Meet Roch Nakajima | Advertising and Marketing Agency Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Roch Nakajima and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roch, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I moved to Florida in 1992 after having lived in Japan working for a big pharmaceutical company. After the hectic 9 to sunset Japanese work style, Florida was a huge change. At the time companies like Blockbuster and Motorolla were the big employers in SoFla, but being in America, I really wanted the opportunity to start my own business. I was always tech savvy and liked computers and design so advertising and marketing was a natural fit. I did not know what I was getting into! Working and living in the same place takes a lot of discipline and as I got more and more clients I had to learn the hard way to discipline and structure my life. Looking back, I would not change anything. This has been an incredible experience and I have met amazing people through work. I have gone from working out of my living rooom to now having a full production studio and colleagues in Miami, Los Angeles, Tokyo, London and Oslo. The best thing is that it just keeps getting more and more interesting and exciting.

What should our readers know about your business?
The business of advertising and marketing has evolved in leaps in bounds in in the last 25 years. When I started in 1992 I was designing brochures using one or two colors and saved my work on floppies. From there the digital age came into full force in the this industry. Photos went from scans from slides to digital cameras. Printers went from ink jet to color laser. Video went from DVDs to MP4s. Ads went from print to digital. Its hard to imagine that 10 years ago we were consumed with full page color ads and brochures, and that now we do web pages, apps, social media, short format video – that is an incredible change. One of the areas of particular interest to me is the second company I am involved in. Noitom is South Florida’s first (and only) motion capture stage for animation and visual effects. What would have taken a team of 20 weeks to do just a decade ago, I can now do real-time cartoons and animation that even Mr. Disney would be proud of. To be at the cutting edge globally when you are in Miami is an incredible feeling of accomplishment for everyone on my team.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve always loved nature as an ex-marine biologist. Unfortunately my days of diving are long gone (ear problem), but I make up for that with the incredible nature we forget is just a 2o minutes drive from us. The Everglades are so easily overlooked. There are incredible trails that will get you face to face with wildlife – and there is no one there, just a few that know the “secret”. If you want to get on a magical bike ride – head over to Shark Valley – anyone who has been there will know what I mean. For some true Florida lore, ignore Key West, and head to Everglades City, Thousand Islands and Ochopee. You can see the smallest post office in the US, kayak between 1000 islands or take a ride on a airboat that will put the best roller coasters in Orlando to shame. Just enjoy nature. Its right at our doorstep.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have met so many incredible people on this journey – some in South Florida but many across the world. I really think that my adaptability stems from having lived in so many places so when I finally settled down in South Florida, its diversity made it really easy for me to thrive and feel at home. Now don’t get me wrong, its not all roses out there, just like anywhere else there are some bad actors, but not any more or less than anywhere else. I would say the only thing is that they are way more entertaining #floridaman – which I consider myself proudly at this point!

Website: www.rkgcreative.com or www.neuronmocap.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochnakajima/