Meet Jonathan Yamasaki

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Yamasaki.

Hi Jonathan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My story began when I noticed that there were not many community platforms or organizations (in Arizona) that teach young millennials, Gen ZRS, and aspiring entrepreneurs how to start their businesses. It became evident that my peers and adults in this world come up with groundbreaking business ideas but never actually take action on them. Not understanding why so many people do not take the following steps to start a business, I wanted to ensure that those with an incredible business proposal had no choice but to start taking their idea from the drawing board to an official company. As a result, I became motivated to help my community by developing a podcast – Go, Entrepreneur, Yourself – that Inspires future non-traditional entrepreneurs to take action and follow through with their ideas while giving them advice from already successful entrepreneurs. I am running a podcast that features diverse entrepreneurs and leaders across the country. And the world to share their stories about adversity, tips, and the success of their businesses. Go entrepreneur yourself interviews entrepreneurs in different stages of their business, from up & coming to established startups. Whether a listener is an aspiring entrepreneur in the process of establishing a business or enjoys hearing stories on how these leaders build their empires, this podcast is for them. We release episodes bi-weekly from entrepreneurs of various industries. Our show stands for inspiring a community of entrepreneurs to stop dreaming and start entrepreneuring, which means to get up and start taking action on their ideas as opposed to sitting there and thinking about them. Not only do listeners gain tips from tuning in, but they also have an opportunity to connect with some of our entrepreneurs directly for advice.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the biggest obstacles I faced when starting my podcast was having to release episodes on all streaming platforms knowing that the sound quality was horrible because I did not have a studio space or the best mic. Now the audio quality has improved for new listeners wanting to tune in. Another obstacle that took me the entire year to overcome was being able to take on several roles in developing my podcast when my co-host could no longer support me. There were times when I had 3 different co-hosts, and we had to part ways due to personal circumstances that kept them from committing to the show – another went off to run for political office. As a result, I took on more responsibility to keep the show going and handled it flawlessly with only minor setbacks. Now the podcast has 6 interns and 1 Host, and we are ranked top 1% out of 2.8 million globally on podcast shows, according to Listen to Notes.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Outside of podcasting, I am transitioning into another organization as a recruitment manager for a nonprofit that helps diverse and overlooked young adults break into tech and corporate America. I specialize in recruitment, project management, and executive relationship building. I am known for these things above in my professional industry and as an advocate for accessible and affordable higher education. I am also known as a leader in my community through volunteering and fellowship premium national and local fellowship programs such as The Public Policy & International Affairs Program, The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Internship, & The Hispanic Leadership Institute. Following this new role, I plan o become a Project Manager for an Education Tech company and get some corporate experience moving to the Bay Area or East Coast. I also plan on obtaining my master’s in my late 30s in Public Policy at a top university since I have a tuition scholarship that I am humbled to have received during my undergraduate studies.

What was you like growing up?
Born and raised in a low-income family on the south side of Phoenix, Arizona, was a humbling experience. As a kid, I was trying to survive because my home nor the streets were safe. While most kids in middle school dodged balls & PE, I had to dodge gang violence & an abusive household. Not until I learned about the opportunity of obtaining a “college education” did my life begin to change. I was fortunate enough to be the first in my family to receive a college degree and attend with a full ride. Battling poverty, child abuse, and gang violence helped me face any adversity that came my way. What makes me unique is that from my childhood experience, college involvement, and early career, I have exemplified resilience & hard work that not all people get to say. Experiencing & enduring challenging moments in the professional workplace and personal life have allowed me to build emotional intelligence and tolerance of ambiguity so that I can work with people from various cultures and backgrounds. This separates me from other individuals who may only use to working with the same people. Lastly, over the years, I connected with great mentors, public leaders, and entrepreneurs, allowing me to become a talented networker from a young age. As a result, I have brought some of these people onto the new project I am working call, on the Go Entrepreneur Yourself Podcast. Also, I am an immature beatboxer. I went to college on a scholarship for singing, so that you can catch me occasionally singing on my IG @jonyamasaki or at a karaoke bar, and I love playing video games.

Pricing:

• Free

Contact Info:

• Website: goeypodcast.com or goentrepreneuryourself.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goentrepreneuryourself/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goentrepreneuryourself
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Goeypod
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCigOOqW5ACoBlsESveA3EuA
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/jonyamasaki/?hl=en