In Japan we have a saying for someone who takes a big risk. “He is jumping off the Kiyomizu-dera!” In eastern Kyoto, there is a beautiful view high above the city from Kiyomizu Temple. It was build in the 1500’s and the street leading up to the temple is one of the most famous in all of Japan. Jumping off the Kiyomizu-dera is both dangerous (drops 200 feet below) and could make you famous since there are thousands of people there touring the site at any one time. Thousands would see the jump that would be a spectacular stunt if you could survive. Most die trying or simply commit suicide in a spectacular fashion.

Who has the courage to leave a stable, comfortable job to venture out on there own? Rod Smith did exactly that two years ago when he started his e-bay store for NASCAR gear heads.  You can hear why Rod did it tomorrow at 4pm in McMike Academic room 308.

I was self motivated and goal oriented. I left a good position as an Account Executive at a Madison Avenue Ad Agency in 1987 to start my own agency in sleepy San Diego, CA. San Diego was a military town in the 1980’s. With the exception of some bio-tech companies around Scripps Hospital and The Salk Institute, the San Diego economy depended on military contractors and service companies. My previous experience was in advertising consumer packaged goods.  Few San Diego companies were involved in consumer marketing outside of regional or branch programs since few companies were headquartered there.

I had opportunities to be promoted and grow in my AE position at  FCB-New York, but I  was willing to risk my career to be adventurous and successful on my own. I launched a new ad agency with only two clients. Two years later, my partner and I acquired another San Diego agency focused on Public Relations. After seven years of continuous operations, we were the third largest agency in the market with 11 clients, and 38 full-time employees. Every month I sweated a $60,000 payroll and loved the craziness of the ride I was on. Being an entrepreneur was scary and fun at the same time.