Brian

Nelson

[Recording: 11.17.2025]

Ask Me Anything

Board Advisor ● Entrepreneur ● Philanthropist

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Yes, and...

With a marksman's instinct for opportunity and an unmistakable understatedness that inspires confidence, if not intrigue, Brian Nelson is the kind of guy we all want to know. Yet it's Brian who wants to know you—to learn of your ideas and your struggles, and of where you need a hand so he can extend one. He is the quintessential gentle giant whose soft-spoken, "How can I help?" has him looming forever larger in the heart than his six foot seven inch frame ever does on the eyes.

Don't Look!

The scream of the whistle cuts the steam of the court. The basketball you just nonchalantly "passed" smack dab into the rear of your teammate's head to your right, bounces aside. He never saw it coming. You, were looking left. The entire situation borders on chagrin. You were looking LEFT, says the coach? Day one with the Nichido Big Blue cements a lesson. The absence of the no-look pass in Japan is not because the team abstains from television. Still waters run deep. 1992.

Connections & Commerce Create Value

Off the heels of one bubble, comes another. The turn of the century in Japan brought with it promise and challenge for Brian, and an adroit sense of business and an intuitive knack for relationships ensured the ship he was assigned to helm remained steady in the storm. By 2005, as CEO of Value Commerce, he'd broker a JPY10.9bn investment from Yahoo! JAPAN and in 2006 establish a listing on the Mothers Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Baby steps.

Helping the navigator navigate

We all benefit from the labors of a good wingman. Yet, they remain an elusive lot. Like angels, it is they who discover us—appearing only when our burden is most heavy and our hearts prepared to receive their graces. Altruist and profit-maker alike have benefited from Brian's counsel and friendship; a veritable gumbo of fun, profit, and good. It's all about "building cool things with good people," Brian says. Most beneficiaries never even appear on a balance sheet, though... they are simply you... me... us.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN WITH BRIAN

Why NOT discounting the advice of parents and loved ones can be a smarter move than insisting on plotting your own course in life.
How he turned: "learn Japanese in six months, or perish" into a lifetime asset.
His insider view on spotting the best Japanese startups to work for (and invest in) based on his 30+ years of experience in Japan.
How to command an audience despite a propensity for shyness.
How to develop the skill set to speak articulately about subjects new to you.
Successful network building strategies you can steal so everyone benefits and ACTUALLY networks.
Life between bubbles in Japan. What was it like?
His advice for reaching out to those who seem unreachable.
How to score a business advisor or mentor even when you feel you have little to offer.
His tips for hiring and retaining the best talent imaginable for the different stages of your career.
Steps you can take to propel your career to the point where you're doing less of what you've learned on the job so you can assist others with theirs.

Ditch the Car, Japan Calls.

High school life in Japan whet Brian's appetite for more. He had some of the language, but not enough; some understanding of the business environment, but not as much as he wanted. Back home for college in 1986, he planned a return. When Pearl Jam and Nirvana were breaking through airwaves in the States, Brian headed back. Short of one car, but in possession of enough dough and chutzpa to carve a new path in Kansai's Osaka, he set out to make his mark.

OUR WELCOMED GUEST

Brian Nelson

In the late 80's Brian Nelson parachuted into Tokyo, a fresh-faced high school lad from Newport Beach, California suddenly asked to live out his formative years in one of East Asia's most vibrant cultural lands. After a short stint back home, he returned hungry for more.

His subsequent 30+ year persona and professional track record covers a wide berth: professional sports, personal growth, internet commerce, blockchain technology and everything in between.

These days, Brian serves as advisor and mentor to a host of for-profit and non-profit ventures, enjoying most of all, the time he gets to spend with his family. He is friend and confidant to many.

A JAPANESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM LIKE NO OTHER.

Maplopo helps intermediate and advanced learners of Japanese internalize language through the power of story—all in a single learning platform. Maplopo is rigorous, structured, and handcrafted for serious learners of Japanese.