Terry Watanabe on Becoming CEO of His Dad's Company at 20, Selling the Business for $400M (Part 1)
Terry Watanabe on Becoming CEO of His Dad's Company at 20, Selling the Business for $400M (Part 1)  
Podcast: VladTV
Published On: Fri Nov 07 2025
Description: At just 20 years old, Terry Watanabe took the helm of his father Harry Watanabe’s import company, Oriental Trading Company, which his father had started after immigrating from Hiroshima, Japan. Originally a small carnival distribution business, Terry strategically expanded focus, growing the company to $300 million in annual revenue by 2000. Under his leadership, the company grossed up to $25 million per month and grew significantly. In 2000, at age 43, Terry sold the family-run business for $400 million, personally receiving around $350 million from the deal. Despite being a lucrative sale, the company changed hands multiple times afterward, eventually becoming part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway portfolio.