Significant Career Lesson From A Private Equity Director At ZT Corporate
Chihiro, a Private Equity Director at ZT Corporate, learned that "nothing's really given to you," even with a prestigious business school background like Anderson. This realization spurred a career philosophy centered on actively creating opportunities and capitalizing on those that arise, emphasizing that the regret of a missed opportunity outweighs the consequences of a failed risk.
Executive/Leadership, Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories, Hard Truths
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Chihiro Kurokawa
Private Equity Director
ZT Corporate
UC Berkeley
UCLA; MBA
Business Management & Admin
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing), Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Making your own opportunities is crucial for career advancement. Don't expect opportunities to simply be handed to you; actively seek them out and create them.
2. Seizing opportunities is important, even if it means taking risks. The regret of a missed opportunity often outweighs the potential consequences of a failed attempt.
3. Success isn't solely determined by your starting point (e.g., prestigious education). Proactive effort and using opportunities to your advantage are key factors in career success
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
The number one lesson, and it doesn't just apply to what I do in private equity, is that really nothing's given to you. I will admit that when I was at Anderson, a decently reputable business school, I thought that, to some extent, opportunities would kind of come to me.
But I quickly learned that that is not true at all. You have to make your own opportunities. I believe this applies to you regardless of your starting point.
You have to make the best of your opportunities and create them in a lot of instances. This has been a really important lesson that I continue to try to orient my life around.
I need to create my own opportunities, and when one presents itself, I need to really take advantage of it. Nothing quite stings like a missed opportunity in life. It stings more than taking a risk and losing or getting hurt by it. It stings more to look back and think, "Oh man, I should have done this," or "I should have done that."
Advizer Personal Links
instagram.com/cgkurokawa, linkedin.com/in/cgkurokawa