Today we’d like to introduce you to Jana Nakamura
Hi Jana , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved a good celebration and throughout the years have had the pleasure of crafting many, mostly for myself and friends. It was only recently that I figured out that planning trips and shindigs brought me a lot of joy and might be something I could offer to others; it is truly satisfying to see people enjoying themselves and celebrating life. Thus, Crafted Shindigs was launched in late 2023.
I attribute this to growing up in Hawaii where the culture is rich in community and celebration, as well as my parents. They craved new experiences and wanted to see what was outside of island life and moved our family to the mainland. Years down the road came my dad’s cancer diagnosis which solidified the importance of creating memories and collecting experiences with the people you care about. We had many years together doing just that, and one family trip in particular was to San Diego. I absolutely fell in love with it and vowed to live there one day. Fast forward some years and I made that dream into a reality!
As for my experience, over 11 years in project management has given me a great base and perspective in planning parties and trips. It is through detailed research and my personal mantra of “success begins with preparation” that has helped me along the way. To me, people need connection, celebration of their wins or big life events, a chance to explore, and a fun time all around. Everyone has a vision, unique to them and my mission is to uncover that vision and bring it to life – helping you celebrate, one shindig at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a new venture, it has been a learning experience for me. I never thought I could or would try my hand at entrepreneurship or anything outside of the corporate world, and doubt and procrastination definitely crept in (and still does). At times it has sometimes been a challenge to keep a positive growth mindset, but on the flip side it has been great networking and learning from others and have found the start-up community very encouraging.
Another challenge has been my time management and progressing to the next steps in my plan due to other obligations and lack of prioritization.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work experience has been varied, starting off in retail management and eventually leading me into project management. I was fortunate that my previous boss saw my potential and helped me gain hands-on experience at my first project management position, allowing me to manage people, interact with clients and travel to job sites. I have since stayed in project management across a couple of industries, most currently working in transportation.
There are so many aspects to project management, but ones that I have specialized in are continuous development, process improvements, and innovation. There is always something to learn and something to improve. I hit my stride as an individual contributor who takes pride in creating things that are useful and meet my client’s specifications.
How does this fit into Crafted Shindigs you may ask? A party and/or a trip falls under the definition of a project which is a temporary endeavor with a fixed start and end date, and having this background has given me a good framework to keep organized and produce what my clients are looking for.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Getting out in the world and exploring makes me very happy. There are so many amazing places, experiences and foods that I have yet to discover. It goes back to my growth mindset and really addresses my sense of adventure (and avoidance of boredom) that I’ve had since childhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.craftedshindigs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crafted_shindigs/
Image Credits
Dynamic Visions Intl
