Shin Takahashi is an incurable extrovert and freedom-loving spirit blessed with the knack to succeed. He walked straight out of college into an executive position at a prestigious ad agency, where he quickly earned a reputation for putting 100 percent into every undertaking. No one worried when he failed to show for work one day -- that was Shin. Three days later when he still hadn't shown, the agency received a call.

"Hi, this is Shin," came his cheery greeting. "Where are you?" inquired a concerned coworker. "I'm in Germany," he replied. "Our client wanted me to come and help seal a deal with Porsche." Shin had grabbed his passport and boarded the next plane. And so it was that a Japanese tire manufacturer secured its first OEM (original equipment manufacturer) deal with a European car maker. Shin returned triumphant.

Not long after that he met Mike, a friend of our mutual acquaintance, who was looking for sponsors for the Japan 8-Hour, an endurance motorcycle race. Shin became more than interested -- he not only found a sponsor but also put together his own group of local riders who became the first Japanese team to win this highly regarded race. "I was going straight to hell till Mike showed me the way to heaven," he quips with a pixie-ish grin.