Konnichiwa, Houston!

One group of high school students is determined to learn entrepreneurship from the best, crossing oceans from Chiba, Japan, to Houston to attend a camp hosted by the No. 1 ranked Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship.

The trip followed nearly a year of conversations between the Japan-America Society of Houston and the Wolff Center, including a meeting between the Bauer College program and a delegation of Japanese officials last October.

“They told us that, in their experience, entrepreneurship wasn't widely encouraged in their communities, where stability and traditional career paths were often emphasized,” Program Director of Community Outreach Danna Ceron said. “They said they want their students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and feel confident taking risks and starting businesses. What better place to do that than the No. 1 entrepreneurship program in the country?”

This month,10 high schoolers arrived in Houston from Chiba to get a taste of what being a Wolff Center student is like.

“We started with the hard part, which is identifying values and smart goals, and getting them to write down 25 of their dreams,” Ceron said. “They also ranked their values. It’s important for them to set a foundation of who they are and what they want to do with their lives.”

Students were also greeted by Bauer Dean Xianjun Geng on the first day, who shared bits of his personal journey and encouraged students to remain curious.

In the following days, students learned entrepreneurship fundamentals, reviewing the nine components of a business plan and value propositions.

“The group came with either a service or a product that they were developing,” Ceron said. “The camp helped them create a business plan model and prepare to take it into market.”

“I wanted to expand my horizons by participating in this camp,” student Anri Shimada said. “With my business I want to solve the problems of people who have dietary restrictions. I have a cousin with severe food allergies, so I want to help people like her.”

In between work sessions, the students got a glimpse of American life, touring the University of Houston campus, shopping at the bookstore and trying pizza and Tex-Mex food.

“I love it here; you can do whatever you want,” student Hinako Sakuma said. “My favorite part of America is that everyone is different and will accept your ideas without judgments.”

On the final day, the students presented their completed business plans to a panel of special guests. The project pushed students to succeed beyond their comfort zones, after many students shared that public speaking made them nervous at the start of the camp.

Winning Team

Anri Shimada and Miyu Sakakura

Best Presenters

Hinako Sakuma and Ayana Kaito

The Wolff Center’s ties with Japan go back more than a decade. In 2016, Executive Director David Cook took a group of Bauer students to Japan to meet with top technology and production companies.

A decade later, Cook said he and the alumni who attended the trip still are in touch with the people they met.

“Our students were able to experience the culture,” Cook said. “We got involved in major activities, but most importantly, we got to spend time with Japanese families. Each of the students spent evening nights in their homes. It was a really cool deal.”

The Wolff Center plans to have more cross-cultural student experiences in the future, he added.