It's Been a Wonderful, Rewarding Journey!

Someone much more eloquent than I once said, "our lives' are a story of transition as we are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next."

And surely when we are in transition, it's at that point in time that we are feeling most alive and most hopeful and most courageous.

I know all this is true, as this isn't my first time quasi retiring and transitioning and i am certain it will not be my last.

My first quasi retirement was in 2006 (when I was just 46 years old) when I sold my Wall St. based company that I founded some 20 years earlier at just 26 years of age.

But I unretired and re-entered the business world in 2010....Like I stated in the title, it's been an interesting and wonderful ride! I never really worked a day in my life. I created 100s of jobs and made a difference in the lives of many!

In December of 2018, I announced my plans to once again step back and step down from my holdings in order to quasi retire from a lifelong career in the international financial markets.

* UPDATE - I came back in 2020, full time to help shepherd my portfolio of companies as well as my not for profit undertakings, through the pandemic and never slowed down since! Still keep myself busy and overcommitted through 2022 and I have no plans to slow down in 2023)

I became a global business owner of my Wall Street based international trading and shipping business when I was just 26 years old, and have been growing myself and all that I am engaged in relative to business, vertically and horizontally, with passion and a driven purpose ever since!

Now, 35 plus years later....

I founded my first company, an international trading house/global shipping business focusing on US-China business development and commercial and political relationships in 1986.

Subsequently, over the next 35 years, I diversified our business portfolio to include opening offices in 14 countries, build a shipping/logistics company, a venture capital company, an e commerce business, an investment company and so much more.

Looking back and reading so many interviews that I have done while reminiscing with my scrapbook, I realize that I was blessed with a very rewarding career. Not solely in the obvious material wealth, but more importantly because of the people, cultures and friends that I have become to know along the way.

I've come to the realization that one can always make more money, but not more time.

While it's true that TIME is our most precious of all our commodities, it is equally important to note that TIME is a depreciating asset (especially as we get older). It must be cherished, protected, made the most of, and never, ever wasted.

One of my discoveries of living a full and rewarding life of over-achieving (and over attaining) is that you can never really own anything in life, that doesn't ultimately own you and your time. That includes, businesses.

My business interests have consumed me and my time for a very long time. No complaints here though. I've had a positive impact and enjoy knowing that as much as some people enjoy spare time.

I've had an extraordinary career. I was lucky enough to have had world renowned mentors early on in my business career.

My first employer (and mentor) was a man named Sidney Scheuer. I worked for his NYC based Family Office/Global Commodity Trading and International Investment firm from 1981 until it was sold in 1986. I took my bonus and I decided to go out on my own.

Mr. Scheuer was a very smart and kind man that once served as a chief adviser to Eleanor Roosevelt. He was also Armand Hammer's business partner after World War II, the Founder of The Committee for an Effective Congress, a practicing Ethical Culturist and Philanthropist, and a billionaire. He was also one of the earliest pioneers of US-China trade.?Because of Scheuer's confidence in me, I had the opportunity to live in China to help develop his commodity trading business when I was in my early 20's.

As a perk, I got to study global economics, business strategies and international trade under John Kenneth Galbraith. I have also been fortunate to have "sat down at the table" and learn from people like Malcolm Forbes, Roger Milliken, Leonard Stern and many a politician and thought leader.?

My career started in the early 1980's as a China trader of commodities for a Wall St based firm. Five years later, at 26, I left to start my own trading company, the SATCORP INT"L Group. The company grew to have 19 offices in 14 countries and successfully represented several Fortune 100 companies in their international development and global M & A and as a result, I have influenced key decision makers across the globe.

As a result, I am now widely recognized as an authority on international trade and U.S-China commercial and political relations with extensive senior contacts on both sides of the world and the aisle. I have worked with every administration (except the current) in some facet or another in international trade, global commerce and China business development since 1986.

After twenty years as President/CEO of SATCORP, I sold the business to a major financial institution and took a sabbatical in order to care for my cancer-stricken wife and be there to help raise our two children, that were young at the time. I re-emerged in 2009 shortly after the 2008 'great recession' as a venture capitalist, using my experience, knowledge and entrepreneurial DNA to further my career as a business owner and leader.

As I look back, I am proud of my track record of building the following companies:?

** LOOKABLE and MYLOOKABLE.com (e commerce and franchise stores in eye ware)

**LION MSO (Rollup/consolidation architecture and management, company)

* AUTUS Capital Advisors (VC/PE Advisers, Biz growth)

**LION Network (Medical Roll-up and Eye Care Consolidation for PE)

* ORBIT Management Co. (Management Services Organization, MSO, ASA)

* Mamora Bay Holdings, Antigua (Venture Capital/Global Investments)

* iComTrader (online internet commodity auctions)

* Thoroughlybred (marketing, thoroughbred horse auctions)

* New York Couch Potatoes Co. (retail, apparel kiosks)

* Ventex Industries (logistics, warehousing)

* Vengroup HK (commodity trade)

* Sino-American Trading (US-China trade)

* Satcorp Int'l Group (global trading house with 18 locations worldwide)

* Satcorp Shipping (licensed freight forwarder)

* Nashua International (warehousing, trucking, logistics)

* Southbelle Farms (thoroughbred breeding & syndication)

* Southbelle Stables Ltd (thoroughbred horse racing)?

** Updated as I started these business post this announcement and recently added them to this list. I am pretty excited about both. They kept me pretty busy during the quarantine time of Covid and now I am building, managing and funding LION MSO and LOOKABLE!

I am now living between NYC, St. Petersburg, Florida and Antigua and keep myself busy and plan on taking on even more public speaking and teaching engagements, continue my writing and philanthropy while staying busy in my day job.

I have just finished my 4th book "Globalization and the Commoditization of Human Capital" which is set to be published in 2021. I recently started writing my 5th book, which will be based on my career experiences as a US China trade from 1982 to present day.

My award-winning book The Entrepreneur's Edge - Tapping Into Your Inner Entrepreneur - is available on Amazon (a portion of the proceeds go to charity) here:?https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1478794003

Thank you for taking and interest in me and my career!

I do often write articles on LinkedIn, covering topics such leadership, entrepreneurship, global economic policies , international trade and investment, China business and politics, globalization and cultural awareness, venture capital and more. In case you missed any of them and are interested, you can find them here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/javena/detail/recent-activity/posts /

May you always have enough of the things you need for yourself and an abundance of the things you'd like to share with others. In this way,?your hands will always be extended in friendship and never in want.

And, should you find yourself more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, but it will always be greener where you water it!

James