Hi there, I’m Glenn Nishimura. Nice to meet you, and thanks for stopping by.
As an experienced advisor, consultant, and mentor, I’ve helped dozens of early and growth stage startups and scaleups across North America, Asia and Europe to build and optimize their teams, culture and people operations. Simple to say, not so easy to do. The people part of a startup’s journey is often full of frustrations, disappointments, headwinds, and unknowns.
However it doesn’t have to always be that way if you have the right people in your corner. I’m proud that my work has helped numerous startups to successfully double, triple or even quadruple the size of their teams, reduce that dreaded turnover by up to 65%, and improve employee engagement by up to 75%. One Silicon Valley client of mine hit escape velocity and achieved over 150% growth in one year and was named one of America’s Most Promising Companies by Forbes. That’s super satisfying. But not all of my work has led to success; there have been failures along the way too. After working with one startup off and on for a couple of years, they were forced to shut down because they just couldn’t make it work. The bleeding was too severe. The leadership problems, toxic culture, and unwillingness to get out of their own way were just too entrenched, and they imploded.
We all approach work differently, and how I approach my work and my work relationships is deeply rooted in my upbringing. Having been raised in a very traditional Japanese family (descended from samurai on my father’s side and Buddhist ministers on my mother’s side – it’s an interesting mix, right?) I’ve learned the value of acting honourably and with integrity, showing compassion and understanding, and being of service to others. I try to bring those core tenets to every client I work with.
This is the reason why I enjoy spending my time mentoring young entrepreneurs through Futurpreneur, Venture for Canada, the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), and PEI’s Startup Zone. I feel that awareness and education are the best preventative medicines to mitigate people problems from taking hold in the first place.
On a fun note, I’m a huge sushi snob (translation: I only eat at reputable institutions and refuse to eat “sushi” from grocery stores, mall food courts, and definitely gas stations). I honestly don’t know how people can eat that stuff – #barf
Curious to learn more about me and my work? Download my Media Kit, or call me anytime at 416.566.6892. I hope to speak with you soon!
– Glenn
“Thanks again for more excellent advice Glenn – it was helpful, concise and I really appreciate you efficiently understanding our business and people needs. Definitely give Glenn a call – he’s an ideal expert resource that you won’t regret calling upon”. – Andy Peck, Founder/CEO TrustedHouseSitters.com, Bristol, UK- Winner of the Virgin Media Business Award