishi Trust Bank, Taisei Corporation, Gakken, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, and Recruit.

At age 25, I led an in-house venture focused on finding software for IBM PCs in the United States and brought it to the Japanese market. As part of that project, I established a subsidiary in Seattle. After the business eventually closed, I founded the company we know today in 1987, when I was 27.

However, very few people remember those early days anymore.

When I started the company, I did much more than sales. I developed our accounting system myself. From system design and project management to billing, financial management, and running the business, I did what I needed to do.

And along the way, I made plenty of mistakes.

Now, our company is approaching its 40th anniversary.

Today, almost everyone in the office knows nothing about the time I wrote code, built accounting systems, or ran the sales team on my own.

That’s why I occasionally see employees making the exact same mistakes I made decades ago.

"I’ve been down that road," I think to myself. "If only you had asked me." It can be frustrating to watch. But looking at it from their perspective, how could they ask when they don’t know what I’ve experienced?

Experience doesn't become a company asset when you keep it to yourself.

It's not just about sharing success stories. We also need to pass on our failures, poor decisions, financial losses, projects that didn't go as planned, and, most importantly, what we learned from them.

Only when we share those lessons with the next generation does our experience become a valuable asset to the company.

After nearly 40 years of running this business, I realize that one of my responsibilities going forward may not be just to keep working, but also to make sure my experiences become part of the company's knowledge and legacy.

I can't simply wait for people to ask.

The fact that our team doesn't know my journey isn't their fault. It’s mine, for never sharing it.

Disclaimer: I use AI as a tool to help create images and proofread my writing. However, the ideas, opinions, experiences, and messages in my posts are my own. AI does not generate my posts for me. It simply helps me present my own words and ideas more clearly.






Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC)
Uchikura & Co., LLC.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.

Your comments are always welcome.

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