MEET JOHN SUZUKI
Author, speaker, and podcast host making our world a little better one person at a time.
AMERICAN GRIT, THE BOOK
The incredible and inspiring true story of love, grit, and heroism from the American concentration camps.
Who is John?
“I believe we all share a common purpose; to make the world better than the day we landed on it.”
- John Suzuki
Happily married for nearly forty years, John is based in Bellevue, Washington and his passions include bluefin tuna fishing, paragliding, karate, and waking up. He is described by his wife as “a dog chasing squirrels... He gets excited about everything!”
In 2022, John left his 40-year career in sales and technology evangelism with companies including IBM, Sun Microsystems, Vrbo and Expedia to pursue what he calls his “third career of giving back.”
In 2023 John released his Amazon best-selling book, American Grit, to introduce the world to remarkable people who refused victimhood after being incarcerated in American concentration camps, and instead chose to empower themselves to achieve their dreams of a better world. It is an unforgettable and inspiring true story of love, courage, resilience, and the kinds of amazing things we can all accomplish.
In 2024 John created the highly acclaimed Finding Better podcast to share real-life experiences in finding “better” in life, business, and the world. “It’s all about sharing actual life experiences in finding better so folks can apply those lessons to achieve the better they want in their own lives."
As a featured /keynote speaker, John’s authentic and sincere style and gift of storytelling connects him with his audiences as he inspires them to always strive for better in love, life, and business. John's top priority is always to deliver an insightful and memorable message that will be of great value to his audience.
American Grit
American Grit - From a Japanese American Concentration Camp Rises an American War Hero is the unforgettable true story of the American concentration camps during World War II, and the brave young men who volunteered from the camps to fight and die for the United States Army while their families remained imprisoned in the camps by the U.S. Army.
Inspired by this unparalleled act of self-empowerment and courage, John tells the inspiring story of Shiro "Kash" Kashino, a young American who volunteered from his incarceration and became one of the most decorated Americans of World War II. American Grit is also a stark reminder of ruinous hardships endured by over 122,000 people incarcerated in the American concentration camps – including 50,000 American children - while celebrating their love, courage, and resilience during and after World War II as they fought through intense discrimination and achieved their dreams of a better life.
American Grit is John's effort to educate the world on this dark chapter of American history, and help prevent concentration camps in the United States from ever happening again. "Honor the past by educating the future."
Finding Better, THe Podcast
Many folks agree that our world is broken in so many ways and in need of healing. John's “Finding Better Podcast” has one mission: To lift the world by helping people achieve the "better" they want in their lives, one person at a time. It is a place where folks share real-life experiences in finding better so listeners can learn from those experiences and apply them to their own lives.
What makes Finding Better unique is that everything about it is true, sincere, and authentic. It is not about opinions, theories, or academics. It is about real-life experiences they don’t teach you in school, and things that you may wish you learned a long time ago. Everything we share is the best of us with a spirit of "giving back." After all, if Finding Better can help make your life better in some way, not only will you be happier, but the world will be lifted too.
For John, it’s about making the world better than the day we got here.