Richard Takai: Consigliere, coach, connector
Richard Takai’s LinkedIn page lists his profession as consigliere, coach and connector.
“Consigliere is such a cool term, isn’t it,” Takai said with a laugh. “I know it can mean someone who counsels mafia bosses and thus is referenced to The Godfather, but, in a broader sense it simply means advisor and that’s what I am.”
Takai threw in the coach and connector descriptors because his job is helping and mentoring others and connecting people to succeed in business. To do all this, Takai has five jobs and a list of volunteering credentials.
“Doing lots of things is how I made and continue to make connections,” he said. “Rather than tire me out, it absolutely energizes me. I wouldn’t do it unless I loved it and I love it.”
Takai’s primary job is business development manager with the Kelowna office of Grant Thornton Accountants.
“I’m a lawyer by profession, but I work at an accounting firm,” he said. “While part of my job is selling accounting services, accounting services are hard to sell. So my job is really building relationships to find out where Grant Thornton can help individuals and businesses.”
Takai also works on contract with the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission as a part-time export development officer.
While his wife, Ingrid, does most of the day-to-day work, Takai also helps with the couple’s Ronin HR, a boutique human resources firm that provides recruiting, retention and advisory services to the Okanagan’s high-tech sector. Takai is also involved with Adaptive Ventures, a firm that helps entrepreneurs commercialize their products, with three partners. Alex Greer is a mechanical engineer, Connie Raddatz has a background in corporate finance and John Soderlund knows electronic circuit board manufacturing and sales.
Takai also has his own consulting firm called Gateway Strategies.
“My expertise is in connecting people and building teams,” he said. “I like to empower people and help them help other people and their business.”
Born and raised in Vancouver, Takai earned an undergraduate degree at UBC before taking law at the University of Victoria.
His career of working to turn around Japanese packaging company Tomoku took him to Tokyo for five years and Los Angeles for four years. Ten years ago, Takai and his wife had two young sons and wanted to make a change. Being from Vancouver, he knew of Kelowna and decided to move his young family here.
“We’d lived in big cities by then and the Okanagan looked good because it’s smaller, but growing and the opportunities here are endless,” he said. “In a smaller city, it’s also easier to get connected by getting involved in business and the community. I also like that tech is growing so fast here.”
Takai’s volunteering is linked to his career as advisor, coach and connector.
He is on the investment review board of Venture Okanagan; is a judge and coach for the Central Okanagan School District’s Generation Challenge competition; helps with the UBC Okanagan Entrepreneur Bootcamp; judges at the Western Canada Business Case Competition at Okanagan College; and, for something different, is on the board of the Opera Kelowna Society.
Editor’s note: Every week in this space with Top Forty Over 40 we profile a business person over the age of 40 who is having a great career and giving back through mentoring and volunteering.
The series is presented by BDO Accountants and Consultants, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Courier. Nominations are now closed.
An event honouring all nominees will be held June 21 at the Delta Grand hotel.