BRANDON, Man. (Staff) – Eight Japanese words helped Mike Leslie get to Japan.
The Calgary-based consultant who finds Asian buyers for North American agricultural products said two phrases, a little bit of luck and an open mind changed his life.
Leslie grew up on farms in Douglas and Holland, Man., and was an “aggie” at the University of Manitoba.
On a trip to Mexico with a couple of friends, one being a Japanese exchange student, he learned to say, “My name is Mike” and “This is a pen.”
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Years later, while working for Alberta Agriculture, he met a Japanese guest of the government, and repeated his phrases.
Opened the door
Leslie said the guest was very polite, saying Leslie was fluent. So Leslie’s boss asked him if he’d be interested in going to Japan. Four months later, he was in Tokyo.
Leslie spent a couple of years on loan to a major supermarket, and two more with the Canadian Beef Export Federation.
Share knowledge
When he returned to Canada three years ago, he said he “grabbed” a retirement package offered by the government to start his company.
He and his wife Erin run the business, with some help from associates. But Leslie said they and their 16-month-old son have been spending a lot of time on the plane, and he’s thinking about hiring some staff to do “the mechanical stuff” like paperwork.
Leslie concentrates on Japan because he loves the culture.
“In doing business with most of the countries in the world, you have to have relationships, and they have to know you and like you,” he said.
“Physically, you can only keep up so many relationships.”
